Stuff report that Dunne was forced to backflip on the legal high (interim) ban after pressure from National MPs.
It was widely assumed Dunne wanted to gazump Labour, which was set to announce its support for a ban.
But it is understood he was strong-armed into a compromise by increasing pressure from the National Party caucus, who wanted to dump the Psychoactive Substances Act and implement blanket prohibition.
Sources say Prime Minister John Key was put under pressure at weekly caucus meetings as MPs were relentlessly lobbied by local mayors and community action groups.
A source said Key feared “a revolt” after a push by Cabinet ministers Paula Bennett, Nikki Kaye and Todd McClay, who wanted the legal highs off the streets in their electorates.
Discipline within the National Party ranks is so tight that open dissent is rare. But it was a case of “to hell with the act” regardless of embarrassment about a flip-flop.
A public backlash, an outcry from local councils, and intense media scrutiny saw discord within the party grow, and threaten to boil over into the public arena.
Labour jumped on the same ‘bugger the consequences’ banwagon.
The effective shutting down of all legal high sales may make shop precincts look a bit better for mayors and MPs in the short term but if this turns into an openly ugly under-supported addicts’ angst there could be a backlash for MPs who jumped on the banwagon.
If a ban doesn’t work (as Dunne, the Drug Foundation, Ireland’s health minister and many others keep claiming) what then? Hope that the mess doesn’t become apparent until after the election?
That may be what you do but I don’t assume any politician is telling the truth, especially not the full truth. The announcements and reactions by Dunne, Key and Cunliffe all seemed to be unusually odd.
Labour jumped on the same ‘bugger the consequences’ banwagon.
Remember what Felix just told you: it isn’t your views (the only personal opinions you ever reveal are the occasional bits of racism), it’s your behaviour. This is an example.
PG Tips, if you are around, this is EXACTLY what it is like debating with you. That is not meant in a mean or nasty way or any such other abuse, simply that this is what it is like.
You’re making things up again. Standard practice for you.
Total drug bans have never worked and can cause more problems than they try to solve. So we need restricted legal use of the entrenched safer drugs like alcohol and cannabis, and possibly some synthetics and others if they are relatively low harm for most people.
In today’s trivia section, marijuana campaigner and blog editor Pete George took his first actual position on something today, and while his statement contains numerous caveats and equivocations, this author would just like to take a moment to praise Mr. George for coming down off the fence for once in his life.
Not making anything up. Many times on this site while adults were trying to have serious discussions about drugs and drug use, you’ve attempted to introduce the meaningless (in the context) distinction between legal and illegal drugs.
You even went as far as to reject my observation that we have a culture that glorifies the ritual of the weekly wrecking.
I see you’re backing away from that position already.
One sentence from OAB is worth more that your total body of work pete and you’ll never understand why. Why not blame it on Māori solo mums that’s seems to be what you enjoy.
Ok felix, you could contribute something positive for a change and explain what your grand single standard preference is on dealing with drugs and laws.
Not until the baby is asleep. This thread is textbook:
1) Petey posts NACT propaganda.
2) Contradictions with his previous statements are pointed out.
3) Petey spends the rest of the morning claiming he’s being picked on, without ever addressing the contradictions raised.
By 11am after painting himself into a dunce’s corner he will claim that he neither agreed nor disagreed with the propaganda in the first place, then he’ll disappear for the rest of the day, his work having been done.
Mass attack any comments by target.
Claim target is disrupting threads.
Plead with moderators to bow to pressure.
Tomorrow, repeat. Seen it all before with various targets. No wonder the left is struggling. If they concentrated on actually doing something positive…yeah, nah. Not until the baby is asleep. But it never will be for the perpetually frustrated.
Well you did say “Labour jumped on the same ‘bugger the consequences’ bandwagon”. It is like even when you criticise National you have to attack Labour at the same time.
Both are at fault over this so I don’t see why both shouldn’t be criticised. Addressing the synthetic and natural cannabis issues doesn’t look hopeful when both major parties seem intent on ban and ignore the obvious.
But here’s one for National on it’s own – Maurice Williamson looks very compromised and if the story so far stacks up I think he has to resign as minister at least.
is that a whinge or a whine there pete – another ‘poor me’, blame everyone else comment from the mr nobody. I suppose you are frustrated in missing the big chance to get your name up there – oh dear, how sad, what a pity.
Mass attack any comments by target.
Claim target is disrupting threads.
Plead with moderators to bow to pressure.
I am afraid I have to agree with you here Pete George.
If people don’t like your comments the best thing to do is ignore, or if your comment is that bad a few rolleyes or short-sharp statements saying so, but I have noticed rather a few time now that you have raised a point which can be debated and if people did so, things can be learned, thus it becomes a crying shame when the thread is filled up with ad-hominem style comments and no one actually addresses the content of your comment. (some have here but the majority haven’t).
What is occurring, in my view, is it is starting to make the commenters who aren’t Pete George look pettier than Mr Pete (sorry Pete but, yep, sometimes this is the way you come across, especially those articles you have printed in that fact-checking site).
Pete George, is clearly attempt to rark up people here, and is managing it very successfully, well done Pete.
To those attempting to discourage Pete George – I think you are achieving quite the opposite. Not well done yous.
Hint: Some people really like attention no matter whether it is good or bad and giving attention to people like that – simply encourages them. You are better off turning the comment around than ad-hominems if you really don’t like what a person like that is saying.
Can you point to an “ad hominem” attack on Pete George (as distinct from Pete George’s statements and behaviour) on this page?
Perhaps you can also point to where he “raised a point which can be debated” that doesn’t contain some passive-aggressive falsehood or spin, or “bait” as Karol calls it.
Not ad hominem per se – that is why I wrote ‘ad-hominem-style comments’
Actually your first comment I found quite astute – pointing out the bias of Mr George – yet if you look at the whole the line of responses they simply take up time discussing Mr Georges bias and making references to his sorry role in creating a ‘factless checking site’ (which I am angry about too) rather than turning into a constructive debate addressing the actual points he raised (see my comment at 1.6 for what points I think he raised).
Time and again these threads are turning into an endless attack on his bias. Such comments may be quite correct – yet what I am suggesting is that these threads would not be ‘filled with Pete George’s comments and responses’ if people focus on debating the points. He soon seems to appear to shut up if you do that. (see my comment, again, at 1.6).
Can you see my point? Focussing on things that Mr George is simply never going to stop defending (his bias and inaccuracy) is leading to fruitless debates which require a lot of scrolling (very exhausting activity (!)) – whereas, as I just mentioned, he appears to quieten down if one responds with a genuine argument to what he says.
Clearly, this is simply my opinion; to me it is appearing quite bizarre how much focus is going toward PG and yet the same people who are focussing on him are complaining at the same time about how much focus he gets. ??
If you don’t want the focus on PG – simply focus on something else – he will soon go away if he is ignored. The other option, as I have said, is debate the points with him – this also appears to quieten him down, and when it doesn’t, there is much to learn from those discussions.
There are plenty of trollish commenters on this site. Why is PG getting so much attention? He is simply one of many and I really think that you are delighting him with your attention rather than putting him off.
I’d tend to agree. That is why I spiked a guest post from earlier this week (you know who you are – sorry) about how to handle an unnamed commenter with PG’s characteristics.
I or another moderator will deal to people doing trolling or who are deliberately starting flames. We (especially me and previously Irish) are rather well known for our abrupt methods of terminating those behaviours and our increasing irritation at repetition (basically we escalate on a random walk logarithmic scale). PG found that out each time he strayed over the bounds in 2002.
But generally google is your friend when dealing with people who just appear to be simply ignorant of what you know or understand. If you have a good counter and some links then state them and add a bit of chilli for spice. Then respond only to the points that actually counter your points. If the avoidance syndrome starts to happen and people start diverting to something else – then let them. I have some severe responses to claims of owning, pwning, and other such tactics for a reason.
You seldom “win” on the net in anything less than a few years. Usually the best you can do is make another person think more deeply. Concentrate on the wars rather than the battles.
Focussing on things that Mr George is simply never going to stop defending (his bias and inaccuracy) is leading to fruitless debates which require a lot of scrolling (very exhausting activity (!)) – whereas, as I just mentioned, he appears to quieten down if one responds with a genuine argument to what he says.
blue, how is that any different than people responding to anyone else’s bias and inaccuracy. It’s part of the culture here to not let people get away with posting shit that is inaccurate or right wing spin.
“whereas, as I just mentioned, he appears to quieten down if one responds with a genuine argument to what he says”
My problem with that is that it gives legitimacy to his ‘reasonabler than thou’ centrist persona that is a front for some pretty shitty stuff eg his racism, and what he does (as opposed to what he says). If he was just inane I would have less of a problem. But IMO he actively undermines the left. Why should he get special treatment?
and no one actually addresses the content of your comment.
That would be because the purpose of most of his comments is to distract and dissemble. You can ignore the long termers here, and just look at the people that have started commenting here since PG’s return and the shift in their perception of him. Mostly they engage genuinely with him and after a few rounds of clusterfuck communication they eventually get to the point that the rest of us have.
“The left” actively undermines itself. For example with it’s excessive intolerance of anyone deemed to be “posting shit that is inaccurate or right wing spin” which is labeled “bias and inaccuracy”. That’s when National or ACT aren’t being accused of that. Or the media. Or anyone else who can be blamed for whatever isn’t going well.
That would be because the purpose of most of his comments is to distract and dissemble.
That’s not my purpose at all. The distracting and dissembling is what happens in response.
Some people simply object to me commenting no matter what I say. It’s tribal politics at it’s most petty. I don’t know what it’s intended to achieve but I haven’t noticed much success from the bitter and twisted approach.
I had a meeting with an MP today and we have very similar views on political behaviour. You rarely achieve anything significant in democratic politics by alienating and attacking – the success rate is very low and the negatives usually far outweigh any positives.
You have to build relationships and look for common ground to achieve things. Especially when you’re in opposition, opportunities don’t come often and you have to be ready to strike when you can. If you have burnt off any possible alliances you don’t have any chance. Even if you disagree with someone strongly on something you may need to work with them on the next issue, if you’re still on speaking terms.
Certainly I provoke reactions sometimes, deliberately, but what are political forums for? I haven’t seen a list of banned topics here. Do you expect any issues to be approved of a central committee to ensure they are left enough, ‘unbiased’ enough?
I’m relatively new to politics but I’m amazed at how old school activists keep repeating failed tactics. It’s common here, it’s common at Kiwiblog and other forums. Maybe that’s why they’re old school activists, they haven’t worked out how to succeed or they are past their prime and haven’t moved on with the times.
Divide and rule doesn’t work well in a decent democracy. You have to allow people and ideas to come together, look for opportunities and common ground, rather than look for differences and push apart on anything you disagree with.
‘Centrist’ is quite a loose term. To me it mostly means keeping your options open on any issue until you can decide what the sensible approach is, rather than painting yourself into an ideological corner from the start. I’m as likely to agree with a Green policy as an Act policy.
blue leopard is right, I’ll comment much less if comments are ignored or issues addressed and pissy personal attack politics is parked. I ignore most attacks but if you keep doing it I’ll keep picking my battles, as long as the blog authorities allow.
Some of you seem obsessed with defeating perceived enemies, but you’re defeating your own interests more than anything. Just imagine if all that time and mental energy went into doing something positive.
Pete, until most of these hard core old lefty,righty activists cark it, you’ll never see an improvement in the way politics are discussed.
They’re completely out of touch with how things work and how things get done these days, they’re dinosaurs stuck in a 70’s cold war mentality where those that don’t faithfully toe the party line should be smashed down and destroyed.
Nice try BM, but I was only just in primary school at the start of the 70s and came out of a family that valued debate but had no particular party line to follow.
You appear to have missed my point completely. All I am saying is what is occurring, in my view, is it is starting to make the commenters who aren’t Pete George look pettier than Mr Pete.
There are far worse things said than what PG said at the start of the thread. Pete’s comment fully contained points that gave the option to respond and debate – there are plenty of right-wing comments that don’t offer that at all…like the one that just said ‘cuckoo’ yesterday on one of the threads (say wha?)
You are not even one of the ones doing this behaviour, yet those that are, are utterly entitled to carry on with their behaviour (in keeping with the rules of the site of course!). I was hoping that they might read my comment and see sense in it, if not. I shall remain content by simply scrolling on by.
@Pete George
The way you come across with your posts is that you are here to put down Labour and the left, and take the side of the right wing. That is irritating and mostly time wasting rather than genuine debate or discussion.
If your intention is to push the agenda of the right, your natural place to hang would be the well known right wing blogs, of Slater and Farrar. You will get a lot of support for your views that are critical of the left.
I have not read any of your posts where you show clear support for any of the policies of Labour or those of the other left parties.
Which of the following policies/programmes/statements do you agree with and which you do not? Without going into discussions or debate, can you just state, as your conclusion, YES or NO for each of these please:
[1] The National tax cuts of billions of dollars helped the wealthy the most and affected the poor the most due to reduction in services.
[2] The broken promise of raising the GST impacted harder on the poor, as they generally spend all their limited income/wages for living expenses.
[3] National have slashed social services and put the screws on beneficiaries.
[4] National has put people out of Housing NZ homes so they can sell the property to their developer buddies.
[5] Overseas investors find NZ a great place to speculate in the very profitable housing market.
[6] Housing is becoming more and more out of the reach for ordinary New Zealanders.
[7] Labour has better ideas and policies than National to tackle the housing problem.
[8] Increased mortgage rates get passed on by landlords through the rent they charge.
[9] Keeping interest rates down should keep rents lower than if the Official Cash Rate was raised.
[10] The newly announced Labour’s VSR will make it easier for the lower income households to build up a deposit reserve through their Kiwisaver contributions and pay lower interest rates for their mortgage.
[11] Increasing the minimum wage to $15 immediately is a good policy.
[12] Supporting or encouraging the living wage is a good policy.
[13] The Labour-Green announced NZ Power is a good initiative for helping to bring down the electricity prices.
[14] Labour has always been the more sophisticated economic thinker, and is the natural party of innovative ideas and reform.
[15] By their very nature, conservative parties are managers rather than visionaries – and they only manage the economy to the primary advantage of the top few percent.
[16] Interest on student loans should be reintroduced.
[17] Kiwi Bank should be sold.
[18] Paid parental leave should not be increased to six months as proposed by Labour in its Best Start policy.
[19] Bring in a Capital Gains Tax as proposed by Labour.
[20] The spy laws related to GCSB, SIS etc should be thoroughly reviewed as proposed by Labour.
[21] Adult Community Education Night Classes should not have been cancelled by National.
[22] The power company asset sales was a good idea.
[23] Public funding for private Charter schools is a good idea.
[24] There will be a Labour-led Coaltion government after this election.
Yes I criticise Labour and that gets up some peoples noses but I do also praise Labour when I see fit. Same with Greens. Same with National.
And I do initiate discussion including confronting and challenging righties at Kiwiblog and Whale Oil, they don’t like it there either. Curiously they can be as over the top, irrational and angry at Kiwiblog as some are here, I’ve also experienced mass attacks (especially on rape, violence, smacking and climate change). But Whale Oil has not been anywhere near as bad – although I have had some full on debates with Slater et al.
That’s a long list and Yes or No is inadequate. For example I’ll address the first and last.
[1] The National tax cuts of billions of dollars helped the wealthy the most and affected the poor the most due to reduction in services.
Yes the tax cuts helped the wealthy the most on pure dollar terms. They pay by far the most tax and even small changes in tax rates can make a big difference in dollars. And low income and no income earners effectively pay no income tax so you can’t give them tax cuts, they have to be helped through other means. And it could be argued that $20 per week helps a beneficiary far more than $200 per week helps someone earning $200k.
“Reduction in services” is an almost completely different issue.
[25] Dunne will lose his seat.
I have no way of knowing that. He’s had a very difficult term, he’s looking jaded and dated, that will make it harder, but National, Labour and Greens are all standing new low profile candidates so that could help him. It’s nearly five months until the election. anything could happen yet. I don’t know and I don’t care apart from an overall interest in all parties and seats.
Oh dear! I specifically requested you not to debate/discuss as usual but to give your FINAL conclusion/best guess. Sadly you seem to be unable to do that.
Going by your explanation,
for both [1} and [2],
Your best response should have been NO (or Disagree)
As you are a prolific writer with wide views on various issues and quite controversial, It would be good to know where you generally stand politically, socially, economically, philosophically and morally.
Can you have another go?
One more question:
[26] Judith Collins has misused her ministerial position in the Oravida scandal and she should resign or be sacked.
You appear to have missed my point completely. All I am saying is what is occurring, in my view, is it is starting to make the commenters who aren’t Pete George look pettier than Mr Pete.
There are far worse things said than what PG said at the start of the thread. Pete’s comment fully contained points that gave the option to respond and debate – there are plenty of right-wing comments that don’t offer that at all…like the one that just said ‘cuckoo’ yesterday on one of the threads (say wha?)
You are not even one of the ones doing this behaviour, yet those that are, are utterly entitled to carry on with their behaviour (in keeping with the rules of the site of course!). I was hoping that they might read my comment and see sense in it, if not. I shall remain content by simply scrolling on by.
Hi blue,
I did get the point, but I happen to disagree with it (about who is looking more petty).
“There are far worse things said than what PG said at the start of the thread.”
Probably, and if it was just PG at the start of the thread there wouldn’t be a problem. I think this is the crucial difference – perhaps you think PG should be related to comment by comment. Myself, and I assume others, are well past that point where PG’s comments can stand each on their own. There is a pattern of behaviour that many here find disrupts the place, and some people are responding to that (the pattern of behaviour).
As Weka says below “This is pretty well-known internet forum dynamics.”
That and the moderation of certain words. I tried to get around them once by typing tr*ll then editing the o in afterwards. They’d thought of that 🙂
[lprent: Besides if the variants get too ubiquitous of over-used misused words (which is what I am looking for) there are always regular expressions to use. I have never had to do that. But the capability is sitting in the plugin I wrote for the task back in 2009. ]
“3) Petey spends the rest of the morning claiming he’s being picked on, without ever addressing the contradictions raised.”
Yes, and he’s moving into chapter 2 of the tr8ll handbook – claim that he’s being picked on by a specific group. In PG’s case he calls it “The small ‘divert and attack’ gang”. He will build that narrative for a while and then the people that still feel sorry for him will start telling off the ‘gang’ for picking on him (even though there isn’t actually a gang). It’s never fair to gang up on someone so irrespective of what he does the narrative will be that anyone that calls him on his tr8ll bullshit is part of orchestrated bullying.
When I first started reading this blog, I did get the impression that PG was being bullied. Now I understand why he gets treated as he does, and it’s possibly better than he deserves. However, there will often be new readers who won’t know the history. He’s a huge diversion, as are the RWNJs.
Clearly Dunne should retire from politics if he can’t even decide who he’s going to capitulate to from one week to the next. He’s so out of his depth on even such a small political issue that he makes Hekia Parata look competent. Dunne should step down.
He’s struggled to handle this for sure, but I think just about anyone would, especially when it seems both the two major parties don’t want to have anything to do with addressing cannabis alongside the synthetics problem.
If Dunne retired it would leave someone else to be impotent – or keener on banning drugs and creating more problems.
“These drugs could have been banned or a much stronger law put in place to eradicate these drugs. It is why Todd McClay and Peter Dunne should do the right thing and stand down.
“And for this Government need to listen to the people for once, and prioritise the move for an outright ban of legal highs,” she told Pacific Guardians.
A ban is very unlikely to eradicate them.
On Twitter I asked her to back up a claim “”… and families, communities, police and hospitals must now deal with a new stream of addicted users.” – evidence of this? Her response…
Jesse story on Campbell live, Four deaths in the last six months, & huge number of addicts, causing family & domestic violence
felix will be on to her double standards for sure. And her lack of actual evidence.
And other tweets about the same time:
NZ should ban all the legal highs, and increase law enforcement officers to monitor any under ground issues.
Those a comments from those who are afraid to do the right thing. Intimidating rubbish for the weak.
NZ should ban all the legal highs, and increase law enforcement officers to monitor any under ground issues.
How come Lisa Owen and the Nation TV never ask me about Legal Highs? Same goes to John Campbell programme. Just ban them.
So, Dunne does not have the courage of his own convictions, guts and honesty to stick to his position, but just shamelessly does what is politically expedient?
No guts or honesty or integrity.
He could have stuck to his position or resigned instead, if he had the courage of his conviction re this important issue, rather than blaming others!
My first response is to view this response from National and Labour as democracy in action and that it is good to see National responding to public pressure (I feel certain that the stance Labour took on it was part of National’s decision also though).
I think it would be good if politicians weren’t referred to as ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ or ‘flip-flopping’ when they are responding to public pressure because really, isn’t that what representatives are supposed to do? If public awareness is raised over a certain matter and therefore shifts, then the politicians need to be responsive to that.
In response to your ‘bugger the consequences’ view: This needn’t be the case if the government are prepared to act very fast to support social services and health organisations that will be helping the people in difficulty. It may be necessary to have a public awareness campaign to ensure those around such people, also, know what the signs are and are told what they can do to help.
I think that such a response would be fair, especially considering we allowed these drugs to be sold for a fair few years now, and therefore people took them believing they were harmless, when they were not.
If the government took the consequences seriously, they might be able to avert a lot of the problems you are referring to, after-all, leaving the things on the shelves is only going to make matters worse, not better; that would simply enable more people to get addicted.
This needn’t be the case if the government are prepared to act very fast to support social services and health organisations that will be helping the people in difficulty. It may be necessary to have a public awareness campaign to ensure those around such people, also, know what the signs are and are told what they can do to help.
You’re right, but I don’t see any sign of this happening, and no opposition pressure for it to happen. It’s as if they think that forcing product from retail shelves will suddenly solve the whole problem.
The Drug Foundation and others have pointed out the probable need for support services to be ramped up but I don’t know if anything is being done about it.
You may well be correct about it not looking like they will do anything, it wouldn’t surprise me with this government – who usually only seem to act for the wealth issues of a small group.
Yet if they don’t act it will reflect very badly on the government – and they are more likely than not in an election year to take that into account prior to deciding to do nothing.
And also, if they don’t act fast to provide support to these people, then one can hardly say it is due to ‘taking the products off the shelved’ has caused the problem – like I said – leaving the products on the shelves will only be making the issue worse.
“And also, if they don’t act fast to provide support to these people, then one can hardly say it is due to ‘taking the products off the shelved’ has caused the problem – like I said – leaving the products on the shelves will only be making the issue worse.
“
There is an assumption that the people who require support are included in those National care about. It is probably likely that they are not. After all, they have shown no compassion in their policies over the last five years for those they would consider “Non-National voters”.
Taking the legal-highs off the shelves is a response to their own demographic that has indicated that it is a good idea politically. Many of those will be satisfied with this step, and more than a few will probably consider it is all that is needed.
The data sharing between the agencies during the Olympics, though, was not isolated to PRISM. It also encompassed large volumes of metadata – such as the “to” and “from” details from an email but not the content of the message itself – as part of a more expansive Olympics surveillance effort. The NSA was funneling troves of intercepted data to GCHQ from a system called GHOSTMACHINE, a massive cloud database used by the NSA to analyze metadata and store, according to one document in the Snowden archive, “100s of billions of entries.”
So how reliable are the assurances that our metadata has not been harvested?
I rang the head of the agency and said, ‘Can you confirm for me that New Zealand didn’t collect wholesale metadata about ordinary New Zealanders?’ and the answer was, ‘We didn’t, and because we didn’t, we couldn’t have shared it’.
Dec 2 2013.
Ah, I see the problem: Key asked the wrong question. Funny that.
Of course, by August last year he had to clarify his previous assurance:
Prime Minister John Key has given some clarity to what “metadata” the Government Communications Security Bureau will be able to access…He says the GCSB will be able to look at some email metadata, but that will not include addresses, the times emails were sent or received, or their content.
“Essentially it flows through a filter, and as it flows through that filter, it doesn’t record for anything other than a hundredth of a second,”
My understanding of that is that their “filter” (and if so, well done Slippery for so cleverly implying it’s some sort of software) is the law, ie:
The NSA collects everything. The GCSB are allowed to look at some of it if they can get a court order*.
The real question that needs to be asked is “Does GCSB capture OR HAVE ACCESS TO metadata on New Zealand citizens?”.
Nicky Hager clearly elucidated the process that NZ intelligence agencies go through to achieve their goals whilst still maintaining plausible deniability. By providing NSA/GCHQ etc with a watchlist then THEY will be the ones doing the capture and analysis as opposed to the GCSB, ergo the GCSB can “legitimately” claim that they do not spy on NZ citizens.
NB: This is from memory of reading Nicky Hager’s book a couple of years ago so I can’t quote verbatim but I’m sure anyone that has Secret Power at their fingertips can do so if they feel so inclined 🙂
EDIT: In fact, re-reading OAB’s final paragraph I see he is effectively saying the same thing so I apologise for any duplication 🙂
Anyway, petty drivel aside, National are still desperately trying to spin their legal highs incompetence. I suppose it beats confronting Slippery’s awful performance at Christchurch airport.
An interesting interview on cannabis (and synthetics and bans) on Campbell Live last night.
Founder of the Drug Policy Alliance, Ethan Nadelmann discusses how the group has played a key part in a debate that has so far seen two US states legalise marijuana, with more set to follow.
He discusses just what it was that ultimately convinced Washington and Colorado to legalise marijuana.
xox
Great to hear Mary Wilson interviewing a civil engineer about the flooding in Christchurch. In summary, he said the flooding, along with the earthquakes, was exacerbated by 30 years of neglecting basic engineering principles. Drains first, not last as noted in council planning. I couldn’t help but think this could apply to most that has been foisted on the increasingly poor suffering public. Back to the basics, and less snake oil. Oh it’s election time!
It is absolutely astounding that nobody has got their own digger into that Dudley Creek and simply dug the thing out.
Two days, two 12 tonne diggers, job done.
It’s not as if the public would object or there are any fancy snails to protect.
This is symptomatic of Christchurch today – nobody does anything except after countless reports, bureaucratic wrangling, political debate, ecan, eqc, cera, ccc, ccdu, the entire city has become so entwined and strangled in public sector ways that number 8 wire thinking and action have just simply vanished. Gone. The stuffing has been knocked out of us.
Watch this – if there are no diggers in that Dudley Creek by Friday afternoon you watch the negative public comment and ridicule that will get piled onto the authorities and their useless authoritative ways.
i don’t think it quite works like that where the land in the city may have sunk because of the earthquakes Vto but the land out on the coast may not have,
If the land sinkage is centric to the city area then digging the streams and rivers deeper is going to achieve little…
No that’s not right mr bad. Sure the land in that area has sunk up to 500mm, but the creek beds have risen, the creek sides have fallen inwards, and all the native plantings of the last dozen years has slowed the water movement.
Digging the creek will certainly achieve more than enough to stop the next flood from reaching the floorboards of the houses concerned.
As someone who has been flooded more than once by Council ineptitude in Chch since the earthquakes (another part of town) and watched the (toxic polluted by portaloos and broken sewer) water rise through our floorboards I know this. In our part of town, harassment of Council staff to clear the drains resulted in the drains being cleared and now no flooding during these recent events.
It genuinely is as simple as lowering the creek bed and widening and clearing the creek banks.
Job done.
Bloody useless.
Hopefully some local in the vicinity will thumb their nose at Council and get their own digger in there today.
That depends Vto, are the creeks over-flowing and causing the flooding???, or, is the storm-water coming back up through the storm-water drains,
If the water is coming back up through the storm-water drains then i would suggest such drains where they enter the creeks need high volume pumps attached to them…
Yes apologies … the flooding in Chch is not a flowing flooding, nor a pressured flooding. It is simply a rise in water level, quiet and unmoving, lifting all logs, t-papers and e-colis with it. As such everything floods at once – stormwater drains and creeks, all at the same slow quiet pace.
If it is the creeks that are flooding then it is the creeks that need the water pumps to move the water on,
If you just dig out the drains the nett result is that the flow of water might reverse in the creeks from downstream going toward the outflow of the creeks…
Well, IMO, the #8 wire thinking has gone across the country but it’s been strangled by private sector ‘efficiency’ and not the public sector. The public sector used to welcome new ideas about how to get things done.
And, yeah, I’m with bad12 on the diggers probably being a bad idea.
I suppose. Might as well let these good houses get soaked in toxic grey water everytime there’s 30mm of rain… sheesh dtb, really …….
My point, in clarification, is simply dig the creeks out enough to lower these flood levels by enough to stay under the floorboards. Soaked garden and driveway ok but not in the house. Toxic danger unhealthy extreme. This requires simple digger action.
Because just getting in there and digging up the stream bed may not actually do that. It’s going to depend upon what level the stream is at normally compared to what level the houses are at and what level the water is during heavy rains. The houses have sunk half a metre compared to that normal water level.
Oh, I heard about this photo, thanks for posting it felix.
Note how the red car in the mobility park had to park over to the right to accommodate the Natz sign. I also see they are outside the Mahara Gallery in Waikanae. They picked a fairly safe neighbourhood to set up a stall, not likely to get too much heckle there.
I am not a lawyer, but the photo that felix has alerted us to has a raffle sign with a carton of what looks like wine bottles above it.
A quick search shows the following Internal Affairs warning.
Prohibited Prizes
It is illegal to offer the following as prizes:
A firearm, explosive (including ammunition), restricted weapon, or airgun
Liquor
Tobacco products
etc
Those fetuses chosen to become members of the lower castes of “Gamma”, “Delta” or “Epsilon” are subjected to in situ chemical interference to cause arrested development in intelligence and physical growth.
Head of sector enablement and support Katrina Casey said a staff member had met Datacom and she had followed up with a letter outlining their disappointment.
A Datacom spokeswoman told the Herald their truancy management team, which works with children aged 13 and 14 in Bay of Plenty, Manawatu, Southland and Whanganui, regrets the “ill-considered” wording and apologised.
“In their letter of response they indicated they were echoing the terminology used by some schools, which was not a satisfactory explanation … they have said this was a lapse of judgment by the employee [responsible],” Ms Casey said.
You want to know why this country has to change then the quotes above illustrate it well. The most vulnerable treated like shit, those most in need get degraded and abused (behind their backs and to their fronts) by the people paid and charged for trying to help them. Scum is too weak a word for the ‘team’ at Datacom and their ‘ill-considered’ words.
Why hand over truancy management to a company like Datacom in the first place? What is wrong with the Ministry of Education having its own people, who are trained in how to deal with real live people?
Yeah as I understand it the Ministry of Education defunded some very experienced truancy teams around the country and then handed contracts over to people who had no idea and no experience.
Is it normal to categorise kids so negatively? Do they think it’s a bit of a joke to label them like this? It’s appalling that Datacom (and school staff, it seems) treat kids so dismissively.
I can’t believe that people would tolerate this, that nobody said that it wasn’t right.
Take the demand out of Auckland’s housing market???, David Parker proposes to stop those with rental property from being able to write off ”losses” on the rental properties against ”taxes on other income”, and, (maybe) restrict immigration,
Two things i do agree with from Mr Parker, landlords should not have a tax incentive to involve themselves in owning rental property,
Immigration should be restricted to the number of houses able to be built to accommodate the number of immigrants in any given year…
Companies have been exporting swamp kauri for years now. I think I first visited the factory shop north of Kaitaia about 15 years ago and thought what a waste it was to send raw wood to China when there are so many potential carvers in the North. If Oravida are planning on processing the wood locally, they’re doing better than the rest of the cowboys up there. Much like the property developers around Kerikeri, they accept fines as part of the cost of doing business. Until a few of them lose their trousers and end up in prison, I can’t see anything changing.
I’m against both. As far as pounamu is concerned, the difference might be explained as the difference between Tipene O’Regan and Shane Jones.
I may have got the wrong impression about Oravida and any proposed processing. It seems that they are just stockpiling and waiting for the price to go up.
Politicaly Gelded
You have just asumed you are a liar being a politician.
We already knew.
To many legal highs you are confusing yourself.
Time for a fact check.
Pete George your an idiot a no body .suffering attention deficit.
Is the silver spoon about to be ripped out of the mouth of long serving National Government Minister Maurice Williamson,
It appears that Williamsons ”murky” dealings with businessmen Bill Liu also involved an ”intervention” with the police on Liu’s behalf by Williamson when Liu was about to be charged with domestic violence offences…
And the name “John Banks” popped up again in this, supporting this man when Banks was the Mayor of Auckland!! Shonkey will want this situation “done and dusted” before Parliament comes back next week, they won’t want TWO ministers in the gun at the same time!
No surprise think donations, think Bent Bankie will be lurking not too far away.
Bankie will be most annoyed now, I heard Williamson was going to put in a cameo appearance as a character witness at John’s peading court case. Well that plan has gone down the gurgler now, looks like Mangling Morrie may well be joining Bent Bankie down the old bailey in a lead role of his very own.
I guess after Williamson’s brief Worldwide celebrity status last year he wanted the center stage all to himself. Good for him 🙂
Oh dear more revelations that political donations buys a lot of favours in the National Party. A This ones tricky now awaiting John Key explaining this one away. You would think a longtime serving MP would know better.
A National Party Minister contacted a top ranking police officer after a wealthy businessman with close ties to him was arrested on domestic violence charges.
The Prime Minister’s office is understood to be considering Maurice Williamson’s future as a Minister, following Herald inquiries into the phone call that he made.
His office is understood to have also questioned Mr Williamson over his involvement with Donghua Liu’s criminal case.
Prime Minister John Key will make a statement later this morning.
HUGE round of applause to Christchurch City Council Deputy Mayor for a brilliant display on this mornings RadioNZ Nine to Noon program,
The ‘affordable housing plan’ espoused by Vicky includes Government including the Christchurch City Council in the ”full’ Government social housing subsidy as well as contracting a consortium currently building a specialized factory in Christchurch to produce low cost 5 star housing that can be erected on a prepared site in 5 days,
i haven’t got a link to the full ”plan” as outlined by the deputy Mayor, but found little i disagree with as She outlined it on National radio,
Hopefully Labour Housing spokesperson Phill Twyford watches this with due interest as it would seem applying the Christchurch City Council ”plan” to land the Government already owns is the way forward for housing affordability for those with little means both in the area of rental housing and affordable housing for low waged workers to purchase on variable mortgage payment schemes such as that which is proposed by the Green Party…
Cripes predictable. You have let Pete George take over the site again. Why can’t we give him the acknowledgement of say two comments and then leave it alone. Why should he be allowed to choose the subject of discussion each day?? Why hasn’t anyone else something interesting to discuss?? Are you a lot of monkeys who chatter every time someone pokes a banana through the bars and then pulls it away just to tease you? What are you!! Monkeys or meece.
I’m thinking at present about the big deal that the news is making about Maurice Williamson in connection with a Chinese entrepreneur, I suppose, and whether Williamson used his position improperly in helping the Chinese chap get what he wanted. It’s all breathless breaking news.
(See mickys post just up.)
That only works if everyone does it. So if regular standardistas (the one reading this today) agree to stop talking to him, what’s going to happen when newer people come along and start engaging with him?
“Why hasn’t anyone else something interesting to discuss?? Are you a lot of monkeys who chatter every time someone pokes a banana through the bars and then pulls it away just to tease you?”
There are other conversations going on, so you could focus on them 🙂
The reason why so many people are now engaging with PG negatively is because PG is causing so much distruption. You have cause and effect round the wrong way. People are so fucked off with the problems he is causing that they’ve moved into counter-offensive mode, because nothing else works. In other words, people that care about this place are unwilling to sit around and let a git like PG ruin it.
This is pretty well-known internet forum dynamics. Until PG gets his eventual ban, or decides to change, then best get used to it.
Weka
I think you have got dressed with your jersey and perhaps your trousers inside out. This has skewed your view of things. Try again tomorrow and you might get a different outlook.
The trouble with not engaging at all is that he then comes out with more comments to “provoke a reaction”. If these comments are not addressed it appears there is agreement with what he says, when there isn’t. I’m thinking at least an eyeroll is needed to show that pete’s comments are not considered true.
BG I rarely do. But I have to search for something being discussed that he isn’t dominating. Discussed or disgust. It ends up that it’s better to stay away and leave everyone stirring the same old stew. I like a change of diet and I might have to find a better menu.
lol
I just read openmike in about 5 minutes – as soon as a thread hits pgtips, I skipped to the next thread 🙂
Each to their own, but there’s something about that tool that makes me feel like I have ants crawling under my skin. Some days I want to scratch it, other days I avoid it completely…
The worst part is he manages to clutter the whole thing up with numerous comments that never quite manage to say anything, the mans a master troll he manages to tie commenters up in knots and destroys site readability…
Then he generally skips over to Kiwiblog for a grizzle then proceeds to have a moan on his own blog about how unfair it is…
What I am unsure of is he if actually realises what he is doing, so the real question is, troll by accident or troll by design?
This morning on Morning Report there was an item on the move of the Te Papa CEO to the Ministry of Culture etc into a special advisory role for military heritage ahead of next year’s ANZAC commemorations. The item had the feel of having more to it than meets the eye.
TV3 had a short item on their website last night by Tova O’Brien that gives a bit more information.
However, Patrick Gower’s Twitter feed also provides a little more of interest if you read his exchanges with Jacinda Arden and Grant Robertson. https://twitter.com/patrickgowernz
It appears that Finlayson and his office have been telling ‘porkies’ according to Gower about this move and the state of Te Papa’s financial affairs.
Although totally overshadowed by the Williamson situation and ‘resignation’, I am hoping that TV3 will follow through on this situation as well.
xox
Vicki Buck ,ex Christchurch mayor and Lianne Dalziel could be a formidible tag team to counter This National disgrace. It’s a tough job, here’s hoping this council is up to it.
I don’t see why you guys are so envious of the success and wealth of Australian based banking shareholders, they are merely supporting the standard of living back home 😈
I think you are not being serious, but your statement is correct. We have the luxury of a stable banking system underpinned by Australian ownership. So yes you in particular should be very grateful.
Last week, Craig Rucker, a climate-change skeptic and the executive director of a nonprofit organization called the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT), tweeted a quotation supposedly taken from a 1922 edition of the Washington Post: “Within a few years it is predicted due to ice melt the sea will rise & make most coastal cities uninhabitable.” The intent, of course, was to poke fun at current headlines about climate change.
Partial amnesty: I’ve arbitrarily released the bans on
Puckish Rogue
grumpy
infused
SHG
The Fan Club
Intrinsicvalue
chris73
natwest
Dumrse
Balanced View
TheContrarian
insider
BarnsleyBill
Mark (he will know which one it is)
These are the ones who aren’t marked as being “idiots” and who offer some effective commentary most or even some of the time – which is why Santi isn’t there for instance.
It has been just over a year since the last amnesty, so it seemed like being about the time to do it again.
I’d suggest that they refresh themselves on the policy and that they remember that I’m still the moderator that dealt with them last time. In particular about half of these were for trying to do a diversion troll in posts written by an author or syndicated in. If you want to raise a topic, then do it in OpenMike and do it intelligently.
If I detect concerted astroturfing of lines as often happens in an election year, then I’m likely to do some concerted banning of anyone who running anything like that line. I’m also likely to reward such stupidity with a ban until after the election so as to reduce my workload..
lol, yes I had a chuckle about it too -I was wondering perhaps too many complaints about PG combined with a certain sadistic streak that I sometimes suspect lprent has….caused the decision? Perhaps?
Mind you I just watched a The Good Wife episode which made the Game of Thrones look like children doing a game of patty cake. I was having problems figuring out the plot in advance. In fact I was having problems figuring it out from behind.
Followed by a episode of the House of Cards. Perhaps covering up her career moves by confessing a adolescent rape and aborted child on National TV would help some of our politicians. Just made me feel uncomfortable.
Finished with an episode of Foyles war. Sane by comparison. Just spivs, bombs, and mysteries
The Good Wife is about my favourite TV drama these days. It probably helps in following the plot to have watched all the previous episodes.
Previously Kalinda has been mysterious and intriguing. Now they are filling in some of her back story via the abusive husband. Her relationship with the FBI agent has been on and off for a while. Ditto, it helps to have been following all the plots and sub-plots around Alicia, her politician husband, lawyer Will Gardner, etc.
Well, it’s not just a facebook group (see above at 1.3.3.)and NZ First requesting that Peter Dunne resign, even the editor of the fairfax owned Wellingtonian, who usually writes a predictable right slanted editorial every week states:
“Dunne needs to consider his position. It might be a good time for him to bow out gracefully. If not, perhaps the voters of Ohariu could help him on his way”
The article provides a history of Dunne’s failures and botch up’s culminating in his sudden u turn on legal highs. Interesting editorial for a paper that has been so pro Key government, and locally so opposed to our Green ticket mayor and flourish of new Green counsellors after the last local body elections.
“.years of repressed-insults/fixed-smiles will burst out of him like an exploding carbuncle..”
Unpleasant. I’m thinking he does have years of simmering anger under the surface and a sense of righteous indignation ready to explode. “Why is everybody always picking on me?!?!” sort of anguish.
No I don’t recall his 2011 brush with doom and subsequent response to the threat. Prior to the 2011 I was going through a severe bout of depression (apologies for the TMI) and I couldn’t cope with following the campaign on top of everything else, so missed that one. Now that I’m better than I was and after moving into his electorate I am watching his every move (He’s currently in the Chathams lol) and am happy to assist local activist efforts where I can in an effort to hold him to account and raise awareness of his deeds in the community.
No he won’t be a gracious loser. 30 years in the one seat. He will be one grumpy cat
Wouldn’t be great if Left and Right united to deal with the excesses of corporate welfare? Keep in mind that about 70% of the population were against Asset Sales. Maybe they might unite on corporates. And maybe the obscene salaries paid to CEO of big business?
Good thing I can’t recall any labour MPs that’ve been done for corruption however I’d say its bad form that Williamson got caught, really basic mistake really
Good thing I can’t recall the last time “he did it too” was a valid excuse for anything, and always nice to see an advocate of personal responsibility show their true colours.
Well corruption is a charged word and should only be used when proven beyond reasonable doubt but for the major crime of being dumb and getting caught Williamson deserved to get canned…maybe he should retire which would open up another seat for someone else
Far as I’m concerned mate, when a donor to the Oravida party gets arrested, and that arrest comes to the attention of the Minister in charge of the department that oversees the donor’s interests, that’s enough to create the perception of a conflict of interest.
Your opinion that it’s ok to cleave to the letter of the law is duly noted.
I figure he’s going to make Key look strong to the feeble minded, and that it won’t significantly affect his lucrative business career, because that’s how corruption works.
Ukraine: Ukrainian forces in east defecting to join pro-Russian rebels
It seems like the locals in the east of the country prefer not to go with the right wing extremist government in Kiev which is run by oligarchs and sponsored from the west.
“It seems like the locals in the east of the country prefer not to go with the right wing extremist government in Kiev which is run by oligarchs and sponsored from the west.”
Poor Ukranians ousted one nut job crooked president replaced by another and Russia, NATO and the US all sabre rattling over them – as usual it’s the ordinary man and woman who’s held to ransom by the swines fighting over power.
Yet in the context of several hundred years of leaders and monarchs – he’s by far the best the Russians have ever had. At least he can be though of as a strong nationalist and for that he’s still after nearly 15 years is still remarkably popular at home.
Interesting to see on TV3 Gower’s attempt to change Williamson’s corruption into a slur on Cunliffe.
Honestly Gower is the epitome of journalistic corruption.
I really think he doesn’t know it.
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 Zealand’s 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 Zealand’s 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 “moisture-laden” 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 government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ 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 – that the Budget “will 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 – It’s 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-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – 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 country’s 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 isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
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, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – 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 year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, 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 – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s 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 – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s 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 Zealand’s 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 – 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 – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. 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 Peters’ 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 — 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 Newshub’s 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 – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – 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. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ 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 she’s 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 Government’s 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 America’s 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 won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s 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 Labour’s 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 First’s 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 ‘co-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 Pāti Māori 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. “I’m 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 ‘take back our country’ 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 Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s 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 publicservice 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 publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s 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 doesn’t 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. “It 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. “The 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. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” 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. “Road 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. “Our 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 Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam 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. “I 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. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, 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 government’s 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 Government’s Budget objectives. “The 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. “The 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. “These changes are long overdue – 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 Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The 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 Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There 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. “Today 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 People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” 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. “We’re 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 Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I 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. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” 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. “Comprising 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. “I 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. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s 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 Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s 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 I’m sorry I can’t 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 Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 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 ...
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 ...
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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 haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
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 Parliament’s 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 “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s 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 It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s 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? – 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 there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – 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 Education’s 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 Luxon’s 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 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s 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 you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s 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 “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ 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 – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori 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 “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s 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 ‘Dead in Bed’ 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 – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s 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 Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
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Stuff report that Dunne was forced to backflip on the legal high (interim) ban after pressure from National MPs.
Labour jumped on the same ‘bugger the consequences’ banwagon.
The effective shutting down of all legal high sales may make shop precincts look a bit better for mayors and MPs in the short term but if this turns into an openly ugly under-supported addicts’ angst there could be a backlash for MPs who jumped on the banwagon.
If a ban doesn’t work (as Dunne, the Drug Foundation, Ireland’s health minister and many others keep claiming) what then? Hope that the mess doesn’t become apparent until after the election?
🙄
That’s what fact checkers do: assume John Key is telling the truth at all times.
That may be what you do but I don’t assume any politician is telling the truth, especially not the full truth. The announcements and reactions by Dunne, Key and Cunliffe all seemed to be unusually odd.
🙄 as previous comments here, and the wide variety of ‘facts checked’ on the ‘fact checker’ website indicate.
Refuted by your own dishonest bad faith drivel:
Labour jumped on the same ‘bugger the consequences’ banwagon.
Remember what Felix just told you: it isn’t your views (the only personal opinions you ever reveal are the occasional bits of racism), it’s your behaviour. This is an example.
You just owned Pete George.
I will take that as constructive criticism: a low benchmark at best. Not really worth the candle.
re pete george..
i just watched this..and i laughed like a drain..
..and i saw myself (or many of you) as the guy with the mo’..
..and pete george as the cleanshaven guy…
..being questioned/cross-examined..
http://boingboing.net/2014/04/30/ny-times-verbatim-what-is-a-p.html
[lprent: classic. ]
Pete, do you have any twins?
ha ha ha ha ha laugh my socks off.
PG Tips, if you are around, this is EXACTLY what it is like debating with you. That is not meant in a mean or nasty way or any such other abuse, simply that this is what it is like.
Perfectly summed up there mr ure, perfect.
“Do you have a photocopier in your office?”
ha ha ha ha ha
Gonna have to stop calling them “”legal highs” soon Petey.
I look forward to seeing you try to maintain your ludicrous legal drugs / illegal drugs double-standard.
You’re making things up again. Standard practice for you.
Total drug bans have never worked and can cause more problems than they try to solve. So we need restricted legal use of the entrenched safer drugs like alcohol and cannabis, and possibly some synthetics and others if they are relatively low harm for most people.
In today’s trivia section, marijuana campaigner and blog editor Pete George took his first actual position on something today, and while his statement contains numerous caveats and equivocations, this author would just like to take a moment to praise Mr. George for coming down off the fence for once in his life.
Pot George, congratulations!
Not making anything up. Many times on this site while adults were trying to have serious discussions about drugs and drug use, you’ve attempted to introduce the meaningless (in the context) distinction between legal and illegal drugs.
You even went as far as to reject my observation that we have a culture that glorifies the ritual of the weekly wrecking.
I see you’re backing away from that position already.
“Not making anything up. Many times on this site while adults were trying…”
Very funny felix. You might sound like a bitter old bugger but your efforts so far today are closer to infantile.
The small ‘divert and attack’ gang look petty and pathetic (to me).
Petty??? is that you in the mirror, 🙄 🙄 🙄 …
🙄
Pot George, did you really think your passive aggressive attacks would go unanswered? It isn’t your opinions it’s your behaviour.
This is what makes you unelectable.
You’re not one who should lecture others on behaviour hypocrite. Even lefties get pissed off with you.
Shoot the messenger, Pete.
@PG “Even lefties get pissed off with you (oab)”
Factually this one doesn’t Lol 1000+ One Anon Bloke
One sentence from OAB is worth more that your total body of work pete and you’ll never understand why. Why not blame it on Māori solo mums that’s seems to be what you enjoy.
😳
Thanks Marty and Anker.
“One sentence from OAB is worth more that your total body of work pete and you’ll never understand why.”
+1
Ok felix, you could contribute something positive for a change and explain what your grand single standard preference is on dealing with drugs and laws.
Not until the baby is asleep. This thread is textbook:
1) Petey posts NACT propaganda.
2) Contradictions with his previous statements are pointed out.
3) Petey spends the rest of the morning claiming he’s being picked on, without ever addressing the contradictions raised.
By 11am after painting himself into a dunce’s corner he will claim that he neither agreed nor disagreed with the propaganda in the first place, then he’ll disappear for the rest of the day, his work having been done.
Tomorrow, repeat.
This thread is textbook.
Mass attack any comments by target.
Claim target is disrupting threads.
Plead with moderators to bow to pressure.
Tomorrow, repeat. Seen it all before with various targets. No wonder the left is struggling. If they concentrated on actually doing something positive…yeah, nah. Not until the baby is asleep. But it never will be for the perpetually frustrated.
🙄
If “attacks” are so disruptive, why do you initiate them?
Today’s attacks by you can be summarised by the one word “banwagon”.
Well you did say “Labour jumped on the same ‘bugger the consequences’ bandwagon”. It is like even when you criticise National you have to attack Labour at the same time.
Both are at fault over this so I don’t see why both shouldn’t be criticised. Addressing the synthetic and natural cannabis issues doesn’t look hopeful when both major parties seem intent on ban and ignore the obvious.
But here’s one for National on it’s own – Maurice Williamson looks very compromised and if the story so far stacks up I think he has to resign as minister at least.
Parroting John Key’s unsubstantiated “assertions” ≠ criticism.
is that a whinge or a whine there pete – another ‘poor me’, blame everyone else comment from the mr nobody. I suppose you are frustrated in missing the big chance to get your name up there – oh dear, how sad, what a pity.
Mass attack any comments by target.
Claim target is disrupting threads.
Plead with moderators to bow to pressure.
I am afraid I have to agree with you here Pete George.
If people don’t like your comments the best thing to do is ignore, or if your comment is that bad a few rolleyes or short-sharp statements saying so, but I have noticed rather a few time now that you have raised a point which can be debated and if people did so, things can be learned, thus it becomes a crying shame when the thread is filled up with ad-hominem style comments and no one actually addresses the content of your comment. (some have here but the majority haven’t).
What is occurring, in my view, is it is starting to make the commenters who aren’t Pete George look pettier than Mr Pete (sorry Pete but, yep, sometimes this is the way you come across, especially those articles you have printed in that fact-checking site).
Pete George, is clearly attempt to rark up people here, and is managing it very successfully, well done Pete.
To those attempting to discourage Pete George – I think you are achieving quite the opposite. Not well done yous.
Hint: Some people really like attention no matter whether it is good or bad and giving attention to people like that – simply encourages them. You are better off turning the comment around than ad-hominems if you really don’t like what a person like that is saying.
Can you point to an “ad hominem” attack on Pete George (as distinct from Pete George’s statements and behaviour) on this page?
Perhaps you can also point to where he “raised a point which can be debated” that doesn’t contain some passive-aggressive falsehood or spin, or “bait” as Karol calls it.
Thanks.
Hi OAB,
Not ad hominem per se – that is why I wrote ‘ad-hominem-style comments’
Actually your first comment I found quite astute – pointing out the bias of Mr George – yet if you look at the whole the line of responses they simply take up time discussing Mr Georges bias and making references to his sorry role in creating a ‘factless checking site’ (which I am angry about too) rather than turning into a constructive debate addressing the actual points he raised (see my comment at 1.6 for what points I think he raised).
Time and again these threads are turning into an endless attack on his bias. Such comments may be quite correct – yet what I am suggesting is that these threads would not be ‘filled with Pete George’s comments and responses’ if people focus on debating the points. He soon seems to appear to shut up if you do that. (see my comment, again, at 1.6).
Can you see my point? Focussing on things that Mr George is simply never going to stop defending (his bias and inaccuracy) is leading to fruitless debates which require a lot of scrolling (very exhausting activity (!)) – whereas, as I just mentioned, he appears to quieten down if one responds with a genuine argument to what he says.
Clearly, this is simply my opinion; to me it is appearing quite bizarre how much focus is going toward PG and yet the same people who are focussing on him are complaining at the same time about how much focus he gets. ??
If you don’t want the focus on PG – simply focus on something else – he will soon go away if he is ignored. The other option, as I have said, is debate the points with him – this also appears to quieten him down, and when it doesn’t, there is much to learn from those discussions.
There are plenty of trollish commenters on this site. Why is PG getting so much attention? He is simply one of many and I really think that you are delighting him with your attention rather than putting him off.
I’d tend to agree. That is why I spiked a guest post from earlier this week (you know who you are – sorry) about how to handle an unnamed commenter with PG’s characteristics.
I or another moderator will deal to people doing trolling or who are deliberately starting flames. We (especially me and previously Irish) are rather well known for our abrupt methods of terminating those behaviours and our increasing irritation at repetition (basically we escalate on a random walk logarithmic scale). PG found that out each time he strayed over the bounds in 2002.
But generally google is your friend when dealing with people who just appear to be simply ignorant of what you know or understand. If you have a good counter and some links then state them and add a bit of chilli for spice. Then respond only to the points that actually counter your points. If the avoidance syndrome starts to happen and people start diverting to something else – then let them. I have some severe responses to claims of owning, pwning, and other such tactics for a reason.
You seldom “win” on the net in anything less than a few years. Usually the best you can do is make another person think more deeply. Concentrate on the wars rather than the battles.
thanks lprent,
Although, that comment of mine that you are responding to is still in moderation (according to my browser anyway)…
Focussing on things that Mr George is simply never going to stop defending (his bias and inaccuracy) is leading to fruitless debates which require a lot of scrolling (very exhausting activity (!)) – whereas, as I just mentioned, he appears to quieten down if one responds with a genuine argument to what he says.
blue, how is that any different than people responding to anyone else’s bias and inaccuracy. It’s part of the culture here to not let people get away with posting shit that is inaccurate or right wing spin.
“whereas, as I just mentioned, he appears to quieten down if one responds with a genuine argument to what he says”
My problem with that is that it gives legitimacy to his ‘reasonabler than thou’ centrist persona that is a front for some pretty shitty stuff eg his racism, and what he does (as opposed to what he says). If he was just inane I would have less of a problem. But IMO he actively undermines the left. Why should he get special treatment?
and no one actually addresses the content of your comment.
That would be because the purpose of most of his comments is to distract and dissemble. You can ignore the long termers here, and just look at the people that have started commenting here since PG’s return and the shift in their perception of him. Mostly they engage genuinely with him and after a few rounds of clusterfuck communication they eventually get to the point that the rest of us have.
“The left” actively undermines itself. For example with it’s excessive intolerance of anyone deemed to be “posting shit that is inaccurate or right wing spin” which is labeled “bias and inaccuracy”. That’s when National or ACT aren’t being accused of that. Or the media. Or anyone else who can be blamed for whatever isn’t going well.
That’s not my purpose at all. The distracting and dissembling is what happens in response.
Some people simply object to me commenting no matter what I say. It’s tribal politics at it’s most petty. I don’t know what it’s intended to achieve but I haven’t noticed much success from the bitter and twisted approach.
I had a meeting with an MP today and we have very similar views on political behaviour. You rarely achieve anything significant in democratic politics by alienating and attacking – the success rate is very low and the negatives usually far outweigh any positives.
You have to build relationships and look for common ground to achieve things. Especially when you’re in opposition, opportunities don’t come often and you have to be ready to strike when you can. If you have burnt off any possible alliances you don’t have any chance. Even if you disagree with someone strongly on something you may need to work with them on the next issue, if you’re still on speaking terms.
Certainly I provoke reactions sometimes, deliberately, but what are political forums for? I haven’t seen a list of banned topics here. Do you expect any issues to be approved of a central committee to ensure they are left enough, ‘unbiased’ enough?
I’m relatively new to politics but I’m amazed at how old school activists keep repeating failed tactics. It’s common here, it’s common at Kiwiblog and other forums. Maybe that’s why they’re old school activists, they haven’t worked out how to succeed or they are past their prime and haven’t moved on with the times.
Divide and rule doesn’t work well in a decent democracy. You have to allow people and ideas to come together, look for opportunities and common ground, rather than look for differences and push apart on anything you disagree with.
‘Centrist’ is quite a loose term. To me it mostly means keeping your options open on any issue until you can decide what the sensible approach is, rather than painting yourself into an ideological corner from the start. I’m as likely to agree with a Green policy as an Act policy.
blue leopard is right, I’ll comment much less if comments are ignored or issues addressed and pissy personal attack politics is parked. I ignore most attacks but if you keep doing it I’ll keep picking my battles, as long as the blog authorities allow.
Some of you seem obsessed with defeating perceived enemies, but you’re defeating your own interests more than anything. Just imagine if all that time and mental energy went into doing something positive.
Weka’s point stands.
Look at the way Mr. George takes ten paragraphs to articulate easily refuted boasts.
Pete, until most of these hard core old lefty,righty activists cark it, you’ll never see an improvement in the way politics are discussed.
They’re completely out of touch with how things work and how things get done these days, they’re dinosaurs stuck in a 70’s cold war mentality where those that don’t faithfully toe the party line should be smashed down and destroyed.
Sooner they exit the scene the better.
Nice try BM, but I was only just in primary school at the start of the 70s and came out of a family that valued debate but had no particular party line to follow.
Hi Weka,
You appear to have missed my point completely. All I am saying is what is occurring, in my view, is it is starting to make the commenters who aren’t Pete George look pettier than Mr Pete.
There are far worse things said than what PG said at the start of the thread. Pete’s comment fully contained points that gave the option to respond and debate – there are plenty of right-wing comments that don’t offer that at all…like the one that just said ‘cuckoo’ yesterday on one of the threads (say wha?)
You are not even one of the ones doing this behaviour, yet those that are, are utterly entitled to carry on with their behaviour (in keeping with the rules of the site of course!). I was hoping that they might read my comment and see sense in it, if not. I shall remain content by simply scrolling on by.
@Pete George
The way you come across with your posts is that you are here to put down Labour and the left, and take the side of the right wing. That is irritating and mostly time wasting rather than genuine debate or discussion.
If your intention is to push the agenda of the right, your natural place to hang would be the well known right wing blogs, of Slater and Farrar. You will get a lot of support for your views that are critical of the left.
I have not read any of your posts where you show clear support for any of the policies of Labour or those of the other left parties.
Which of the following policies/programmes/statements do you agree with and which you do not? Without going into discussions or debate, can you just state, as your conclusion, YES or NO for each of these please:
[1] The National tax cuts of billions of dollars helped the wealthy the most and affected the poor the most due to reduction in services.
[2] The broken promise of raising the GST impacted harder on the poor, as they generally spend all their limited income/wages for living expenses.
[3] National have slashed social services and put the screws on beneficiaries.
[4] National has put people out of Housing NZ homes so they can sell the property to their developer buddies.
[5] Overseas investors find NZ a great place to speculate in the very profitable housing market.
[6] Housing is becoming more and more out of the reach for ordinary New Zealanders.
[7] Labour has better ideas and policies than National to tackle the housing problem.
[8] Increased mortgage rates get passed on by landlords through the rent they charge.
[9] Keeping interest rates down should keep rents lower than if the Official Cash Rate was raised.
[10] The newly announced Labour’s VSR will make it easier for the lower income households to build up a deposit reserve through their Kiwisaver contributions and pay lower interest rates for their mortgage.
[11] Increasing the minimum wage to $15 immediately is a good policy.
[12] Supporting or encouraging the living wage is a good policy.
[13] The Labour-Green announced NZ Power is a good initiative for helping to bring down the electricity prices.
[14] Labour has always been the more sophisticated economic thinker, and is the natural party of innovative ideas and reform.
[15] By their very nature, conservative parties are managers rather than visionaries – and they only manage the economy to the primary advantage of the top few percent.
[16] Interest on student loans should be reintroduced.
[17] Kiwi Bank should be sold.
[18] Paid parental leave should not be increased to six months as proposed by Labour in its Best Start policy.
[19] Bring in a Capital Gains Tax as proposed by Labour.
[20] The spy laws related to GCSB, SIS etc should be thoroughly reviewed as proposed by Labour.
[21] Adult Community Education Night Classes should not have been cancelled by National.
[22] The power company asset sales was a good idea.
[23] Public funding for private Charter schools is a good idea.
[24] There will be a Labour-led Coaltion government after this election.
[25] Dunne will lose his seat.
Yes I criticise Labour and that gets up some peoples noses but I do also praise Labour when I see fit. Same with Greens. Same with National.
And I do initiate discussion including confronting and challenging righties at Kiwiblog and Whale Oil, they don’t like it there either. Curiously they can be as over the top, irrational and angry at Kiwiblog as some are here, I’ve also experienced mass attacks (especially on rape, violence, smacking and climate change). But Whale Oil has not been anywhere near as bad – although I have had some full on debates with Slater et al.
That’s a long list and Yes or No is inadequate. For example I’ll address the first and last.
[1] The National tax cuts of billions of dollars helped the wealthy the most and affected the poor the most due to reduction in services.
Yes the tax cuts helped the wealthy the most on pure dollar terms. They pay by far the most tax and even small changes in tax rates can make a big difference in dollars. And low income and no income earners effectively pay no income tax so you can’t give them tax cuts, they have to be helped through other means. And it could be argued that $20 per week helps a beneficiary far more than $200 per week helps someone earning $200k.
“Reduction in services” is an almost completely different issue.
[25] Dunne will lose his seat.
I have no way of knowing that. He’s had a very difficult term, he’s looking jaded and dated, that will make it harder, but National, Labour and Greens are all standing new low profile candidates so that could help him. It’s nearly five months until the election. anything could happen yet. I don’t know and I don’t care apart from an overall interest in all parties and seats.
@Pete George:
Oh dear! I specifically requested you not to debate/discuss as usual but to give your FINAL conclusion/best guess. Sadly you seem to be unable to do that.
Going by your explanation,
for both [1} and [2],
Your best response should have been NO (or Disagree)
As you are a prolific writer with wide views on various issues and quite controversial, It would be good to know where you generally stand politically, socially, economically, philosophically and morally.
Can you have another go?
One more question:
[26] Judith Collins has misused her ministerial position in the Oravida scandal and she should resign or be sacked.
Hi Weka,
You appear to have missed my point completely. All I am saying is what is occurring, in my view, is it is starting to make the commenters who aren’t Pete George look pettier than Mr Pete.
There are far worse things said than what PG said at the start of the thread. Pete’s comment fully contained points that gave the option to respond and debate – there are plenty of right-wing comments that don’t offer that at all…like the one that just said ‘cuckoo’ yesterday on one of the threads (say wha?)
You are not even one of the ones doing this behaviour, yet those that are, are utterly entitled to carry on with their behaviour (in keeping with the rules of the site of course!). I was hoping that they might read my comment and see sense in it, if not. I shall remain content by simply scrolling on by.
Hi blue,
I did get the point, but I happen to disagree with it (about who is looking more petty).
“There are far worse things said than what PG said at the start of the thread.”
Probably, and if it was just PG at the start of the thread there wouldn’t be a problem. I think this is the crucial difference – perhaps you think PG should be related to comment by comment. Myself, and I assume others, are well past that point where PG’s comments can stand each on their own. There is a pattern of behaviour that many here find disrupts the place, and some people are responding to that (the pattern of behaviour).
I have responded but I mentioned the ‘T’ word so my response has gone into moderation…
As Weka says below “This is pretty well-known internet forum dynamics.”
That and the moderation of certain words. I tried to get around them once by typing tr*ll then editing the o in afterwards. They’d thought of that 🙂
[lprent: Besides if the variants get too ubiquitous of over-used misused words (which is what I am looking for) there are always regular expressions to use. I have never had to do that. But the capability is sitting in the plugin I wrote for the task back in 2009. ]
+1 Felix. Too much of Standard now being devoted to Pete George drivel.
“3) Petey spends the rest of the morning claiming he’s being picked on, without ever addressing the contradictions raised.”
Yes, and he’s moving into chapter 2 of the tr8ll handbook – claim that he’s being picked on by a specific group. In PG’s case he calls it “The small ‘divert and attack’ gang”. He will build that narrative for a while and then the people that still feel sorry for him will start telling off the ‘gang’ for picking on him (even though there isn’t actually a gang). It’s never fair to gang up on someone so irrespective of what he does the narrative will be that anyone that calls him on his tr8ll bullshit is part of orchestrated bullying.
When I first started reading this blog, I did get the impression that PG was being bullied. Now I understand why he gets treated as he does, and it’s possibly better than he deserves. However, there will often be new readers who won’t know the history. He’s a huge diversion, as are the RWNJs.
Clearly Dunne should retire from politics if he can’t even decide who he’s going to capitulate to from one week to the next. He’s so out of his depth on even such a small political issue that he makes Hekia Parata look competent. Dunne should step down.
He’s struggled to handle this for sure, but I think just about anyone would, especially when it seems both the two major parties don’t want to have anything to do with addressing cannabis alongside the synthetics problem.
If Dunne retired it would leave someone else to be impotent – or keener on banning drugs and creating more problems.
The big problem Dunne had was his refusal to legalise marijuana and ban the synthetics. Do that and we’d have rational drug policy.
You’re right Ad, but Dunne should have resigned when he leaked the Kitteridge Report.
Well Ad, apparently there is a “Sack Peter Dunne” facebook group. I’m not on FB, but others may want to participate.
https://www.facebook.com/sackpeterdunne?notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite
Also last week on Scoop NZ First had called for Dunne’s resignation. Sorry no link, had a quick look but can’t find it and have to dash
Here it goes – http://pacificguardians.org/2014/04/07/step-down-national-united-future-mps-for-failed-legal-high-law/.html
In that she said:
A ban is very unlikely to eradicate them.
On Twitter I asked her to back up a claim “”… and families, communities, police and hospitals must now deal with a new stream of addicted users.” – evidence of this? Her response…
felix will be on to her double standards for sure. And her lack of actual evidence.
And other tweets about the same time:
And then what?
So, Dunne does not have the courage of his own convictions, guts and honesty to stick to his position, but just shamelessly does what is politically expedient?
Weight of numbers, 59 versus 1 is difficult to argue with. Stuff claims he had to negotiate a compromise, the 59 wanted to scrap the Act.
No guts or honesty or integrity.
He could have stuck to his position or resigned instead, if he had the courage of his conviction re this important issue, rather than blaming others!
It’s easy to have principles until people challenge them.
In full swing this morning
🙄
🙄
🙄
yep it’s time for the 🙄 methinks – good call Rosie
Hi Pete George,
I think you raise an interesting point.
My first response is to view this response from National and Labour as democracy in action and that it is good to see National responding to public pressure (I feel certain that the stance Labour took on it was part of National’s decision also though).
I think it would be good if politicians weren’t referred to as ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ or ‘flip-flopping’ when they are responding to public pressure because really, isn’t that what representatives are supposed to do? If public awareness is raised over a certain matter and therefore shifts, then the politicians need to be responsive to that.
In response to your ‘bugger the consequences’ view: This needn’t be the case if the government are prepared to act very fast to support social services and health organisations that will be helping the people in difficulty. It may be necessary to have a public awareness campaign to ensure those around such people, also, know what the signs are and are told what they can do to help.
I think that such a response would be fair, especially considering we allowed these drugs to be sold for a fair few years now, and therefore people took them believing they were harmless, when they were not.
If the government took the consequences seriously, they might be able to avert a lot of the problems you are referring to, after-all, leaving the things on the shelves is only going to make matters worse, not better; that would simply enable more people to get addicted.
You’re right, but I don’t see any sign of this happening, and no opposition pressure for it to happen. It’s as if they think that forcing product from retail shelves will suddenly solve the whole problem.
The Drug Foundation and others have pointed out the probable need for support services to be ramped up but I don’t know if anything is being done about it.
You may well be correct about it not looking like they will do anything, it wouldn’t surprise me with this government – who usually only seem to act for the wealth issues of a small group.
Yet if they don’t act it will reflect very badly on the government – and they are more likely than not in an election year to take that into account prior to deciding to do nothing.
And also, if they don’t act fast to provide support to these people, then one can hardly say it is due to ‘taking the products off the shelved’ has caused the problem – like I said – leaving the products on the shelves will only be making the issue worse.
“And also, if they don’t act fast to provide support to these people, then one can hardly say it is due to ‘taking the products off the shelved’ has caused the problem – like I said – leaving the products on the shelves will only be making the issue worse.
“
There is an assumption that the people who require support are included in those National care about. It is probably likely that they are not. After all, they have shown no compassion in their policies over the last five years for those they would consider “Non-National voters”.
Taking the legal-highs off the shelves is a response to their own demographic that has indicated that it is a good idea politically. Many of those will be satisfied with this step, and more than a few will probably consider it is all that is needed.
Yes, I agree with that.
UK spies given access to a wide range of NSA data/metadata during the 2012 Olympics, including Prism. GCHQ begged for access to NSA data.
So how reliable are the assurances that our metadata has not been harvested?
Dec 2 2013.
Ah, I see the problem: Key asked the wrong question. Funny that.
Of course, by August last year he had to clarify his previous assurance:
My understanding of that is that their “filter” (and if so, well done Slippery for so cleverly implying it’s some sort of software) is the law, ie:
The NSA collects everything. The GCSB are allowed to look at some of it if they can get a court order*.
*or Ministerial warrant.
The real question that needs to be asked is “Does GCSB capture OR HAVE ACCESS TO metadata on New Zealand citizens?”.
Nicky Hager clearly elucidated the process that NZ intelligence agencies go through to achieve their goals whilst still maintaining plausible deniability. By providing NSA/GCHQ etc with a watchlist then THEY will be the ones doing the capture and analysis as opposed to the GCSB, ergo the GCSB can “legitimately” claim that they do not spy on NZ citizens.
NB: This is from memory of reading Nicky Hager’s book a couple of years ago so I can’t quote verbatim but I’m sure anyone that has Secret Power at their fingertips can do so if they feel so inclined 🙂
EDIT: In fact, re-reading OAB’s final paragraph I see he is effectively saying the same thing so I apologise for any duplication 🙂
Anyway, petty drivel aside, National are still desperately trying to spin their legal highs incompetence. I suppose it beats confronting Slippery’s awful performance at Christchurch airport.
An interesting interview on cannabis (and synthetics and bans) on Campbell Live last night.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Should-NZ-legalise-and-tax-marijuana/tabid/817/articleID/342206/Default.aspx
i have linked to that vid/interview..
..and i have tagged it as a must-watch..!
..f.w.i.w..
(this has been a public service announcement..designed to counter the automatic stigma accrued from being linked to by p.g..
..ignore that it came from him..
..and just watch it..
..you will be pleased you did..
..it is like a minor gale of sanity/commonsense..)
“..ignore that it came from him..”
You see PG, your reputation here is so bad that even when you post something useful, other people feel bound to qualify it.
The problem is clearly with us, not him.
We all just need to learn to tolerate open debate, and not notice, far less remark on patent absurdity presented as truth.
xox
Great to hear Mary Wilson interviewing a civil engineer about the flooding in Christchurch. In summary, he said the flooding, along with the earthquakes, was exacerbated by 30 years of neglecting basic engineering principles. Drains first, not last as noted in council planning. I couldn’t help but think this could apply to most that has been foisted on the increasingly poor suffering public. Back to the basics, and less snake oil. Oh it’s election time!
It is absolutely astounding that nobody has got their own digger into that Dudley Creek and simply dug the thing out.
Two days, two 12 tonne diggers, job done.
It’s not as if the public would object or there are any fancy snails to protect.
This is symptomatic of Christchurch today – nobody does anything except after countless reports, bureaucratic wrangling, political debate, ecan, eqc, cera, ccc, ccdu, the entire city has become so entwined and strangled in public sector ways that number 8 wire thinking and action have just simply vanished. Gone. The stuffing has been knocked out of us.
Watch this – if there are no diggers in that Dudley Creek by Friday afternoon you watch the negative public comment and ridicule that will get piled onto the authorities and their useless authoritative ways.
Two bloody diggers.
That’s all it would take.
Bloody useless
i don’t think it quite works like that where the land in the city may have sunk because of the earthquakes Vto but the land out on the coast may not have,
If the land sinkage is centric to the city area then digging the streams and rivers deeper is going to achieve little…
No that’s not right mr bad. Sure the land in that area has sunk up to 500mm, but the creek beds have risen, the creek sides have fallen inwards, and all the native plantings of the last dozen years has slowed the water movement.
Digging the creek will certainly achieve more than enough to stop the next flood from reaching the floorboards of the houses concerned.
As someone who has been flooded more than once by Council ineptitude in Chch since the earthquakes (another part of town) and watched the (toxic polluted by portaloos and broken sewer) water rise through our floorboards I know this. In our part of town, harassment of Council staff to clear the drains resulted in the drains being cleared and now no flooding during these recent events.
It genuinely is as simple as lowering the creek bed and widening and clearing the creek banks.
Job done.
Bloody useless.
Hopefully some local in the vicinity will thumb their nose at Council and get their own digger in there today.
That depends Vto, are the creeks over-flowing and causing the flooding???, or, is the storm-water coming back up through the storm-water drains,
If the water is coming back up through the storm-water drains then i would suggest such drains where they enter the creeks need high volume pumps attached to them…
you silly egg
Now there’s an inflaming answer to what was a logical question full of the milk of human kindness today i will refrain…
Yes apologies … the flooding in Chch is not a flowing flooding, nor a pressured flooding. It is simply a rise in water level, quiet and unmoving, lifting all logs, t-papers and e-colis with it. As such everything floods at once – stormwater drains and creeks, all at the same slow quiet pace.
If it is the creeks that are flooding then it is the creeks that need the water pumps to move the water on,
If you just dig out the drains the nett result is that the flow of water might reverse in the creeks from downstream going toward the outflow of the creeks…
Well, IMO, the #8 wire thinking has gone across the country but it’s been strangled by private sector ‘efficiency’ and not the public sector. The public sector used to welcome new ideas about how to get things done.
And, yeah, I’m with bad12 on the diggers probably being a bad idea.
I suppose. Might as well let these good houses get soaked in toxic grey water everytime there’s 30mm of rain… sheesh dtb, really …….
My point, in clarification, is simply dig the creeks out enough to lower these flood levels by enough to stay under the floorboards. Soaked garden and driveway ok but not in the house. Toxic danger unhealthy extreme. This requires simple digger action.
Why would there not be this action?
Because just getting in there and digging up the stream bed may not actually do that. It’s going to depend upon what level the stream is at normally compared to what level the houses are at and what level the water is during heavy rains. The houses have sunk half a metre compared to that normal water level.
Yes I’m sure it is very complex, although every time I have looked water has tended to flow downhill.
Yep, it does. The downhill in this case seems to be toward the houses.
They are above sea-level and nearby drains and creeks.
dig man dig
Good on you, Nathan Guy. Good on you, National. Good on you, John Key.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t31.0-8/10255146_10152770535638356_2730374015677352953_o.jpg
F. F. S.
je n’comprehend pas
Nats – supporters of the rights of those with disabilities?!
…Sometimes I park in handicapped spaces…
oh I see
classic illustration of an outlook on life and one’s position in it
@ oan..
..leary is not only a rightwing-arsewipe..
..he also stole that ‘biggest hit’ from (a young) louis ck..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYJmmoVFNXs
Note the membership department at the left of the table…
Well spotted
Oh, I heard about this photo, thanks for posting it felix.
Note how the red car in the mobility park had to park over to the right to accommodate the Natz sign. I also see they are outside the Mahara Gallery in Waikanae. They picked a fairly safe neighbourhood to set up a stall, not likely to get too much heckle there.
Nathan Guy, Tard Du Jour.
I am not a lawyer, but the photo that felix has alerted us to has a raffle sign with a carton of what looks like wine bottles above it.
A quick search shows the following Internal Affairs warning.
Prohibited Prizes
It is illegal to offer the following as prizes:
A firearm, explosive (including ammunition), restricted weapon, or airgun
Liquor
Tobacco products
etc
http://www.dia.govt.nz/Services-Casino-and-Non-Casino-Gaming-The-Rules-for-Running-a-Gambling-Activity#eight
and who was Minister of Internal Affairs back in 2009?
drum roll………….
Nathan Guy
If this is what you call kids you’re meant to be helping, no wonder you don’t succeed.
I guess the ones that don’t fit these pejorative descriptions slip through the gaps too.
Those fetuses chosen to become members of the lower castes of “Gamma”, “Delta” or “Epsilon” are subjected to in situ chemical interference to cause arrested development in intelligence and physical growth.
Wikipedia’s summary of Brave New World.
First the labels, then the Ritalin.
I saw that and was disgusted
You want to know why this country has to change then the quotes above illustrate it well. The most vulnerable treated like shit, those most in need get degraded and abused (behind their backs and to their fronts) by the people paid and charged for trying to help them. Scum is too weak a word for the ‘team’ at Datacom and their ‘ill-considered’ words.
+1000
Why hand over truancy management to a company like Datacom in the first place? What is wrong with the Ministry of Education having its own people, who are trained in how to deal with real live people?
So that the capitalists can make an even bigger profit at our expense. There is no other reason.
did you think the idea was to stop truancy???
Yeah as I understand it the Ministry of Education defunded some very experienced truancy teams around the country and then handed contracts over to people who had no idea and no experience.
+1 marty, oab.
Is it normal to categorise kids so negatively? Do they think it’s a bit of a joke to label them like this? It’s appalling that Datacom (and school staff, it seems) treat kids so dismissively.
I can’t believe that people would tolerate this, that nobody said that it wasn’t right.
Take the demand out of Auckland’s housing market???, David Parker proposes to stop those with rental property from being able to write off ”losses” on the rental properties against ”taxes on other income”, and, (maybe) restrict immigration,
Two things i do agree with from Mr Parker, landlords should not have a tax incentive to involve themselves in owning rental property,
Immigration should be restricted to the number of houses able to be built to accommodate the number of immigrants in any given year…
Link, please.
http://www.3news.co.nz/NZ-kauri-sent-to-China-in-black-gold-rush/tabid/1771/articleID/342199/Default.aspx
Murky business in Northland.
And Oravida pops up in the list of suspects.
Worth further enquiry, for sure.
Companies have been exporting swamp kauri for years now. I think I first visited the factory shop north of Kaitaia about 15 years ago and thought what a waste it was to send raw wood to China when there are so many potential carvers in the North. If Oravida are planning on processing the wood locally, they’re doing better than the rest of the cowboys up there. Much like the property developers around Kerikeri, they accept fines as part of the cost of doing business. Until a few of them lose their trousers and end up in prison, I can’t see anything changing.
Trying doing the same with pounamu. There would be a complete outrage if the similar were to happen.
I’m against both. As far as pounamu is concerned, the difference might be explained as the difference between Tipene O’Regan and Shane Jones.
I may have got the wrong impression about Oravida and any proposed processing. It seems that they are just stockpiling and waiting for the price to go up.
Politicaly Gelded
You have just asumed you are a liar being a politician.
We already knew.
To many legal highs you are confusing yourself.
Time for a fact check.
Pete George your an idiot a no body .suffering attention deficit.
Is the silver spoon about to be ripped out of the mouth of long serving National Government Minister Maurice Williamson,
It appears that Williamsons ”murky” dealings with businessmen Bill Liu also involved an ”intervention” with the police on Liu’s behalf by Williamson when Liu was about to be charged with domestic violence offences…
And the name “John Banks” popped up again in this, supporting this man when Banks was the Mayor of Auckland!! Shonkey will want this situation “done and dusted” before Parliament comes back next week, they won’t want TWO ministers in the gun at the same time!
At least when you bribe Maurice Williamson he returns your phonecall.
No surprise think donations, think Bent Bankie will be lurking not too far away.
Bankie will be most annoyed now, I heard Williamson was going to put in a cameo appearance as a character witness at John’s peading court case. Well that plan has gone down the gurgler now, looks like Mangling Morrie may well be joining Bent Bankie down the old bailey in a lead role of his very own.
I guess after Williamson’s brief Worldwide celebrity status last year he wanted the center stage all to himself. Good for him 🙂
Oh dear more revelations that political donations buys a lot of favours in the National Party. A This ones tricky now awaiting John Key explaining this one away. You would think a longtime serving MP would know better.
The Construction Minister managed to smooth Mr. Liu’s path so much people are now using it for ice-skating.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11247424
A rotten plank is about to break.
HUGE round of applause to Christchurch City Council Deputy Mayor for a brilliant display on this mornings RadioNZ Nine to Noon program,
The ‘affordable housing plan’ espoused by Vicky includes Government including the Christchurch City Council in the ”full’ Government social housing subsidy as well as contracting a consortium currently building a specialized factory in Christchurch to produce low cost 5 star housing that can be erected on a prepared site in 5 days,
i haven’t got a link to the full ”plan” as outlined by the deputy Mayor, but found little i disagree with as She outlined it on National radio,
Hopefully Labour Housing spokesperson Phill Twyford watches this with due interest as it would seem applying the Christchurch City Council ”plan” to land the Government already owns is the way forward for housing affordability for those with little means both in the area of rental housing and affordable housing for low waged workers to purchase on variable mortgage payment schemes such as that which is proposed by the Green Party…
Cripes predictable. You have let Pete George take over the site again. Why can’t we give him the acknowledgement of say two comments and then leave it alone. Why should he be allowed to choose the subject of discussion each day?? Why hasn’t anyone else something interesting to discuss?? Are you a lot of monkeys who chatter every time someone pokes a banana through the bars and then pulls it away just to tease you? What are you!! Monkeys or meece.
I’m thinking at present about the big deal that the news is making about Maurice Williamson in connection with a Chinese entrepreneur, I suppose, and whether Williamson used his position improperly in helping the Chinese chap get what he wanted. It’s all breathless breaking news.
(See mickys post just up.)
+100 Grey. Just don’t debate with him
That only works if everyone does it. So if regular standardistas (the one reading this today) agree to stop talking to him, what’s going to happen when newer people come along and start engaging with him?
“Why hasn’t anyone else something interesting to discuss?? Are you a lot of monkeys who chatter every time someone pokes a banana through the bars and then pulls it away just to tease you?”
There are other conversations going on, so you could focus on them 🙂
The reason why so many people are now engaging with PG negatively is because PG is causing so much distruption. You have cause and effect round the wrong way. People are so fucked off with the problems he is causing that they’ve moved into counter-offensive mode, because nothing else works. In other words, people that care about this place are unwilling to sit around and let a git like PG ruin it.
This is pretty well-known internet forum dynamics. Until PG gets his eventual ban, or decides to change, then best get used to it.
Weka
I think you have got dressed with your jersey and perhaps your trousers inside out. This has skewed your view of things. Try again tomorrow and you might get a different outlook.
Thats a fairly meaningless comment grey. You think I am wrong… and?
lol
nicely done
Agree weka.
The trouble with not engaging at all is that he then comes out with more comments to “provoke a reaction”. If these comments are not addressed it appears there is agreement with what he says, when there isn’t. I’m thinking at least an eyeroll is needed to show that pete’s comments are not considered true.
BG I rarely do. But I have to search for something being discussed that he isn’t dominating. Discussed or disgust. It ends up that it’s better to stay away and leave everyone stirring the same old stew. I like a change of diet and I might have to find a better menu.
My way of dealing with a virus in a public place – keep well clear of it.
lol
I just read openmike in about 5 minutes – as soon as a thread hits pgtips, I skipped to the next thread 🙂
Each to their own, but there’s something about that tool that makes me feel like I have ants crawling under my skin. Some days I want to scratch it, other days I avoid it completely…
The worst part is he manages to clutter the whole thing up with numerous comments that never quite manage to say anything, the mans a master troll he manages to tie commenters up in knots and destroys site readability…
Then he generally skips over to Kiwiblog for a grizzle then proceeds to have a moan on his own blog about how unfair it is…
What I am unsure of is he if actually realises what he is doing, so the real question is, troll by accident or troll by design?
Dimpost has the right idea…
Any budding or armchair economic historians want to do a New Zealand version of this?
http://www.salon.com/2013/09/20/rip_the_middle_class_1946_2013/
This morning on Morning Report there was an item on the move of the Te Papa CEO to the Ministry of Culture etc into a special advisory role for military heritage ahead of next year’s ANZAC commemorations. The item had the feel of having more to it than meets the eye.
TV3 had a short item on their website last night by Tova O’Brien that gives a bit more information.
Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/Te-Papa-looking-into-finances-as-CEO-departs/tabid/423/articleID/342225/Default.aspx#ixzz30Q3dJRfn
However, Patrick Gower’s Twitter feed also provides a little more of interest if you read his exchanges with Jacinda Arden and Grant Robertson.
https://twitter.com/patrickgowernz
It appears that Finlayson and his office have been telling ‘porkies’ according to Gower about this move and the state of Te Papa’s financial affairs.
Although totally overshadowed by the Williamson situation and ‘resignation’, I am hoping that TV3 will follow through on this situation as well.
xox
pete who? I
press fast forward.
xox
Vicki Buck ,ex Christchurch mayor and Lianne Dalziel could be a formidible tag team to counter This National disgrace. It’s a tough job, here’s hoping this council is up to it.
Yahoo, the bank has made a record profit !
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9996899/ANZ-banks-increased-profit
Let’s all rejoice..
praise be the name of commerce
praise be the name of the freeeeee market
praaaiise to the dollar
See, Piketty was right.
+1, yep ‘hell-and-lies-louse-ridden-jar’ to that (er this is a strained play on ‘hallelujah’….by the way…)
I don’t see why you guys are so envious of the success and wealth of Australian based banking shareholders, they are merely supporting the standard of living back home 😈
😈 😛
I think you are not being serious, but your statement is correct. We have the luxury of a stable banking system underpinned by Australian ownership. So yes you in particular should be very grateful.
I see that you’re still denying reality. I’ll put it in easy terms for you:
Capitalism results in the collapse of society as all the wealth ends up in the control of a few psychopaths.
Your idiocy knows no bounds sslands… I’ll give you fucking grateful.
australian confirmation bias
no wonder your views are so undeveloped
Based on recent comments I’ve come to the conclusion that srylands is John Key from 2005.
“..So yes you in particular should be very grateful…”
every evening..
..i kneel to face australia..
..and i tug my forelock in gratitude..
Nothing quite like the display of a subservient kowtowing capitalist serf. How does that boot polish taste, Shitlands?
A lie that really did make it halfway around the world.
Last week, Craig Rucker, a climate-change skeptic and the executive director of a nonprofit organization called the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT), tweeted a quotation supposedly taken from a 1922 edition of the Washington Post: “Within a few years it is predicted due to ice melt the sea will rise & make most coastal cities uninhabitable.” The intent, of course, was to poke fun at current headlines about climate change.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2014/04/climate-change-skeptics-newspaper-telephone.html?
Partial amnesty: I’ve arbitrarily released the bans on
Puckish Rogue
grumpy
infused
SHG
The Fan Club
Intrinsicvalue
chris73
natwest
Dumrse
Balanced View
TheContrarian
insider
BarnsleyBill
Mark (he will know which one it is)
These are the ones who aren’t marked as being “idiots” and who offer some effective commentary most or even some of the time – which is why Santi isn’t there for instance.
It has been just over a year since the last amnesty, so it seemed like being about the time to do it again.
I’d suggest that they refresh themselves on the policy and that they remember that I’m still the moderator that dealt with them last time. In particular about half of these were for trying to do a diversion troll in posts written by an author or syndicated in. If you want to raise a topic, then do it in OpenMike and do it intelligently.
If I detect concerted astroturfing of lines as often happens in an election year, then I’m likely to do some concerted banning of anyone who running anything like that line. I’m also likely to reward such stupidity with a ban until after the election so as to reduce my workload..
How kind.
As far astroturfing goes you’ll get none from me. I haven’t the fainest idea who to vote for and support no party at present.
This is just like that scene from Ghostbusters when they switch off the containment unit…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vxEimC3HME
lol, yes I had a chuckle about it too -I was wondering perhaps too many complaints about PG combined with a certain sadistic streak that I sometimes suspect lprent has….caused the decision? Perhaps?
Moi? sadistic?
Mind you I just watched a The Good Wife episode which made the Game of Thrones look like children doing a game of patty cake. I was having problems figuring out the plot in advance. In fact I was having problems figuring it out from behind.
Followed by a episode of the House of Cards. Perhaps covering up her career moves by confessing a adolescent rape and aborted child on National TV would help some of our politicians. Just made me feel uncomfortable.
Finished with an episode of Foyles war. Sane by comparison. Just spivs, bombs, and mysteries
Now those were somewhat sadistic .
A night of light entertainment for one such as yourself… perhaps? 😀
Nah. The light entertainment is when I get forced to watch 2 broke girls (and oh so reluctantly have to laugh) and eagerly await big bang theory
The Good Wife is about my favourite TV drama these days. It probably helps in following the plot to have watched all the previous episodes.
Previously Kalinda has been mysterious and intriguing. Now they are filling in some of her back story via the abusive husband. Her relationship with the FBI agent has been on and off for a while. Ditto, it helps to have been following all the plots and sub-plots around Alicia, her politician husband, lawyer Will Gardner, etc.
I’m watching season five at present. It is now starting to get really complicated towards the end of the season.
lol
We must prepare for the coming of Goza
Well, it’s not just a facebook group (see above at 1.3.3.)and NZ First requesting that Peter Dunne resign, even the editor of the fairfax owned Wellingtonian, who usually writes a predictable right slanted editorial every week states:
“Dunne needs to consider his position. It might be a good time for him to bow out gracefully. If not, perhaps the voters of Ohariu could help him on his way”
The article provides a history of Dunne’s failures and botch up’s culminating in his sudden u turn on legal highs. Interesting editorial for a paper that has been so pro Key government, and locally so opposed to our Green ticket mayor and flourish of new Green counsellors after the last local body elections.
http://fairfaxmedia.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
Somehow, like Collins he probably won’t be joining Williamson any time soon
remember how early results last election had dung losing..?
..and how he spat the dummy..?
..and then his numbers rose..
..so he went away and oiled up again..
..and came out to thank/oil-all-over everyone..?
..he will not be a gracious loser…
..years of repressed-insults/fixed-smiles will burst out of him like an exploding carbuncle..
..i just hope i’m there to see it..
“.years of repressed-insults/fixed-smiles will burst out of him like an exploding carbuncle..”
Unpleasant. I’m thinking he does have years of simmering anger under the surface and a sense of righteous indignation ready to explode. “Why is everybody always picking on me?!?!” sort of anguish.
No I don’t recall his 2011 brush with doom and subsequent response to the threat. Prior to the 2011 I was going through a severe bout of depression (apologies for the TMI) and I couldn’t cope with following the campaign on top of everything else, so missed that one. Now that I’m better than I was and after moving into his electorate I am watching his every move (He’s currently in the Chathams lol) and am happy to assist local activist efforts where I can in an effort to hold him to account and raise awareness of his deeds in the community.
No he won’t be a gracious loser. 30 years in the one seat. He will be one grumpy cat
given the proposed alliance of the mana party/internet party..
..this is kinda interesting..
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article38371.htm
“..Ralph Nader:.Left-Right Alliances Can Make Major Changes for the People..”
“..Called crony capitalism by the right –
there is a rising tide of revulsion against the rich and powerful
freeloading on the backs of ordinary taxpayers..”
(cont..)
Wouldn’t be great if Left and Right united to deal with the excesses of corporate welfare? Keep in mind that about 70% of the population were against Asset Sales. Maybe they might unite on corporates. And maybe the obscene salaries paid to CEO of big business?
and so much more..
Well hasn’t politics gotten interesting all of a sudden
The corruption in National isn’t sudden… 😀
Good thing I can’t recall any labour MPs that’ve been done for corruption however I’d say its bad form that Williamson got caught, really basic mistake really
Good thing I can’t recall the last time “he did it too” was a valid excuse for anything, and always nice to see an advocate of personal responsibility show their true colours.
Well corruption is a charged word and should only be used when proven beyond reasonable doubt but for the major crime of being dumb and getting caught Williamson deserved to get canned…maybe he should retire which would open up another seat for someone else
Far as I’m concerned mate, when a donor to the Oravida party gets arrested, and that arrest comes to the attention of the Minister in charge of the department that oversees the donor’s interests, that’s enough to create the perception of a conflict of interest.
Your opinion that it’s ok to cleave to the letter of the law is duly noted.
If a slide rule was run over all the parties then the charges of corruption could be laid at everyones feet
And sometimes it would stick. Like on this occasion.
Sometimes it does indeed, well done to whoever broke the story
You’re a lot better at this than Pot George.
Better wingnuts 🙂
Someone did a good job on Williamson so its only fair to acknowledge it
I figure he’s going to make Key look strong to the feeble minded, and that it won’t significantly affect his lucrative business career, because that’s how corruption works.
Ukraine: Ukrainian forces in east defecting to join pro-Russian rebels
It seems like the locals in the east of the country prefer not to go with the right wing extremist government in Kiev which is run by oligarchs and sponsored from the west.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/30/ukraine-government-lost-control-east-acting-president
“It seems like the locals in the east of the country prefer not to go with the right wing extremist government in Kiev which is run by oligarchs and sponsored from the west.”
Poor Ukranians ousted one nut job crooked president replaced by another and Russia, NATO and the US all sabre rattling over them – as usual it’s the ordinary man and woman who’s held to ransom by the swines fighting over power.
+1
People who’d pick Putin over Obama are delusional, but neither option is any good.
Putin is no angel OAB. Absolutely not.
Yet in the context of several hundred years of leaders and monarchs – he’s by far the best the Russians have ever had. At least he can be though of as a strong nationalist and for that he’s still after nearly 15 years is still remarkably popular at home.
That counts for something.
xox
Ah the sweet scent of a pg free zone…
Interesting to see on TV3 Gower’s attempt to change Williamson’s corruption into a slur on Cunliffe.
Honestly Gower is the epitome of journalistic corruption.
I really think he doesn’t know it.
Hey look we’re going to give half a billion dollars to weapons manufacterer, Lockheed Martin.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11247799
Is this a good use of public money?
Why wouldn’t it be?
Yeah, fuck it. Why shouldn’t we do business with the merchants of death?
Let’s give them an electorate seat while we’re at it, like we did for the tobacco companies.
Watching Campbell Live and seeing the people they showed who take the legal highs….is that future of our country? I sincerely hope not