As I recall it, one of the more stupid aspects of the asset sales was that the returns for the assets were higher than the interest rates on the loans.
So if it covers $4bil interest bills, we’re foregoing >$4bil in profits.
I’m not particularly worried about debt incurred for capital expenditure. I’d rather have hospitals and schools here and now and pay them off over the lives of these assets than have to wait to save up and pay for them. If we can afford to service the debt over the years, it’s not a big issue. And as a good Keynesian knows, borrowing and spending in tough times is perfectly appropriate.
It’s when we borrow to pay for operational expenditures such as tax cuts that I have a problem.
Thanks Paul, that is a great link! Especially when you look at Finland, who is held up as a great country to emulate by a number of commentators here and their net debt per citizen is almost twice that of NZ! http://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/debtclock/finland
We are also lower per citizen than Norway, Belgium, Austria, Canada, France, Germany…..I could go on, but I think your point about National keeping debt under control has been well made.
National was forced to rack up debt for several reasons:
1) the GFC caused out economy to shrink by 3% in one year
2) the Christchurch earthquake. We had to borrow money to pay for this. The alternative was to leave Christchurch to rot.
3) huge spending and future spending promises by Labour in the 2000s, during a time of relative economic prosperity, meant that we were all of a sudden spending beyond our means. We are only now getting back to a position where we can actually pay our way.
1) so maybe not the best time to give $2 billion a year in tax cuts ?
2) ‘total Government spending on the rebuilding of Christchurch will be $15 Billion by 2028’
– Bill English Budget speech to Parliament 2014
3) see point 1
Given that all government buildings, infrastructure etc have to have recovery insurance and most home owner did too, it would be reasonable to assert that this will not necessary be part of the debt. If it is NZ has been taken to to cleaners big time by the insurers and god forbid if something like this happens again. Lets not forget that Christchurch is unearthing costs and liabilities even after 3 years and who knows what will hear about tomorrow.
Bad news from the US “The Supreme Court dealt a serious blow to public sector unions Monday, limiting their ability to automatically deduct dues from public workers who nevertheless benefit from union-negotiated contracts. ”
We can only hope that NZ doesn’t follow suit.
The US political and justice systems are quite different from pretty much any other country in the world, so generally what goes on in the US, stays in the US.
Trev is imo, one of those people that is quite smart and silly at the same time – he has hit the smart side with this one – it will get the headlines, get people talking and increase his chances of being reelected – and you never know I’m sure moa would be over the moon to be born again, raised for meat and their skin, kept in cages or even ‘free range’. And why not, it’s not like there are any other issues to worry about so win win win.
With “the science of de-extinction advancing quickly”, as he put it, the Hutt South MP has laid down a challenge for Lower Hutt and for scientists: Let’s work towards the possibility of moa one day striding again through the bush of Rimutaka Forest Park.
It’s an interesting thing to make a campaign issue (and the tories will probably fall into it by calling him Moa Mallard or something), but it does provide a handy segue into all sorts of issues like regional development, environmental preservation, environmental tourism, revitalising the spirit of kiwi ingenuity, cutting-edge technology and blue skies research – all that good stuff.
Then how can it satisfy the needs of institutions which have obligations which have nothing to do with making a profit?
e.g. – electricity supply to elderly in winter
e.g. – hospitals bringing people back to health
e.g. – housing to those who cannot provide for themselves
e.g. – teaching children how to read and write
e.g. – the list goes on
why do people insist that the business model is capable of more than they admit business owes as an obligation? These people make no sense.
Yet curiously these same people claim there is an obligation on the people to help business….
e.g. – money for farming businesses water
e.g. – electricity companies to deepen the NZX
e.g. – loans to keep Joyce’s mediaworks solvent
e.g. – taxpayer support for greedy finance company investors
I truly shake my head ………
I personally believe these people are both shallow thinking and duplicitous in pushing this nonsense
Should the country at the center of the, in my opinion, wrongful use of the Diplomatic Immunity case be named???,
i would suggest no, naming the country will simply have the less thinking in our society blaming all the citizens of that country for the abhorrent actions of one of its Diplomats,
My view is that Slippery the Prime Minister should for once in His miserable Premiership actually behave like one and tell the Embassy/High Commission involved to bring the alleged perpetrator of that crime back here to face His accuser in our courts or send the whole Embassy/High Commission back to their country of origin…
The current situation in my opinion is simply a misuse of the ability for Diplomatic staff to have immunity,
Diplomatic immunity is simply a device intended to retain diplomatic relations even in a situation where two countries are apparently hostile toward each other and as a device which prohibits one country from holding another’s diplomats to ransom via trumped up criminal charges,
This isn’t a situation of alleged espionage or any other political wrongdoing, it is an alleged serious offense against a citizen of the host country and by refusing to waive the alleged offenders immunity the country of His origin is effectively condoning such alleged behavior…
What? Dotcom is not claiming diplomatic immunity?Extradition is only possible as part of due process at law. In New Zealand that due process is tested and exercised by our Courts if one wishes to challenge it. What country are you from?
Forget about unpcnzcougar – unbrainedthickasaplanknzcougar wins. Doesn’t get even that simple little detail right. Phew ! It’s a disconnect bound to have something to do with ”bloody unions” or “I Hate Hone” or such. So favoured by idiots trying to appear knowing. Or pique that KDC’s richer than GodKey ?
The “Liar in Chief” is such a shallow little prick. He warned against releasing details of this criminal because a judge ordered name suppression. Oh the irony when one of Key’s best friends (the hideous Cameron Slater) has no such regard for a judges orders…
If you haven’t already seen it, the country involved is available on google fender.
There is meant to be a press conference in ________ today with their Foreign Affairs Minister.
Wasn’t hard to find on the interweb, assuming the news source from within the country is correct. Not a place with a terrific respect for women’s rights and somewhere where sodomy is still a criminal offence. But in our top ten for exports, so that may have played a part.
I think the way you refer to the Prime Minister is disrespectful. There is no way I would have referred to Helen Clark in those terms despite her serious shortcomings.
The situation here is simple as. It has happened many times world over. The Vienna Convention.
Suddenly it is the Prime Minister’s fault. You are both being absurd.
srylands operates a whole swag of identities over a number of websites. He uses odd combinations of letters to make up his usernames because that makes it easier to search within webpages for his many, many interactions.
When we play around with the spelling it makes it so much harder for him to keep track of all his work.
Ha Ha SSLands, you will tolerate what we dish up to you, you have ‘choice’ tho, toddle off to Blubber boy’s sewer where you obviously belong and have asmooch fest with all your friends…
‘I can no longer tolerate this’ says Sslands. How funny. He gathers himself up to his full height, climbs on a table for further extension, and berates us as being disgraceful and rude to him. This in response to his propaganda on how the world works well for him, and we should accept what we have as The Only Way, The Right Way, The Truth and The Word, and abase ourselves as it is TINA.
The natives are revolting! Yes sir, they definitely are.
SSLands, typical ‘wing-nuts’ diversionary tactic, ”it has happened many times the world over”, and this makes it right for us as a nation just to let the alleged perpetrator of an alleged sexual attack and home invasion simply walk away from the misuse of the convention of immunity for diplomats???
You are indeed a sick little individual and thus you should exhibit no surprise that the majority of commenter’s treat you as a mere spitoon here…
I think the way the Prime Minister refers to and deals with us as citizens, and misleads us, abuses our trust and misuses our public property, is disrespectful!
I don’t know why the country and the diplomat’s names were suppressed – judges order? In which case I don’t have a huge problem with it.
Nor do I have an issue with the Vienna Convention.
However, we should be looking very closely at the nature of our diplomatic relationship with a country that shields alleged offenders like this if that country both preserves immunity and fails to take its own legitimate criminal proceedings against the suspect in a serious offence.
True Mac, tis early days, from my wireless at one o’clock comes news that the country in question,(and i have no real care exactly which country this is),is considering sending the alleged offender back to New Zealand,
If that is true i can only but express my applause for them ”doing the right thing”,
The news added a codicil that the country involved would only do so IF the alleged offender were to receive a fair trial and would be guaranteed no physical harm,
The country concerned can be assured that i at least have tested the system of Justice in this country on a number of occasions and except for the overall power imbalance expressed in the State Versus the individual, our system of Justice especially where a case is ‘high profile’ is relatively fair,
Although i can point to isolated incidences of extra-judicial ”harm” coming to defendants from those employed by the State the country concerned can be assured that as far as can be ascertained such harm is not sanctioned by the higher levels of our State,
my suggestion to the State concerned would be to negotiate the return of this alleged offender and while doing so also negotiate in which country any sentence should be served should He be found guilty along with which countries ‘Parole Board’ will be the arbiter of His release and any conditions of that release from any sentence imposed…
“… A free market in news is not the same as a free press, unless freedom is defined so narrowly that it refers only to the power of government, rather than to the power of money…”
I think there is one journalist who stands out above all others in the NZ media and I urge everyone to listen to Wayne Brittenden’s ‘Counterpoint’ on Radio New Zealand (easily Googled)
Brittenden presents refreshing, factual and insightful analyses of topics such as the TPPA, Ukraine and Iraq situations, incarceration and the private prison industry.
I think his presentations are ‘fair, balanced and unafraid’.
The TPPA one is particularly interesting…
+1
Appointing someone like Colin Peacock or Jeremy Rose as head of News and Current Affairs wouldn’t be a bad idea either in terms of raising public service journalism and editorial standards.
@PU … yep, heard that.
C Peackock has a good history and vast experience, and can hardly be regarded as partisan.
I imagine the privatisers would fear him too much though. Besides, their programme of destruction and crony hack appointments is already well underway – by no means irreversible.
I remember someone once asked me on this site whether I thought public media could EVER be restored to something that represents the values of PSB.
Actually, I’m even more convinced now than I was then that it can be. I’m not so sure whether the political opposition (of whatever stripe) is that committed to it however. It’s a shame really, because if they actually thought about it, it’s probably the MOST important thing that should be on the political agenda – up there with child and other poverty et al (since its generally the means by which political and other policy is conveyed to ‘the masses’).
[Rant check! STOP! Keep your powder dry OwT]
Whilst I’ve supported both the save TVNZ7 and CBB, I don’t really think they’re ambitious enough (not that I’m an ambitious person myself).
There’s actually one existing umbrella institution that could deal very nicely to the bullshit we’ve been experiencing over the past 6 (PLUS) years – and without crony appointments of personnel with bullshit titles on huge salaries. (Somewhat simpler than what even Tim Selwyn was proposing elsewhere).
@ Rodel I agree about Wayne Brittenden. Listen hard to him as the management moochers at Radionz will drop him before too long. They have an advertisement that raves about how good Jim Mora’s Panel is. ‘Comments from the leading people in NZ’ or such. They can’t possibly keep Wayne who would provide a measuring standard too high for the opinionated chattering class to compare to.
Radionz likes the Panel to be leaders in opinion-making, and then gives them the scarce air time that makes them leaders, because nobody else gets a chance to enter with their informed and experienced spiel into the chat show. A really vicious circle. Coffee froth is what we are damned to receive, and the more difficult conditions get, the more we will get along with beer froth and champagne bubbles as the ‘leaders’ toast each other in forced gaiety.
What is it about ACT MPs thinking swearing and signing documents means nothing?
I mean when the 3 legged pig with lipstick wins Epsom, how should we greet its swearing in to parliament, its electoral return or anything it ever signs.
I hadnt realised quite what a serial fuckwit garrett was…
Awatere fraud
Banks signing false return
Garrett stealing identity of dead baby, false affidavit, assault,
Hang your head in shame people of Epsom. There is a clear pattern here.
Some people don’t know all that you people do.
This from google
Beth Houlbrooke is a retired business woman and mother who has resided in the Warkworth area for 20 years.
She has a lifetime connection to the area with a humble family bach on the Takatu Peninsula.
In partnership with her husband Barry she has been a farmer, and owner of a number of successful small businesses.
She is very humble, has served on all the education entities in which her children are involved, and wants the best of everything for everybody with less bureaucracy and has joined ACT to advance the commonsense individualistic policies that they purvey. (My version of her info summary.)
David Cunliffe should fly to Port Vila, shake hands with Green PM of Vanuatu Carilles, and express his solidarity with that country’s attempts to create a nuclear-free, demilitarised Pacific where societis like Kanaky and West Papua are decolonised and the US-China Cold War is defused…
Joe Natuman of the Vanua’aku Pati replaced Moana Carcasses a month ago, after he lost a motion of no confidence. The Vanuatu parliament is a place of unsteady loyalties, with coalitions constantly changing, but it was significant that for a year the minority Greens were seen as the honest brokers there.
Granted, I haven’t watched any TV1 news lately, but has there been any coverage of the hilarious disaster that the #TeamKey hashtag has become?
I’m pretty sure if David Cunliffe had launched an ill-advised Twitter campaign, there would be constant CUNLIFFE MUST RESIGN CAN HE BE TRUSTED headlines. Maybe even some clearly pre-written editorials & WHAT IS CUNLIFFE’S MOST DIABOLICAL GAFFE polls.
Glad you said that, as last nights TV1 news had the results of a poll “should David Cunliff resign”. Knowing the outcome of the smear campaign against DC I wonder why they ran this news item. WTF. What had DC done for them to continue with this resignation crap. Before the ad break the usual shock horror must see the results after the break etc. Can’t remember exact figures but the majority of labour and non labour supporters said he should not. Not happy with that we then had Shearer interviewed and when they were told by Shearer that he was loyal to DC the female anchor person had a last snide remark like that’s what David Shearer says at the moment.
Did not really take much notice perhaps someone on here can either confirm or deny what I have written.
If there hasn’t been any I would now like to see similar polls on “how people feel about the smear campaign orchestrated by Key and the Herald” and also one asking the same questions about Collins resigning.
Too many simple knuckle-dragging jonos I think. Is it all right to call them knuckle-dragging or is that lifting my veneer? Or perhaps I lost my shine long ago.
NZ Herald continues with its recent form of ludicrously overstated stories:
Startling front page headline of the printed version “Cow hits Car”
First sentence of actual story “A Dunedin driver who smashed into a cow”
Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?
JOHN HAYES to the Minister of Finance: What progress is the Government making in allocating proceeds from its share offer programme to pay for new public assets through the Future Investment Fund?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in the Minister of Education and all of her decisions?
DAVID BENNETT to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has the Prime Minister made regarding the Government’s commitment to transport infrastructure in regional New Zealand?
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Is the Government “working for New Zealand”; if so, does that apply to all New Zealanders?
GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister for Economic Development: What does he consider are the core components of a regional economic development plan?
JULIE ANNE GENTER to the Minister of Transport: Why are the regional State highway projects announced at the weekend being funded from asset sales rather than the transport budget?
LOUISE UPSTON to the Minister for Economic Development: What reports has he received on how the regions contributed to New Zealand’s economic recovery?
PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister of Housing: Does he stand by his statement that the rate of new house builds in Auckland “is the highest it has been in years, and it shows the progress we are making”, given the average number of building consents issued for new dwellings in the last six years is 4,408 per year, compared to an average of 9,055 from 1999-2008?
GARETH HUGHES to the Minister of Conservation: Did New Zealand officials at a recent International Whaling Commission meeting in Europe agree with or disagree with the Commission’s recommendations that protection for Maui’s dolphins be granted out to 20 nautical miles from Maunganui Bluff down to Wanganui?
MIKE SABIN to the Minister for ACC: What changes has the Government announced about the way ACC covers claims for hearing loss?
CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister of Education: Does she stand by all her statements?
Door knocking in Red Areas in Hutt South.
Hi I’m from The National Party.
Did you know we have brought in free doctors visits for children under 13 and free prescriptions? Will that help?
A. Yeah!!
Do you like that idea from John Key?
A . Yeah Too right.
Do you think John Key is doing a good job?
A. Sort of.
Do you think Labour/ Greens NZF and Hone Harawira would be a great government?
A. No way.
So will you consider voting National and John Key for Prime Minister in September.
A Probably.
Thanks
I liked the cult of personality, though – three mentions of John Key, only opening and closing with “National” to try and do a bit of positive association.
Given you’re a proven liar, I suspect the real transcript is more like this:
Door knocking in Red Areas in Hutt South (ie all of Hutt South, except Bob Jones’s place).
Hi I’m from The National Party.
A: Oh, really? Are you lost?
Did you know we have brought in free doctors visits for children under 13 and free prescriptions? Will that help?
A: Yeah, well it would have helped, six years ago.
Do you like that idea from John Key?
A: I liked that idea when it was from the Greens and Labour, six years ago.
Do you think John Key is doing a good job?
A: Sort of. But I don’t know what that job is. Do you?
Do you think Labour/ Greens NZF and Hone Harawira would be a great government?
A: Great? They’d be awesome!
So will you consider voting National and John Key for Prime Minister in September?
A: Probably. For about a micro second.
Hutt South’s like Mana – some striking social contrast – Deep Red territory next to Deep Blue territory. Now that Naenae’s headed off to the Hipster’s Rimutaka, I’d say Wainui would be the major Red stronghold. Along with Moera (though that, too, may have moved to Rimutaka, not sure). Hutt Central, Boulcott and, above all, Woburn are the deepest Blue suburbs (as blue as a new tatoo). Increasingly gentrified Petone (once as Red as a Railway Shed back in mid-20th Century) is now pale Orange, as are one or two other formerly Blood Red areas.
Hi I’m from The National Party. Did you know we have brought in free doctors visits for children under 13 and free prescriptions? Will that help?
A. Of course. Was that policy copied from the progressive parties?
Do you like that idea from John Key?
A . I like the idea but I think Key and National are thieves of policies of other parties for votes though it is against their RWNjob agenda..
Do you think John Key is doing a good job?
A. Yes, primarily for the wealthy, the privileged and the powerful.
Do you think Labour/ Greens NZF and Hone Harawira would be a great government?
A. You bet! Those leaders have more sense, integrity, care, conscience, fairness and concern than any of your rich bastards in National or Act can ever have.
So will you consider voting National and John Key for Prime Minister in September.
A. You have the bloody cheek! Bugger off, fool.
*Thanks
A : You are welcome. The whole lot of you may be going to hell when you reach the Pearly gates! Sorry about that. Take that as a warning,dude. It isn’t too late to get out of the dark side. See ya!
” Hi I’m from The National Party. Did you know we have brought in free doctors visits for children under 13 and free prescriptions? ”
Unfortunately this won’t happen until July 2015 so if your child is between 5 and 13 and falls ill before then and you can’t afford to pay, then …….
If #teamgetlostkey had truly cared they would have brought this in today. Now some children may really suffer. How can such a cynical and profit driven group of so called humans have been given the mandate to run this country.What is wrong with us?
Perhaps John Key might need to spend a little more time in his own Helensville electorate?
I hear that’s he’s not there much – seems he spends lots of time in Wellington and overseas looking after the interests of his corporate and U$A bankster mates?
Will John Key stand down as Leader of the National Party, if Public Watchdog Penny Bright beats him for the Helensville electorate vote?
Quite simply – why would the voting public of Helensville waste their electorate vote on John Key. when he’ll be Number One on National’s Party List, and get in anyway?
If Helensville folk vote STRATEGICALLY , and electorate vote ‘Public Watchdog’ Penny Bright for Helensville, they can get ‘two for one’ – sort of thing…..
A proven, hardworking, effective advocate for the 99% PM – Penelope Mary Bright, vs a proven, hardworking advocate for the `1% – PM John Key.
Want some evidence to support this?
Try this: (for starters ….)
What more do you expect from the ‘poodle from Wall St’ John Key, who is STILL a shareholder in the Bank of America?
NZ MPs ‘Register of Financial Interests’ )just downloaded today):
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully earlier said the Solicitor-General had advised the Government abide by the suppression ruling while it was in place.
“I can’t see any good public policy reason why you’d want to protect someone from publicity given there won’t be a trial.”
Surely he meant to add ‘in New Zealand’ to that statement? Or is it yet another disgustingly ignorant example of how the impact of this event upon the victim is never considered by those in power?
Further to a comment on Israel-Palestine I put on yesterday, to round the picture out I should add: It is possible Israel could strike harder in Gaza, which has been tense throughout the kidnapping drama as militants fired rockets at southern Israel and Israel responded with airstrikes. On Monday night there were reports that the Israeli Air Force was in the skies above Gaza.
Palestinians don’t get far with peace talks, likewise Israelis. Someone always manages to put a spanner in the works. Perhaps the status quo suits some bodies.
Never in the dangerous fray himself , a master of bureaucratic manipulation and intrigue, in love to a fault with secrecy, willing to undertake any crime under the sun so long as it leads to profit, deeply relishing every moment of evil he is able to engineer, and a master of masking it all through adroit, politically-attuned public relations aimed at people too stupid to question him — all while paying absolutely no attention to what his past clearly demonstrates he has done, thus thoroughly frustrating the decent folks all around him.
Is this Key,Cunliffe,Cheney or Leopold?.
Traditionally,once upon a time, Labour used to be the party that would be prepared to stand up for the poor, and any other people not getting a fair deal.It was a party, who’s politicians would get out there in among the people,seeking to find evidence of any people not getting a fair deal.
There is many people not getting a fair deal.Even to the extent of beneficiary’s being refused help with very severe dental problems.And so much more
Labour expects to have their people, become prepared to step out to vote for them.But sadly many of their people have lost hope.Many see little good reason, to even care about voting.
Why? would Labour voters, think it worthwhile to bother to step-out to vote for Labour politician’s,when Labour politicians don’t even seem so bothered to be prepared to help publicly highlight the plight of these sorts of people whom are not getting a fair deal under rule of National government
Its getting closer and closer to voting time. And the people that Labour needs to get interested, in getting active involved in voting. Are busy feeling pretty much like they have been totally forgotten
People feeling that way. Are not inclined to think to vote. Because they feel like the games-lost,already. They feel like nobody seems to even care , so then why even bother to vote
Labour needs to be getting out there,busy, tracking these people down. Finding out exactly where they are.Finding out what problems they are dealing with. And then also make it very publicly known (on TV)
Only “then” will Labout voters , start to begin to think like, it really might be very worth while voting.
Because people whom have given up hope, need to be personally reminded,and shown, “how” hope exists. As well as the way forward, so as to go-get help
I’m traditional a Labour voter. I’ve always voted Labour.
But to be honest, i’m starting to feel mighty embarrassed .That it seems like these Labour politicians, are not even so-bothered, to care to make the “most mileage”,out of their peoples problems and misery
Why? would they expect to have their people bothered with stepping-up to vote for them
And i raised my weeping eyes to toward the stars and other celestial bodies and cried, why, why, oh why please tell me why oh why, befor breaking out in a fit of the giggles about planning to vote InternetMana…
what a load of crap.
join the party if you are that concerned.
get some input into policy.
tell people what they can do to make things better.
stop this whining that is little better than national party whingeing dressed up to look like something else.
begone foul spirit.
dimebag russell says : “what a load of crap.
join the party if you are that concerned.”
What a stupid idea.
If our doctors were not doing their job. Dimebag russells best answer, would be to suggest that maybe the sick people, should need to study to become doctors themselves
The national party is not whining .They have little need to whine.The way things are going, they will very likely win the next election.
I know of plenty of people, from last elections, whom might have voted Labour. But they said they didn’t feel it was worth while. This will happen again this election. Especially when we have people like dimebag russell, demanding these folk, all need to join the party, train to become politicians
Its the politicians job to let these people know,why its worthwhile to vote. Its not my job.Hell people like me don’t even have the wherewithal ,to go get in touch with these sorts of people personally
Only an ignorant idiot would think it was the voters job, to get out and go drum-up voting-interest
If these are the sorts of people, behind the labour party. Then little wonder so many folks done see it as even worthwhile voting for Labour
Not really a stupid idea at all Pete, a political party is reflective of those who are its members, that is where the policies of the party are formed,
If you choose to sit on the sidelines never becoming involved then you have to accept that how a party looks at those they may want to help, but, have little actual experience of what they experience as a real life situation will be delivered via the real life experiences of those in the party, and, the party as all organisms are inclined to do will serve its members first…
bad12 ,yes i agree its a great idea, except for it not always being possible, “for everyone”, to have time left,in which to get personally involved, in the way that dimebag suggested.
Its easy to fob someone off, by just saying that they should decide to get involved themselves, if they feel there is a real problem.So be it , if people here decide to simply dismiss what ive said.
But this still doesn’t disprove the possibility that a problem may indeed exist.And there must be some good reason why Labour voters don’t care to vote. Labour voters are not the same as National voters. Labour voters are more in need of “being led” to believe their is in fact hope. And they are less likely to believe there might be hope , if they are “feeling” forgotten , and worthless
Do you? deny that many people within NZ, are not getting a very fair deal.
If you don’t deny it. Then please explain to me, why it is,that we are not seeing evidence of it,being display widely on the media,for all the general public to see.Especially when its only months away, from an election. An election, that the Labour party is still not looking so very much like winning
Are they hoping? to be able to lose the election, once again
Labour voters need to be “led to believe” , that voting is indeed worthwhile. For too many of them, are the kind of people, whom have given up hope
Labour voters want to vote for a Labour Party. If they cannot see an actual Labour Party around they will not vote.
Hence the results of that recent poll showing support falling away from Labour, but not going to any other party, simply going into undecided instead. If Labour gave those people real red reasons to vote, they would be back in a flash.
By the way I calculated today that under Labour’s scheme I’m basically going to get my Super at about 66.8 years of age, while most MPs in Parliament voting for it will happily get theirs at 65. Plus of course their very generous Parliamentary retirement plans. Also known as the baby boomer generation voting solely for their own interests, again.
And of course we can’t afford super going into the future, but Labour is happy to speculate that we will be able to afford tax cuts in their second term.
Pete, not fucking likely, that i am going to sit here and provide you with such explanations as you demand,
You only have to read the pages of the Standard to find the answers to your questions,and, as far as me personally providing any answers to you on/about the Labour Party, forget that too as i have not been a member of that Party for so many years i forget when my membership lapsed…
yes thats right roniie and that is what the national party are good at..
but mainly taking peoples money off them.
they too squeamish to do the dirty work themselves and people going missing are to ohard to hide in this country.
they are evil malignant spirits and they need exorcising.
Just watched the ending of that. Mcnamara was a car company accountant and look where he ended up? But I have to say that I was not impressed by Stacy Daniels on ‘Media Take’ straight after. I have to tell her that neither Carol Hirschfiled, Judy Bailley and Wendie Petrie are my mother and nor are they in any way the mother of the nation. If you believe this media nonsense then you have been suckered into a false consciousness that is very dangerous to cleave to. Their jobs are to put a nice face onto the crap that comes between selling soap and other false promises. They are talking heads and thats all.
Outstanding example of doublespeak and UK nuclear weapons in the mainstream media
“The reason why we set up the commission was to stimulate a debate that we perceive has been dominated by electoral calculation. We believe Britain is well placed to lead global nuclear disarmament by renewing Trident.”
Buzz from the Beehive Transport Minister Simeon Brown dutifully issued advice to all road users to keep safe on our roads during the Easter weekend. He encouraged them to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her government’s ...
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As we’ve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
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 ...
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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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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
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Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
(i found this on my rounds this morn..’tis very cool..)
“..Patatap: the addictive art app that turns your keyboard into a music machine – interactive..”
“..Press any letter on your keyboard –
Prepare to be amazed – and kill a lot of time..”
(cont..)
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/ng-interactive/2014/jun/30/patatap-addictive-art-app-that-turns-your-keyboard-into-a-music-machine-interactive
Thanks for this – it is very cool, indeed.
Are we borrowing less since asset sales, do you know?
The asset sale may cover the 4B year interest bill.
As I recall it, one of the more stupid aspects of the asset sales was that the returns for the assets were higher than the interest rates on the loans.
So if it covers $4bil interest bills, we’re foregoing >$4bil in profits.
If anyone ever tells you the economy is being well run, link them to this…
http://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/debtclock/newzealand
That is good.
Opposition should stik it up on an Auckland motorway billboard to illustrate the borrow and spend wastrel actions of this government.
It says,
You could wrap $1 bills around the Earth 278 times with the debt amount!
If you lay $1 bills on top of each other they would make a pile 7,796 km, or 4,844 miles high!
BUT, we don’t have $1 bills and don’t know their size either!
Needs to be reworded?
Clemgeopin, quick question, did you see the site is not solely for calculating NZ debt?
I hadn’t. Ok, in that case, it would have been better to have stated, ‘US $1 bills’
Thanks Paul. I have saved that clock to show those who don’t recognize the debt that this Government has and is running up.
chrs 4 that..i’ve whoar-ed it..
I’m not particularly worried about debt incurred for capital expenditure. I’d rather have hospitals and schools here and now and pay them off over the lives of these assets than have to wait to save up and pay for them. If we can afford to service the debt over the years, it’s not a big issue. And as a good Keynesian knows, borrowing and spending in tough times is perfectly appropriate.
It’s when we borrow to pay for operational expenditures such as tax cuts that I have a problem.
Or we could have created the money to pay for those assets without debt and no need to save money.
The biggest problem with Keynes was that he was still working to protect the rich despite, seemingly, understanding that the rich were the problem.
The government should never be borrowing at all, ever. In fact, I’d say that the government borrowing is a massive misunderstanding of economics.
Thanks Paul, that is a great link! Especially when you look at Finland, who is held up as a great country to emulate by a number of commentators here and their net debt per citizen is almost twice that of NZ! http://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/debtclock/finland
We are also lower per citizen than Norway, Belgium, Austria, Canada, France, Germany…..I could go on, but I think your point about National keeping debt under control has been well made.
National was forced to rack up debt for several reasons:
1) the GFC caused out economy to shrink by 3% in one year
2) the Christchurch earthquake. We had to borrow money to pay for this. The alternative was to leave Christchurch to rot.
3) huge spending and future spending promises by Labour in the 2000s, during a time of relative economic prosperity, meant that we were all of a sudden spending beyond our means. We are only now getting back to a position where we can actually pay our way.
1) so maybe not the best time to give $2 billion a year in tax cuts ?
2) ‘total Government spending on the rebuilding of Christchurch will be $15 Billion by 2028’
– Bill English Budget speech to Parliament 2014
3) see point 1
Given that all government buildings, infrastructure etc have to have recovery insurance and most home owner did too, it would be reasonable to assert that this will not necessary be part of the debt. If it is NZ has been taken to to cleaners big time by the insurers and god forbid if something like this happens again. Lets not forget that Christchurch is unearthing costs and liabilities even after 3 years and who knows what will hear about tomorrow.
What irritates me about that is that it has the citizens share and the household share as being exactly the same.
(john oliver works his magic..)
..i am such an oliver fan-boy..i feel he has eclipsed both stewart and colbert..
http://www.alternet.org/video/watch-john-oliver-rants-about-how-america-celebrates-gay-pride-home-exports-anti-gay-hatred
Bad news from the US “The Supreme Court dealt a serious blow to public sector unions Monday, limiting their ability to automatically deduct dues from public workers who nevertheless benefit from union-negotiated contracts. ”
We can only hope that NZ doesn’t follow suit.
The US political and justice systems are quite different from pretty much any other country in the world, so generally what goes on in the US, stays in the US.
only legally, not ideologically
already happens in NZ.
Unions negotiate the contracts, and it just becomes the generic contract for all employees.
+1
Which is why belonging to a union was compulsory – it stops the free-loading that the free-marketeers say that they’re against.
Trev is imo, one of those people that is quite smart and silly at the same time – he has hit the smart side with this one – it will get the headlines, get people talking and increase his chances of being reelected – and you never know I’m sure moa would be over the moon to be born again, raised for meat and their skin, kept in cages or even ‘free range’. And why not, it’s not like there are any other issues to worry about so win win win.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/10216641/Time-to-bring-back-the-moa
It’s an interesting thing to make a campaign issue (and the tories will probably fall into it by calling him Moa Mallard or something), but it does provide a handy segue into all sorts of issues like regional development, environmental preservation, environmental tourism, revitalising the spirit of kiwi ingenuity, cutting-edge technology and blue skies research – all that good stuff.
If business has a sole obligation to make profit…
Then how can it satisfy the needs of institutions which have obligations which have nothing to do with making a profit?
e.g. – electricity supply to elderly in winter
e.g. – hospitals bringing people back to health
e.g. – housing to those who cannot provide for themselves
e.g. – teaching children how to read and write
e.g. – the list goes on
why do people insist that the business model is capable of more than they admit business owes as an obligation? These people make no sense.
Yet curiously these same people claim there is an obligation on the people to help business….
e.g. – money for farming businesses water
e.g. – electricity companies to deepen the NZX
e.g. – loans to keep Joyce’s mediaworks solvent
e.g. – taxpayer support for greedy finance company investors
I truly shake my head ………
I personally believe these people are both shallow thinking and duplicitous in pushing this nonsense
i responded to slylands on this in the other thread vto. You may or may not want to read it.
Should the country at the center of the, in my opinion, wrongful use of the Diplomatic Immunity case be named???,
i would suggest no, naming the country will simply have the less thinking in our society blaming all the citizens of that country for the abhorrent actions of one of its Diplomats,
My view is that Slippery the Prime Minister should for once in His miserable Premiership actually behave like one and tell the Embassy/High Commission involved to bring the alleged perpetrator of that crime back here to face His accuser in our courts or send the whole Embassy/High Commission back to their country of origin…
the liar in chief says he asked for the guy to be charged at home before he left the country. No one has asked him for proof though.
The current situation in my opinion is simply a misuse of the ability for Diplomatic staff to have immunity,
Diplomatic immunity is simply a device intended to retain diplomatic relations even in a situation where two countries are apparently hostile toward each other and as a device which prohibits one country from holding another’s diplomats to ransom via trumped up criminal charges,
This isn’t a situation of alleged espionage or any other political wrongdoing, it is an alleged serious offense against a citizen of the host country and by refusing to waive the alleged offenders immunity the country of His origin is effectively condoning such alleged behavior…
Agreed. It is an outdated notion vis a vis violent and sexual crimes.
Then we should have no problems complying with extraditing Kim Dotcom who is already a convicted criminal.
Huh? What’s the connection?
There isn’t any, it’s just another example of the ethical illiteracy endemic on the right.
What? Dotcom is not claiming diplomatic immunity?Extradition is only possible as part of due process at law. In New Zealand that due process is tested and exercised by our Courts if one wishes to challenge it. What country are you from?
Forget about unpcnzcougar – unbrainedthickasaplanknzcougar wins. Doesn’t get even that simple little detail right. Phew ! It’s a disconnect bound to have something to do with ”bloody unions” or “I Hate Hone” or such. So favoured by idiots trying to appear knowing. Or pique that KDC’s richer than GodKey ?
one of those old fierce-eyed rightwing women..
..hands probably trembling from too much gin..
..or too little gin..
..a helmet-hairdo..
..tacky jewellery..
..am i close..?..there..
..old..rightwing..lady..?
The “Liar in Chief” is such a shallow little prick. He warned against releasing details of this criminal because a judge ordered name suppression. Oh the irony when one of Key’s best friends (the hideous Cameron Slater) has no such regard for a judges orders…
Whaleoil will release the name this afternoon.
…after his mate Key gives him the details.
If you haven’t already seen it, the country involved is available on google fender.
There is meant to be a press conference in ________ today with their Foreign Affairs Minister.
Wasn’t hard to find on the interweb, assuming the news source from within the country is correct. Not a place with a terrific respect for women’s rights and somewhere where sodomy is still a criminal offence. But in our top ten for exports, so that may have played a part.
I think the way you refer to the Prime Minister is disrespectful. There is no way I would have referred to Helen Clark in those terms despite her serious shortcomings.
The situation here is simple as. It has happened many times world over. The Vienna Convention.
Suddenly it is the Prime Minister’s fault. You are both being absurd.
Regular Old World Emily Post you SSLands. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Post
Manners, manners, manners and etiquette. Huh !
Yes manners are very important. And it is “srylands”. I request that you stop distorting my name.
I can no longer tolerate this.
Don’t let the door hit your arse on the way out.
and yet you can tolerate children living in poverty and 160-odd thousand unemployed.
Choice ! How will your intolerance manifest SSLands ? Troublesome SSGlands ? Unleashed SSBands ? Clenched SSHands ? On your head SSStands ?
well i mean..miserylands…
..were you polite to the poor as you fucked them over..?
..(‘cos that’s what matters..eh..?)
..fascists can be very well-mannered…
..one of the few good things you can say about them..
..polite..with clean-fingernails..
..is that you miserylands..?
srylands operates a whole swag of identities over a number of websites. He uses odd combinations of letters to make up his usernames because that makes it easier to search within webpages for his many, many interactions.
When we play around with the spelling it makes it so much harder for him to keep track of all his work.
Ha Ha SSLands, you will tolerate what we dish up to you, you have ‘choice’ tho, toddle off to Blubber boy’s sewer where you obviously belong and have asmooch fest with all your friends…
‘I can no longer tolerate this’ says Sslands. How funny. He gathers himself up to his full height, climbs on a table for further extension, and berates us as being disgraceful and rude to him. This in response to his propaganda on how the world works well for him, and we should accept what we have as The Only Way, The Right Way, The Truth and The Word, and abase ourselves as it is TINA.
The natives are revolting! Yes sir, they definitely are.
‘liar-in-chief’ is hardly vitriolic/purple..there..miserylands..
..it is just stating the truth..
..he is the current ‘chief’..
..and when his lips move..you can tell he is ‘lying’…
..hence..’liar-in-chief’..geddit..?
..(do you need a copy of the blip-list..?..
..as a handy-to-have reminder..?..)
SSLands, typical ‘wing-nuts’ diversionary tactic, ”it has happened many times the world over”, and this makes it right for us as a nation just to let the alleged perpetrator of an alleged sexual attack and home invasion simply walk away from the misuse of the convention of immunity for diplomats???
You are indeed a sick little individual and thus you should exhibit no surprise that the majority of commenter’s treat you as a mere spitoon here…
I think the way the Prime Minister refers to and deals with us as citizens, and misleads us, abuses our trust and misuses our public property, is disrespectful!
I don’t know why the country and the diplomat’s names were suppressed – judges order? In which case I don’t have a huge problem with it.
Nor do I have an issue with the Vienna Convention.
However, we should be looking very closely at the nature of our diplomatic relationship with a country that shields alleged offenders like this if that country both preserves immunity and fails to take its own legitimate criminal proceedings against the suspect in a serious offence.
But it’s early days yet.
True Mac, tis early days, from my wireless at one o’clock comes news that the country in question,(and i have no real care exactly which country this is),is considering sending the alleged offender back to New Zealand,
If that is true i can only but express my applause for them ”doing the right thing”,
The news added a codicil that the country involved would only do so IF the alleged offender were to receive a fair trial and would be guaranteed no physical harm,
The country concerned can be assured that i at least have tested the system of Justice in this country on a number of occasions and except for the overall power imbalance expressed in the State Versus the individual, our system of Justice especially where a case is ‘high profile’ is relatively fair,
Although i can point to isolated incidences of extra-judicial ”harm” coming to defendants from those employed by the State the country concerned can be assured that as far as can be ascertained such harm is not sanctioned by the higher levels of our State,
my suggestion to the State concerned would be to negotiate the return of this alleged offender and while doing so also negotiate in which country any sentence should be served should He be found guilty along with which countries ‘Parole Board’ will be the arbiter of His release and any conditions of that release from any sentence imposed…
“… A free market in news is not the same as a free press, unless freedom is defined so narrowly that it refers only to the power of government, rather than to the power of money…”
Topical piece from Monboit.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jun/30/censorship-newsroom-freedom-of-expression
Thanks. And another good one from Monbiot.
I think there is one journalist who stands out above all others in the NZ media and I urge everyone to listen to Wayne Brittenden’s ‘Counterpoint’ on Radio New Zealand (easily Googled)
Brittenden presents refreshing, factual and insightful analyses of topics such as the TPPA, Ukraine and Iraq situations, incarceration and the private prison industry.
I think his presentations are ‘fair, balanced and unafraid’.
The TPPA one is particularly interesting…
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2590769/wayne-brittenden-s-counterpoint
+1
Appointing someone like Colin Peacock or Jeremy Rose as head of News and Current Affairs wouldn’t be a bad idea either in terms of raising public service journalism and editorial standards.
peacock sat in for one of the regulars recently..he did good work..
Jim Mora: 1974
Chris Trotter: 1981
Colin Peacock: 1991
(oh, and Holly Walker, 2005)
Editor’s of Otago University Student’s Association paper, Critic. No wonder the Nats wanted voluntary student membership of their organisations.
@PU … yep, heard that.
C Peackock has a good history and vast experience, and can hardly be regarded as partisan.
I imagine the privatisers would fear him too much though. Besides, their programme of destruction and crony hack appointments is already well underway – by no means irreversible.
I remember someone once asked me on this site whether I thought public media could EVER be restored to something that represents the values of PSB.
Actually, I’m even more convinced now than I was then that it can be. I’m not so sure whether the political opposition (of whatever stripe) is that committed to it however. It’s a shame really, because if they actually thought about it, it’s probably the MOST important thing that should be on the political agenda – up there with child and other poverty et al (since its generally the means by which political and other policy is conveyed to ‘the masses’).
[Rant check! STOP! Keep your powder dry OwT]
Whilst I’ve supported both the save TVNZ7 and CBB, I don’t really think they’re ambitious enough (not that I’m an ambitious person myself).
There’s actually one existing umbrella institution that could deal very nicely to the bullshit we’ve been experiencing over the past 6 (PLUS) years – and without crony appointments of personnel with bullshit titles on huge salaries. (Somewhat simpler than what even Tim Selwyn was proposing elsewhere).
@ Rodel I agree about Wayne Brittenden. Listen hard to him as the management moochers at Radionz will drop him before too long. They have an advertisement that raves about how good Jim Mora’s Panel is. ‘Comments from the leading people in NZ’ or such. They can’t possibly keep Wayne who would provide a measuring standard too high for the opinionated chattering class to compare to.
Radionz likes the Panel to be leaders in opinion-making, and then gives them the scarce air time that makes them leaders, because nobody else gets a chance to enter with their informed and experienced spiel into the chat show. A really vicious circle. Coffee froth is what we are damned to receive, and the more difficult conditions get, the more we will get along with beer froth and champagne bubbles as the ‘leaders’ toast each other in forced gaiety.
What is it about ACT MPs thinking swearing and signing documents means nothing?
I mean when the 3 legged pig with lipstick wins Epsom, how should we greet its swearing in to parliament, its electoral return or anything it ever signs.
I hadnt realised quite what a serial fuckwit garrett was…
Awatere fraud
Banks signing false return
Garrett stealing identity of dead baby, false affidavit, assault,
Hang your head in shame people of Epsom. There is a clear pattern here.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10759020
The reason Garret was suspended from the bar was for swearing a false affidavit.
Some one needs to point that out to the editor of the herald.
3 legged pig with lipstick? Is Beth Houlbrooke running?
Really classy Populuxe, fascinating what slips out from beneath the veneer.
well..i just had to go and find her..
..and i went to her facebook page..
..and had a bit of a spray..
..it was fun..
..dunno how long the comments will stay up…
..heh..!
..i might seek out other act candidate facebook pages..
..(excuse the non-vegan simile)..but it really is like shooting ducks in a barrel..)
Some people don’t know all that you people do.
This from google
Beth Houlbrooke is a retired business woman and mother who has resided in the Warkworth area for 20 years.
She has a lifetime connection to the area with a humble family bach on the Takatu Peninsula.
In partnership with her husband Barry she has been a farmer, and owner of a number of successful small businesses.
She is very humble, has served on all the education entities in which her children are involved, and wants the best of everything for everybody with less bureaucracy and has joined ACT to advance the commonsense individualistic policies that they purvey. (My version of her info summary.)
Labour announced a good piece of policy on migration from the Pacific yesterday. This could be part of a wider Pacific strategy, aimed at energising not just Pasifika but palangi voters:
http://readingthemaps.blogspot.co.nz/2014/03/why-labour-needs-pacific-strategy.html
David Cunliffe should fly to Port Vila, shake hands with Green PM of Vanuatu Carilles, and express his solidarity with that country’s attempts to create a nuclear-free, demilitarised Pacific where societis like Kanaky and West Papua are decolonised and the US-China Cold War is defused…
Joe Natuman of the Vanua’aku Pati replaced Moana Carcasses a month ago, after he lost a motion of no confidence. The Vanuatu parliament is a place of unsteady loyalties, with coalitions constantly changing, but it was significant that for a year the minority Greens were seen as the honest brokers there.
Granted, I haven’t watched any TV1 news lately, but has there been any coverage of the hilarious disaster that the #TeamKey hashtag has become?
I’m pretty sure if David Cunliffe had launched an ill-advised Twitter campaign, there would be constant CUNLIFFE MUST RESIGN CAN HE BE TRUSTED headlines. Maybe even some clearly pre-written editorials & WHAT IS CUNLIFFE’S MOST DIABOLICAL GAFFE polls.
Glad you said that, as last nights TV1 news had the results of a poll “should David Cunliff resign”. Knowing the outcome of the smear campaign against DC I wonder why they ran this news item. WTF. What had DC done for them to continue with this resignation crap. Before the ad break the usual shock horror must see the results after the break etc. Can’t remember exact figures but the majority of labour and non labour supporters said he should not. Not happy with that we then had Shearer interviewed and when they were told by Shearer that he was loyal to DC the female anchor person had a last snide remark like that’s what David Shearer says at the moment.
Did not really take much notice perhaps someone on here can either confirm or deny what I have written.
If there hasn’t been any I would now like to see similar polls on “how people feel about the smear campaign orchestrated by Key and the Herald” and also one asking the same questions about Collins resigning.
You can watch it here:
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/poll-backs-cunliffe-stay-but-shearer-favourite-replacement-6015723
Another example of a journalist spinning a story in order to make David seem unpopular IMO.
Probably worth a complaint of bias, but there are so many …
Too many simple knuckle-dragging jonos I think. Is it all right to call them knuckle-dragging or is that lifting my veneer? Or perhaps I lost my shine long ago.
NZ Herald continues with its recent form of ludicrously overstated stories:
Startling front page headline of the printed version “Cow hits Car”
First sentence of actual story “A Dunedin driver who smashed into a cow”
alternate headline:..’jersey punches out volvo’..
Lack of steering sees steer staring at stairway to heaven?
Nice one.
Questions For Oral Answer July 1
http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/about-parliament/see-hear/ptv
answer to number 10 will be interesting
none of it was ‘interesting’..
..it was all just national cracking weak moa-jokes..
..one of the worst i have seen..and i’ve seen some bad ones..
did smith not wonder why the greens want to save dolphins in hawaii?
i couldn’t hear him for the moa-jokes..
Good to see the web version of Aljazeera reporting on:
“New Zealand Opposition Takeover National Party Hashtag”
http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/201406301922-0023887
(You have to scroll down to get to the good bits.)
Door knocking in Red Areas in Hutt South.
Hi I’m from The National Party.
Did you know we have brought in free doctors visits for children under 13 and free prescriptions? Will that help?
A. Yeah!!
Do you like that idea from John Key?
A . Yeah Too right.
Do you think John Key is doing a good job?
A. Sort of.
Do you think Labour/ Greens NZF and Hone Harawira would be a great government?
A. No way.
So will you consider voting National and John Key for Prime Minister in September.
A Probably.
Thanks
My prognosis: Took one look at you and lied to get rid of you
if it ever happened that way.
I liked the cult of personality, though – three mentions of John Key, only opening and closing with “National” to try and do a bit of positive association.
How was Chris? Did he offer you a cuppa?
🙂
Given you’re a proven liar, I suspect the real transcript is more like this:
Door knocking in Red Areas in Hutt South (ie all of Hutt South, except Bob Jones’s place).
Hi I’m from The National Party.
A: Oh, really? Are you lost?
Did you know we have brought in free doctors visits for children under 13 and free prescriptions? Will that help?
A: Yeah, well it would have helped, six years ago.
Do you like that idea from John Key?
A: I liked that idea when it was from the Greens and Labour, six years ago.
Do you think John Key is doing a good job?
A: Sort of. But I don’t know what that job is. Do you?
Do you think Labour/ Greens NZF and Hone Harawira would be a great government?
A: Great? They’d be awesome!
So will you consider voting National and John Key for Prime Minister in September?
A: Probably. For about a micro second.
Thanks.
A: Fuck off.
lol…cat laughed too!
Cheers, Chooky. Fish in barrel etc.
Do you give away free cigarettes to those promising to vote National…
Considering the size of Trev’s majority in Hutt South you would be scratching to know which is a red or blue ‘area’ in that electorate,
Considering your previous trail of elongated bullshit i would have to consider this is simply part of the toilet paper trail…
Hutt South’s like Mana – some striking social contrast – Deep Red territory next to Deep Blue territory. Now that Naenae’s headed off to the Hipster’s Rimutaka, I’d say Wainui would be the major Red stronghold. Along with Moera (though that, too, may have moved to Rimutaka, not sure). Hutt Central, Boulcott and, above all, Woburn are the deepest Blue suburbs (as blue as a new tatoo). Increasingly gentrified Petone (once as Red as a Railway Shed back in mid-20th Century) is now pale Orange, as are one or two other formerly Blood Red areas.
have you thought of offering oral-sex..?
..a blow-vote..?..as it were..?
did you tell them you were recording the conversation?
Door knocking in Red Areas in Hutt South.
A. Of course. Was that policy copied from the progressive parties?
A . I like the idea but I think Key and National are thieves of policies of other parties for votes though it is against their RWNjob agenda..
A. Yes, primarily for the wealthy, the privileged and the powerful.
A. You bet! Those leaders have more sense, integrity, care, conscience, fairness and concern than any of your rich bastards in National or Act can ever have.
A. You have the bloody cheek! Bugger off, fool.
*Thanks
A : You are welcome. The whole lot of you may be going to hell when you reach the Pearly gates! Sorry about that. Take that as a warning,dude. It isn’t too late to get out of the dark side. See ya!
Lol…like it!
” Hi I’m from The National Party. Did you know we have brought in free doctors visits for children under 13 and free prescriptions? ”
Unfortunately this won’t happen until July 2015 so if your child is between 5 and 13 and falls ill before then and you can’t afford to pay, then …….
If #teamgetlostkey had truly cared they would have brought this in today. Now some children may really suffer. How can such a cynical and profit driven group of so called humans have been given the mandate to run this country.What is wrong with us?
..+ 1
..i hope labour is promising to do better than that..
..and a.s.a.p. after the election..as possible..
@ fishyanis
you never knocked on a door in your life.
you are just a liar.
Perhaps John Key might need to spend a little more time in his own Helensville electorate?
I hear that’s he’s not there much – seems he spends lots of time in Wellington and overseas looking after the interests of his corporate and U$A bankster mates?
Will John Key stand down as Leader of the National Party, if Public Watchdog Penny Bright beats him for the Helensville electorate vote?
Quite simply – why would the voting public of Helensville waste their electorate vote on John Key. when he’ll be Number One on National’s Party List, and get in anyway?
If Helensville folk vote STRATEGICALLY , and electorate vote ‘Public Watchdog’ Penny Bright for Helensville, they can get ‘two for one’ – sort of thing…..
A proven, hardworking, effective advocate for the 99% PM – Penelope Mary Bright, vs a proven, hardworking advocate for the `1% – PM John Key.
Want some evidence to support this?
Try this: (for starters ….)
What more do you expect from the ‘poodle from Wall St’ John Key, who is STILL a shareholder in the Bank of America?
NZ MPs ‘Register of Financial Interests’ )just downloaded today):
http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/00CLOOCMPPFinInterests20141/2e04287ad20ee5da12a308149e59bb16d7f47ce5
(Pg 30)
Rt Hon John Key (National, Helensville)
2 Other companies and business entities
Little Nell – property investment, Aspen, Colorado
Bank of America – banking
4 Beneficial interests in, and trusteeships of, trusts
JP & BI Key Family Trust
Aldgate Trust (blind trust)
(Scroll down and watch the news clip – May 2010 about John Key’s ‘insider trading in Tranz Rail’ and his not-so-blind trusts?)
https://plus.google.com/107879574662689768068/posts/CGQpVTbDorP
Cheers!
Penny Bright
(Evidence of ‘working for the 99%’ as one of two successful Appellants in the Occupy Auckland Appeal.)
http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/OCCUPY-AUCKLAND-APPEAL-APPLICATION-BY-APPELLANT-BRIGHT-TO-ADDUCE-NEW-EVIDENCE-pdf.pdf
http://www.dodgyjohnHASgone.com
Next – ‘shonky’ John Key?
(Meant of course in a caring way …… 🙂
Penny when you pay your rates, and show some common sense, you will have more credibility.
Banking is not evil. Neither is holding shares in banks. If you are a Kiwisaver member you probably hold Bank of America stock.
Srylands, please provide evidence that all of your bills are paid.
p.s. “There Is No Alternative” to your credibility remaining sub-zero.
slylands please provide evidence you are a real person.
Penny commands a lot more respect than right wing folk who can only add snide insults to this blog.
No, that would be the psychopathic banksters.
She does, you don’t.
+100…GO Penny!…Go GIRL!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11285543
Surely he meant to add ‘in New Zealand’ to that statement? Or is it yet another disgustingly ignorant example of how the impact of this event upon the victim is never considered by those in power?
Further to a comment on Israel-Palestine I put on yesterday, to round the picture out I should add:
It is possible Israel could strike harder in Gaza, which has been tense throughout the kidnapping drama as militants fired rockets at southern Israel and Israel responded with airstrikes. On Monday night there were reports that the Israeli Air Force was in the skies above Gaza.
Palestinians don’t get far with peace talks, likewise Israelis. Someone always manages to put a spanner in the works. Perhaps the status quo suits some bodies.
Never in the dangerous fray himself , a master of bureaucratic manipulation and intrigue, in love to a fault with secrecy, willing to undertake any crime under the sun so long as it leads to profit, deeply relishing every moment of evil he is able to engineer, and a master of masking it all through adroit, politically-attuned public relations aimed at people too stupid to question him — all while paying absolutely no attention to what his past clearly demonstrates he has done, thus thoroughly frustrating the decent folks all around him.
Is this Key,Cunliffe,Cheney or Leopold?.
Perfect description of my younger brother when we were four and five….
bad12
LOL But who is Ronnie Chow referring to? Is there a prize? I hope I know the answer.
Lolz Ronnie is my new ”guru” His word (a gender assumption there),must remain unquestioned…
Traditionally,once upon a time, Labour used to be the party that would be prepared to stand up for the poor, and any other people not getting a fair deal.It was a party, who’s politicians would get out there in among the people,seeking to find evidence of any people not getting a fair deal.
There is many people not getting a fair deal.Even to the extent of beneficiary’s being refused help with very severe dental problems.And so much more
Labour expects to have their people, become prepared to step out to vote for them.But sadly many of their people have lost hope.Many see little good reason, to even care about voting.
Why? would Labour voters, think it worthwhile to bother to step-out to vote for Labour politician’s,when Labour politicians don’t even seem so bothered to be prepared to help publicly highlight the plight of these sorts of people whom are not getting a fair deal under rule of National government
Its getting closer and closer to voting time. And the people that Labour needs to get interested, in getting active involved in voting. Are busy feeling pretty much like they have been totally forgotten
People feeling that way. Are not inclined to think to vote. Because they feel like the games-lost,already. They feel like nobody seems to even care , so then why even bother to vote
Labour needs to be getting out there,busy, tracking these people down. Finding out exactly where they are.Finding out what problems they are dealing with. And then also make it very publicly known (on TV)
Only “then” will Labout voters , start to begin to think like, it really might be very worth while voting.
Because people whom have given up hope, need to be personally reminded,and shown, “how” hope exists. As well as the way forward, so as to go-get help
I’m traditional a Labour voter. I’ve always voted Labour.
But to be honest, i’m starting to feel mighty embarrassed .That it seems like these Labour politicians, are not even so-bothered, to care to make the “most mileage”,out of their peoples problems and misery
Why? would they expect to have their people bothered with stepping-up to vote for them
And i raised my weeping eyes to toward the stars and other celestial bodies and cried, why, why, oh why please tell me why oh why, befor breaking out in a fit of the giggles about planning to vote InternetMana…
@ pete..
..+ 1..
..well-said/summarised…
what a load of crap.
join the party if you are that concerned.
get some input into policy.
tell people what they can do to make things better.
stop this whining that is little better than national party whingeing dressed up to look like something else.
begone foul spirit.
dimebag russell says : “what a load of crap.
join the party if you are that concerned.”
What a stupid idea.
If our doctors were not doing their job. Dimebag russells best answer, would be to suggest that maybe the sick people, should need to study to become doctors themselves
The national party is not whining .They have little need to whine.The way things are going, they will very likely win the next election.
I know of plenty of people, from last elections, whom might have voted Labour. But they said they didn’t feel it was worth while. This will happen again this election. Especially when we have people like dimebag russell, demanding these folk, all need to join the party, train to become politicians
Its the politicians job to let these people know,why its worthwhile to vote. Its not my job.Hell people like me don’t even have the wherewithal ,to go get in touch with these sorts of people personally
Only an ignorant idiot would think it was the voters job, to get out and go drum-up voting-interest
If these are the sorts of people, behind the labour party. Then little wonder so many folks done see it as even worthwhile voting for Labour
Not really a stupid idea at all Pete, a political party is reflective of those who are its members, that is where the policies of the party are formed,
If you choose to sit on the sidelines never becoming involved then you have to accept that how a party looks at those they may want to help, but, have little actual experience of what they experience as a real life situation will be delivered via the real life experiences of those in the party, and, the party as all organisms are inclined to do will serve its members first…
bad12 ,yes i agree its a great idea, except for it not always being possible, “for everyone”, to have time left,in which to get personally involved, in the way that dimebag suggested.
Its easy to fob someone off, by just saying that they should decide to get involved themselves, if they feel there is a real problem.So be it , if people here decide to simply dismiss what ive said.
But this still doesn’t disprove the possibility that a problem may indeed exist.And there must be some good reason why Labour voters don’t care to vote. Labour voters are not the same as National voters. Labour voters are more in need of “being led” to believe their is in fact hope. And they are less likely to believe there might be hope , if they are “feeling” forgotten , and worthless
Do you? deny that many people within NZ, are not getting a very fair deal.
If you don’t deny it. Then please explain to me, why it is,that we are not seeing evidence of it,being display widely on the media,for all the general public to see.Especially when its only months away, from an election. An election, that the Labour party is still not looking so very much like winning
Are they hoping? to be able to lose the election, once again
Labour voters need to be “led to believe” , that voting is indeed worthwhile. For too many of them, are the kind of people, whom have given up hope
Labour voters want to vote for a Labour Party. If they cannot see an actual Labour Party around they will not vote.
Hence the results of that recent poll showing support falling away from Labour, but not going to any other party, simply going into undecided instead. If Labour gave those people real red reasons to vote, they would be back in a flash.
By the way I calculated today that under Labour’s scheme I’m basically going to get my Super at about 66.8 years of age, while most MPs in Parliament voting for it will happily get theirs at 65. Plus of course their very generous Parliamentary retirement plans. Also known as the baby boomer generation voting solely for their own interests, again.
And of course we can’t afford super going into the future, but Labour is happy to speculate that we will be able to afford tax cuts in their second term.
WTF.
Pete, not fucking likely, that i am going to sit here and provide you with such explanations as you demand,
You only have to read the pages of the Standard to find the answers to your questions,and, as far as me personally providing any answers to you on/about the Labour Party, forget that too as i have not been a member of that Party for so many years i forget when my membership lapsed…
blah blah blah.
take ya stuff with ya and dont come back.
Bullying is the use of force, threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively impose domination over others.
yes thats right roniie and that is what the national party are good at..
but mainly taking peoples money off them.
they too squeamish to do the dirty work themselves and people going missing are to ohard to hide in this country.
they are evil malignant spirits and they need exorcising.
great doco on maori tv @ 8.30..’fog of war’..
Just watched the ending of that. Mcnamara was a car company accountant and look where he ended up? But I have to say that I was not impressed by Stacy Daniels on ‘Media Take’ straight after. I have to tell her that neither Carol Hirschfiled, Judy Bailley and Wendie Petrie are my mother and nor are they in any way the mother of the nation. If you believe this media nonsense then you have been suckered into a false consciousness that is very dangerous to cleave to. Their jobs are to put a nice face onto the crap that comes between selling soap and other false promises. They are talking heads and thats all.
@ Dimebag
+1
Dimebag, i had to resist the urge not to use douchebag here, the name is Stacey Morrison thanks, at least get something right,
Outstanding example of doublespeak and UK nuclear weapons in the mainstream media
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jul/01/trident-nuclear-missile-renewal-study
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