Does John Armstrong live in Auckland? He certainly doesn’t seem to have a clue about the crisis in Auckland affordable housing for beneficiaries and other renters on low incomes.
Armstrong champions Labour’s housing policy over that of National’s or Greens, even though Shearer was “all over the paddock” when talking about it this week, because:it’s “gone down well with the punters.” Which punters would this be? Those who will be able to afford to buy Labour’s planned houses?
He says the Greens have got it wrong because building state houses in Hobsonville wouldn’t work – the land’s too valuable, you see. And, furthermore, Armstrong reckons that is the wrong place for work-seeking beneficiaries to live, because it’s not near jobs. Does he realise it is precisely in such outer areas that beneficiaries and other low income people are looking for places to rent because there’s nothing available closer to the city? Also, the whole Massey area is being upgraded, including the Westgate centre, because it is seen as becoming a growth area in the future – which should mean more local jobs.
All Armstrong’s latest column shows is, which team he’s throwing his lot in with for the next election.
LOLZ, John Armstrong one of the reasons why i don’t read the Herald even when it’s free online, ”The Green Party’s housing policy would require the Government to go on a continual borrowing binge”
Really, the only answer that little quip deserves from anyone is ”Ha Ha Ha”, Armstrong resorts to bullshit (as usual), The Slippery lead National Government just for Armstrong’s education has in 4 years borrowed 42 billion dollars, not a binge, a f**king orgy of borrowing, that 42 billion dollar borrowing ‘orgy’ at 300 million bucks a weeks is the biggest amount of monies borrowed in the shortest amount of time by any Government in NZ,s history, and that borrowing is set to continue right up to November 2014 where the debt mountain will be topping out at 60 odd billion dollars,
Does Armstrong ever get down to looking at what gives every appearance of being a borrowing regime by this Slippery lead National Government managed by those who suck on P pipes for breakfast,
Money, just to educate John Armstrong, when owed to the Government by us peasants is counted in the Government books as an asset as will the houses that will be built with the money owed,
Depending on coalition negotiations we could expect the Green Party housing policy to take up 25% of the Labour Party proposed 100,000 homes, and it is my contention here that Labour should actually move to include the Green Party housing policy into a position alongside it’s own where everyone has a choice of bank mortgage or Government backed ‘rent to buy’,(place your bets now on the majority opting for Government backed rent to buy),
Armstrong’s whole argument ‘against’ the Green Party housing policy relies upon His prejudice against people who are NOT definitely middle class, His writing reeks of this condescension, why wouldn’t low income Kiwi’s keep their new homes neat tidy and well maintained, why wouldn’t low income Kiwi’s having the one chance they will ever get in this life to own their own homes not pay off the ‘equity’ in their new homes that the state holds as quickly as their incomes allow,
Why in fact doesn’t the fucking toe-rag well past His use-by date Herald hack writer Armstrong just not print lines in capitals saying ‘i hate the poor’,
Does the Herald’s pet hack writer own rental properties and can see part of the rental market disappearing into ‘rent to buy’ home ownership, lowering demand and forcing the Herald’s pet hack writer to take less in rent,
More to the point, are the bank’s getting a little jittery, a wee spot nervous, as they watch the Green party unveil a perfectly logical plan where Government acts as if it were a Government and provides not only the homes for the people it governs,(along with the jobs building them),and removes from the banks completely the need to finance such homes by becoming the lender of note for these homes by holding the equity in such homes instead of the banks via mortgage finance…
I would love to know, if as a young cadet reporter, Armstrong got a Housing Corporation mortgage at 4%, with the deposit capitalised using his family benefit.
This scheme and others, ensured that NZ was free of homelessness and poverty throughout the post World War 2 era.
witofi, been milling this ova
RNZ-(from the top of the Hill) “we don’t have authoritative broadsheet press in NZ”;
anglophile excess / Nordic Exceptionalism, that’s the ‘crux’ of it.
*some Sunday morning reading please?
(Gdansk the safety danzig)
Israel update; Assyrian retaliation threatened, and the Russian Foreign Ministry concurs
while (out of context) 12M is now owed to teachers, IRD Child Support and any other freakin ap
150,000 cases of Child Abuse reported in oh 12 (but hay, its only up a penny %: 16-14) down south Antarctic rapid changes are tongueing there groove into the Deep ocean as Owen Glenns funds are frozen; it’s trustees (sic) see it “no longer appropriate to distribute philanthropy in NZ” đ Ethics needed in the NZX effectively two counts of underarm trading yet don’t worry, according to the quoted bank advertisement “we can lend you enough money to get you out of debt”, sadly, been there, lost that. B.G & B.S
“Truth has no special time of it’s own. It’s hour is now always”
-Albert Schweitzer (any old dime. A dozen should do)
Armstrong’s been sucking up the spoonfuls fed from the Labour Leader’s office for the past 4 years. Sad thing is I used to respect him as a journalist. Not now.
What Armstrong cannot see is that the taxation from building the homes from the profits made by those contracted to do the building, from the higher level of consumption of building materials,from the increased taxation of an enlarged building workforce needed to build these houses and from the shift off of the dole of that labour force needed to build those houses will in fact far exceed any cost to the Government,
Economic illiterates like Armstrong are paid to seek out a plausible negative which the Herald gladly uses as a plank to beat upon the Political Party’s it’s backers dislike…
Seen the home screen on the stuff website yet? Paul Holmes ‘switching roles, he’ll be with Eve now’ the ‘resting kinght’s guide’ in the ever after. I’d link, but that means I’d have to click on it and I’m not going to give tosh like that any page views.
I can’t work out what’s worse – that a ‘news’ outlet thinks selling supernatural fairy tales is front page news, or that they’re starting to venerate Holmes, or that I feel like I’ve encountered a wormhole and I’m in a U.S. southern state. Gobsmackingly cloyingly awful.
Anyone notice that story in the NZHerald this morning about Judith Collins and the appointment of the Director of Human Rights Proceedings? The basic non-disclosure on the Conflict of Interest form is the story that will get her.
But if anyone needs to speak up for Catherine Rodgers, the applicant who was strongly recommended by the appointments panel and overruled by the Minister, Catherine Rodgers is a stunning lawyer.
It’s on Court record that under the utterly useless previous Director of Human Rights Proceedings (remember Robert Hesketh that previously disgraced District Court Judge), she marshalled the team that took on the government about the human rights of caregivers to be provided round the clock state assistance for caregivers.
The Crown and Ministers opposed her and her team every step of the way, court after court, over 7 years, and she and her team won. Right through to the Supreme Court. Anyone on the inside knows the kind of resources the Crown has at their legal disposal will understand what that means.
Catherine Rodgers is a seriously good lawyer, both in the professional and virtuous sense.
But now the story is on Collins. Hopefully its a story that gets some traction. Because if there’s one Minister who needs to go up against the wall come the revolution for crimes against the separation of judicial and executive function, it’s Judith Collins.
How deeply scummy is this government ? What does it take to chip the teflon and begin the unravelling ? Maybe this is an opportunity with the published photo at her mother-in-law’s funeral proving that Collins has been completely disingenuous in her denials of a conflict of interest. Here’s hoping the traction holds some place in the House this week .. come on Winston !!
Aye the selection of Robert Kee is looking more and more suspect. Collins and Rodgers know each other too. They spent time together on the Auckland Women Lawyers Association executive. The gossip that I have heard is that their relationship was not that good …
I think your confusing Catherine Rogers with Francis Joychild. Francis J did the caregiving case in the three Courts (Human Rights Tribunal, High Court and Appeal COurt). It never went to the Supreme Court. And the case wasn’t about round the clock assistance it was about payment for certain types of special cares for high needs family members.
Well there are some many scandals and sleazy carry on’s with this lot I think a lot of people are just turnig off. What I can’t understandis how this incompetent rable are still on top of the polls , Begs the quetion are they?
The latest payroll round – the first of the school term – was filled with errors. Staff who are on leave have incorrectly received full pay, changes that were made in November have not been actioned, staff are being forced to fill forms out twice with exactly the same information, some teachers had to be paid from school funds so they could afford groceries. It’s a nightmare – unnecessary bureaucracy, huge numbers of errors. Payroll systems have changed for the worse … The start of year is a critical period for payroll. At the start of this year, 64,733 changes were made for school employees, generating a 100% increase in workload for clerical staff.
What about NOVOPAYN. Sort of a derivative of Novocaine (a drug given to people to stop them feeling pain, especially during an operation on their teeth) – teachers getting their proper salary seems as hard as pulling teeth.
I think that all in the majority government should have their pay docked while such poor policy results continue. We need to have accountability from these well paid flunkies of our democratic institution, which is dirty and needs water blasting into all its crevices.
If I were cynical, I’d think JB was simply recycling ambergris – whale puke.
But JB’s long history of providing well researched and reputable links for his subtle and erudite analyses makes me ashamed of my own cynicism.
Green Party MP’s are today taking a canoe ride down the Waitara river in the yearly trek to highlight the plight of ‘despicable dirty rivers’,
The Waitara river as measured by NIWA has the lowest water quality of all rivers in New Zealand,
The Green Party has repeatedly ‘asked’ farmers to help clean up such filth as these rivers are not only the life-blood of continual farming they are in fact the taonga and life-blood of us all,
Fonterra the dairy giant has also repeatedly ‘asked’ farmers to clean up these rivers with little actual effect,
Those who are polluting our rivers should, while they still have time, give far more weight to having been ‘asked’ politely to address this issue,
The time when the Green Movement is willing to just ‘ask’ has all but expired, after ‘ask’ comes ‘tell’ and not long after ‘tell’ comes ‘force’, we all including the farming community have ‘choice’,
My ‘suggestion’ is that you begin to make the right ones…
I honestly believe the time for any leadership challenge has past the cut off point. Stick to Shearer but replace Grant Robertson as deputy and put Andrew Little in there. This should keep most within the party content and appeal to the broader supporter base. Little needs to take the Labour spokespersons role and champion creating job. Shearer needs to be kept in check so any overly overt moves right will be stamped out with Little there.
An innovative option, but roadblocks remain. Cunliffe would need to to be given a serious front bench position and Grant would have to back the overall move. The change would also have to go through, around or over Mallard et al. Not easy.
Mallards needs to be put in his place, a return to the house will be as speaker full-stop. A few others need to go at the end of this term. Fresh blood is needed & this issue needs to be addressed this month, Labour need to take a leaf out of the Greens book ‘refresh.’
Ego’s etc aside and they are all going to need to suck it up and concentrate on the job of sorting the mess National have done. Of course Cunliffe needs to be on the front bench. A rover like Joyce perhaps certainly the innovation portfolio.Â
   Â
Just for clarification ‘overtly right’ are policy’s like raising the age of retirement & ‘compulsory’ Kiwi saver ( low income earners can not afford).
Yuk, Andrew Little. Gross.
Mumble-pants is already unmarketable enough without that greaseball standing next to him.
Image and communication are Labour’s most pressing problems, Little would just exasperate those.
I honestly believe the time for any leadership challenge has past the cut off point.
Most people were predicting the its too late for change claim to come out in 12 months, you’re a bit early. If we take Shearer’s performance into account, I would say 3 weeks before the election should be considered the cut off point.
I honestly believe the time for any leadership challenge has past the cut off point
I honestly believe the need for a leadership challenge has never been more urgent. Let’s face it. labour is going nowhere. The polls have stalled, the front bench is not firing, and the Nats keep offering up these huge targets which somehow Labour keeps missing. Key is toying with Shearer.
Honestly, something has to change or we will have three more years of tory rule.
The Monday vote is not a vote on a “leadership challenge”. It is a vote on how caucus sees the rest of the Labour Party.
We need to see evidence that caucus is willing to listen to the membership and that it is willing to give the members (and affiliates) a voice. The energy and excitement a Primary process would build for Labour going into 2014 would be amazing.
And if Key gets back in then the gloves will come off, and that Power mad, megalomaniac, will sell , mine, and drill everything in sight. And still Labour will sit with their fingers in their ears.
The time for the members and unions to have a say is now. Any shuffle within the current failed regime will be compared to re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
13 MP to withhold Confidence in Shearer on Monday.
That is all that is needed to stop the paralysis of the past four years.
Mallard, TRP, various proxies, Mike Smith and Mike Williams are driving a wedge between the members and the Caucus. They have done nothing to unite the party. They think the only problem in the party is The Standard.
The Confidence Vote outcome on Monday will determine their future status. Yes, Mallard is hitting on MPs. He knows his political future is at risk. The pressure has got to him. Hence the incompetent attempt at the Leadership. He lost his rag on these pages yesterday.
Mallard will bully the List members like Darien Fenton who are dependant on a decent list position. He won’t try to bully an Electorate MP like Louisa Wall, because Trevor is a two bit coward.
For Labour to connect with the widest possible cross section of New Zealand society we need to be seen as the Party that:
a) has the right ideas;
b) the right people in place to execute the strategies derived from those ideas, and
c) the right Leader who can convince the public that Labour has a) & b).
Your friendly MP is today pondering how she/he will vote on the CONFIDENCE MOTION at the Caucus meeting on Monday.
Please help them with these three simple questions.
Call now.
My friendly MP is a deceptive Tory lawyer, another ‘safe seat’ that went west in 08 never to return with the bozo labour candidate who’s failed to hold ut or retake it in 2011. Feckless at best.
Personally I’m just sick of losing.
This leader Shearer, according to poll tracking, won’t win.
I want the right to at least ask the question with my vote:
can we please pick the right one, the one that will have the best chance of winning.
We just haven’t had the chance to even ask that question as Members.
“New Zealand needs to strengthen global linkages and tackle government spending and regulatory issues that diminish productivity and competitiveness if it is to lift its economic performance.”
“the other main way of improving prosperity in the longer run – labour productivity growth.”
“First … is the need to lift savings rates.”
“quality of investment is also an issue, with much of it going into housing rather than productivity-promoting investment.”
“New Zealand needs to be more welcoming to foreign investment, and should “re-examine the factors, including tax and regulation, that diminish and distort the incentives to both save and invest”.”
“Second on his priority list is for the Government to return its books to surplus.”
“”This is one reason why it is critical to cut back ineffective government spending, and ensure that our welfare spending is targeted better at those in need.””
“Finally Wheeler calls for a focus on the fat tail of underperformance in the education system.”
” “The bottom income deciles are populated by those with lesser skills, and those who experience prolonged and recurrent spells of unemployment. Addressing these groups would both promote productivity and reduce inequality.”
All of which is bog-standard, Right-wing, how-to-get-an-MBA-without-having-to-think singspiel.
And I somehow don’t think David Shearer et al would disagree with one single word of it.
Wheeler is using snake talk, what he is saying is a return to deregulation is needed and fast tracked at that. Foreign investment ‘sell sell sell’ New Zealand…land, houses, assets so his mates & him can make big profits! Add a more ‘flexible employment market’ ( law changes) increases productivity…and keeps those pesky Unions in their place.
 This guy is scum & needs a good look into his books for any irregular behavior… Stalin style preferably!Â
Frak this guy Wheeler. Another 1980’s trainee of Milton Friedman. Absolutely moronic and unaware of the situation our civilisation is in, and how his ilk are directly responsible.
My point is that I can hear every point of Wheeler’s speech coming out of Shearer’s mouth – and with most of the Labour caucus standing behind him nodding.
Blah blah blah blah blah. Its like they have some speech somewhere in a word file and print it off and give it to whoever is the reserve bank governor of the time.
Wheeler has no brains, that is clear. His message there is keep spinning the wheel faster and faster. Where is some analytical thought? Some original ideas? ha ha ha what a tosser spinning the same shit.
Here is how NZ could easily improve imo….
We need to own our country and its assets. The rich always chase the asset and keep it. Because that leads to long term wealth. So that is what we should do. We can start by banning foreign ownership of our land. Business does not need to own the land. Foreign ownership of land is the most dumbfuck idea going and it is only a negative to us. That is why so many other countries do not allow it, like China. Duh.
We also need to drive down the value of capital assets such as land, housing, plant, business, machinery everything. Paying vast sums to simply buy the capital asset drains the income which flows from that asset and benefits only the creators of credit, the privately owned banks.
Drive down capital values and drive ownership into New Zealanders hands, as many of them as possible.
Then watch the country go from strength to strength.
Come on you bloody dickheads Wheeler and English, do some fucking thinking dumbos. THINK.
The benefit system is under attack by national,we know that, but my situation is that
my disabilities are long term,i had go give up work because of them,i was given a
temporary additional support aligned to my housing costs,and a disability allowance,
all went ok until renewel a month ago, where because of increased medical costs
my disability allowance increased, but i was astounded my level of benefit stayed
the same,i phoned winz and was told that the disability allowance is seen as income
when you have temporary additonal support, penny pinching or just plain nasty?
If you are within the time limit, make an appointment with your case manager and demand the papers to appeal the decision,
Yes they are trying to cut costs by doing what you point out, hoping you will not have either the skills or energy to take their decision to the appeal authority,
I have heard of peoples disability allowance cancelled because they supposedly did not file a renewal,not just once but 3 years in a row,
The problem with that little fallacy is that the disability allowance form for the Invalids Benefit is part of the yearly renewal form for that benefit and it was impossible for WINZ to have missed it…
You have the legal right to review the decision. You don’t need an appointment but as you will know when you submit the Review of Decision form make sure you get a copy that is date stamped in case it is later “lost”.
Contact your local benefit rights service. Mine in Wellington is highly informed and experienced (some benefit rights advocates have little in the way of training and basically go in with you….and that’s about it. The BRS in Wellington has the right type of experience and quality advice you can count on so consider calling them 04 2102012 between 9.30am – 3.30 Tuesday – Friday, and they are in a meeting Monday morning so phone in the afternoon.)
I don’t know about TAS because I’m still on Special benefit which started being phased out in 2006 as I’m on IB too. What happened to you sounds very fishy to me.
You will feel better after you speak with an advocate who KNOWS what they are talking about.
It will help if you take what they tell you over the phone and write this exact wording on the review of decision form (you have to state why you disagree with their decision). I’m cheering you on. LFTHG.
You may find that it never even makes it to the hearing stage as the mistake could be picked up in an internal review.
Thanks all, AWW i will use the ph num and contact them, when i posted i was
wondering if anyone else had a similar problem, I do have a fighting spirit
so now i can go in to battle,so to speak, so thanks all for your support đ
I do have a fighting spirit so now i can go in to battle
Every WINZ appointment should be seen as a battle. There is strength in numbers, if possible, I’d recommend going to the appointment with another person, if you feel comfortable with them witnessing the conversation. A 2 vs 1 environment will change the nature of the appointment, and therefore how you get treated.
Even better if your wing-person is knowledgeable about WINZ tricks. Places like city mission, sallies or Auckland Action Against Poverty can help.
Good luck
This has happened to me to in the last month re renewal. Both TAS for rent and my DA has not been paid. I do not receive the maximum DA so this is not a cost on TAS, (the cut off point for DA is in the mid 50,s but check this). Anything under the cut off for DA has nothing to do with TAS, but TAS can be paid for health costs once over the cut off. Tying DA with TAS is not on as both are individual supplements in there own right with different renewal dates, (TAS every 13 weeks, DA every year).
I read in the NZ Herald today that over the summer 9 million has been paid out by ACC for sunburn, insect bites, barbecue accidents etc. (All trivial stuff).
Something is going down at Work and Income, possibly a directive from Bennett as she can issue one.
an Aad for burglar Good king wencheslas (with a thin paddy and Veuve Clicquot to swallow)
literally, there is no sacred fish sword
evocatively, that’s a different kettle of wish
were you there when they crucified. My Lord!
(there Definitely / Maybe a Champagne Super nova)
From The Stiff Kittens at The Electric Circus
To The Fan Club, Tell Laura I Love Her and that she is the missing link between Elvis Presley and The Banshees. This is our happy Fun House, no need to be a Mayflower at The Electric Ballroom;
King Kong’s not AnTwerp at all swinging Dead Souls at The Moonlight Club (is Kevin The Trojan Horse candidate with Insight?) on a Manchester Beach across the Mersey they Send No Flowers from Republica. Heaven is not The Rock Garden or The Boys Club (Hitchcock Railway) Bus, Le Palace or The Hacienda.
It’s The Venue for Movement and Ceremony, Utopia / Hal4, in The Day of The Lords as New Dawn Fades Something Must Break now 24 Hours into The Eternal Decades Shadowplay just like Sister Ray said, have a good night have a good night have a good night.
-Man of Principle (new world boy on the old Kings Road)
p**s. Phil Collins Henry Rollins Murder Ballads get down get down little Henry Lee
and the wind did howl and the wind did blow she plugged him through and through
they call her The Wild Rose (sorry if I interrupted any mans coitus)
bad things come in threes
Third Eye Blind Hows It Gonna Be. Kryptonite Three Doors get Down. Come on baby light my buick
getting back to The Good Oil,
Yishar shining and clear elaion
shake the fruit with a light stick
bruise in mortar crushed in a press loaded
with wood or stones.rudely hear the whiffletree creek
reservoirs clarified Oil of Tekoa was reckoned nga best. ha!
Trade by the honorable of the earth surpassed that of the Egyptian harvests
Till mercantile cupidity purchased Hebrew slaves repaid by Nebuchadnezzar.
Alexander completed the causeway so the anti-septic function came in Handy
old oil Celsus applied externally with friction to fevers. James certainly recommended it
-Rx (Philo Pliny and Galen)
Job done at 5:13 He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away
12:3 a man cannot be established through wickedness yet the righteous cannot be uprooted
8:3 for whoever finds me finds life
Love changes everything (plenty to dive into or pennon there through the limestone at 60 per cm2)
dying to the self everyday wears out soles. Sikhism is strongly opposed to caste divisions.Baptised by the sword (interestingly) all may eat together in the kitchen at parties.
-Singh (thats an irreverent non-extremist pun jab) Has he lost his mind? can he see or is he blind
he was turned to steel in the great magnetic field.
The NZ Labour Party Youth section is important but has the Leadership become relevant to the 16+ young adults who will vote in 2014?
A slice of the Opinion Polls that I saw in the course of a marketing strategy session indicated that the youth of NZ will vote
1. Green
2. National, marginally ahead of
3. Labour.
NOT the positioning for a Party of Radical roots. The Youth saw the greens as the ones challenging the status quo. Many saw Labour as defenders of a status quo.
The Labour MPs need to consider how 16+ kids view them. Obviously there is a signigicant perseption thing that needs to be changed.
Boudicea, I could have told you that for half what you paid!
It is so obvious at Freshers Week in any third level institution.
The Youth will vote Green unless Labour makes a dramatic shift.
I know some union people are doing great work on making young workers politically aware. Will they become Labour voters? Probably yes. The new leaders of the Unions are the key to Labour’s much needed re-birth.
I agree with the concept of ‘new’ Union leaders having a large part in changing Labour’s fortunes. There are a high number of piss weak General Secretary’s that need to be moved out, & the standard of union organisers being employed by some outfits is also unbelievably poor. Too many of these GS’s are in with the sad old faces within labour which is the problem. Â
Chris Trotter had some interesting things to say about Shearers speech and his style of delivery at the recent Young Labour summer camp on Citizen A with Bomber.
Our four children are ALL Green party supporters, despite both of us having worked hard for Labour all our lives.
Last week our youngest son laughed at me and said, “Dad, why would I belong to any organization where I had no say in choosing the leaders? We Greens elect our own leaders and rank our list candidates. Labour is so past it’s use by date.”
Need to get Shearer on an electric guitar…or maybe playing bass.
Can we get him in a dub/reggae band? Like the Mayor off Portlandia?
It’ll have to be real roots reggae.
Other than that, Labour has no chance of attracting youth. Key has sewn up the idiocracy vote (despite Shearer’s best efforts). Greens get the youth who are aware of their future.
What does Labour offer youth. Look at the top MPs since 2008. Stuffy old twats. Don’t expect the youth to vote for their oppressors.
Seriously Rogue Trooper you should step up and write a blog of your own.
Would need an international audience.
But you appear to have a mind like the old arcade game Defender; flashes and reverses, and grand fractal jumps.
– You have several degrees, some of them arts, quite a lot of classics and philosophy
– You are at least in your 40s
– You have described yourself as being from somewhere Deep South
– You are saturated in Ellul and other Christianarchies
– You have memorised a whole bunch of songs, films, and Coltrane-style poetry
Most from this era have simply have that mind wrapped in lines of scar/e tissue in which the whips of the world have worn too deep a groove in their minds. How you sustain that still is quite beyond me.
You have more freedom in that spectral writing-jazz of yours than most have long since forgotten, yet with no shade of The Quiet American or other post-redemptive melancholies.
All it would take is at least a post every week.
What do you think? Can’t hide here under a little bushel forever you know.
I believe I know what the future holds for the world…yet not myself. I have an idea of what is going on since I opened up and began “commenting” on The Standard…(repeated empirical reality testing)…and it is related to words and energy forms, in particular the electromagnetic spectrum…yet this is not occurring in Isolation…I have a deep well of gratitude to many from this site and those that echo beyond…
It is a matter of conceptualization…there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophies…a lot is related to what quantum physics has revealed to us…I owe a great obligation to lprent…may be on the radio and in a band soon…yet waiting patiently, reading, gardening, cooking, cleaning…(and to the tr. yes, I can go anyway in the city I live in and be greeted warmly by people from right across the spectrum yet I’m open about my politics and faith and previous flouting of the Law; may be a lesson in there?). I did not go to University (as a mature student) or develop my knowledge and “understanding” to be materialistically wealthy; I have never been ambitious, although a PhD sounded attractive for a while back…in the deep, distant past. I learn to understand, and like others on here, share that understanding for free.
Wherever you go, there you is no “point” at which our skins stop and The Universe starts.
A Very Big uncalled for ThankUturn. :). (and the A MAZERati)
nite
So I am curious about something. You have maintained that Labour is a right-wing party however the vast, overwhelming consensus among political scientists and the politicians themselves, from all sides, is that Labour is a centre left party.
however the vast, overwhelming consensus among political scientists and the politicians themselves, from all sides, is that Labour is a centre left party.
That reminds me of the old advertising trick where the advertiser would point out how many millions had been sold and then say that x millions of people can’t be wrong. The problem, of course, is that they can.
So, back up your argument.
I have. Several times in fact. Go have a look at what I’ve said about Labour’s KiwiBuild.
But there is a problem – you have personally stated your belief that Labour is a centre-right party however you also mentioned that those who can produce the most factual support for their claims is the opinion that should be more widely held rendering the second opinion worthless.
And the facts overwhelmingly support the view that Labour is a centre-left party therefore shouldn’t you declare your opinion as worthless?
N***ism may have been an ideology to which the United States was â and to which the president is â implacably opposed, but it is hardly âsenseless.â By the early 1930s, the N**i party had hundreds of thousands of devoted members and repeatedly attracted a third of the votes in German elections; its political leaders campaigned on a platform comprising 25 non-senseless points, including the âunification of all Germans,â a demand for âland and territory for the sustenance of our people,â and an assertion that âno Jew can be a member of the race.â Suffice it to say, many sensible Germans were persuaded.
On a different topic I only just noticed this across at kiwiblog:http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/02/why_did_labour_put_trevor_up.html which had been speculated about here. But was interested to see the idea that Annette won’t stand for Wellington mayor to keep Andrew out of Rongatai. Hardly the image of party renewal that they are after.
I read that too. If it is true, then it is a disgrace, and it only re-enforces my view of the hopeless state the Labour Party is in. Sorry, my view remains to be, a fresh start for the combined left can only be made by forming a new, inclusive, smart and well organised, newly staffed Left Party, that will not carry such baggage as Labour, either incorporate enough “green” policies, or work better with the Greens, and put Labour into the redundant category.
This upsets some, but I see NO other option now, with Shearer and other hopeless members in Parliament just clinging to their seats and positions.
For all those that have any “doubts” that people get BRAINWASHED by listening to private radio or other media, perhaps have a look at this quite frank set of information from the privately run ‘The Radio Network’, apparently owned largely by an Australian media corporation, and partly by a US share-holder, covering much of NZ radio:
There are comparisons between “media content distribution” and other criterias or information statistics.
I would think the “editorial” content is highly over-stated, as that must include anything but the bare net commercials they hammer your brain and mind with incessantly, repeatedly so it STICKS!
The “editorial content” will in the case of ZM, ZB, or any other of their stations, same as Radio Pacific (another radio broadcaster, not part of this lot), certainly include the highly frequent repeating of the station, it’s mission message and announcements for what comes up, what infotainment they present, and the likes.
So it does not equate with “REAL information”.
I thought this is worth having a look at, to see, how commercial radio works, compared to other commercial media, and how much of the contents is nothing but commercial advertising and much other CRAP.
NZ has the worst statistics and conditions and standards for public broadcasting, when compared with most developed “western” countries, that is for sure. It is dominated by commercial interests, and that even in the state run TV stations. Only Radio NZ National seems to be different, but even they have their internal “rules”, set by the ones that run that station.
Shocking truth. But so many grew up and grow up with this endless inundation of brainwashing into consumerism, superficiality, opportunistic thinking, and individual prioritising, which all somehow is in conflict in maintaining a working “social fabric” and unity.
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that âNew Zealandâs economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerfulâ. They also believe that âNew Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerfulâ. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
âYou talking about me?âThe neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hallâs âGlide Timeâ caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund â When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayersâ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund â and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 âredesign of the welfare stateâ â which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty â various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being âWorking for Familiesâ, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing âon why Melissa is muteâ. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Leeâs ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from âserious populist discontentâ. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring âhard-working peopleâ. ...
Chris Trotter writes –Â MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling â or non-handling â of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealandâs two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from âserious populist discontentâ. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring âhard-working peopleâ. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to âdefend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.â To achieve this, they have pledged they âwill not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes –Â The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workersâ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealandâs good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National governmentâs lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for TÄmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Governmentâs democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Governmentâs proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change thatâs great for the planet and great for consumers after her memberâs bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the countryâs books after Teanau Tuionoâs membersâ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his memberâs bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Todayâs advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Governmentâs newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealandâs urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
MÄori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, MÄori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Governmentâs refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. âRecently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachersâ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.  âThe Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. âScience, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During todayâs meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. âThe Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in TaupĆ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the TaupĆ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. âAnticipation for the ITM TaupĆ Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. âThe coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. âThis project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sectorâs productivity,â Mr Jones says. âThe project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Governmentâs plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. âBenefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Governmentâs commitment to doubling New Zealandâs renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealandâs latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. âOur Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. âNew Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Governmentâs intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. âThe introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Todayâs announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Governmentâs plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. âInflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sectorâs role in the export-led recovery of the economy. âI am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Governmentâs support for the revitalisation the sector.  "New Zealandâs wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. âThe inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. âMy meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singaporeâs outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.  Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpartâs almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During todayâs meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. âI am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. âPets are important members of many Kiwi families. Itâs estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iranâs shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.  âThese attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.  "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand â Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.  âDame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,â says Dr Reti. âI have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Governmentâs 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. âBoosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Governmentâs plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  âOur country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,â Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.  âWe cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. âThis is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  âThe strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin itârule ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara Solomon Islandsâ incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has been re-elected in the East Choiseul constituency. It is the opening move in the political chess match to form the countryâs next government. Returning officer Christopher Makoni made the declaration late last night after ...
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies âfrictionâ is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. âFrictionâ is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) âFâsâ in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term âbulk billedâ refers to a GP visit they donât have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss whatâs in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to whatâs been on my mind for a while. Itâs very important. You see weâve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so weâve destroyed valuable coastal habitat â in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he canât stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
MÄori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of MÄori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao MÄori (the MÄori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, âWeâre here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment thatâs thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didnât find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. âI thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, hereâs our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
ZoĂ« Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new âFast-track Approvals Billâ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister â the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory â gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australiaâs flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But thatâs changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum âre-imaginedâ itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-oldâs seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so itâs wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhardâs rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock Youâd be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesnât require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project Youâre not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesnât fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Booksâ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingwayâs Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans peopleâs self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelonaâs city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoffâs Wellington editor Joel MacManus: âYou can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups âClimate Action VUWâ, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Governmentâs âWar on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modiâs popularity has grown exponentially â and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, theyâre better for the environment. No, thatâs not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
âIt will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealandersâ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether youâre watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, itâs not the done thing to know â let alone ask â what our colleagues are paid. Yet, itâs easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The governmentâs plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up â and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. Itâs consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
I am surprised that I am getting Face TV on my free-to-air telly. It seems this will be happening until the analog switch off later in the year.
Does John Armstrong live in Auckland? He certainly doesn’t seem to have a clue about the crisis in Auckland affordable housing for beneficiaries and other renters on low incomes.
Armstrong champions Labour’s housing policy over that of National’s or Greens, even though Shearer was “all over the paddock” when talking about it this week, because:it’s “gone down well with the punters.” Which punters would this be? Those who will be able to afford to buy Labour’s planned houses?
He says the Greens have got it wrong because building state houses in Hobsonville wouldn’t work – the land’s too valuable, you see. And, furthermore, Armstrong reckons that is the wrong place for work-seeking beneficiaries to live, because it’s not near jobs. Does he realise it is precisely in such outer areas that beneficiaries and other low income people are looking for places to rent because there’s nothing available closer to the city? Also, the whole Massey area is being upgraded, including the Westgate centre, because it is seen as becoming a growth area in the future – which should mean more local jobs.
All Armstrong’s latest column shows is, which team he’s throwing his lot in with for the next election.
LOLZ, John Armstrong one of the reasons why i don’t read the Herald even when it’s free online, ”The Green Party’s housing policy would require the Government to go on a continual borrowing binge”
Really, the only answer that little quip deserves from anyone is ”Ha Ha Ha”, Armstrong resorts to bullshit (as usual), The Slippery lead National Government just for Armstrong’s education has in 4 years borrowed 42 billion dollars, not a binge, a f**king orgy of borrowing, that 42 billion dollar borrowing ‘orgy’ at 300 million bucks a weeks is the biggest amount of monies borrowed in the shortest amount of time by any Government in NZ,s history, and that borrowing is set to continue right up to November 2014 where the debt mountain will be topping out at 60 odd billion dollars,
Does Armstrong ever get down to looking at what gives every appearance of being a borrowing regime by this Slippery lead National Government managed by those who suck on P pipes for breakfast,
Money, just to educate John Armstrong, when owed to the Government by us peasants is counted in the Government books as an asset as will the houses that will be built with the money owed,
Depending on coalition negotiations we could expect the Green Party housing policy to take up 25% of the Labour Party proposed 100,000 homes, and it is my contention here that Labour should actually move to include the Green Party housing policy into a position alongside it’s own where everyone has a choice of bank mortgage or Government backed ‘rent to buy’,(place your bets now on the majority opting for Government backed rent to buy),
Armstrong’s whole argument ‘against’ the Green Party housing policy relies upon His prejudice against people who are NOT definitely middle class, His writing reeks of this condescension, why wouldn’t low income Kiwi’s keep their new homes neat tidy and well maintained, why wouldn’t low income Kiwi’s having the one chance they will ever get in this life to own their own homes not pay off the ‘equity’ in their new homes that the state holds as quickly as their incomes allow,
Why in fact doesn’t the fucking toe-rag well past His use-by date Herald hack writer Armstrong just not print lines in capitals saying ‘i hate the poor’,
Does the Herald’s pet hack writer own rental properties and can see part of the rental market disappearing into ‘rent to buy’ home ownership, lowering demand and forcing the Herald’s pet hack writer to take less in rent,
More to the point, are the bank’s getting a little jittery, a wee spot nervous, as they watch the Green party unveil a perfectly logical plan where Government acts as if it were a Government and provides not only the homes for the people it governs,(along with the jobs building them),and removes from the banks completely the need to finance such homes by becoming the lender of note for these homes by holding the equity in such homes instead of the banks via mortgage finance…
You are just too funny Mr bad12!
I would love to know, if as a young cadet reporter, Armstrong got a Housing Corporation mortgage at 4%, with the deposit capitalised using his family benefit.
This scheme and others, ensured that NZ was free of homelessness and poverty throughout the post World War 2 era.
witofi, been milling this ova
RNZ-(from the top of the Hill) “we don’t have authoritative broadsheet press in NZ”;
anglophile excess / Nordic Exceptionalism, that’s the ‘crux’ of it.
*some Sunday morning reading please?
(Gdansk the safety danzig)
Israel update; Assyrian retaliation threatened, and the Russian Foreign Ministry concurs
while (out of context) 12M is now owed to teachers, IRD Child Support and any other freakin ap
150,000 cases of Child Abuse reported in oh 12 (but hay, its only up a penny %: 16-14) down south Antarctic rapid changes are tongueing there groove into the Deep ocean as Owen Glenns funds are frozen; it’s trustees (sic) see it “no longer appropriate to distribute philanthropy in NZ” đ Ethics needed in the NZX effectively two counts of underarm trading yet don’t worry, according to the quoted bank advertisement “we can lend you enough money to get you out of debt”, sadly, been there, lost that. B.G & B.S
“Truth has no special time of it’s own. It’s hour is now always”
-Albert Schweitzer (any old dime. A dozen should do)
Armstrong’s been sucking up the spoonfuls fed from the Labour Leader’s office for the past 4 years. Sad thing is I used to respect him as a journalist. Not now.
What Armstrong cannot see is that the taxation from building the homes from the profits made by those contracted to do the building, from the higher level of consumption of building materials,from the increased taxation of an enlarged building workforce needed to build these houses and from the shift off of the dole of that labour force needed to build those houses will in fact far exceed any cost to the Government,
Economic illiterates like Armstrong are paid to seek out a plausible negative which the Herald gladly uses as a plank to beat upon the Political Party’s it’s backers dislike…
I opening a book on the who Team Shearer has pencilled in to the Govt Press Secretary role:
John Armstrong. 5 to 2
Fran Mold. 33 to 1
Josie Pagani. 5 to 1
Seen the home screen on the stuff website yet? Paul Holmes ‘switching roles, he’ll be with Eve now’ the ‘resting kinght’s guide’ in the ever after. I’d link, but that means I’d have to click on it and I’m not going to give tosh like that any page views.
I can’t work out what’s worse – that a ‘news’ outlet thinks selling supernatural fairy tales is front page news, or that they’re starting to venerate Holmes, or that I feel like I’ve encountered a wormhole and I’m in a U.S. southern state. Gobsmackingly cloyingly awful.
Anyone notice that story in the NZHerald this morning about Judith Collins and the appointment of the Director of Human Rights Proceedings? The basic non-disclosure on the Conflict of Interest form is the story that will get her.
But if anyone needs to speak up for Catherine Rodgers, the applicant who was strongly recommended by the appointments panel and overruled by the Minister, Catherine Rodgers is a stunning lawyer.
It’s on Court record that under the utterly useless previous Director of Human Rights Proceedings (remember Robert Hesketh that previously disgraced District Court Judge), she marshalled the team that took on the government about the human rights of caregivers to be provided round the clock state assistance for caregivers.
The Crown and Ministers opposed her and her team every step of the way, court after court, over 7 years, and she and her team won. Right through to the Supreme Court. Anyone on the inside knows the kind of resources the Crown has at their legal disposal will understand what that means.
Catherine Rodgers is a seriously good lawyer, both in the professional and virtuous sense.
But now the story is on Collins. Hopefully its a story that gets some traction. Because if there’s one Minister who needs to go up against the wall come the revolution for crimes against the separation of judicial and executive function, it’s Judith Collins.
Yes, just read it and came here to post .. I will add the link for you.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10862947
How deeply scummy is this government ? What does it take to chip the teflon and begin the unravelling ? Maybe this is an opportunity with the published photo at her mother-in-law’s funeral proving that Collins has been completely disingenuous in her denials of a conflict of interest. Here’s hoping the traction holds some place in the House this week .. come on Winston !!
Oi yey.
Aye the selection of Robert Kee is looking more and more suspect. Collins and Rodgers know each other too. They spent time together on the Auckland Women Lawyers Association executive. The gossip that I have heard is that their relationship was not that good …
I think your confusing Catherine Rogers with Francis Joychild. Francis J did the caregiving case in the three Courts (Human Rights Tribunal, High Court and Appeal COurt). It never went to the Supreme Court. And the case wasn’t about round the clock assistance it was about payment for certain types of special cares for high needs family members.
Yep right you are Jonno. I believe Catherine was involved in the proceedings challenging the legality of working for families.
Well there are some many scandals and sleazy carry on’s with this lot I think a lot of people are just turnig off. What I can’t understandis how this incompetent rable are still on top of the polls , Begs the quetion are they?
Datacom January 2008:
The latest payroll round – the first of the school term – was filled with errors. Staff who are on leave have incorrectly received full pay, changes that were made in November have not been actioned, staff are being forced to fill forms out twice with exactly the same information, some teachers had to be paid from school funds so they could afford groceries. It’s a nightmare – unnecessary bureaucracy, huge numbers of errors. Payroll systems have changed for the worse … The start of year is a critical period for payroll. At the start of this year, 64,733 changes were made for school employees, generating a 100% increase in workload for clerical staff.
Sound familiar?
Now imagine that twice as bad and happening every single month, and you have NOGOPAY.
What about NOVOPAYN. Sort of a derivative of Novocaine (a drug given to people to stop them feeling pain, especially during an operation on their teeth) – teachers getting their proper salary seems as hard as pulling teeth.
I think that all in the majority government should have their pay docked while such poor policy results continue. We need to have accountability from these well paid flunkies of our democratic institution, which is dirty and needs water blasting into all its crevices.
Nice. Yours is better than mine. Hope the staffers notice it.
Hmmm.
If I were cynical, I’d think JB was simply recycling ambergris – whale puke.
But JB’s long history of providing well researched and reputable links for his subtle and erudite analyses makes me ashamed of my own cynicism.
lol. yeah, right.
Green Party MP’s are today taking a canoe ride down the Waitara river in the yearly trek to highlight the plight of ‘despicable dirty rivers’,
The Waitara river as measured by NIWA has the lowest water quality of all rivers in New Zealand,
The Green Party has repeatedly ‘asked’ farmers to help clean up such filth as these rivers are not only the life-blood of continual farming they are in fact the taonga and life-blood of us all,
Fonterra the dairy giant has also repeatedly ‘asked’ farmers to clean up these rivers with little actual effect,
Those who are polluting our rivers should, while they still have time, give far more weight to having been ‘asked’ politely to address this issue,
The time when the Green Movement is willing to just ‘ask’ has all but expired, after ‘ask’ comes ‘tell’ and not long after ‘tell’ comes ‘force’, we all including the farming community have ‘choice’,
My ‘suggestion’ is that you begin to make the right ones…
Ask the farmers? And there are people who belief this is not a waste of time? Makes Footrot flats a futuristic movie.
Upcoming Vote
I honestly believe the time for any leadership challenge has past the cut off point. Stick to Shearer but replace Grant Robertson as deputy and put Andrew Little in there. This should keep most within the party content and appeal to the broader supporter base. Little needs to take the Labour spokespersons role and champion creating job. Shearer needs to be kept in check so any overly overt moves right will be stamped out with Little there.
An innovative option, but roadblocks remain. Cunliffe would need to to be given a serious front bench position and Grant would have to back the overall move. The change would also have to go through, around or over Mallard et al. Not easy.
Mallards needs to be put in his place, a return to the house will be as speaker full-stop. A few others need to go at the end of this term. Fresh blood is needed & this issue needs to be addressed this month, Labour need to take a leaf out of the Greens book ‘refresh.’
Ego’s etc aside and they are all going to need to suck it up and concentrate on the job of sorting the mess National have done. Of course Cunliffe needs to be on the front bench. A rover like Joyce perhaps certainly the innovation portfolio.Â
   Â
Just for clarification ‘overtly right’ are policy’s like raising the age of retirement & ‘compulsory’ Kiwi saver ( low income earners can not afford).
Yuk, Andrew Little. Gross.
Mumble-pants is already unmarketable enough without that greaseball standing next to him.
Image and communication are Labour’s most pressing problems, Little would just exasperate those.
I honestly believe the time for any leadership challenge has past the cut off point.
Most people were predicting the its too late for change claim to come out in 12 months, you’re a bit early. If we take Shearer’s performance into account, I would say 3 weeks before the election should be considered the cut off point.
I honestly believe the time for any leadership challenge has past the cut off point
I honestly believe the need for a leadership challenge has never been more urgent. Let’s face it. labour is going nowhere. The polls have stalled, the front bench is not firing, and the Nats keep offering up these huge targets which somehow Labour keeps missing. Key is toying with Shearer.
Honestly, something has to change or we will have three more years of tory rule.
It’s not they somehow keep missing, it’s that They are incapable of hitting.
Geez the hollowmen must be loving this, trevz pillow talk must be a world class session in mutual admiration for each others awesomeness
“I honestly believe the time for any leadership challenge has past the cut off point”
“I honestly believe the need for a leadership challenge has never been more urgent.”
I honestly believe you’ve both got it right.
The Monday vote is not a vote on a “leadership challenge”. It is a vote on how caucus sees the rest of the Labour Party.
We need to see evidence that caucus is willing to listen to the membership and that it is willing to give the members (and affiliates) a voice. The energy and excitement a Primary process would build for Labour going into 2014 would be amazing.
“It is a vote on how caucus sees the rest of the Labour Party.”
Sadly amusing that either of them is going to be upset if they have to rely on the other for support at present.
And if Key gets back in then the gloves will come off, and that Power mad, megalomaniac, will sell , mine, and drill everything in sight. And still Labour will sit with their fingers in their ears.
The time for the members and unions to have a say is now. Any shuffle within the current failed regime will be compared to re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
13 MP to withhold Confidence in Shearer on Monday.
That is all that is needed to stop the paralysis of the past four years.
The time for strength is now.
And you probably have the Mallafia ringing everyone over, and over, just to remind, and warn them about the vote..
Mallard, TRP, various proxies, Mike Smith and Mike Williams are driving a wedge between the members and the Caucus. They have done nothing to unite the party. They think the only problem in the party is The Standard.
The Confidence Vote outcome on Monday will determine their future status. Yes, Mallard is hitting on MPs. He knows his political future is at risk. The pressure has got to him. Hence the incompetent attempt at the Leadership. He lost his rag on these pages yesterday.
Mallard will bully the List members like Darien Fenton who are dependant on a decent list position. He won’t try to bully an Electorate MP like Louisa Wall, because Trevor is a two bit coward.
“Despite all the intractable social problems and the need for new economic positions, big ideas are largely missing from New Zealand politics at the moment.”
A commentary by Bryce Edwards:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10862864
For Labour to connect with the widest possible cross section of New Zealand society we need to be seen as the Party that:
a) has the right ideas;
b) the right people in place to execute the strategies derived from those ideas, and
c) the right Leader who can convince the public that Labour has a) & b).
Your friendly MP is today pondering how she/he will vote on the CONFIDENCE MOTION at the Caucus meeting on Monday.
Please help them with these three simple questions.
Call now.
My friendly MP is a deceptive Tory lawyer, another ‘safe seat’ that went west in 08 never to return with the bozo labour candidate who’s failed to hold ut or retake it in 2011. Feckless at best.
For me at least it’s about simply showing respect to the members and supporters who get MP’s in Labour into parliament in the first place.
I saw real flagrant self-interest from MPs at the November 2012 Conference, arguing against democratisation of the party.
They remain in power, appear not to need the members’ help in any form, and can therefore flagrantly disregard and disrespect the membership.
They are not my employers. They don’t own me.
They have to co-operate.
They have to co-operate with me if they are to win back power.
I simply want the chance to hold then to account, and to say that with my vote on the leadership of the Labour Party.
Personally I’m just sick of losing.
This leader Shearer, according to poll tracking, won’t win.
I want the right to at least ask the question with my vote:
can we please pick the right one, the one that will have the best chance of winning.
We just haven’t had the chance to even ask that question as Members.
I want the right to ask the question.
I read in the Herald:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10862970
that Graeme Wheeler is saying:
“New Zealand needs to strengthen global linkages and tackle government spending and regulatory issues that diminish productivity and competitiveness if it is to lift its economic performance.”
“the other main way of improving prosperity in the longer run – labour productivity growth.”
“First … is the need to lift savings rates.”
“quality of investment is also an issue, with much of it going into housing rather than productivity-promoting investment.”
“New Zealand needs to be more welcoming to foreign investment, and should “re-examine the factors, including tax and regulation, that diminish and distort the incentives to both save and invest”.”
“Second on his priority list is for the Government to return its books to surplus.”
“”This is one reason why it is critical to cut back ineffective government spending, and ensure that our welfare spending is targeted better at those in need.””
“Finally Wheeler calls for a focus on the fat tail of underperformance in the education system.”
” “The bottom income deciles are populated by those with lesser skills, and those who experience prolonged and recurrent spells of unemployment. Addressing these groups would both promote productivity and reduce inequality.”
All of which is bog-standard, Right-wing, how-to-get-an-MBA-without-having-to-think singspiel.
And I somehow don’t think David Shearer et al would disagree with one single word of it.
Wheeler is using snake talk, what he is saying is a return to deregulation is needed and fast tracked at that. Foreign investment ‘sell sell sell’ New Zealand…land, houses, assets so his mates & him can make big profits! Add a more ‘flexible employment market’ ( law changes) increases productivity…and keeps those pesky Unions in their place.
 This guy is scum & needs a good look into his books for any irregular behavior… Stalin style preferably!Â
Frak this guy Wheeler. Another 1980’s trainee of Milton Friedman. Absolutely moronic and unaware of the situation our civilisation is in, and how his ilk are directly responsible.
Thanks English, a genius fucking appointment.
I agree.
My point is that I can hear every point of Wheeler’s speech coming out of Shearer’s mouth – and with most of the Labour caucus standing behind him nodding.
As expected from Shonkeys mob, the opportunity to put a compliant lapdog in wasn’t missed.
Blah blah blah blah blah. Its like they have some speech somewhere in a word file and print it off and give it to whoever is the reserve bank governor of the time.
Yes I often have the feeling the same speech was used previously and will be recycled again as numerical order dictates.
I get the same impression when Shearer Says rolls out.
This one was left behind from the 1984-86 years.
Wheeler has no brains, that is clear. His message there is keep spinning the wheel faster and faster. Where is some analytical thought? Some original ideas? ha ha ha what a tosser spinning the same shit.
Here is how NZ could easily improve imo….
We need to own our country and its assets. The rich always chase the asset and keep it. Because that leads to long term wealth. So that is what we should do. We can start by banning foreign ownership of our land. Business does not need to own the land. Foreign ownership of land is the most dumbfuck idea going and it is only a negative to us. That is why so many other countries do not allow it, like China. Duh.
We also need to drive down the value of capital assets such as land, housing, plant, business, machinery everything. Paying vast sums to simply buy the capital asset drains the income which flows from that asset and benefits only the creators of credit, the privately owned banks.
Drive down capital values and drive ownership into New Zealanders hands, as many of them as possible.
Then watch the country go from strength to strength.
Come on you bloody dickheads Wheeler and English, do some fucking thinking dumbos. THINK.
Thinking not allowed, following hollowmen script is. English is below average at best and looks good alongside the rest of caucus.
The benefit system is under attack by national,we know that, but my situation is that
my disabilities are long term,i had go give up work because of them,i was given a
temporary additional support aligned to my housing costs,and a disability allowance,
all went ok until renewel a month ago, where because of increased medical costs
my disability allowance increased, but i was astounded my level of benefit stayed
the same,i phoned winz and was told that the disability allowance is seen as income
when you have temporary additonal support, penny pinching or just plain nasty?
*sigh*
If you are within the time limit, make an appointment with your case manager and demand the papers to appeal the decision,
Yes they are trying to cut costs by doing what you point out, hoping you will not have either the skills or energy to take their decision to the appeal authority,
I have heard of peoples disability allowance cancelled because they supposedly did not file a renewal,not just once but 3 years in a row,
The problem with that little fallacy is that the disability allowance form for the Invalids Benefit is part of the yearly renewal form for that benefit and it was impossible for WINZ to have missed it…
You have the legal right to review the decision. You don’t need an appointment but as you will know when you submit the Review of Decision form make sure you get a copy that is date stamped in case it is later “lost”.
Contact your local benefit rights service. Mine in Wellington is highly informed and experienced (some benefit rights advocates have little in the way of training and basically go in with you….and that’s about it. The BRS in Wellington has the right type of experience and quality advice you can count on so consider calling them 04 2102012 between 9.30am – 3.30 Tuesday – Friday, and they are in a meeting Monday morning so phone in the afternoon.)
I don’t know about TAS because I’m still on Special benefit which started being phased out in 2006 as I’m on IB too. What happened to you sounds very fishy to me.
You will feel better after you speak with an advocate who KNOWS what they are talking about.
It will help if you take what they tell you over the phone and write this exact wording on the review of decision form (you have to state why you disagree with their decision). I’m cheering you on. LFTHG.
You may find that it never even makes it to the hearing stage as the mistake could be picked up in an internal review.
Thanks all, AWW i will use the ph num and contact them, when i posted i was
wondering if anyone else had a similar problem, I do have a fighting spirit
so now i can go in to battle,so to speak, so thanks all for your support đ
I do have a fighting spirit so now i can go in to battle
Every WINZ appointment should be seen as a battle. There is strength in numbers, if possible, I’d recommend going to the appointment with another person, if you feel comfortable with them witnessing the conversation. A 2 vs 1 environment will change the nature of the appointment, and therefore how you get treated.
Even better if your wing-person is knowledgeable about WINZ tricks. Places like city mission, sallies or Auckland Action Against Poverty can help.
Good luck
Celebrate The Bullet when there is Too Much Pressure
Sicko
Moore clearly seen
Just plain NASTY.
Basically they are saying your increased medical costs are a luxury you should give up.
This has happened to me to in the last month re renewal. Both TAS for rent and my DA has not been paid. I do not receive the maximum DA so this is not a cost on TAS, (the cut off point for DA is in the mid 50,s but check this). Anything under the cut off for DA has nothing to do with TAS, but TAS can be paid for health costs once over the cut off. Tying DA with TAS is not on as both are individual supplements in there own right with different renewal dates, (TAS every 13 weeks, DA every year).
I read in the NZ Herald today that over the summer 9 million has been paid out by ACC for sunburn, insect bites, barbecue accidents etc. (All trivial stuff).
Something is going down at Work and Income, possibly a directive from Bennett as she can issue one.
A new TV show by charlie brooker has started, called Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe
an Aad for burglar Good king wencheslas (with a thin paddy and Veuve Clicquot to swallow)
literally, there is no sacred fish sword
evocatively, that’s a different kettle of wish
were you there when they crucified. My Lord!
(there Definitely / Maybe a Champagne Super nova)
-Victa ( a martyr for the piles) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112637/
From The Stiff Kittens at The Electric Circus
To The Fan Club, Tell Laura I Love Her and that she is the missing link between Elvis Presley and The Banshees. This is our happy Fun House, no need to be a Mayflower at The Electric Ballroom;
King Kong’s not AnTwerp at all swinging Dead Souls at The Moonlight Club (is Kevin The Trojan Horse candidate with Insight?) on a Manchester Beach across the Mersey they Send No Flowers from Republica. Heaven is not The Rock Garden or The Boys Club (Hitchcock Railway) Bus, Le Palace or The Hacienda.
It’s The Venue for Movement and Ceremony, Utopia / Hal4, in The Day of The Lords as New Dawn Fades Something Must Break now 24 Hours into The Eternal Decades Shadowplay just like Sister Ray said, have a good night have a good night have a good night.
-Man of Principle (new world boy on the old Kings Road)
p**s. Phil Collins Henry Rollins Murder Ballads get down get down little Henry Lee
and the wind did howl and the wind did blow she plugged him through and through
they call her The Wild Rose (sorry if I interrupted any mans coitus)
Ah, a random spell-check ap goes feral and attacks its master.
:), but wait, there’s more…
bad things come in threes
Third Eye Blind Hows It Gonna Be. Kryptonite Three Doors get Down. Come on baby light my buick
getting back to The Good Oil,
Yishar shining and clear elaion
shake the fruit with a light stick
bruise in mortar crushed in a press loaded
with wood or stones.rudely hear the whiffletree creek
reservoirs clarified Oil of Tekoa was reckoned nga best. ha!
Trade by the honorable of the earth surpassed that of the Egyptian harvests
Till mercantile cupidity purchased Hebrew slaves repaid by Nebuchadnezzar.
Alexander completed the causeway so the anti-septic function came in Handy
old oil Celsus applied externally with friction to fevers. James certainly recommended it
-Rx (Philo Pliny and Galen)
Job done at 5:13 He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away
12:3 a man cannot be established through wickedness yet the righteous cannot be uprooted
8:3 for whoever finds me finds life
Love changes everything (plenty to dive into or pennon there through the limestone at 60 per cm2)
dying to the self everyday wears out soles. Sikhism is strongly opposed to caste divisions.Baptised by the sword (interestingly) all may eat together in the kitchen at parties.
-Singh (thats an irreverent non-extremist pun jab) Has he lost his mind? can he see or is he blind
he was turned to steel in the great magnetic field.
The NZ Labour Party Youth section is important but has the Leadership become relevant to the 16+ young adults who will vote in 2014?
A slice of the Opinion Polls that I saw in the course of a marketing strategy session indicated that the youth of NZ will vote
1. Green
2. National, marginally ahead of
3. Labour.
NOT the positioning for a Party of Radical roots. The Youth saw the greens as the ones challenging the status quo. Many saw Labour as defenders of a status quo.
The Labour MPs need to consider how 16+ kids view them. Obviously there is a signigicant perseption thing that needs to be changed.
Boudicea, I could have told you that for half what you paid!
It is so obvious at Freshers Week in any third level institution.
The Youth will vote Green unless Labour makes a dramatic shift.
I know some union people are doing great work on making young workers politically aware. Will they become Labour voters? Probably yes. The new leaders of the Unions are the key to Labour’s much needed re-birth.
I agree with the concept of ‘new’ Union leaders having a large part in changing Labour’s fortunes. There are a high number of piss weak General Secretary’s that need to be moved out, & the standard of union organisers being employed by some outfits is also unbelievably poor. Too many of these GS’s are in with the sad old faces within labour which is the problem. Â
+1
Chris Trotter had some interesting things to say about Shearers speech and his style of delivery at the recent Young Labour summer camp on Citizen A with Bomber.
Our four children are ALL Green party supporters, despite both of us having worked hard for Labour all our lives.
Last week our youngest son laughed at me and said, “Dad, why would I belong to any organization where I had no say in choosing the leaders? We Greens elect our own leaders and rank our list candidates. Labour is so past it’s use by date.”
My replies fell on deaf ears.
Hmmmm. Far too many captured by Beltway thinking and hoping to get Parliamentary Services jobs.
analytical and applied to the grindstone
Need to get Shearer on an electric guitar…or maybe playing bass.
Can we get him in a dub/reggae band? Like the Mayor off Portlandia?
It’ll have to be real roots reggae.
Other than that, Labour has no chance of attracting youth. Key has sewn up the idiocracy vote (despite Shearer’s best efforts). Greens get the youth who are aware of their future.
What does Labour offer youth. Look at the top MPs since 2008. Stuffy old twats. Don’t expect the youth to vote for their oppressors.
The Selecto/er that you are đ đ đ
Thank you EB. I’ll request a 50% credit from the agency!
sucking back the pea
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10862973
and with a Huff
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/01/31/north-korea-martial-law_n_2588013.html?
and a puff
http://www.independent.ie/world-news/asia-pacific/north-korea-under-martial-law-as-troops-told-to-be-ready-for-war-3371117.html
will there be toil and trouble
http://nwww.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130201000831
-Sam Gae Tang (Tom Yummmb)
Seriously Rogue Trooper you should step up and write a blog of your own.
Would need an international audience.
But you appear to have a mind like the old arcade game Defender; flashes and reverses, and grand fractal jumps.
Think on it. You’re good.
two kind (partly your doing)
So allow me a moments’ presumption:
– You have several degrees, some of them arts, quite a lot of classics and philosophy
– You are at least in your 40s
– You have described yourself as being from somewhere Deep South
– You are saturated in Ellul and other Christianarchies
– You have memorised a whole bunch of songs, films, and Coltrane-style poetry
Most from this era have simply have that mind wrapped in lines of scar/e tissue in which the whips of the world have worn too deep a groove in their minds. How you sustain that still is quite beyond me.
You have more freedom in that spectral writing-jazz of yours than most have long since forgotten, yet with no shade of The Quiet American or other post-redemptive melancholies.
All it would take is at least a post every week.
What do you think? Can’t hide here under a little bushel forever you know.
I believe I know what the future holds for the world…yet not myself. I have an idea of what is going on since I opened up and began “commenting” on The Standard…(repeated empirical reality testing)…and it is related to words and energy forms, in particular the electromagnetic spectrum…yet this is not occurring in Isolation…I have a deep well of gratitude to many from this site and those that echo beyond…
It is a matter of conceptualization…there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophies…a lot is related to what quantum physics has revealed to us…I owe a great obligation to lprent…may be on the radio and in a band soon…yet waiting patiently, reading, gardening, cooking, cleaning…(and to the tr. yes, I can go anyway in the city I live in and be greeted warmly by people from right across the spectrum yet I’m open about my politics and faith and previous flouting of the Law; may be a lesson in there?). I did not go to University (as a mature student) or develop my knowledge and “understanding” to be materialistically wealthy; I have never been ambitious, although a PhD sounded attractive for a while back…in the deep, distant past. I learn to understand, and like others on here, share that understanding for free.
Wherever you go, there you is no “point” at which our skins stop and The Universe starts.
A Very Big uncalled for ThankUturn. :). (and the A MAZERati)
nite
-Joey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_Blonde
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_poetry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdpTcvSn8HQ
(Three Pillars and I only Fell over the centre one just now; thats how it works, no cards up the sleeve, no sleight of hand; Real Magic and I am grateful for His / Their Blessing)
đ đ đ
May all your liminal thresholds be danced over, all thaumaturgies turn real, all entrances en-trance, all numens illumine, ake ake ake.
reply after church
A reaction to the election of Park Geun-hye, daughter of former leader Park Chung-hee who seized power by coup in 1961?.
Now that I am off my week long block I would like to send a question Draco’s way…
Draco – you said If two people are discussing something and one person can back up their arguments with facts and the other canât then the second opinion is worthless.
So I am curious about something. You have maintained that Labour is a right-wing party however the vast, overwhelming consensus among political scientists and the politicians themselves, from all sides, is that Labour is a centre left party.
So, back up your argument.
No wonder you got banned for a week.
They’re using the conventional contemporary political wisdom TC, we’re using a traditional perspective.
Nothing from The Bastard?
Have you ever gotten into a pendantry war with Lanthanide? You both seem like you’re cut from the same cloth.
That reminds me of the old advertising trick where the advertiser would point out how many millions had been sold and then say that x millions of people can’t be wrong. The problem, of course, is that they can.
I have. Several times in fact. Go have a look at what I’ve said about Labour’s KiwiBuild.
Thanks for answering.
But there is a problem – you have personally stated your belief that Labour is a centre-right party however you also mentioned that those who can produce the most factual support for their claims is the opinion that should be more widely held rendering the second opinion worthless.
And the facts overwhelmingly support the view that Labour is a centre-left party therefore shouldn’t you declare your opinion as worthless?
These are all your own words Draco.
RWNJ’s at the NRO hit a new low.
N***ism may have been an ideology to which the United States was â and to which the president is â implacably opposed, but it is hardly âsenseless.â By the early 1930s, the N**i party had hundreds of thousands of devoted members and repeatedly attracted a third of the votes in German elections; its political leaders campaigned on a platform comprising 25 non-senseless points, including the âunification of all Germans,â a demand for âland and territory for the sustenance of our people,â and an assertion that âno Jew can be a member of the race.â Suffice it to say, many sensible Germans were persuaded.
More crazy, spot the difference.
all at sea; maybe The South should listen to more Medlocke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT9xbcPyves
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzZLBXhsnHc
and finish with
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHQ_aTjXObs
(cos I been down)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvaEJzoaYZk
and found
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkpoXBbOAS8
(I used to drink, it let me think of other people and other places)
-Sam
oops, forgot, Johnette Napolitano is my alter / ego; I was a vampire now I’m nothing all; Let the
Bloodletting begin…
On a different topic I only just noticed this across at kiwiblog:http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/02/why_did_labour_put_trevor_up.html which had been speculated about here. But was interested to see the idea that Annette won’t stand for Wellington mayor to keep Andrew out of Rongatai. Hardly the image of party renewal that they are after.
I read that too. If it is true, then it is a disgrace, and it only re-enforces my view of the hopeless state the Labour Party is in. Sorry, my view remains to be, a fresh start for the combined left can only be made by forming a new, inclusive, smart and well organised, newly staffed Left Party, that will not carry such baggage as Labour, either incorporate enough “green” policies, or work better with the Greens, and put Labour into the redundant category.
This upsets some, but I see NO other option now, with Shearer and other hopeless members in Parliament just clinging to their seats and positions.
For all those that have any “doubts” that people get BRAINWASHED by listening to private radio or other media, perhaps have a look at this quite frank set of information from the privately run ‘The Radio Network’, apparently owned largely by an Australian media corporation, and partly by a US share-holder, covering much of NZ radio:
http://www.radionetwork.co.nz/advertise/why-radio
There are comparisons between “media content distribution” and other criterias or information statistics.
I would think the “editorial” content is highly over-stated, as that must include anything but the bare net commercials they hammer your brain and mind with incessantly, repeatedly so it STICKS!
The “editorial content” will in the case of ZM, ZB, or any other of their stations, same as Radio Pacific (another radio broadcaster, not part of this lot), certainly include the highly frequent repeating of the station, it’s mission message and announcements for what comes up, what infotainment they present, and the likes.
So it does not equate with “REAL information”.
I thought this is worth having a look at, to see, how commercial radio works, compared to other commercial media, and how much of the contents is nothing but commercial advertising and much other CRAP.
NZ has the worst statistics and conditions and standards for public broadcasting, when compared with most developed “western” countries, that is for sure. It is dominated by commercial interests, and that even in the state run TV stations. Only Radio NZ National seems to be different, but even they have their internal “rules”, set by the ones that run that station.
Shocking truth. But so many grew up and grow up with this endless inundation of brainwashing into consumerism, superficiality, opportunistic thinking, and individual prioritising, which all somehow is in conflict in maintaining a working “social fabric” and unity.
See the “design” in all this?
true