I can imagine Patrick Gower with a microphone in Shearer’s face… what’s the vote count, how can we believe it’s what you say if you don’t give us the vote count? Even though it’s a secret ballot. Then Shearer getting blasted all over the news if he doesn’t give the secret answer…
Which MP’s are going to be true to their beliefs that Shearer is not leadership material?
It will be interesting to see how many, if any? of the Labour caucus back their convictions and cast a no confidence vote in Shearer as leader. Also there should be a number of MP’s taking direction from their LEC to force a wider vote from the party membership surely? I will find it hard to swallow if atleast 6 votes are not confirmed nay sayers.
Beautiful day today! Winning the Labour/Greens government the country so badly needs takes a big step forward in a few hours. Well done to all those LP activists who helped democratise the party, particularly those like myself who wanted Cunliffe but will work for the good of the party and for the good of NZ even if he won’t be leader.
Yep, but I wouldn’t expect major changes. Too early to dump dead wood like Mallard et al. That can wait till closer to the election, when it would be too risky to challenge Shearer’s call.
Apparently the only way to kill a zombie is to take out the head.
Anyhoo, in lieu of Rogue Trooper:
…Helter skelter in a summer swelter.
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter,
Eight miles high and falling fast.
It landed foul on the grass.
The players tried for a forward pass,
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast.
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
While the sergeants played a marching tune.
We all got up to dance,
Oh, but we never got the chance!
`cause the players tried to take the field;
The marching band refused to yield.
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died?
Hope someone has an attack on the National government lined up for running alongside the leadership vote. One inch up for labour (provided quality vote etc) and one inch down for national.
Otherwise of course the only political news will be “more leadership conflict for labour”
The Independent (UK) this weekend has an article about an event “today” that commemorates the 2nd wave Women’s Movement in the UK.
Today hundreds of the veteran activists from some of Britain’s most famous protests, ranging from Greenham Common to the miners’ strike, will gather for the first time. The worlds of social campaigning, politics and art come together today in a “Silver Action” event at the Tate Modern, London, where some 400 women campaigners aged over 60 will talk about their work.
Damn! Wish I could be there. That was the context in which I truly became politicised while living in London. I recognise one or two names in the article of women I knew at some point back then. Also the women mentioned and the range of their activities back in the 60s and 70s, show just how strongly the UK Women’s Movement was embedded in the grass roots left: its origins in Ruskin College – a place for educating trade unionists and people from “disadvantaged” backgrounds, with no formal qualifications: initially set up for educating working class men.
Although, I guess commemorations are fine, but there’s still too many crucial political struggles going on.
More than 700 pedestrians have been hit by cars at Auckland intersections over the past four years, and most victims were not paying attention to vehicles around them, distracted by cellphones or music players or succumbing to their own impatience.
When we moved to Vienna we couldn’t work out why drivers were impatient with our pausing before crossing the road at uncontrolled intersections, else they very courteously waited for us to cross. What a difference. Then we found out that cars must stop for pedestrians. It’s the law. The world didn’t end.
Indeed, while many drivers here are sensitive to pedestrians, many others are totally intolerant and/or oblivious. Since my accident the year before last (a result of my own carelessness), I am way more sensitive to how one careless moment can cause devastating impacts on the body. It continues to amaze me the number of drivers who speed across pedestrian crossings unaware that some of us are waiting to cross.
When I took driving lessons in the UK, before going for my UK licence, I was strongly schooled to visually scan around up-coming pedestrian crossings, looking for pedestrians, and preparing to stop in case an unexpected pedestrian stepped out. It is now pretty much second nature to me to do that.
Yes, we found UK drivers, in smaller cities in particular, very observant. I was actually talking about driver behaviour at intersections while walking today, which is probably why I picked up on the article. With a trip back to NZ imminent I’d strangely drifted back into stopping and waiting for cars at T-junctions, as I would do in NZ, without realising it, after about 4 or 5 crossings with drivers waiting for us to cross it gradually dawned on me what I was doing. I’ll have to be careful not reverse the error while back home.
Yep, the entire population sems to have forgotten that the streets were created for pedestrians. Cars came much much later and should be secondary in importance. Good luck with that though as today when that fact is mentioned people merely glaze over as it has never occured to them, such is the presumption that the streets were created for cars.
The streets most places are pretty dismal today. Try walking somewhere and you will find hardly any other people walking the streets or even in public places. The streets are ugly places now with whizzing cars and fumes, grey-black tarseal and concrete covering as many square metres as possible, hard, glare, noise, danger.
+1
I’m probably a little oversensitive to this issue because I walk a lot and have had a fair few inconsiderate drivers on controlled and uncontrolled crossings (it also really annoys me that the traffic light phasing doesn’t favour pedestrians, but that’s another story). It’s become sort of a hobby to compare drivers’ general attitudes toward pedestrians in different places.
The car traffic seems to go very fast in Vienna. When the crossing is controlled by lights I think that car drivers (quite rightly) assume that there will be no pedestrians on the road nor any jaywalkers. Therefore traffic clears quickly until the next phase for pedestrians. I noticed that it was very unwise to cross without the green- angry drivers! Maybe we pedestrians should follow the rules, but after a lifetime of drifting across when I feel like it, hard to change.
On the arterial routes, yes they do. I don’t know if there are variable speed limits in town, but it’s likely given the difference between those roads and others. I guess also with pedestrians having the right of way every where else drivers are not too keen when you cross on a red on an arterial route. Same with driving slowly in the fast lane…
Having grown up and lived for many years in Vienna, my hometown, I agree that they do drive faster, especially the “professional traffic” after 8am and pedestrians are directed by a road code in the same way as drivers. Driving slow in the fast lanes will get the professional drivers to pressure you to change lanes. Of cause it all looks denser due to the sheer volume- Vienna has about 2 mil people on 400 m2, compare Auckland with 1.3mil people on 1000 m2 – and with it the amount of vehicles, private and company on that spec of land. The driver license is another point. It is obtained after a very rigorous process (expensive) and tests both written and oral. People need to be at least 18 and have to have a full license before being allowed onto the road – there are no learners licenses. All in all – certainly not a dreamy ride.
However, the number of private cars is actually only 390 approx per 1000 people. This is mostly due to the fact that one really does not need a car in Vienna due to the excellent public transport service. I really mean that, not because I am from there but it is true.
I love your hometown Foreign Waka! Half time here and half in New Zealand would be perfect 😉
Yes, we don’t have a car and use the integrated public transport (trains, buses and trams) or walk to get around. A reduction in car-parking has also reduced the value of car ownership. We were accosted once by a couple of FPO people to sign a petition against the reductions. We spent ages telling them how good the transport system was and how we didn’t need a car before we realised who they were and the answers they were after. Woops. Of course with the central city pedestrianised it also makes it easier to do without a car when living in the inner ring.
The driver’s training does show. Drivers are observant around town and know what they’re doing.
Hey look, I am sorry to be a bastard (ironic huh?) but as one of your favourite (and continual) assertions is that Labour is a right-wing party I really have to call you out on something.
Don’t humour the poor simple-minded soul, Draco. One of those post-menopausal late-developers who clog up lecture rooms and demand extra explanations all the time.
Or the private school debater who oozes confidence and stupidity, only to be shell-shocked at university when their textbook (read “pro forma”) presentation is identified as failing to address the single fundamental factor that collapses their entire position.
On RadioNZ National program the Slippery lead National Government’s focus for 2013 is to be discussed in terms of what the ‘life-time’ cost of beneficiaries is,
In other words the present National Government having absolutely no idea how to stem the flow of red ink in the Governments accounts will now discuss in quiet polite voices how they plan to take away from those legal entitlements to welfare so as to be able to trumpet some bullshit balancing of the books as an election strategy for November 2014,
Should be a good listen if only to see which group of those currently receiving benefits are about to get it in the neck the hardest during the next 12 months…
If that is the case then I hope opposition parties do similar on, for example, lifetime costs borne by wage and salary earners to support the little tax paid by businesses such as farmers who take their gains through tax-free capital gain.
There are countless others.
It is overdue for fire to be fought with fire. This government gets away with all sorts of bullshit and the oppositions just whimper around the edges like sooky cowards with no chutzpa. Wussies.
Long may the Stalinist purge continue with too many MPs scared to vote to give us a say. Now the King/Mallard cabal will come after you one by one.
Andrew Little just forget Rongotai but be very worried about your list ranking too. The Stalinist cabal are going to centralise their power on list selection….you heard it here first! And all the others on the list, or with a seat they want to retire you from, just watch it…Prasad, Chauvel, Dyson, Robertson, Street….you’re going down.
But I’m off, no more pamphlet deliveries, no more donations, wine auctions, fundraisers….not off to join another party but I won’t be voting for Labour again.
Yep – Ad, Benghazi, Draco – both of us are also sad, and resigned. At least it will free up any spare time over the next couple of years NOT feeling obliged to attend meetings, organise, deliver pamphlets, raise funds, etc.
Labour should be able to form a government, with Winston’s help, even if it gets as low as 31% or 32%. But, the historic mission and purpose of the Labour Party seems to have been forgotten, at the very time that it is needed more than ever.
That is actually the point, especially younger ones have lost faith in a voting system where 32% with a bit of wiggle is perceived to be able to govern. Why? That is so far away from any majority that one can only wonder. Is that what Mr Shearer builds his confidence on? If it is even contemplated that 32% can go anywhere than FPP has never been changed.
OK, that was all as enlightening as MUD, the only point of real interest was Paula, the Minister of removing people form their entitlements, giving as a reason for the disparity in the figures of actual unemployed and the number of those currently collecting the dole is that both Sickness beneficiaries and those who receive the DPB who also have children over the age of 5 are now being included in the figures of the unemployed,
What tho of the heart of the discussion,
This ‘discussion’ centers on the figures that if those currently receiving a welfare benefit were to receive that benefit for a ‘lifetime’ the cost to the Government would be 78 billion dollars, (shock horror spit),
Lets put aside the little ‘fact’ for the moment that such a proposition FAILS at the first hurdle in that very few of those people as a % will receive those benefits ‘for a lifetime’, instead lets play the game as the Paula’s (Bennett and Rebstock) do, as monetarists,
Remembering all the while that the GROSS COST of all those benefits over a ‘lifetime’ is 78 billion dollars,(gasp shock horror) we can judge this against Government revenue from the figure that this is currently 60.6 billion dollars a year, (leaving aside for the moment that we are in the middle of a recession),
So, in ten years that Government revenue would have been 600 billion dollars set against a ‘lifetime’ welfare bill of 78 billion dollars,
In fifty years of Government revenue the total Government revenue collected will be, excuses here as my riffmatic aint so hot, a ball park figure of 3000 billion dollars against a ‘lifetime’ welfare bill of 78 billion dollars, and, say that slowly to yourself to see just how ridiculous the Paula’s are being in using such a figure as a crude club to attempt to turn people against beneficiaries,
Now being good little monetarists, (well just for this morning anyway), we in all honesty have to look at this equation from around all aspects of this 78 billion dollars GROSS that the Government in all it’s largesse will pay out over that ‘lifetime’ of payment,
Taxation!!! yes TAXATION, the Paula’s (Bennett and Rebstock) are using GROSS figures to arrive at the figure of 78 billion dollars, SO, using back of an envelope figures we can ‘see’ that direct taxation of that 78 billion dollars will result in 15% of that 78 billion NOT being paid to those beneficiaries at all,
Indirect taxation, you know the stuff, petrol tax, tobacco tax, tax tax tax etc, will result in the Government within 2 days of having paid out any of this 78 billion dollars recouping another 10% of the 78 billion dollars,
And, last but not least GS fucking T, at 15% will mean that within 2 days of having paid out any of the 78 billion dollars the Government will have raked back in another 15% of that 78 billion dollars,
But wait there’s more, yes sadly more, Beneficiaries spend what little monies they receive as part of that 78 billion dollars within 2 days into the local economy, what’s left after taxation is extracted that is, the goods and services bought by those beneficiaries from local providers are again taxed as profit from the pockets of those the beneficiaries buy the goods and services off of,
So here’s the Paula’s(Bennett and Rebstock), equation again from a ballpark income of 3000 billion dollars over a ‘lifetime’, 78 billion dollars will be paid out in welfare benefits 40% of which the Government will have within 2 days of paying this money out recouped as TAXATION,
What then to make of the 2 Paula’s(Bennett and Rebstock) shock horror 78 billion dollar ‘lifetime’ cost of welfare benefits, bullshit, simply blatant fucking bullshit is the best i can at this point muster from my limited vocabulary…
Would such short statement not be the job of labor in the house when these figures are being thrown around and hence have to be reported in the same way as Mrs Bennets statement?
Lolz, i dont’t think Bullshit is a word allowed,(under standing orders), to be uttered in the House, i wonder tho if ‘equine defecation’ might slip through…
“This ‘discussion’ centers on the figures that if those currently receiving a welfare benefit were to receive that benefit for a ‘lifetime’ the cost to the Government would be 78 billion dollars, (shock horror spit),”
and any journo worth the title would respond with “yeah but thats a sack or horseshit and you know it”
Paula, the Minister of parting people from what was once their legal entitlements, unintentionally painted Her and the other Paula’s (Rebstocks), monetary assertion of the ‘lifetime’ cost of beneficiaries as bullshit in the RadioNZ National interview this morning pointing out that the unemployment figures show that that benefit isn’t the ‘problem’ as the majority of those who access the unemployment benefit do so for short periods,
So, we now know that Paula has no pressing inducement to further attack unemployment benefit recipients besides having them prove that they have been looking for work,
She said as much also about the recipients of DPB, which just leads me to the conclusion that the most vulnerable cohort of mostly single people in our society are in the next 18 months to be subjected to Paula’s ‘help’ to move them off of that particular benefit,
Paula a number of times during the interview pointed out that Invalids Beneficiaries are paid a higher rate of benefit than those who receive the unemployment benefit, this is of course because the invalids benefit is expected by those who receive it and the Medical Professionals who test these individuals for work capability befor signing the relevant paper-work do not expect such people to be in any condition to work for a number of years if ever,
Paula tho knows best and we can assume that the National Government ‘plan’ to move 40,000 individuals ‘off benefit’ will be directed at these individuals, the economics of which National have given as much thought to as the 78 billion dollar ‘lifetime cost’ of benefits i will get down to discussing later…
now, anyhoo, this is just for the locals, and then i will sit back out of your hair.
an argillaceous liason around the ear as a scruffily draped phaethon parked a Malt magnesia exertion beneath the quasia dilantern.purslonely, it’s a bitter sweet sola number. Mind the salt Sister shiney washer, Let Robin save the day from the pun under your bed. To the emperor we dispose (please don’t let my tyre down; I enjoyed the walk) A pound a round The Globe. Beep Beep bop a loo bop
a little melting. Talk about pissisting down a man’s deep furrows.tick The Other Kind a pair of brown eyes walk alone (to be Farr, I’ve always followed the news to see what’s blown up today)
spinning wheel goes round and round the Gestalt chair, yet no bodies there.took the money and run.
On his way into the caucus, David Cunliffe said it was a secret ballot so he would not discuss how he would vote. In January he had said he would endorse Mr Shearer. Mr Shearer outflanked Mr Cunliffe in an effective challenge at the party conference last year.
Many other MPs going in also refused to say how they would vote, saying it was a secret ballot.
Slight difference between a frontbencher refusing to endorse the leader at conference while voting to change the election format into a form that might be advantageous for him (while the leader abstained from that vote), and a backbencher who has previously endorsed the leader walking into the caucus room on the day of what looks like a routine confidence endorsement.
A secretive funding organisation in the United States that guarantees anonymity for its billionaire donors has emerged as a major operator in the climate “counter movement” to undermine the science of global warming, The Independent has learnt . . .
In my internet travelling, I often come across the denialist position that climate change is a conspiracy. Ironic situation is ironic.
Well, after THAT news today it may be safe to assume that the only champagne corks popping tonight will be in the abodes of Team Shearer and those of the right wingers.
Instead lets raise a glass of red to The Greens and give a nod to Mana. All power to you. All power to us as voters too. We need to rally togther and to unify. Its up to us as well. Collectively and individually we have to get those non voters educated and motivated. Its a big task ahead.
. . . Shooting the messenger is still a favourite pastime of despotic regimes and corporate institutions and their lawyers, who use various types of silencers on their weaponry, aimed at those who light even a candle to disturb the dark of corruption . . .
Just for something different eh vto? You Cantabrians must be built of strong stuff. I’d have been a mess along time ago if I was in your shoes. The heaving earth beneath your feet is one thing but it must be something else to have the strength to take on insurers and cope with being treated like irksome peasants by a contemptuous govt. Kia Kaha.
Ha, yeah cheers, but we are mere mortals and I think most populations would just deal with it all the same way. As for being a mess – yep, there is plenty mess in the population. Strung out and worn out. Especially when the Great Earth Monster lets loose right under your arse…
“The Panel” continues its ghastly decline
Radio NZ National, Monday 4 March, 2013
Jim Mora, Jonathan Krebs, Tino Pereira
We are already into the fourth week of this year’s version of Jim Mora’s program “The Panel”. Sadly, the producers have made no innovations or improvements to the format at all; Jim’s volubility is as insufferable as ever, his blithe condescension is if anything even worse, and the “talent” is drawn from the same stagnant pool of lacklustre sycophants as it was last year, and the year before.
Today’s edition was typical….
MORA: All right, the next subject is ACC payouts. Some of these claims to ACC are hilarious! There were fifty claims for sunburn! Hur hur hur hur hur!
JONATHAN KREBS: Ha ha ha ha!
MORA: Hur hur hur hur hur! Fourteen thousand claims for insect bites…
TINO PEREIRA: Ha ha ha ha ha!
MORA: There were one hundred and ninety-five claims for windsurfing and—hur, hur, hur, hur!—two hundred and eleven for bodyboard injuries!
JONATHAN KREBS: Ha ha ha ha ha!
JIM MORA: Hur hur hur! And 938 barbecue injuries! Hur hur hur hur hur!
JONATHAN KREBS: Ha ha ha ha ha!
TINO PEREIRA: Ha ha ha ha ha!
MORA: Professor Grant Duncan from Massey University joins us. Hur hur
hur hur!
PROFESSOR DUNCAN: I am concerned about this apparent trivialization of injuries.
MORA: Uhhhh….
PROFESSOR GRANT DUNCAN: I don’t think these injuries are trivial. If you get stung by a swarm of wasps you need to get yourself to hospital. I think it’s dangerous if we start to trivialize injuries like this.
MORA: Hmmmm. Inevitable with media reportage though….
SOAPBOX….
MORA: Now’s the time we find out what our Panelists have been thinking about. Jonathan, you want to talk about university fees?
KREBS: Yeah, I don’t have anything that’s really NEEDLING me at the moment, Jim, but my daughter Harriet is off to university and I have had to pay $6,000 for her accommodation and $7,000 for course fees, which made me pucker up a bit!
Thankfully rain fade brought me to my senses but it’s a doozy ain’t it? Poor buggers! Still, I guess it pays the mortgage aye and its cleaner than the usual form of prostitution. They can probably wait till they get home before they have to have a shower!
What if David Cunliffe started his own party, i’m sure he would get a truckload of
support, who needs the s–t that has been dished out to him, just a thought.
UNWATCHABLE! SEVEN SHARP IS A DISASTER
One’s dreadful new current affairs show will not survive
SEVEN SHARP, Inaugural broadcast, Television One, Monday 4 March 2013
Alison Mau, Greg Boyed, Jesse Mulligan and assorted others
Alison Mau’s credibility, already pretty unimpressive, has plunged to an all-time low over the weekend, following her ludicrous few days of dishonestly lionizing “Sir” Paul Holmes as the greatest broadcaster who ever lived. It was ominous that she debased her currency so grievously just before this show’s opening.
Anybody who has looked at his Twitter account or seen him try to ad-lib while reading the News knows that Greg Boyed is about as funny as a parking ticket. On the evidence of tonight’s show, his idea of humour is to make sarcastic remarks. Not funny sarcastic remarks, though; Boyed is no Charlie Brooker. His first contribution to the dreadful three-person opening remarks sequence, was to make a sarcastic swipe at Titewhai Harawira, smirking with derision as he called her “that paragon of reason.” It was the sort of remark that the late Paul Holmes would have made, but Boyed has none of Holmes’s leavening wit.
Jesse Mulligan, who is billed as a comedian, decided to go for the big laughs: “Now we were going to have the Prime Minister cut a ribbon for the start of the show, but he wasn’t available.” Then he laughed: “Naaah, actually he WAS available, he just didn’t want to come on. Ha ha ha ha ha!” Tellingly, neither Alison Mau nor Greg Boyed could squeeze out a laugh to support the poor fellow. They were clearly wishing the ground would swallow them up. And so, no doubt, were most viewers.
Barry Soper’s South African squeeze Heather Du Plessis-Allan announced that she was going to do a “puff-piece” on John Key. “What else would you expect?” she laughed. And that’s just what she did.
I bailed after five minutes. It was simply unwatchable.
observing the political machinations (under the hood and on the deck) in this country, it is no surprise we have wrong-headed where we are going. Kubrick may be correct, no amount of writing on The Wall this season and as for roman Ghosts! In ADDition, any suggestions other than auto-pilot or Siberia? What is reaped is what is grown to make of no effect when one leg is shorter than the other or missing benignly. It’s a minefield on a moon lit night through vanity and vineyards across the red cod reef Clive; If not, a co-ordinated portamanto is being drawn as we pick up after others (my notes have been binned in the recycling, blown away like the sand of a mandala) I really don’t mind if we sit this one Out (we may make you feel but we can’t help but think…back to the scrap heap) 🙁
Last Post for our loyal side-kick soldier.
Get LAo Daily (this cat’s not comin’ back) arrivederci, auf wiedersehen pets. bye 🙁 🙂
observing the political machinations in this country, it is no surprise we have wrong-headed where we are going. Kubrick may be correct; no amount of writing will break down The Wall this season and as for roman Ghosts? In Addition, any suggestions other than auto-pilot or Siberia? What is reaped is what is grown to make of no effect when one leg is shorter than the other or missing altogether.It’s a mine-field on a moonlit night through vanity and vineyards across a red cod sand-Bar.If not a co-ordinated portamanto is being drawn.Picking up after others as I deposited my own notes in a recycling bin, blown away like a sand mandala. Really don’t mind if I sit this one Out
(we may make you feel but we can’t help but think…off to the scrap heap again).
Last Post for our trusty side-kick soldier.Get LAotea Daily. (this cat’s not coming back).
2/3rd of the page down on the left side entitles Inside John Keys Office a nice little 4.5 min vomit fest of Key love in talk about 1 sided reporting. But they have to do somethinf after that crap 7 Sharp Maybe they could get Hooton on it a crap writer on a crap show.
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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: ...
“You talking about me?”The 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 Hall’s “Glide Time” 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 — 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 taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — 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 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
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 ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s 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 ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
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 “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
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 Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s 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 Tāmaki 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 Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s 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 that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s 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 country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ 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 member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s 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 Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s 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. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s 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. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
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 Teachers’ 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. “The 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. “Science, 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 today’s 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. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō 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. “The 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. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s 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 Zealand’s 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. “Our 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. “New 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 Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s 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 Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation 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 sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I 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 Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s 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. “The 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. “My 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 Singapore’s 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 counterpart’s 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 today’s 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. “I 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. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s 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 Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These 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 – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s 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. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We 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. “This 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. “The 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 it—rule ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara Solomon Islands’ 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 country’s next government. Returning officer Christopher Makoni made the declaration late last night after ...
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” 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 “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s 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 what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve 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 we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t 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, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t 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. “I thought, ...
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, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s 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 ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s 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 ...
Zoë 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 ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ 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 — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — 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 Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
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So Shearer probably slept well last night, but reckons he hasn’t sounded out his support for today’s vote.
Hope it’s not a foregone 100%.
CV said the other day that the ballot is secret, so theoretically we shouldn’t know the numbers afterwards.
I can imagine Patrick Gower with a microphone in Shearer’s face… what’s the vote count, how can we believe it’s what you say if you don’t give us the vote count? Even though it’s a secret ballot. Then Shearer getting blasted all over the news if he doesn’t give the secret answer…
Yeah Gower is one of the new breed of ‘nasty make it up’ type of reporter. Can’t get a story then just make one up.
So if its a secret vote. How can anyone trust the outcome? As we don’t know what happened.
Which MP’s are going to be true to their beliefs that Shearer is not leadership material?
It will be interesting to see how many, if any? of the Labour caucus back their convictions and cast a no confidence vote in Shearer as leader. Also there should be a number of MP’s taking direction from their LEC to force a wider vote from the party membership surely? I will find it hard to swallow if atleast 6 votes are not confirmed nay sayers.
Each and every Labour MP has a choice today.
Put their hand on heart, look at their colleagues, envision their membership, and
say they have Confidence in the Leadership of the Labour Party or
withhold that in favour of a Party wide 40/40/20 debate and democratic selection process.
+100
And we have every right to expect that of our Labour MPs. +100
Beautiful day today! Winning the Labour/Greens government the country so badly needs takes a big step forward in a few hours. Well done to all those LP activists who helped democratise the party, particularly those like myself who wanted Cunliffe but will work for the good of the party and for the good of NZ even if he won’t be leader.
The next step?
Policy.
“The next step?”
Caucus reshuffle? Can’t do policy without the people in place.
Yep, but I wouldn’t expect major changes. Too early to dump dead wood like Mallard et al. That can wait till closer to the election, when it would be too risky to challenge Shearer’s call.
“Too early to dump dead wood like Mallard et al.”
It can be argued that it’s already too late rather than too early – just saying.
Deadwood does not dump itself. Trevor wants a comfortable retirement sorted.
morning everyone…is this the day Labour dies?
Apparently the only way to kill a zombie is to take out the head.
Anyhoo, in lieu of Rogue Trooper:
…Helter skelter in a summer swelter.
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter,
Eight miles high and falling fast.
It landed foul on the grass.
The players tried for a forward pass,
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast.
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
While the sergeants played a marching tune.
We all got up to dance,
Oh, but we never got the chance!
`cause the players tried to take the field;
The marching band refused to yield.
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died?
And good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye,
the day the music died.
note
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestalt_psychology
That is an Excellent and Just saying
Hope someone has an attack on the National government lined up for running alongside the leadership vote. One inch up for labour (provided quality vote etc) and one inch down for national.
Otherwise of course the only political news will be “more leadership conflict for labour”
The Independent (UK) this weekend has an article about an event “today” that commemorates the 2nd wave Women’s Movement in the UK.
Damn! Wish I could be there. That was the context in which I truly became politicised while living in London. I recognise one or two names in the article of women I knew at some point back then. Also the women mentioned and the range of their activities back in the 60s and 70s, show just how strongly the UK Women’s Movement was embedded in the grass roots left: its origins in Ruskin College – a place for educating trade unionists and people from “disadvantaged” backgrounds, with no formal qualifications: initially set up for educating working class men.
Although, I guess commemorations are fine, but there’s still too many crucial political struggles going on.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10863254&ref=rss
When we moved to Vienna we couldn’t work out why drivers were impatient with our pausing before crossing the road at uncontrolled intersections, else they very courteously waited for us to cross. What a difference. Then we found out that cars must stop for pedestrians. It’s the law. The world didn’t end.
Indeed, while many drivers here are sensitive to pedestrians, many others are totally intolerant and/or oblivious. Since my accident the year before last (a result of my own carelessness), I am way more sensitive to how one careless moment can cause devastating impacts on the body. It continues to amaze me the number of drivers who speed across pedestrian crossings unaware that some of us are waiting to cross.
When I took driving lessons in the UK, before going for my UK licence, I was strongly schooled to visually scan around up-coming pedestrian crossings, looking for pedestrians, and preparing to stop in case an unexpected pedestrian stepped out. It is now pretty much second nature to me to do that.
Yes, we found UK drivers, in smaller cities in particular, very observant. I was actually talking about driver behaviour at intersections while walking today, which is probably why I picked up on the article. With a trip back to NZ imminent I’d strangely drifted back into stopping and waiting for cars at T-junctions, as I would do in NZ, without realising it, after about 4 or 5 crossings with drivers waiting for us to cross it gradually dawned on me what I was doing. I’ll have to be careful not reverse the error while back home.
I’ve almost been hit at intersections. It wasn’t because I wasn’t paying attention but because the drivers were running red lights.
Yep, the entire population sems to have forgotten that the streets were created for pedestrians. Cars came much much later and should be secondary in importance. Good luck with that though as today when that fact is mentioned people merely glaze over as it has never occured to them, such is the presumption that the streets were created for cars.
The streets most places are pretty dismal today. Try walking somewhere and you will find hardly any other people walking the streets or even in public places. The streets are ugly places now with whizzing cars and fumes, grey-black tarseal and concrete covering as many square metres as possible, hard, glare, noise, danger.
Bleeeaargh !
Yeah, I’d agree with that. IMO, it’s part of the reason that main-street is closing down. It’s just such a boor to actually go to them.
The other reason is that online shopping is faster, easier and far far cheaper.
Chch is great for cycling now…well, through the city it is. Shame that only happened after the city was flattened.
Don’t underestimate how socially destructive the automobile has been, and continues to be
More short documentaries on pedestrians here
Some moron paid Stephan Fry to talk about how Wellington cyclists should bow down to drivers. Apparently drivers should be thanked when they do not kill those pesky/arrogant/arsehole cyclists. Whoever was involved in that video is a dick.
+1
I’m probably a little oversensitive to this issue because I walk a lot and have had a fair few inconsiderate drivers on controlled and uncontrolled crossings (it also really annoys me that the traffic light phasing doesn’t favour pedestrians, but that’s another story). It’s become sort of a hobby to compare drivers’ general attitudes toward pedestrians in different places.
The car traffic seems to go very fast in Vienna. When the crossing is controlled by lights I think that car drivers (quite rightly) assume that there will be no pedestrians on the road nor any jaywalkers. Therefore traffic clears quickly until the next phase for pedestrians. I noticed that it was very unwise to cross without the green- angry drivers! Maybe we pedestrians should follow the rules, but after a lifetime of drifting across when I feel like it, hard to change.
On the arterial routes, yes they do. I don’t know if there are variable speed limits in town, but it’s likely given the difference between those roads and others. I guess also with pedestrians having the right of way every where else drivers are not too keen when you cross on a red on an arterial route. Same with driving slowly in the fast lane…
Having grown up and lived for many years in Vienna, my hometown, I agree that they do drive faster, especially the “professional traffic” after 8am and pedestrians are directed by a road code in the same way as drivers. Driving slow in the fast lanes will get the professional drivers to pressure you to change lanes. Of cause it all looks denser due to the sheer volume- Vienna has about 2 mil people on 400 m2, compare Auckland with 1.3mil people on 1000 m2 – and with it the amount of vehicles, private and company on that spec of land. The driver license is another point. It is obtained after a very rigorous process (expensive) and tests both written and oral. People need to be at least 18 and have to have a full license before being allowed onto the road – there are no learners licenses. All in all – certainly not a dreamy ride.
However, the number of private cars is actually only 390 approx per 1000 people. This is mostly due to the fact that one really does not need a car in Vienna due to the excellent public transport service. I really mean that, not because I am from there but it is true.
I love your hometown Foreign Waka! Half time here and half in New Zealand would be perfect 😉
Yes, we don’t have a car and use the integrated public transport (trains, buses and trams) or walk to get around. A reduction in car-parking has also reduced the value of car ownership. We were accosted once by a couple of FPO people to sign a petition against the reductions. We spent ages telling them how good the transport system was and how we didn’t need a car before we realised who they were and the answers they were after. Woops. Of course with the central city pedestrianised it also makes it easier to do without a car when living in the inner ring.
The driver’s training does show. Drivers are observant around town and know what they’re doing.
Morning Draco!
Hey look, I am sorry to be a bastard (ironic huh?) but as one of your favourite (and continual) assertions is that Labour is a right-wing party I really have to call you out on something.
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-02022013/#comment-582948
I look forward to your response
Don’t humour the poor simple-minded soul, Draco. One of those post-menopausal late-developers who clog up lecture rooms and demand extra explanations all the time.
lol
Or the private school debater who oozes confidence and stupidity, only to be shell-shocked at university when their textbook (read “pro forma”) presentation is identified as failing to address the single fundamental factor that collapses their entire position.
On RadioNZ National program the Slippery lead National Government’s focus for 2013 is to be discussed in terms of what the ‘life-time’ cost of beneficiaries is,
In other words the present National Government having absolutely no idea how to stem the flow of red ink in the Governments accounts will now discuss in quiet polite voices how they plan to take away from those legal entitlements to welfare so as to be able to trumpet some bullshit balancing of the books as an election strategy for November 2014,
Should be a good listen if only to see which group of those currently receiving benefits are about to get it in the neck the hardest during the next 12 months…
If that is the case then I hope opposition parties do similar on, for example, lifetime costs borne by wage and salary earners to support the little tax paid by businesses such as farmers who take their gains through tax-free capital gain.
There are countless others.
It is overdue for fire to be fought with fire. This government gets away with all sorts of bullshit and the oppositions just whimper around the edges like sooky cowards with no chutzpa. Wussies.
Not all the opposition. The Greens are seriously getting some good hits in but Labour are out to lunch.
+1
And Shearer has been confirmed as leader.
Thanks god thats over.
Now discussions can turn to something interesting and useful
And now all those that were hoping for Labour to become more democratic can start looking for a better party without feeling any guilt.
Long may the Stalinist purge continue with too many MPs scared to vote to give us a say. Now the King/Mallard cabal will come after you one by one.
Andrew Little just forget Rongotai but be very worried about your list ranking too. The Stalinist cabal are going to centralise their power on list selection….you heard it here first! And all the others on the list, or with a seat they want to retire you from, just watch it…Prasad, Chauvel, Dyson, Robertson, Street….you’re going down.
But I’m off, no more pamphlet deliveries, no more donations, wine auctions, fundraisers….not off to join another party but I won’t be voting for Labour again.
Totally agree, for my partner and I as well.
pathetic that they can think of nothing but those little jobs rather than find any courage.
Shearer will deliver the polls in 2014 as they are, within a tolerance of 29-32%.
The rest is now counterfactual history.
just utter sadness.
Yep – Ad, Benghazi, Draco – both of us are also sad, and resigned. At least it will free up any spare time over the next couple of years NOT feeling obliged to attend meetings, organise, deliver pamphlets, raise funds, etc.
Labour should be able to form a government, with Winston’s help, even if it gets as low as 31% or 32%. But, the historic mission and purpose of the Labour Party seems to have been forgotten, at the very time that it is needed more than ever.
That is actually the point, especially younger ones have lost faith in a voting system where 32% with a bit of wiggle is perceived to be able to govern. Why? That is so far away from any majority that one can only wonder. Is that what Mr Shearer builds his confidence on? If it is even contemplated that 32% can go anywhere than FPP has never been changed.
32% Labour 14% Greens 5% NZ First (and Hone out in the cold as being too left) is still over the line…but also a monstrosity in of itself.
Stalin comparison right at the front.
Yay.
That cuts donw my “give a fuck” time allocation significantly.
OK, that was all as enlightening as MUD, the only point of real interest was Paula, the Minister of removing people form their entitlements, giving as a reason for the disparity in the figures of actual unemployed and the number of those currently collecting the dole is that both Sickness beneficiaries and those who receive the DPB who also have children over the age of 5 are now being included in the figures of the unemployed,
What tho of the heart of the discussion,
This ‘discussion’ centers on the figures that if those currently receiving a welfare benefit were to receive that benefit for a ‘lifetime’ the cost to the Government would be 78 billion dollars, (shock horror spit),
Lets put aside the little ‘fact’ for the moment that such a proposition FAILS at the first hurdle in that very few of those people as a % will receive those benefits ‘for a lifetime’, instead lets play the game as the Paula’s (Bennett and Rebstock) do, as monetarists,
Remembering all the while that the GROSS COST of all those benefits over a ‘lifetime’ is 78 billion dollars,(gasp shock horror) we can judge this against Government revenue from the figure that this is currently 60.6 billion dollars a year, (leaving aside for the moment that we are in the middle of a recession),
So, in ten years that Government revenue would have been 600 billion dollars set against a ‘lifetime’ welfare bill of 78 billion dollars,
In fifty years of Government revenue the total Government revenue collected will be, excuses here as my riffmatic aint so hot, a ball park figure of 3000 billion dollars against a ‘lifetime’ welfare bill of 78 billion dollars, and, say that slowly to yourself to see just how ridiculous the Paula’s are being in using such a figure as a crude club to attempt to turn people against beneficiaries,
Now being good little monetarists, (well just for this morning anyway), we in all honesty have to look at this equation from around all aspects of this 78 billion dollars GROSS that the Government in all it’s largesse will pay out over that ‘lifetime’ of payment,
Taxation!!! yes TAXATION, the Paula’s (Bennett and Rebstock) are using GROSS figures to arrive at the figure of 78 billion dollars, SO, using back of an envelope figures we can ‘see’ that direct taxation of that 78 billion dollars will result in 15% of that 78 billion NOT being paid to those beneficiaries at all,
Indirect taxation, you know the stuff, petrol tax, tobacco tax, tax tax tax etc, will result in the Government within 2 days of having paid out any of this 78 billion dollars recouping another 10% of the 78 billion dollars,
And, last but not least GS fucking T, at 15% will mean that within 2 days of having paid out any of the 78 billion dollars the Government will have raked back in another 15% of that 78 billion dollars,
But wait there’s more, yes sadly more, Beneficiaries spend what little monies they receive as part of that 78 billion dollars within 2 days into the local economy, what’s left after taxation is extracted that is, the goods and services bought by those beneficiaries from local providers are again taxed as profit from the pockets of those the beneficiaries buy the goods and services off of,
So here’s the Paula’s(Bennett and Rebstock), equation again from a ballpark income of 3000 billion dollars over a ‘lifetime’, 78 billion dollars will be paid out in welfare benefits 40% of which the Government will have within 2 days of paying this money out recouped as TAXATION,
What then to make of the 2 Paula’s(Bennett and Rebstock) shock horror 78 billion dollar ‘lifetime’ cost of welfare benefits, bullshit, simply blatant fucking bullshit is the best i can at this point muster from my limited vocabulary…
Yep
.
Yep. Bullshit alright.
Would such short statement not be the job of labor in the house when these figures are being thrown around and hence have to be reported in the same way as Mrs Bennets statement?
Lolz, i dont’t think Bullshit is a word allowed,(under standing orders), to be uttered in the House, i wonder tho if ‘equine defecation’ might slip through…
“This ‘discussion’ centers on the figures that if those currently receiving a welfare benefit were to receive that benefit for a ‘lifetime’ the cost to the Government would be 78 billion dollars, (shock horror spit),”
and any journo worth the title would respond with “yeah but thats a sack or horseshit and you know it”
not holding my breath though
Paula, the Minister of parting people from what was once their legal entitlements, unintentionally painted Her and the other Paula’s (Rebstocks), monetary assertion of the ‘lifetime’ cost of beneficiaries as bullshit in the RadioNZ National interview this morning pointing out that the unemployment figures show that that benefit isn’t the ‘problem’ as the majority of those who access the unemployment benefit do so for short periods,
So, we now know that Paula has no pressing inducement to further attack unemployment benefit recipients besides having them prove that they have been looking for work,
She said as much also about the recipients of DPB, which just leads me to the conclusion that the most vulnerable cohort of mostly single people in our society are in the next 18 months to be subjected to Paula’s ‘help’ to move them off of that particular benefit,
Paula a number of times during the interview pointed out that Invalids Beneficiaries are paid a higher rate of benefit than those who receive the unemployment benefit, this is of course because the invalids benefit is expected by those who receive it and the Medical Professionals who test these individuals for work capability befor signing the relevant paper-work do not expect such people to be in any condition to work for a number of years if ever,
Paula tho knows best and we can assume that the National Government ‘plan’ to move 40,000 individuals ‘off benefit’ will be directed at these individuals, the economics of which National have given as much thought to as the 78 billion dollar ‘lifetime cost’ of benefits i will get down to discussing later…
hope someones recorded that
Easily accessed i assume via the RadioNZ web-site /nine to noon…
😉
now, anyhoo, this is just for the locals, and then i will sit back out of your hair.
an argillaceous liason around the ear as a scruffily draped phaethon parked a Malt magnesia exertion beneath the quasia dilantern.purslonely, it’s a bitter sweet sola number. Mind the salt Sister shiney washer, Let Robin save the day from the pun under your bed. To the emperor we dispose (please don’t let my tyre down; I enjoyed the walk) A pound a round The Globe. Beep Beep bop a loo bop
a little melting. Talk about pissisting down a man’s deep furrows.tick The Other Kind a pair of brown eyes walk alone (to be Farr, I’ve always followed the news to see what’s blown up today)
spinning wheel goes round and round the Gestalt chair, yet no bodies there.took the money and run.
Interesting to read this in the Herald today:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10863308
Where are the crowds of idiots screeching “OMG! David Cunliffe didn’t endorse the leader! He’s mounting a coup!”
Why is his answer good enough today, but it wasn’t good enough at Conference?
Is he going to be demoted again for refusing to endorse Shearer?
Chess, that is the name of the game. People who work like the last roman emperors lot have not got my vote.
Slight difference between a frontbencher refusing to endorse the leader at conference while voting to change the election format into a form that might be advantageous for him (while the leader abstained from that vote), and a backbencher who has previously endorsed the leader walking into the caucus room on the day of what looks like a routine confidence endorsement.
Tax cuts for their own and a bedroom tax for others. Tory arses.
Slash and Burn Tyres
http://www.rtcc.org/climate-ambition-could-slash-value-of-big-oil-firms/
Zone O2out
http://www.rtcc.org/ozone-hole-affecting-antarctics-ability-to-absorb-carbon-dioxide/
Lawyers Bunsen Burners and Dunny
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Money-Politics-and-the-Sc-by-Adnan-Al-Daini-130203-17.html
Oh well.
.
The link to the Independent’s story makes for frustrating reading.
In my internet travelling, I often come across the denialist position that climate change is a conspiracy. Ironic situation is ironic.
yes BLiP, saw that article Independently a little while back.
Well, after THAT news today it may be safe to assume that the only champagne corks popping tonight will be in the abodes of Team Shearer and those of the right wingers.
Instead lets raise a glass of red to The Greens and give a nod to Mana. All power to you. All power to us as voters too. We need to rally togther and to unify. Its up to us as well. Collectively and individually we have to get those non voters educated and motivated. Its a big task ahead.
@ Rosie
+1 😀
.
So, what happens in Australia when a couple of journalists reveal high-level corruption and cover up . . . that goes on and on and on? Well, government and its authorities ignore it then goes after the journalists and their sources.
.
what a surprise
Fuck, another wee whopper just whacked Chch. Guess 4.4, 8km deep, centred 5km east.
Just for something different eh vto? You Cantabrians must be built of strong stuff. I’d have been a mess along time ago if I was in your shoes. The heaving earth beneath your feet is one thing but it must be something else to have the strength to take on insurers and cope with being treated like irksome peasants by a contemptuous govt. Kia Kaha.
Ha, yeah cheers, but we are mere mortals and I think most populations would just deal with it all the same way. As for being a mess – yep, there is plenty mess in the population. Strung out and worn out. Especially when the Great Earth Monster lets loose right under your arse…
Great Earth Monster? Has Gerry the Hutt been given a new nickname I am not aware of?
“The Panel” continues its ghastly decline
Radio NZ National, Monday 4 March, 2013
Jim Mora, Jonathan Krebs, Tino Pereira
We are already into the fourth week of this year’s version of Jim Mora’s program “The Panel”. Sadly, the producers have made no innovations or improvements to the format at all; Jim’s volubility is as insufferable as ever, his blithe condescension is if anything even worse, and the “talent” is drawn from the same stagnant pool of lacklustre sycophants as it was last year, and the year before.
Today’s edition was typical….
MORA: All right, the next subject is ACC payouts. Some of these claims to ACC are hilarious! There were fifty claims for sunburn! Hur hur hur hur hur!
JONATHAN KREBS: Ha ha ha ha!
MORA: Hur hur hur hur hur! Fourteen thousand claims for insect bites…
TINO PEREIRA: Ha ha ha ha ha!
MORA: There were one hundred and ninety-five claims for windsurfing and—hur, hur, hur, hur!—two hundred and eleven for bodyboard injuries!
JONATHAN KREBS: Ha ha ha ha ha!
JIM MORA: Hur hur hur! And 938 barbecue injuries! Hur hur hur hur hur!
JONATHAN KREBS: Ha ha ha ha ha!
TINO PEREIRA: Ha ha ha ha ha!
MORA: Professor Grant Duncan from Massey University joins us. Hur hur
hur hur!
PROFESSOR DUNCAN: I am concerned about this apparent trivialization of injuries.
MORA: Uhhhh….
PROFESSOR GRANT DUNCAN: I don’t think these injuries are trivial. If you get stung by a swarm of wasps you need to get yourself to hospital. I think it’s dangerous if we start to trivialize injuries like this.
MORA: Hmmmm. Inevitable with media reportage though….
SOAPBOX….
MORA: Now’s the time we find out what our Panelists have been thinking about. Jonathan, you want to talk about university fees?
KREBS: Yeah, I don’t have anything that’s really NEEDLING me at the moment, Jim, but my daughter Harriet is off to university and I have had to pay $6,000 for her accommodation and $7,000 for course fees, which made me pucker up a bit!
….and so on, and so on, and so on….
Just started watching seven sharp… It’s fluffier than my bellybutton lint, what a joke of a current affairs show.
Thankfully rain fade brought me to my senses but it’s a doozy ain’t it? Poor buggers! Still, I guess it pays the mortgage aye and its cleaner than the usual form of prostitution. They can probably wait till they get home before they have to have a shower!
Slippery the Prime Minister will be having lots of fun at the Waitangi Marae tomorrow…
What if David Cunliffe started his own party, i’m sure he would get a truckload of
support, who needs the s–t that has been dished out to him, just a thought.
UNWATCHABLE! SEVEN SHARP IS A DISASTER
One’s dreadful new current affairs show will not survive
SEVEN SHARP, Inaugural broadcast, Television One, Monday 4 March 2013
Alison Mau, Greg Boyed, Jesse Mulligan and assorted others
Alison Mau’s credibility, already pretty unimpressive, has plunged to an all-time low over the weekend, following her ludicrous few days of dishonestly lionizing “Sir” Paul Holmes as the greatest broadcaster who ever lived. It was ominous that she debased her currency so grievously just before this show’s opening.
Anybody who has looked at his Twitter account or seen him try to ad-lib while reading the News knows that Greg Boyed is about as funny as a parking ticket. On the evidence of tonight’s show, his idea of humour is to make sarcastic remarks. Not funny sarcastic remarks, though; Boyed is no Charlie Brooker. His first contribution to the dreadful three-person opening remarks sequence, was to make a sarcastic swipe at Titewhai Harawira, smirking with derision as he called her “that paragon of reason.” It was the sort of remark that the late Paul Holmes would have made, but Boyed has none of Holmes’s leavening wit.
Jesse Mulligan, who is billed as a comedian, decided to go for the big laughs: “Now we were going to have the Prime Minister cut a ribbon for the start of the show, but he wasn’t available.” Then he laughed: “Naaah, actually he WAS available, he just didn’t want to come on. Ha ha ha ha ha!” Tellingly, neither Alison Mau nor Greg Boyed could squeeze out a laugh to support the poor fellow. They were clearly wishing the ground would swallow them up. And so, no doubt, were most viewers.
Barry Soper’s South African squeeze Heather Du Plessis-Allan announced that she was going to do a “puff-piece” on John Key. “What else would you expect?” she laughed. And that’s just what she did.
I bailed after five minutes. It was simply unwatchable.
observing the political machinations (under the hood and on the deck) in this country, it is no surprise we have wrong-headed where we are going. Kubrick may be correct, no amount of writing on The Wall this season and as for roman Ghosts! In ADDition, any suggestions other than auto-pilot or Siberia? What is reaped is what is grown to make of no effect when one leg is shorter than the other or missing benignly. It’s a minefield on a moon lit night through vanity and vineyards across the red cod reef Clive; If not, a co-ordinated portamanto is being drawn as we pick up after others (my notes have been binned in the recycling, blown away like the sand of a mandala) I really don’t mind if we sit this one Out (we may make you feel but we can’t help but think…back to the scrap heap) 🙁
Last Post for our loyal side-kick soldier.
Get LAo Daily (this cat’s not comin’ back) arrivederci, auf wiedersehen pets. bye 🙁 🙂
observing the political machinations in this country, it is no surprise we have wrong-headed where we are going. Kubrick may be correct; no amount of writing will break down The Wall this season and as for roman Ghosts? In Addition, any suggestions other than auto-pilot or Siberia? What is reaped is what is grown to make of no effect when one leg is shorter than the other or missing altogether.It’s a mine-field on a moonlit night through vanity and vineyards across a red cod sand-Bar.If not a co-ordinated portamanto is being drawn.Picking up after others as I deposited my own notes in a recycling bin, blown away like a sand mandala. Really don’t mind if I sit this one Out
(we may make you feel but we can’t help but think…off to the scrap heap again).
Last Post for our trusty side-kick soldier.Get LAotea Daily. (this cat’s not coming back).
arrivederci auf wiedersehen pets. bye. 🙁 🙂
Something for the late nite insomniac and other’s warning it could make you sick
http://tvnz.co.nz/news
2/3rd of the page down on the left side entitles Inside John Keys Office a nice little 4.5 min vomit fest of Key love in talk about 1 sided reporting. But they have to do somethinf after that crap 7 Sharp Maybe they could get Hooton on it a crap writer on a crap show.
lolz @ “I never drink in the daytime.”