Gee who would have guessed this? The CTU have released emails confirming that Warners sat on drafting the press release announcing the lifting of the Hobbit don’t sign advice. Warners agreed in an email the dispute was over but did not release the agreed press release.
I understand that – but when they went public saying that the union did this and that I would’ve thought that the good faith was destroyed particularly given these emails they had already received.
If it had been me as soon as they tried to blame me for potentially losing the hobbit and effectively turned public opinion against me I would’ve released that email. What did they have to lose at that point – releasing emails that are sent to you has nothing to do with OIA requests etc.
Colonial Viper – I agree with you I just don’t see why the union also effectively covered it up by not releasing anything till now. I feel like I am missing something that was stopping them.
Wel, if you had released the email jacko would have dragged out the issue much longer, and so much mud would have been flung around that he still would have had dropkicks protesting for him.
Unions want workers to work too, remember?
But now the govt side has been released, the unions releasing their own side of it demonstrates nicely who was telling the truth at the time, and the movie’s been made. Middle-case result for the actual hobbit workers, but puts workers in a better position for next time.
Between wacko jacko and POAL’s dodgy math, employer credibility is scraping the bottom.
But this email from the union demonstrates immediately that they were telling the truth the whole time. They could drag the issue out as long as they want but at the end of the day I think it has been suitably shown noone working would have been affected by the whole thing (thats the whole point no?).
How would releasing this email showing the union was not taking action against the film have stopped people working?
At the end of the day just because you agree with the union cause doesnt mean they did everything right, I think its pretty obvious both parties screwed this up and to be honest its looking more like the union screwed up more.
They had a position where the other party was obviously lying and they did nothing about it. Good work? Yes Peter Jackson et al lied but they did so to achieve the ends they wanted which they got (not saying this is good but from their point of view was great) – the union came across as anti-everything yet apparently they were sitting on something that showed the other party was full of shit and did nothing. What the fuck?
At the end of the day just because you agree with the union cause doesnt mean they did everything right, I think its pretty obvious both parties screwed this up and to be honest its looking more like the union screwed up more.
lol
Funny thing about negotiations. Calling someone a liar while they’re still going on isn’t always productive. Given the description of Jackson in the emails from both sides, if the union had released these emails at the time and showed him to be a liar there might well have been a real risk that he’d up stakes out of general fuckwittedness.
And clearly the IRD hasn’t thought about the environmental impact => can’t use work laptop at home, have to buy one for myself = more ewaste = Fstupid.
Quote from above article: But Mr Peterson said the additional tax would cause some employers to think twice about allowing personal use of the devices.
“They’ll say you can’t take it home, it’s just too much trouble.”
Mr Peterson also said the suggested tax would be an administrative nightmare and “there will be all sorts of fiddling around with people trying to avoid it”.”
And clearly the IRD hasnât thought about the environmental impact => canât use work laptop at home, have to buy one for myself = more ewaste = Fstupid.
But they’d have a higher tax revenue from all the extra sales!!111
When quizzed further, he fell silent. I guess he hadn’t thought it through.
(context: TV3 coverage of housing affordability in Auckland last night. The coverage WAS racist – memo to TV3, “looking Asian” and “absentee landlord” are not synonyms – but a discussion about spiralling house prices is not).
Scandal-hit RBS pays out ÂŁ600m in bonuses
Asked why RBS can afford to pay bonuses to its staff but not what the public spent in bailing it out, Sir Philip described the bonus situation as âtoxic for everybodyâ.
RBS fined ÂŁ390m for ‘widespread misconduct’ in Libor-rigging scandal
Royal Bank of Scotland bankers continued to rig Libor rate until November 2010 â two years after it was bailed out by taxpayer
RBS fined ÂŁ390m for ‘widespread misconduct’ in Libor-rigging scandal
Royal Bank of Scotland bankers continued to rig Libor rate until November 2010 â two years after it was bailed out by taxpayer
Jill Treanor, City editor
The Guardian, Wednesday 6 February 2013 20.27 GMT
Royal Bank of Scotland was handed a ÂŁ390m fine on Wednesday for “widespread misconduct” in rigging the Libor rate until as recently as November 2010, two years after it was bailed out by the taxpayer and even after regulators had begun to investigate the key benchmark rate.
Regulators found that corrupt payments of more than ÂŁ100,000 were made to those involved and that the bailed-out bank had “abetted” Swiss bank UBS â fined ÂŁ940m â in manipulating the rate used to set prices on ÂŁ300tn of financial contracts around the world, from ordinary household mortgages to business loans.
“This is another day of shame for Britain’s banks,” Greg Clark, the financial secretary to the Treasury, told MPs.
Our government commissions a report on economic development and city competitiveness – the report shows that Auckland’s planning approach is broadly right – brownfield developments, rail and public transport etc.
However our Government fails to ensure that the report has an evidence base according to Minister Joyce whose Ministry commissioned the report and he then slates the report for having this. He cannot say :
a) how much the report cost
b) why his officials were allowed to commission a report so poorly scoped and lacking supporting research that he as Minister could discount it before publication.
despite being invited onto Radio NZ to talk about the research his Ministry commissioned.
Great post Paddy which has me thinking I don’t know why David Cunliffe doesn’t push on and form a new left wing party. He has been treated very poorly indeed & I really think there is room, with a good following that would ensue, including current Labour MP’s. Take Nanaia Mahuta she would win her Waikato seat hands down as would a number of others like Dalziel, Â however I also believe a new left party would easily pass the 5 % threshold with a possible 9 to 10 MPs all up. I just don’t like the current direction, when you haveÂ
a former General Secretary bailing after a relatively short stint you have to think all is not ‘left.’ within the current Labour Party line up. And arguably policies that have come out are far too right/centralistic in my view.Â
Crunch the numbers & make a move DC, the sooner the better.Â
Of course I couldn’t and wouldn’t quote from a private email, but he’s a nice bloke.
I do believe, at the end, he’ll be the one that got away from us all.
Though I did say it was going to get messy and soon, so maybe too soon for epitaphs.
Dear Chris Trotter reminds us of that black day in Labour History. His deccription of that angry boy Chris Hipkins is so correct. I’ve a vivid recollection of his distorted hate filled face a screaming into the mike. The wretched have taken control. Shame too on Darien Fenton. She has a black name in the annals if the NZLP. http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2013/03/running-dogs.html?m=1
“The Pack are well rewarded. Ms Fenton and Ms Curran both rise two places in the pecking order, while Mr Twyford goes up three to take a seat on the front bench. Megan Woods enters the top twenty â a back-bencher no longer. Andrew Little rises with her. Mr Shearerâs chief swordsman, Chris Hipkins, climbs five places to claim the shadow portfolio of Education from Mr Cunliffeâs running-mate, Nanaia Mahuta.”
As my dear mum said, don’t waste time with bad people, fight fire with fire.
RNZ-Council for Educational Research-“secondary schools have deteriorated over the last three years.”
Diabetes-7% per capita, 19% showing early signs; Cheque anybody?
yes, the Hong Kong commissioned study STRONGLY SUGGESTS, tax reductions and rapid inter-city rail; overall marks for poor competitiveness like the 100’s of cops off the front-line of poor fitness. Yep!, but that’s ok, the US are going to “directly fund the Syrian opposition.”
so lets enjoy a SNickers Jah,
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings until she was Unchained from the squared circle of Le Mans disasterous latitudes. Her father projected that the eastern provinces could be reorganized, the lion placated; The Argo saga naught but another fleecing; “it’s the end of the Middle Earth as we know it.”
More foot-in-mouth due to poor preparation. The heel of Pegasus was as quenching as Na Drini Cuprija; At a Hungry meeting 63% wish to ban foreign property buyers (above 30.9C no increase in pressure is going to liquify CO2 of Gauss) Still, try telling anechoic chamber that Tiberius freed both slave and lion. Gnaeus either / found an Island or an Ogygian deluge.(what else are you gonna do when it’s hot outside, little shade and freakin sport’s on the box)
As of March 2012 NZ had $304 billion of foreign investment already. Joyce wants to take that up to $500billion yet no-one can even demonstrate that we’ve benefited from the existing investment.
In the 2011/2012 year NZ exported $62billion and imported $60billion, our terms of trade were good. It’s the investment positon which caused our last current account deficit of $9billion, NZ sent $16billion offshore in dividends to those foreign investors and collected only $5.4billion from offshore investments.
If we take in another $200billion like Joyce wants we can extrapolate that to an extra $10billion in dividends, sending $26billion offshore. It’s real headbanger stuff.
But seriously, I think there needs to be more examination of orthodox economics on the left. Our international trade is all foreign exchange related. In simple terms NZ sold $76billion worth of $NZD and bought back only $68billion. We can’t carry a $9billion differential in our foreign currency dealing, the $NZD would crash bigtime. So we take in more overseas investment in order to buy back all the $NZD we sold.
IMO all the talk about intervening in the forex market to bring down the $NZD is completely on the wrong track, because we’re already intervening to keep the $NZD up. If we want to get the $NZD down we’d be better off looking at cutting back on the foreign investment and/or overseas borrowing instead of trying to play the forex markets.
How appropriate/ proper/ LAWFUL is it for Auckland Council CEO Doug McKay to investigate himself, when it is HIS actions which are the subject of the complaint???
DUH?
ANTI-CORRUPTION ‘WHISTLE-BLOWERS’ EXPOSE HOW AUCKLAND COUNCIL CEO DOUG MCKAY HAS AUTHORISED THE ‘BLOCKING’ OF EMAILS TO ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE OR AUTHORITY
(For more background information exposing the, in my considered opinion, dodgy role of the CEO of Auckland Council, and the General Counsel for Auckland Council – see the following ten new ‘Items fo Evidence’ which I was allowed to ‘adduce’ in the Occupy Auckland vs Auckland Council Appeal (in which I defended myself as a ‘Named Respiondent’).
Can not say I blame him as he gave up a very successful legal career for what? I had dinner with him once it was a great night out and we were all buoyant with Labour’s future, a different era to now!
just to reiterate,
19% (1 in 5) New Zealanders has Glucose Metabolism Disorder (precursor)
215000 people live with diabetes which is to double in the next couple of decades; sticky mess.
Campbell- “Third most obese nation in the world.”
Family Court changes
-“domestic violence will increase” -a Real Judge, Murfitt, speaks across the bench.
(HB already ranks #1for Wrath in a national survey by police into provinces Seven Deadly Sins; Lust and Envy not far behind; Greed, not as Bad here…)
the freakin MSM; gold prices dropping, with a tailing that “the Central Banks of Russia and China” have sluiced ” Enormous purchases of Gold.” ya don’t say, where you been the last couple of years?
Moria?
“Big Fat Lies” đ
by the age of 20 was onto Jim’s Black, and back then there was also Jim’s Rye; Absolutely Fabulous in Wainuiomata, strangely enough (some Diesel Progress), yet you probably already ran that up on the Test Bench. (just quaffed a non-diet Sprite; gonna burn now)
Haha: I read that Japanese women believe in the power of beer, naturally brewed and without additives that is (“Reinheitsgebot”), they even bathe in it, as it keeps their skin smooth and young. No need for sugar there, aye.
It’s getting interesting on Chris Trotter’s blog.
Here’s a response to his latest post:
Felix Marwick said…
“Even from the Media Table, the animosity directed towards caucus members who spoke in favour of the rank-and-fileâs resolutions (the most effective of whom, by far, was Lianne Dalziel) was unmistakeable.”
Really Chris?
I recall us being surprised (and for news purposes) quite happy that MPs and delegates were expressing the views that they were. Generally we’ve been excluded from such debates in the past.
I certainly don’t remember any of my colleagues expressing animosity at those that were critical of the hierarchy.
I do, however, recall you going and high fiving with delegates when the 40% caucus vote remit was passed. I also recall you telling a political editor to “get f**ked” when they joked that perhaps the remit should have had support of 60% of the conference.
And I do wonder how it’s consistent that the Shearer camp, which had been derided at the time by its critics inept and incompetent, suddenly became Machiavellian enough to co-opt the entire press gallery to their cause?
For the record; I do not give a flying bollock as to who leads the Labour Party. I, unlike you, am not a player in that game.
Felix Marwick
Chief Political Reporter
Newstalk ZB
“Felix” is latin for the “happy one” or “lucky one”, I suppose, and the surname sounds like “Marmite” to me. Combining the two gives me a messy impression, of perhaps a brownish smeared face after attempted eating, reminding me of guess who, Adolphus H., ruling 1933 to 1945.
NZ media are to me mostly gutter media, that is most, not all, and 1ZB qualifies for “gutter”, hence not to be taken seriously.
Actually, I was merely suggesting that saying any particular journo is reminiscent of AH lowers the credibility of other statements.
As to Marwick, it seems to me that he was already doing what you suggested: commenting on the bits that he personally was acquainted with. The clue is in the use of phrases like “I recall us being surprised”… and “I certainly donât remember “… and “I do, however, recall you going”… and “I also recall you telling”…
Without simply repasting what has already been posted, Marwick seems to be suggesting that Trotter’s claim of animosity from the media table was possibly skewed by Trotter’s own animosity towards the media table.
Now if this does not open the eyes of more now, I do not know what will!
It shows that Labour MPs have in large numbers totally lost their ways, and they had their knives out, disliking “democracy” from the party members. They were “working” on members and colleagues, so no wonder we got the Cunliffe “hanging” and demotion after all that. It is disgusting from my point of view.
I trust that someone of the TS team or moderating collective may feel up to write a post on it. I am too worn out for now, so have a read and reflect perhaps.
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealandâs biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealandâs biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a âmoisture-ladenâ long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own governmentâs fiscal policies raised issues of substance. âToday in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media â sure enough â have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willisâ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra â that the Budget âwill deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing.  Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Itâs becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-MÄori andâŠ. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you donât like and donât ...
Don Brash writes –Â As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that countryâs mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isnât already pretty well-off? Itâs as if protecting landlordsâ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of Nationalâs ...
 Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, itâs that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxonâs ...
Robert MacCulloch writes –Â The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this yearâs Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran OâSullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm â a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon â note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinsonâs analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana â or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. Itâs a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealandâs highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes –Â Â Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – âIt is often said that behind every great man is a great womanâ. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their âLadies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxonâ. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Petersâ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes â If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshubâs closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague â whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak â has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
âIt is often said that behind every great man is a great womanâ. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their âLadies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxonâ. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Ministerâs ...
The Coalition Governmentâs plan to âget Auckland movingâ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities sheâs meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Governmentâs archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the Americaâs Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it wonât stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Memberâs Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labourâs change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand Firstâs State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared âco-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te PÄti MÄori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. âIâm calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to âtake back our countryâ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jonesâ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Governmentâs fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Governmentâs miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesnât act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. âIt was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. âThe Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.  âThis travel will focus on a range of New Zealandâs traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,â Mr Peters says.  Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. âRoad safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. âOur relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliamentâs order paper. âThe Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,â Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams wonât be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. âThe coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. âDam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. âI have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. âThe Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023â24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the governmentâs finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Governmentâs Budget objectives. âThe coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                        âThe Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.  âThese changes are long overdue â the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealandâs growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Ministerâs Prizes for Space today. âNew Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealandâs concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. Â Â âThe Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Educationâs School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. âThere is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. âToday I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of Peopleâs Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. âThe use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,â Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. âWeâre sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealandâs ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. Â Â âI am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. âI have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commissionâs online consultation portal.â Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. âComprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. âI would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. âThis is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women donât ...
Good morning, itâs great to be here.  First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Governmentâs ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Governmentâs commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools MÄori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. âThe Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, Iâm proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of todayâs address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and Iâm sorry I canât be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the WhangÄrei site where the facility will be constructed. âNorthland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata MÄori 20 years ago, says MÄori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisationâs 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “Itâs official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “weâre in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 29 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who havenât accessed support to come forward and engage with the councilâs recovery office. It ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliamentâs forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the âdisappearanceâ of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people âsequesteredâ in this weekâs raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Itâs Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether youâre a boomer, or an â80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fijiâs Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? â Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems thereâs one luxury most Australians wonât sacrifice â their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Educationâs claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxonâs fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
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 A national Essential poll, conducted March 20â24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50â44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayersâ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the Peopleâs Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether youâre facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, itâs always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. Itâs an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting âoff the booksâ illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Governmentâs announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is âshamefulâ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain â a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata MÄori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is âfar-off sightâ. In the contemporary and living language of te reo MÄori, âwhakaataâ as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israelâs war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Governmentâs decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for âDead in Bedâ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research â and large-scale commercialisation. Whatâs beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martinâs favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martinâs fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Heraâs help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. Iâm 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queenâs crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday â and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli militaryâs genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldnât give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this yearâs budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayersâ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Departmentâs Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayersâ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the countryâs top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, MÄori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina â Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellingtonâs Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservationâs biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 28 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the planâs treatment of Auckland passed through the councilâs transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealandâs Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was âimproperâ ...
As a young gymnast, Aimee Didierjean was always conscious of making sure her underwear wasnât showing on the competition floor. A peek of a bra strap, or briefs if a leotard rode up, would cost a gymnast points in her routines. âWhen I was growing and going through puberty, it ...
Jubi/West Papua Daily Repeated cases of Indonesian military (TNI) soldiers torturing civilians in Papua have been evident, as seen in the viral video depicting the torture of civilians in the Puncak Regency allegedly done by soldiers of Raider 300/Brajawijaya Infantry Battalion. There is a pressing need for stringent law enforcement ...
Gee who would have guessed this? The CTU have released emails confirming that Warners sat on drafting the press release announcing the lifting of the Hobbit don’t sign advice. Warners agreed in an email the dispute was over but did not release the agreed press release.
New Zealand you have been had.
Epping Road, Gosman et al care to apologise?
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/129382/warner-bros-emails-reveal-deal-announcement-delay
Epping Road, Gosman et al care to apologise?
I like your optimism micky.
Why have these emails only been released now? Surely this whole thing could have been avoided if they had released this email at the time?
At the time?
What, you mean while they were negotiating in good faith?
With people who wanted the emails kept secret even after the OIA request?
I understand that – but when they went public saying that the union did this and that I would’ve thought that the good faith was destroyed particularly given these emails they had already received.
If it had been me as soon as they tried to blame me for potentially losing the hobbit and effectively turned public opinion against me I would’ve released that email. What did they have to lose at that point – releasing emails that are sent to you has nothing to do with OIA requests etc.
Colonial Viper – I agree with you I just don’t see why the union also effectively covered it up by not releasing anything till now. I feel like I am missing something that was stopping them.
Wel, if you had released the email jacko would have dragged out the issue much longer, and so much mud would have been flung around that he still would have had dropkicks protesting for him.
Unions want workers to work too, remember?
But now the govt side has been released, the unions releasing their own side of it demonstrates nicely who was telling the truth at the time, and the movie’s been made. Middle-case result for the actual hobbit workers, but puts workers in a better position for next time.
Between wacko jacko and POAL’s dodgy math, employer credibility is scraping the bottom.
But this email from the union demonstrates immediately that they were telling the truth the whole time. They could drag the issue out as long as they want but at the end of the day I think it has been suitably shown noone working would have been affected by the whole thing (thats the whole point no?).
How would releasing this email showing the union was not taking action against the film have stopped people working?
At the end of the day just because you agree with the union cause doesnt mean they did everything right, I think its pretty obvious both parties screwed this up and to be honest its looking more like the union screwed up more.
They had a position where the other party was obviously lying and they did nothing about it. Good work? Yes Peter Jackson et al lied but they did so to achieve the ends they wanted which they got (not saying this is good but from their point of view was great) – the union came across as anti-everything yet apparently they were sitting on something that showed the other party was full of shit and did nothing. What the fuck?
At the end of the day just because you agree with the union cause doesnt mean they did everything right, I think its pretty obvious both parties screwed this up and to be honest its looking more like the union screwed up more.
lol
Funny thing about negotiations. Calling someone a liar while they’re still going on isn’t always productive. Given the description of Jackson in the emails from both sides, if the union had released these emails at the time and showed him to be a liar there might well have been a real risk that he’d up stakes out of general fuckwittedness.
This whole thing could have been avoided if Jackson, Key and Brownlee had acknowledged the truth, instead of covering it up.
Good on you Greg!
You have struck a nerve on Kiwiblog with your post on this issue!
WELL DONE!
Cheers!
Penny Bright đ
Congratulations to Dame Anne Salmond: New Zealander of the Year.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8366898/Dame-Anne-wins-NZer-of-the-Year
A good choice.
ae
Noooo!
IRD considering taxing personal use of employee laptops etc. Time to get tech smart and find a loophole here folks.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10868425
And clearly the IRD hasn’t thought about the environmental impact => can’t use work laptop at home, have to buy one for myself = more ewaste = Fstupid.
Quote from above article: But Mr Peterson said the additional tax would cause some employers to think twice about allowing personal use of the devices.
“They’ll say you can’t take it home, it’s just too much trouble.”
Mr Peterson also said the suggested tax would be an administrative nightmare and “there will be all sorts of fiddling around with people trying to avoid it”.”
But they’d have a higher tax revenue from all the extra sales!!111
/sarc
Oh, and way to encourage the use of technology.
Laptops must be where all that multi-billion dollar tax evasion and income hiding is happening.
Laptop trust funds for all, Comrade đ
Last night Peter Dunne announced a bold new immigration policy, on Twitter …
https://twitter.com/PeterDunneMP/status/307043305865228289
When quizzed further, he fell silent. I guess he hadn’t thought it through.
(context: TV3 coverage of housing affordability in Auckland last night. The coverage WAS racist – memo to TV3, “looking Asian” and “absentee landlord” are not synonyms – but a discussion about spiralling house prices is not).
It gets better …
https://twitter.com/ImperatorFish/status/307048243060150272
You’d think this was a parody Twitter account. It’s not.
Peter Dunne is a lying distorting bastard too. Example… “they don’t like foreigners owning property but say it is nothing to do with race”
That’s right Dunne. What don’t you get about what “foreigner” means and what “race” means?
You are either thick or deceptive and slimey.
Where have the Greens made a statement about Asians and immigration?
The artist taxi driver on the outrageous bank corruption in the U$K , the same ones bailed out by the public who are having austerity imposed on them.
RBS Scandal of Banking thieves criminals and govt embezzlement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPo_cB0cdDU&list=UUGThM-ZZBba1Zl9rU-XeR-A&index=2
Scandal-hit RBS pays out ÂŁ600m in bonuses
Asked why RBS can afford to pay bonuses to its staff but not what the public spent in bailing it out, Sir Philip described the bonus situation as âtoxic for everybodyâ.
RBS fined ÂŁ390m for ‘widespread misconduct’ in Libor-rigging scandal
Royal Bank of Scotland bankers continued to rig Libor rate until November 2010 â two years after it was bailed out by taxpayer
RBS fined ÂŁ390m for ‘widespread misconduct’ in Libor-rigging scandal
Royal Bank of Scotland bankers continued to rig Libor rate until November 2010 â two years after it was bailed out by taxpayer
Jill Treanor, City editor
The Guardian, Wednesday 6 February 2013 20.27 GMT
Royal Bank of Scotland was handed a ÂŁ390m fine on Wednesday for “widespread misconduct” in rigging the Libor rate until as recently as November 2010, two years after it was bailed out by the taxpayer and even after regulators had begun to investigate the key benchmark rate.
Regulators found that corrupt payments of more than ÂŁ100,000 were made to those involved and that the bailed-out bank had “abetted” Swiss bank UBS â fined ÂŁ940m â in manipulating the rate used to set prices on ÂŁ300tn of financial contracts around the world, from ordinary household mortgages to business loans.
“This is another day of shame for Britain’s banks,” Greg Clark, the financial secretary to the Treasury, told MPs.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/feb/06/rbs-fined-libor-rigging-scandal
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/business-news/scandal-hit-rbs-pays-out-600m-in-bonuses-1-5454195
Dear Jonkey et al .. if you think the environment doesn’t really matter, try holding your breath while counting your money …
This is a frightener ….
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/02/14/1594211/death-spiral-bombshell-cryosat-2-confirms-arctic-sea-ice-volume-has-collapsed/?mobile=nc
Our government commissions a report on economic development and city competitiveness – the report shows that Auckland’s planning approach is broadly right – brownfield developments, rail and public transport etc.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2547838/competitiveness-expect-backs-auckland-council-plans.asx
However our Government fails to ensure that the report has an evidence base according to Minister Joyce whose Ministry commissioned the report and he then slates the report for having this. He cannot say :
a) how much the report cost
b) why his officials were allowed to commission a report so poorly scoped and lacking supporting research that he as Minister could discount it before publication.
despite being invited onto Radio NZ to talk about the research his Ministry commissioned.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2547839/steven-joyce-critical-of-report-on-nz-competitiveness.asx
Chris Trotter on the events of the 2011 Labour Conference and what has happened since.
The winners and the losers of the reshuffle depended on how loyal they were to David Shearer.
Pretty scary stuff.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/opinion/8367976/Dishing-out-rewards-to-hungry-enforcers
Interesting. Thanks for the link, SP.
Lucky no-one is prepared to vate for them. They are unfit to run a country.
Great post Paddy which has me thinking I don’t know why David Cunliffe doesn’t push on and form a new left wing party. He has been treated very poorly indeed & I really think there is room, with a good following that would ensue, including current Labour MP’s. Take Nanaia Mahuta she would win her Waikato seat hands down as would a number of others like Dalziel, Â however I also believe a new left party would easily pass the 5 % threshold with a possible 9 to 10 MPs all up. I just don’t like the current direction, when you haveÂ
a former General Secretary bailing after a relatively short stint you have to think all is not ‘left.’ within the current Labour Party line up. And arguably policies that have come out are far too right/centralistic in my view.Â
Crunch the numbers & make a move DC, the sooner the better.Â
“Great post Paddy which has me thinking I donât know why David Cunliffe doesnât push on and form a new left wing party.”
He told me he won’t. I think it’s because he’s committed to the party, or something like that.
Thanks The Allen very loyal of him all things considered.
I always work on if you don’t ask you don’t get.
Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose.
This time we all lose.
My friend. Getting the response “No” to your question is some marvellous progress.
Of course I couldn’t and wouldn’t quote from a private email, but he’s a nice bloke.
I do believe, at the end, he’ll be the one that got away from us all.
Though I did say it was going to get messy and soon, so maybe too soon for epitaphs.
Who really knows?
Reality is he probably thought I was Patrick Gower trying to trap him, so I didn’t read too much into his reply. đ
Ha!
Dear Chris Trotter reminds us of that black day in Labour History. His deccription of that angry boy Chris Hipkins is so correct. I’ve a vivid recollection of his distorted hate filled face a screaming into the mike. The wretched have taken control. Shame too on Darien Fenton. She has a black name in the annals if the NZLP.
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2013/03/running-dogs.html?m=1
“The Pack are well rewarded. Ms Fenton and Ms Curran both rise two places in the pecking order, while Mr Twyford goes up three to take a seat on the front bench. Megan Woods enters the top twenty â a back-bencher no longer. Andrew Little rises with her. Mr Shearerâs chief swordsman, Chris Hipkins, climbs five places to claim the shadow portfolio of Education from Mr Cunliffeâs running-mate, Nanaia Mahuta.”
As my dear mum said, don’t waste time with bad people, fight fire with fire.
RNZ-Council for Educational Research-“secondary schools have deteriorated over the last three years.”
Diabetes-7% per capita, 19% showing early signs; Cheque anybody?
yes, the Hong Kong commissioned study STRONGLY SUGGESTS, tax reductions and rapid inter-city rail; overall marks for poor competitiveness like the 100’s of cops off the front-line of poor fitness. Yep!, but that’s ok, the US are going to “directly fund the Syrian opposition.”
so lets enjoy a SNickers Jah,
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings until she was Unchained from the squared circle of Le Mans disasterous latitudes. Her father projected that the eastern provinces could be reorganized, the lion placated; The Argo saga naught but another fleecing; “it’s the end of the Middle Earth as we know it.”
More foot-in-mouth due to poor preparation. The heel of Pegasus was as quenching as Na Drini Cuprija; At a Hungry meeting 63% wish to ban foreign property buyers (above 30.9C no increase in pressure is going to liquify CO2 of Gauss) Still, try telling anechoic chamber that Tiberius freed both slave and lion. Gnaeus either / found an Island or an Ogygian deluge.(what else are you gonna do when it’s hot outside, little shade and freakin sport’s on the box)
Steven Joyce has been pushing the foreign investment angle again, seems to have a fixation on it….
“We must welcome more foreign investment – Joyce”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10868108
As of March 2012 NZ had $304 billion of foreign investment already. Joyce wants to take that up to $500billion yet no-one can even demonstrate that we’ve benefited from the existing investment.
In the 2011/2012 year NZ exported $62billion and imported $60billion, our terms of trade were good. It’s the investment positon which caused our last current account deficit of $9billion, NZ sent $16billion offshore in dividends to those foreign investors and collected only $5.4billion from offshore investments.
If we take in another $200billion like Joyce wants we can extrapolate that to an extra $10billion in dividends, sending $26billion offshore. It’s real headbanger stuff.
Motorhead-“Ace of Spades” (not Whisky In The Jar)
Heh, yep that’s a headbanger…
But seriously, I think there needs to be more examination of orthodox economics on the left. Our international trade is all foreign exchange related. In simple terms NZ sold $76billion worth of $NZD and bought back only $68billion. We can’t carry a $9billion differential in our foreign currency dealing, the $NZD would crash bigtime. So we take in more overseas investment in order to buy back all the $NZD we sold.
IMO all the talk about intervening in the forex market to bring down the $NZD is completely on the wrong track, because we’re already intervening to keep the $NZD up. If we want to get the $NZD down we’d be better off looking at cutting back on the foreign investment and/or overseas borrowing instead of trying to play the forex markets.
Hold your breath and one turns blue. (appreciate your analysis, like Poission)
How appropriate/ proper/ LAWFUL is it for Auckland Council CEO Doug McKay to investigate himself, when it is HIS actions which are the subject of the complaint???
DUH?
ANTI-CORRUPTION ‘WHISTLE-BLOWERS’ EXPOSE HOW AUCKLAND COUNCIL CEO DOUG MCKAY HAS AUTHORISED THE ‘BLOCKING’ OF EMAILS TO ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE OR AUTHORITY
Gary Osbourne http://www.allaboutauckland.com/video/1907/accusations-of-corruption-within-councils
Grace Haden http://www.allaboutauckland.com/video/1907/accusations-of-corruption-within-councils/1
Penny Bright http://www.allaboutauckland.com/video/1907/accusations-of-corruption-within-councils/2
Also – what Bernard Orsman wrote about it in today’s NZ Herald:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868429
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’.
2013 Auckland Mayoral Candidate.
(For more background information exposing the, in my considered opinion, dodgy role of the CEO of Auckland Council, and the General Counsel for Auckland Council – see the following ten new ‘Items fo Evidence’ which I was allowed to ‘adduce’ in the Occupy Auckland vs Auckland Council Appeal (in which I defended myself as a ‘Named Respiondent’).
http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/OCCUPY-AUCKLAND-APPEAL-APPLICATION-BY-APPELLANT-BRIGHT-TO-ADDUCE-NEW-EVIDENCE-pdf.pdf
Doug was handpicked by Hide/Key for these and his many other talents Penny.
Duncan Garner just played Chauvel’s speech on radio. Said it was a slap in the face for half the Labour caucus.
Can not say I blame him as he gave up a very successful legal career for what? I had dinner with him once it was a great night out and we were all buoyant with Labour’s future, a different era to now!
Seems Aucklanders is going to get the same treatment as ChCh/Dunedin when it comes to bailing out the rugby heads.
*Council votes to accept Eden Park ‘gift’ *
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/auckland-city-council/news/article.cfm?o_id=13&objectid=10865550
Anyone like to open a book on the liklihood of a positive outcome!
just to reiterate,
19% (1 in 5) New Zealanders has Glucose Metabolism Disorder (precursor)
215000 people live with diabetes which is to double in the next couple of decades; sticky mess.
Campbell- “Third most obese nation in the world.”
Family Court changes
-“domestic violence will increase” -a Real Judge, Murfitt, speaks across the bench.
(HB already ranks #1for Wrath in a national survey by police into provinces Seven Deadly Sins; Lust and Envy not far behind; Greed, not as Bad here…)
the freakin MSM; gold prices dropping, with a tailing that “the Central Banks of Russia and China” have sluiced ” Enormous purchases of Gold.” ya don’t say, where you been the last couple of years?
Moria?
Get rid of all sources of added sugar and fructose from the diet. That generally sorts things real quick. (Typing as I sip my JD & coke…)
“Big Fat Lies” đ
by the age of 20 was onto Jim’s Black, and back then there was also Jim’s Rye; Absolutely Fabulous in Wainuiomata, strangely enough (some Diesel Progress), yet you probably already ran that up on the Test Bench. (just quaffed a non-diet Sprite; gonna burn now)
Colonial Viper:
Haha: I read that Japanese women believe in the power of beer, naturally brewed and without additives that is (“Reinheitsgebot”), they even bathe in it, as it keeps their skin smooth and young. No need for sugar there, aye.
It’s getting interesting on Chris Trotter’s blog.
Here’s a response to his latest post:
Felix Marwick said…
“Even from the Media Table, the animosity directed towards caucus members who spoke in favour of the rank-and-fileâs resolutions (the most effective of whom, by far, was Lianne Dalziel) was unmistakeable.”
Really Chris?
I recall us being surprised (and for news purposes) quite happy that MPs and delegates were expressing the views that they were. Generally we’ve been excluded from such debates in the past.
I certainly don’t remember any of my colleagues expressing animosity at those that were critical of the hierarchy.
I do, however, recall you going and high fiving with delegates when the 40% caucus vote remit was passed. I also recall you telling a political editor to “get f**ked” when they joked that perhaps the remit should have had support of 60% of the conference.
And I do wonder how it’s consistent that the Shearer camp, which had been derided at the time by its critics inept and incompetent, suddenly became Machiavellian enough to co-opt the entire press gallery to their cause?
For the record; I do not give a flying bollock as to who leads the Labour Party. I, unlike you, am not a player in that game.
Felix Marwick
Chief Political Reporter
Newstalk ZB
“Felix” is latin for the “happy one” or “lucky one”, I suppose, and the surname sounds like “Marmite” to me. Combining the two gives me a messy impression, of perhaps a brownish smeared face after attempted eating, reminding me of guess who, Adolphus H., ruling 1933 to 1945.
NZ media are to me mostly gutter media, that is most, not all, and 1ZB qualifies for “gutter”, hence not to be taken seriously.
Your first paragraph dramatically lowers any value your second might have had,
Interesting. If Marwick is “not a player in the game” why is he injecting himself on to the playing field now?
If Trotter’s recollections of Conference did not match his, it would have been a simple matter of stating his own experience for the record.
I wonder, did NewstalkZB also run with the story that a Cunliffe takeover bid had been imminent at Conference?
If so…how did Marwick reach that conclusion?
Actually, I was merely suggesting that saying any particular journo is reminiscent of AH lowers the credibility of other statements.
As to Marwick, it seems to me that he was already doing what you suggested: commenting on the bits that he personally was acquainted with. The clue is in the use of phrases like “I recall us being surprised”… and “I certainly donât remember “… and “I do, however, recall you going”… and “I also recall you telling”…
Without simply repasting what has already been posted, Marwick seems to be suggesting that Trotter’s claim of animosity from the media table was possibly skewed by Trotter’s own animosity towards the media table.
Floating Down the Mighty River with only one paddle!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8369736/Aussies-may-get-slice-of-Mighty-River
Chris Trotter exposes more about the scheming and back-stabbing at the last Labour Conference in November last year.
“Running Dogs” is the title of his blog post today:
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/running-dogs.html
Now if this does not open the eyes of more now, I do not know what will!
It shows that Labour MPs have in large numbers totally lost their ways, and they had their knives out, disliking “democracy” from the party members. They were “working” on members and colleagues, so no wonder we got the Cunliffe “hanging” and demotion after all that. It is disgusting from my point of view.
I trust that someone of the TS team or moderating collective may feel up to write a post on it. I am too worn out for now, so have a read and reflect perhaps.
‘Despite the high dollar…”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10868511
“women are not doing enough housework” (please don’t shoot the messenger Queenie, just the piano player’s been thinking…)
Suffer the little children and at least let them pee
http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/transgender-girl-s-parents-sue-for-her-right-to-use-the-bathroom-201415013.html
cutting through the waves
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/international-politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503226&objectid=10868418