It’s Labor Day in the U.S. and a book has been published about Joe Hill – The Man Who Never Died, by William Adler. I think it’s going to be a must read.
Joe Hill – the migrant labourer, an anarchist and union man in the U.S. He was executed in 1915 for a murder he didn’t commit. He appeared to accept the execution would do more for the cause of the working poor than if he’d lived – told his friends don’t mourn for me – organise!” Amazing story
Joe, a Swedish immigrant and wandering troubadour-troublemaker, was a “Wobbly”, an agitating member of the One Big Union, the red flag International Workers of the World, a harum-scarum, mad-as-hell, happy-in-fellowship bunch of hoboes and gypsy workingmen who scared the pants off business leaders, pious church-goers, police chiefs, governors and all right-thinking citizens in the early part of the last century.
I knew the song, as sung by Joan Baez but never knew his story or that of the International Workers of the World. A bit of history here
Yes Labor Day in the US. And a few people in the MSM are just starting to realise how shit it has been over there, and how the outlook is even worse for the US.
immortal words:
“Labor is prior to and independent of capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.”
I suppose an attitude like that is why Abe Lincoln got shot.
“Labor is prior to and independent of capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.”
I suppose an attitude like that is why Abe Lincoln got shot.
When 37% of all consumer purchases are made by the top 5% income earners it’s quite clear that (1) workers are losing and (2) inequality is killing the economy.
The same warnings on inequality are written in different ways , but surely even the money people should be able to work this one out… spread the money around a bit and everyone will do better, yeah?
I am inclined to think Lincoln was shot because his use of greenbacks during the civil war, and because of his apparent intention to continue their use after the war. Still I’m only guessing.
Yeah Rosy, I’m pretty sure the Wobblies exerted a profound influence on early New Zealand Red Fed (and, later, Labour Party) leaders like “Fighting” Bob Semple, Paddy Webb and, perhaps above all, the brilliant (but, unlike the others, never-elected-to-Parliament) Pat Hickey. Hickey had worked for a few years (around 1904-1906) in a mine in Utah, where he was a member of the Western Federation of Miners, which preached class solidarity and revolutionary industrial unionism.
Interesting whistle-blowing going on around the SCF debacle.
Heads should roll, and given the PM’s unequivocal backing of what is now shown to be a wrong-headed and malicious investigation… he too needs to take some responsibility.
But of course responsibility is an unknown concept to these tory pricks.
How about we got back a few steps and get an inquiry as to why SCF was in the scheme against tresaury advice, blinglish and Key ushered them in as soon as they could, further warnings by treasury were ignored and the payout was at 100% plus interest.
How many other finance company investors were afforded such a risk free outcome ?
Natural justice is certainly lacking when it comes to Allan Hubbard. Hubbard has one of the cleanest track records in NZ when it comes to business. I hope that someone carries the torch for him, as the last 15 months of his life was devoted to amassing the evidence to prove he was not corrupt and also to find out who was behind his departure at Aorangi and how they went about it.
RL Treasury warned John Key And Blingenglish that SCF were breaking the covenants of their contract John Key said we will keep backing them . Key has some answering to do.
The findings of an investigator who works at no cost for the supporters of Allan Hubbard are not particularly independent.
it’s like citing a post from The Standard as evidence to support a post on The Standard.
When a genuinely independent review finds fault in the Companies Office, the Securities Commission and the statutory managers, and that independent review stands up to scrutiny, then I’ll take notice.
Until then your call for heads to roll is irresponsible.
it’s like citing a post from The Standard as evidence to support a post on The Standard.
That doesn’t make any sense Joe (Not that I’m surprised by a RWNJ not making sense). Using evidence to support what you say is usually a good practice. Researchers do it all the time.
When a genuinely independent review finds fault in the Companies Office…
There’s no such thing. The only people who are going to investigate are the people are the people with an interest in the outcome. Now, it could be that this investigation is but that would be up to the reviewers to determine.
Last Sunday on Sunday TV 1 at 7.30 pm there was a good example of how devious witnesses can be. I am refering to Mahon who headed the Erebus Inquiry and how Mahon’s comment “an orchestrated litany of lies” was directed at Air New Zealand (Davis, Chippendale…). The Privy Council ruled that Mahon’s conclusion was correct when it came to the cause of the loss of 257 lives, but when it came to Air New Zealand being held accountable, the Privy Council ruled that natural justice was absent, so Air NZ did not have to face the music when it came to being held responsible for TE 901 crashing into Mt Erebus.
According to the bigots there’s no such thing as racism. So if you say anything mean about racists then you’re just attacking a marginalised oppressed minority. Which makes you a bigot. And therefore probably a racist.
Mutu didn’t seek to identify racist attitudes or beliefs – she demonstrated them.
But don’t take my word.
Here’s David Rankin’s view:
“She obviously thinks of herself as the Robert Mugabe of New Zealand politics, and has caused offence to hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders because of her extreme racist views.”
“As a Maori, I welcome white immigrants,” Rankin said. “They are the ones most likely to bring employment opportunities for our communities, and we don’t see the sort of racism Margaret refers to.”
I don’t think Margaret Mutu’s observations were a joke. Provocative? Yes. Accurate? Yes.
Taking a complaint to the ‘Race Relations? Farcical. Calling for her to lose her job? Ridiculous.
The reaction of the usual right wing suspects? Ah. Now that I do regard as a bit of a joke. But that’s the only reason most of you clowns typo error the comments you do, right? To bring a little mirth into peoples’ days, yes?
So then how do you reconcile this oponion with the post – That you participated in http://thestandard.org.nz/cheeky-darkie-holmes-at-it-again/
And Ant R0Bs “No Paul, to hell with racists.”
And redlogics comment
“The left frequently make the mistake of thinking tolerance must always be the highest principle that trumps all others. Well it ain’t. All too frequently it just finishes up as a proxy for being too lazy or apathetic to stand up for what is right.”
Funny how the aruguement has changed depending on the players involved !!!
I made two comments in that thread you link to Herodotus. Care to point out any inconsistences between what I said on that thread and this one and then I’ll get back to you?
No there was nothing in conflict by you from then or now – My intention was just to assist to refresh your memory back then in the discussion. And anyway there is nothing wrong in changing opinions, additional info can help all of us to see where we are wrong or confirm when we are right 🙂
What makes Mutu’s comments deplorable is not her concern about immigration policy but the conclusion she draws that white people are racist.
Far from being condemned like Clydesdale was a week ago on this self-same website, Mutu’s extrenme dogma is applauded. That’s the sort of meta-racism that only comes from hard-line idealogues.
Whatever happened to the notion that migrants should be assessed as individuals, and decisions based on their level of skills, experience, education, contribution to NZ, &c.? Why should ethnic background matter?
Taking a complaint to the ‘Race Relations? Farcical. Calling for her to lose her job? Ridiculous.
I admit I haven’t read what she said, but my son spoke to me about it yesterday, and he was utterly gob-smacked by her comments. On the basis of what he said, losing her job is the very least she should expect.
A stunning graphic indeed. However Joe will no doubt say that the Times is a lying bunch of Left wing idealogues who twist the facts. And that those very rich folk trickle their wealth down to the workers and are the biggest donors etc etc.
Open question; how much an we attribute to the Reagan/Thatcherite right ‘greed is good’ swing, and how much should we point to the huge adoption of IT technology that more or less dates from exactly the same time?
Yesterday I decided to set up a Wikipedia page for The Jackal blogsite so that people searching for it could more readily find information. I also intend to use it to document controversial and significant topics that relate to New Zealand’s blogosphere, the law and politics in general. Little did I know that it’s a veritable minefield of rules and regulations, which will probably ensure an end to The Jackal article on Wikipedia…
Then why is Kiwibog on there? The Jackal doesn’t sell anything. There is a certain amount of promotion with any content on the Internet, even this comment could be considered promoting The Jackal. I’m linking to my site right now… big deal!
Another very capable informed woman who is an excellent communicator on her subject. On radionz this a.m.
10:05 Connie Hedegaard – European Commissioner for Climate Action
Connie Hedegaard is the European Commissioner for Climate Action. She’s in New Zealand leading the EU’s delegation to the Pacific Islands Forum, where she is also meeting Pacific leaders ahead of international climate negotiations. She was Denmark’s first minister for climate and energy, and is now leading the EU’s efforts towards a low-carbon future and the many different forms that takes. What is the EU doing to move towards a low-carbon economy?
A few days ago I wrote an article entitled New Zealand’s Oil Bonanza… Yeah Right! concerning National’s over inflation of potential income from oil and gas extraction in New Zealand. The sheer level of misreporting going on to promote a destructive process that contributes to climate change, (that threatens human existence on earth) was astounding and completely unacceptable…
Im not talking about open Mike, im talking about the actual writers here, it seems racism is okay with the left as long as its a Maori woman that is being racist.
Still I got a laugh when she told the media what the word racist means.
Below is a quote from an email Mana FB admin posted, http://www.facebook.com/ManaParty, they do so occasionally to let people know what keyboard racists there are out there.
“Still cant believe the Mana party even exsists and if you are such a proud people and party, how about you raise your own party funds and not rely on the NZ people. Your entire party is just too out there and hypocritical for the avg kiwi , but I suppose the hard core niggers like yourselves all get off on this. Send all niggers home!!! Regards lee”
So all you tory toe rags like Brett and Grumpy, “lee” rather supports Margaret Mutu’s contention that racism is alive and hating in NZ.
Did you see my post on their facebook page to that letter, saying that belongs in the Trash. Disgusting someone would write something like that to them. That though has nothing to do
with what Margaret said and her position of power, and I stand by my thoughts, that normally sites like the standard would be outrage with the comments that Margaret Mutu said, but because she isa Maori woman you guys just shut up and say nothing and that is racist in itself.
bit of a difference there Grumpy,
an academic commenting on the integration of immigrants into society and the perceived affects upon her culture is hardly the same as big headed broadcasters espousing basic bigotry
Maybe I’ll do a post on racism in NZ Brett. You know, the fact its all pervasive, insidious and overt.
And maybe I’ll compare it to the very similar ‘culture of superiority’ displayed by the English (British) establishment towards their white colonies within the British Isles.
And maybe I’ll throw in a couple of open ended questions; such as why at the mention of a person being Polynesian, the immediate assumption is that they must be brown in spite of the fact that all white people born in NZ are Polynesian too?
Or why it is that NZ is routinely and casually lumped in with Australasia when it is most decidedly not a part of Australasia, but a part of Polynesia?
Or why it is that so many white people still mainatin that they are European in official forms in spite of the fact that they and their parents and even their parent’s parents were born in Polynesia?
Or how it is possible to have a culture, supposedly based on partnership and that spans generations, to continue encouraging/promoting a European identity/ethnicity among the whites within it?
Got any other revealing questions you’d like to add to the list Brett?
My thoughts are, the only reason we are different races is becaus eof Contineal drift.
I just hate hypocrisy, and judgign the same behaviour diferently. Because Mutu is a Maori woman, the left wasnt offended by her comments.
In terms of immigration I have always thought that the question what Ethnicity are you, should never be asked, because it shouldnt matter, what matters is what type of person you are.
I think you’ll find that continental drift may have given rise to different species Brett and further, that any drift during the entire span of human existence is negligable.
And I think you’ll find that questions of ethnicity are asked in almost all official forms and that answers are limited by the ‘multiple choice’ nature of possible responses.
You might also find that the whole concept of ‘race’ is a discredited one…that there is simply the human race.
But all that aside, you got any interseting or thought provoking questions up your sleeve to be incorporated into a possible post?
If nationality isn’t asked for (alongside proof), then we are talking open borders; freedom of movement for people.
I’m all for that Brett.
But in the meantime, there are immigration policies. And they’re loaded to favour some over others. (Points being awarded on skill set, wealth, age etc.) So in the present scenario, why not load the policy against racists?
I mean, political beliefs already affect the ability of some people to obtain visas etc, ( and by extension residency) so why not?
No problem, I would be more than happy if a white South African extremist was denied entry to NZ. Just as I would be for Islamic extremist for their hatred of women, gays and infidels. How about you?
(Points being awarded on skill set, wealth, age etc.) So in the present scenario, why not load the policy against racists?
And how would you determine that someone was a racist? By their national origin? Or their colour? Absurd. The most determinedly (to the point of being a tad unbalanced) person I ever met, was a social worker at Social Welfare in the 80s, a long-haired blue eyed blond man from Manchester England. (By a bit unbalanced, I mean that he frequently had dreams, he told me, of being in the centre of a group of angry Maori who chided him for not having done enough for Maori, and he always felt that he deserved it, as giving his life and that of his children would not be enough!
“And maybe I’ll throw in a couple of open ended questions; such as why at the mention of a person being Polynesian, the immediate assumption is that they must be brown in spite of the fact that all white people born in NZ are Polynesian too?”
Obviously you did not see Mutu’s interview??? with the World’s Worst Interviewer on Closeup last night.
Apparently we are all just “visitors” in New Zealand. Makes you wonder, with her mixed anscestry, how she sees herself?
As for being an “academic” obviously Auckland University has a very low threshold for that title.
Okay. Just watched it. She said she wanted a discussion on racism. What it is; how it plays out and what to do about it.
‘The ‘walrus’ in his intro said she wanted a universally applied test that would pick up on racist attitudes. What she said was that she didn’t want people coming into the country who would actively pursue to deny others that which rightfully belongs to them.
I can’t see why anyone would have a problem with that.
As an immigrant, my problem was that although I had to jump through numerous hoops with the immigration service there was no official avenue available for me to seek permission from tāngata whenua to live here.
And when I considered citizenship, there was no official avenue for me to approach tāngata whenua, but there was an obligation to swear allegience to a monarch who resides on the other side of the planet.
When I made moves to seek permission from tāngata whenua, the particular people I talked to near fell over backwards. No one had ever approached them before. I thought it was merely the decent thing to do and was genuinely surprised that nobody else had sought to do it. (Besides being common decency, it would have actually meant something whereas being granted permission by a faceless, anonymous bureaucracy means absolutely nothing and is, to my mind permission being granted by an illegitimate authority.)
Meanwhile, getting back tothe point. Racist attitudes are fairly easy to pick and strangely difficult to disguise. So a test is ‘do-able’.
And Margaret Mutu objects to active racists. Not the everyday armchair type who will move along with the broader ‘cultural times’. And wouldn’t it be a good thing to have fewer active racists impacting on the cultural environments of NZ so that the cultural environment moves that bit more speedily?
You have written some awesome comments about this, and related subjects, Bill – thank you for that and what you have written here – you are a good bloke and I hope you do put up a post because you have some very valuable insights and attitudes.
“Apparently we are all just “visitors” in New Zealand.”
That’s not what she said. She said non-Maori are ‘welcome guests’. In order to understand what she means you have to understand Maori concepts of manawhenua and manaakitanga rather than misinterpreting her words through pakeha constructs.
Or why it is that so many white people still mainatin that they are European in official forms in spite of the fact that they and their parents and even their parent’s parents were born in Polynesia?
Firstly, because official forms no longer give the “Pakeha” option, and second in my case, because although I was born here as was my mother, my father wasn’t.
I am now reading the Herald article linked to, and looking at the picture of Mutu – and laughing! She’s whiter than my mother was!
When poor law, bad judgement and kneejerk hysteria are exposed as an expensive waste of time and resources they resort to desperate measures and end up with applying what we can only imagine are the flimsiest of organised crime charges, though it will be interesting to see what the nature of the organised crime actually was . . . .
The fact that she appears to genuinely believe her own spin against all the evidence to the contrary appears to serve her well. She just chants the same mantra no matter what is put in front of her.
@freedom – Your comment was very enigmatic. Why didn’t you put one descriptive word ie Urewera or similar? I had to go to the link to see what you are on about which I find is what I want to comment on.
A recent Court case has resulted in charges in Operation Eight against the Tuhoe group being dropped but nothing can be revealed about the finding according to radionz! There are still 4 to go including Tame Iti for consorting with criminals or similar.
Makes me wonder why we are over in the USA talking about that dodgy TPPPPTTT? Surely the country that dominates this matter is also criminal. It has broken numerous laws, but hey ho why should we worry about dealing with an entity which only washes the top of its hands. Turn them over and see what is on their palms! Let’s have some practical sense not the present non-sense from this government.
prism, exactly why i wrote what i wrote,
( wouldn’t it be be interesting to know what all the other possible articles were that went through people’s heads 🙂 )
Another serious example of self-regulation and slack and lazy control over high standards for business has just been referred to today. Apparently MAF won’t prosecute bad, sloppy bee keepers after serious outbreaks of problem disease and pests. MAF says that it’s better to work with them, but then the bad practices are just continued with. Isn’t this amazing at a time when we know that the vital bee industry is under threat.
What happens is that this foulbrood disease type spreads and infects other hives. The latest outbreak has resulted in 30 hives having to be burnt in an effort to rid the area of the infection.
This hurts other beekeepers trying to run their businesses in a hygienic, responsible way. Enough of having their hives and business destroyed regularly and some beekeepers will give up all together. Not everybody wants to raise bees, not everybody is a good beekeeper either. When can we get our country back from this disease of neo liberalism, this desire for business to selfishly please themselves in their businesses with as few controls or commitment to good standards as possible.
I read that via a Naomi Klein tweet the other day, she quickly retracted once she was corrected, just thought I should point it out. I wish the article had been true…
I found this while browsing on Stuff… http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5572717/Son-13-ready-to-support-family-and-ill-dad?comment_msg=posted#post_comment
and I am not sure where to begin! The child is an idiot… as I said in my comment which is “awaiting approval”, he’s a prime example of the benefits of home-schooling. He says that when his father dies and if he can’t support his family, ”
“If I can’t support my family, they will have to go on the dole. I don’t want that,”
If things still work as they did when I worked for Social Welfare, the boy’s mother will go on to a widow’s benefit. That’s not “the dole”. Presumably the boy isn’t concerned about the amount – in common with the average non-beneficiary out there he probably thinks benefit levels are 3 times what they really are. He’s probably worried about the “shame”… However a 13 year old boy should not be risking other peoples’ lives by driving a truck – he should be getting an education. Apologies if someone’s already mentioned this – I am havinn connection problems!
I am becoming suspicious of certain news items.I think there is a move instigated by Crosby/Textor to drive a wedge between the Greens and Labour. The Left must not fall into a trap from the Right that would have the Greens and Labour competing against each other. We must never forget that although we sometimes differ we are both on the political Left .Lets both insprire for a Labour /Green government. Which Aotearoa badly needs.
Totally agree and the first thing Labour should do, unless it has another plan, is to accept the Greens’ get children out of poverty for $180million plan. That will cement the political relationship and people will know that Labour means what it says about helping children. This is instant. I know Labour has various other policy but it can I’m sure incorporate this strategy and more importantly, acknowledge Greens’ importance in this by giving the Greens the portfolio to make it happen. That way the Greens will get on with it.
Labour needs to acknowledge both Progressives and the Greens. Jim Anderton added a huge plus to that Government with KiwiBank and if Labour had still been in Government Anderton would have had his affordable dental care bill followed up.
Greens missed out for obvious reasons – United Future and NZ First forced them out and Labour had to deal with them in order to keep National out or we would have been even worse off now.
Perhaps people will begin to finally accept that sustainable living along with 21st century lifestyles can live side by side with thoughtful compromise.
The worst thing New Zealanders can do now is keep NActU in once more term; it is this next term whereby New Zealand loses its future. Labour can reinstate the 75% requirement before Local Government assets can be sold, which it laudably legislated for in 2002.
Why on earth isn’t Labour shouting out about what it has achieved and what it has saved New Zealand from if National had manipulated it into giving out more tax cuts. We’ve already seen the damage that NActU has done in this short time. Be warned; they will speed up if they get in again. Give them time on the sidelines while we bring some worker/employer/government balance back to our community.
Helen Clark gave us time to recoup our losses from the previous Douglas/Richardson cuckoos.
Douglas got back; don’t be surprised if Richardson gets back in too. Where did she get thrown out of after destroying their economy? Iceland? Ireland?
Parliament is waxing lyrical over the Local Government Borrowing Bill – sounds good.
Word of caution; anything Rodney Hide touches turns to lead and our country-wide assets will be seen trotting off to foreign parts on JKeyll and Hide’s little piggy legs.
Auckland has $28 billion of assets which Hide stole from all the greater councils around the city. The jury is out on the worthwhile benefits to the country areas that have been completely left out except for a good library service, but even that carries risks if only one area of the Library can buy books. It was noticeable by the books that the libraries were selling off by the bucketload that anything to do with women’s rights and political books that put another point of view to that of the neo-conservative were being reduced.
The country areas don’t have electric trains expected so Stephen Joyce was lying in Parliament today.
Also, Christchurch’s earthquake was extremely convenient for this government to take public view off the fact they had shut down the democratice ECAN in Canterbury. Brownlee will certainly try to force (he is czar after all) Christchurch Council to sell off its assets.
Should Auckland have an earthquake in the future the LG Borrowing Bill debt, which I admit does save us from PPPs, etc. will be used to force the Councils in debt to sell off LG assets.
Read The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein and you will see why I am so cynical about this government and its bovver boy Hide. JKeyll is hiding behind these extremists. Remember.
and dont forget goldman sacks. they have stepped up to asist the PM by sticking their oar in and saying that ‘industry’ is being held back because there is not enough liquidity in the sharemarket so therfore sell the state assets so the rugged individualists can play monopol;y with other peoples money. look there goes the march hare and the mad hatter.
What was that valuable piece of information on the Stock Exchange? That it has nothing to do with the overall financial well-being of New Zealand and New Zealanders – just a place for mostly men with pots of money they’ve stolen off other people to go and play paper wars with.
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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 ...
Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three. ...
Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blogIn 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
Citizen Science writes – Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
Karl du Fresne writes – There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
David Farrar writes – The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time.A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced ...
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. ...
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
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 ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
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It’s Labor Day in the U.S. and a book has been published about Joe Hill – The Man Who Never Died, by William Adler. I think it’s going to be a must read.
Joe Hill – the migrant labourer, an anarchist and union man in the U.S. He was executed in 1915 for a murder he didn’t commit. He appeared to accept the execution would do more for the cause of the working poor than if he’d lived – told his friends don’t mourn for me – organise!” Amazing story
I knew the song, as sung by Joan Baez but never knew his story or that of the International Workers of the World. A bit of history here
Yes Labor Day in the US. And a few people in the MSM are just starting to realise how shit it has been over there, and how the outlook is even worse for the US.
immortal words:
I suppose an attitude like that is why Abe Lincoln got shot.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/labor-day-blues/2011/09/04/gIQAr8fb2J_story.html?hpid=z2
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-fallacy-of-post-industrial-prosperity/2011/09/04/gIQAk4Ob2J_story.html?hpid=z2
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/achenblog?hpid=z2
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-last-labor-day/2011/09/04/gIQA11Ob2J_story.html?hpid=z2
immortal words:
I suppose an attitude like that is why Abe Lincoln got shot.
When 37% of all consumer purchases are made by the top 5% income earners it’s quite clear that (1) workers are losing and (2) inequality is killing the economy.
The same warnings on inequality are written in different ways , but surely even the money people should be able to work this one out… spread the money around a bit and everyone will do better, yeah?
I am inclined to think Lincoln was shot because his use of greenbacks during the civil war, and because of his apparent intention to continue their use after the war. Still I’m only guessing.
Probably both – they attack the private banking system.
If you’re a fan…
Rebel Press of Wellington have just released ‘Remains to be Seen: tracing Joe Hills Ashes in New Zealand’ – available as a book or free PDF
Yeah Rosy, I’m pretty sure the Wobblies exerted a profound influence on early New Zealand Red Fed (and, later, Labour Party) leaders like “Fighting” Bob Semple, Paddy Webb and, perhaps above all, the brilliant (but, unlike the others, never-elected-to-Parliament) Pat Hickey. Hickey had worked for a few years (around 1904-1906) in a mine in Utah, where he was a member of the Western Federation of Miners, which preached class solidarity and revolutionary industrial unionism.
Interesting whistle-blowing going on around the SCF debacle.
Heads should roll, and given the PM’s unequivocal backing of what is now shown to be a wrong-headed and malicious investigation… he too needs to take some responsibility.
But of course responsibility is an unknown concept to these tory pricks.
Well spotted Red. There have been consistent concerns about the process used by the “system”. Surely the “experts” couldn’t have been wrong?
How about we got back a few steps and get an inquiry as to why SCF was in the scheme against tresaury advice, blinglish and Key ushered them in as soon as they could, further warnings by treasury were ignored and the payout was at 100% plus interest.
How many other finance company investors were afforded such a risk free outcome ?
Natural justice is certainly lacking when it comes to Allan Hubbard. Hubbard has one of the cleanest track records in NZ when it comes to business. I hope that someone carries the torch for him, as the last 15 months of his life was devoted to amassing the evidence to prove he was not corrupt and also to find out who was behind his departure at Aorangi and how they went about it.
RL Treasury warned John Key And Blingenglish that SCF were breaking the covenants of their contract John Key said we will keep backing them . Key has some answering to do.
The findings of an investigator who works at no cost for the supporters of Allan Hubbard are not particularly independent.
it’s like citing a post from The Standard as evidence to support a post on The Standard.
When a genuinely independent review finds fault in the Companies Office, the Securities Commission and the statutory managers, and that independent review stands up to scrutiny, then I’ll take notice.
Until then your call for heads to roll is irresponsible.
That doesn’t make any sense Joe (Not that I’m surprised by a RWNJ not making sense). Using evidence to support what you say is usually a good practice. Researchers do it all the time.
There’s no such thing. The only people who are going to investigate are the people are the people with an interest in the outcome. Now, it could be that this investigation is but that would be up to the reviewers to determine.
Last Sunday on Sunday TV 1 at 7.30 pm there was a good example of how devious witnesses can be. I am refering to Mahon who headed the Erebus Inquiry and how Mahon’s comment “an orchestrated litany of lies” was directed at Air New Zealand (Davis, Chippendale…). The Privy Council ruled that Mahon’s conclusion was correct when it came to the cause of the loss of 257 lives, but when it came to Air New Zealand being held accountable, the Privy Council ruled that natural justice was absent, so Air NZ did not have to face the music when it came to being held responsible for TE 901 crashing into Mt Erebus.
No word yet from Eddie about crowning Margaret Mutu as New Zealand’s new “most racist academic”.
What’s racist about seeking to identify racist attitudes/beliefs?
According to the bigots there’s no such thing as racism. So if you say anything mean about racists then you’re just attacking a marginalised oppressed minority. Which makes you a bigot. And therefore probably a racist.
Jeez Bill, a bit of sensitivity please.
Self inflicted slap up the side of the head duly administered.
thankyou for pointing out the error of my ways Felix 😉
Mutu didn’t seek to identify racist attitudes or beliefs – she demonstrated them.
But don’t take my word.
Here’s David Rankin’s view:
“She obviously thinks of herself as the Robert Mugabe of New Zealand politics, and has caused offence to hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders because of her extreme racist views.”
“As a Maori, I welcome white immigrants,” Rankin said. “They are the ones most likely to bring employment opportunities for our communities, and we don’t see the sort of racism Margaret refers to.”
and his complaint to Joris de Bres
So why do you treat it as a joke?
‘It’ being?
I don’t think Margaret Mutu’s observations were a joke. Provocative? Yes. Accurate? Yes.
Taking a complaint to the ‘Race Relations? Farcical. Calling for her to lose her job? Ridiculous.
The reaction of the usual right wing suspects? Ah. Now that I do regard as a bit of a joke. But that’s the only reason most of you clowns typo error the comments you do, right? To bring a little mirth into peoples’ days, yes?
So then how do you reconcile this oponion with the post – That you participated in
http://thestandard.org.nz/cheeky-darkie-holmes-at-it-again/
And Ant R0Bs “No Paul, to hell with racists.”
And redlogics comment
“The left frequently make the mistake of thinking tolerance must always be the highest principle that trumps all others. Well it ain’t. All too frequently it just finishes up as a proxy for being too lazy or apathetic to stand up for what is right.”
Funny how the aruguement has changed depending on the players involved !!!
I made two comments in that thread you link to Herodotus. Care to point out any inconsistences between what I said on that thread and this one and then I’ll get back to you?
No there was nothing in conflict by you from then or now – My intention was just to assist to refresh your memory back then in the discussion. And anyway there is nothing wrong in changing opinions, additional info can help all of us to see where we are wrong or confirm when we are right 🙂
got it in one Herodotus.
What makes Mutu’s comments deplorable is not her concern about immigration policy but the conclusion she draws that white people are racist.
Far from being condemned like Clydesdale was a week ago on this self-same website, Mutu’s extrenme dogma is applauded. That’s the sort of meta-racism that only comes from hard-line idealogues.
Whatever happened to the notion that migrants should be assessed as individuals, and decisions based on their level of skills, experience, education, contribution to NZ, &c.? Why should ethnic background matter?
I admit I haven’t read what she said, but my son spoke to me about it yesterday, and he was utterly gob-smacked by her comments. On the basis of what he said, losing her job is the very least she should expect.
A picture paints a thousand words.
Stunning graphic from the New York times clearly identifying what has been happening over the past 30 years.
It would be great if we had a Kiwi version.
A stunning graphic indeed. However Joe will no doubt say that the Times is a lying bunch of Left wing idealogues who twist the facts. And that those very rich folk trickle their wealth down to the workers and are the biggest donors etc etc.
putting words in other peoples mouths again IM?
That 1980 transition fascinates me.
Open question; how much an we attribute to the Reagan/Thatcherite right ‘greed is good’ swing, and how much should we point to the huge adoption of IT technology that more or less dates from exactly the same time?
What effects do you think IT has had over the last 3 decades?
PS, Some one copy this thread over to the post please.
Oops I/S bet me to it. Hat tip to him.
Will Wikipedia Kill The Jackal?
Yesterday I decided to set up a Wikipedia page for The Jackal blogsite so that people searching for it could more readily find information. I also intend to use it to document controversial and significant topics that relate to New Zealand’s blogosphere, the law and politics in general. Little did I know that it’s a veritable minefield of rules and regulations, which will probably ensure an end to The Jackal article on Wikipedia…
In other words you wanted to use it to boost you traffic? Wiki ain’t a SEO
Then why is Kiwibog on there? The Jackal doesn’t sell anything. There is a certain amount of promotion with any content on the Internet, even this comment could be considered promoting The Jackal. I’m linking to my site right now… big deal!
Was Margaret Mutu’s out-burst coming from her Maori side or her Pakeha side?
You mean she has a “split personality”?
Who would have thought……….??
Another very capable informed woman who is an excellent communicator on her subject. On radionz this a.m.
10:05 Connie Hedegaard – European Commissioner for Climate Action
Connie Hedegaard is the European Commissioner for Climate Action. She’s in New Zealand leading the EU’s delegation to the Pacific Islands Forum, where she is also meeting Pacific leaders ahead of international climate negotiations. She was Denmark’s first minister for climate and energy, and is now leading the EU’s efforts towards a low-carbon future and the many different forms that takes. What is the EU doing to move towards a low-carbon economy?
Denmark???? DENMARK????? You must be f’ing joking!!!!
400,000 Israelis march for social justice
General strike in Italy tomorrow
NZ Press finally and irrevocably confirmed as Tory PR dept and less use than tits on a nun
Watch those sharemarkets today, brothers and sisters, this could be the big one.
….evocative of someone we know perhaps?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/05/going-to-the-store-film_n_949133.html
Right Wing Can’t Count
A few days ago I wrote an article entitled New Zealand’s Oil Bonanza… Yeah Right! concerning National’s over inflation of potential income from oil and gas extraction in New Zealand. The sheer level of misreporting going on to promote a destructive process that contributes to climate change, (that threatens human existence on earth) was astounding and completely unacceptable…
Why no posts from the writers about Margaret Mutu? Theres the odd mention here at open mike, but no actual post about the whole suitation.
It’s open mike, Brett. Knock yourself out.
Felix:
Im not talking about open Mike, im talking about the actual writers here, it seems racism is okay with the left as long as its a Maori woman that is being racist.
Still I got a laugh when she told the media what the word racist means.
Below is a quote from an email Mana FB admin posted, http://www.facebook.com/ManaParty, they do so occasionally to let people know what keyboard racists there are out there.
“Still cant believe the Mana party even exsists and if you are such a proud people and party, how about you raise your own party funds and not rely on the NZ people. Your entire party is just too out there and hypocritical for the avg kiwi , but I suppose the hard core niggers like yourselves all get off on this. Send all niggers home!!! Regards lee”
So all you tory toe rags like Brett and Grumpy, “lee” rather supports Margaret Mutu’s contention that racism is alive and hating in NZ.
Tiger Mountain:
Did you see my post on their facebook page to that letter, saying that belongs in the Trash. Disgusting someone would write something like that to them. That though has nothing to do
with what Margaret said and her position of power, and I stand by my thoughts, that normally sites like the standard would be outrage with the comments that Margaret Mutu said, but because she isa Maori woman you guys just shut up and say nothing and that is racist in itself.
@Brett Dale – I hadn’t heard about Margaret Mutu’s latest controversy Brett. Here’s the latest link I found – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10749746
Well done to Nga Puhi leader David Rankin.
Rankin’s just some news whoring kupapa chump they trotted out to slag his own people…well done on getting his name in the media again…fuckwit
funny stuff pollywog – you give the same impression
Funny Brett, I thought the same. Remember the outrage over “Cheeky Darkie” and Paul Henry???
bit of a difference there Grumpy,
an academic commenting on the integration of immigrants into society and the perceived affects upon her culture is hardly the same as big headed broadcasters espousing basic bigotry
Freedom:
Oh that is what she was doing, huh????
Grumpy:
Look at my posts in regards to Murray Deaker, I was shocked that he wasnt fired and quite disgusted.
Maybe I’ll do a post on racism in NZ Brett. You know, the fact its all pervasive, insidious and overt.
And maybe I’ll compare it to the very similar ‘culture of superiority’ displayed by the English (British) establishment towards their white colonies within the British Isles.
And maybe I’ll throw in a couple of open ended questions; such as why at the mention of a person being Polynesian, the immediate assumption is that they must be brown in spite of the fact that all white people born in NZ are Polynesian too?
Or why it is that NZ is routinely and casually lumped in with Australasia when it is most decidedly not a part of Australasia, but a part of Polynesia?
Or why it is that so many white people still mainatin that they are European in official forms in spite of the fact that they and their parents and even their parent’s parents were born in Polynesia?
Or how it is possible to have a culture, supposedly based on partnership and that spans generations, to continue encouraging/promoting a European identity/ethnicity among the whites within it?
Got any other revealing questions you’d like to add to the list Brett?
edit. Apologies felix. couldn’t help myself.
BIll:
My thoughts are, the only reason we are different races is becaus eof Contineal drift.
I just hate hypocrisy, and judgign the same behaviour diferently. Because Mutu is a Maori woman, the left wasnt offended by her comments.
In terms of immigration I have always thought that the question what Ethnicity are you, should never be asked, because it shouldnt matter, what matters is what type of person you are.
I think you’ll find that continental drift may have given rise to different species Brett and further, that any drift during the entire span of human existence is negligable.
And I think you’ll find that questions of ethnicity are asked in almost all official forms and that answers are limited by the ‘multiple choice’ nature of possible responses.
You might also find that the whole concept of ‘race’ is a discredited one…that there is simply the human race.
But all that aside, you got any interseting or thought provoking questions up your sleeve to be incorporated into a possible post?
Brett’s proposed new question for the census:
‘What kind of person are you?
a. virtuous, right wing, hard working ordinary New Zealander
b. evil, bludging, leftie traitor’
It’s all we need to know about people.
🙂
(Apologies Brett, I just couldn’t resist it.)
Puddlegum:
I am neither hard working or virtuous.
I still dont think someone should be kept out the country because of their ethnic background, thus I dont think it should be on an immigration form.
As someone who has also worked on three census’s, that was quite funny.
Where does it ask about ethnicity on immigration forms? Far as I’m aware, nationality is what is asked.
BIll:
Nationally shouldnt be asked then.
If National had their way we wouldn’t even have a fucking census
They like to keep the country ignorant about its status after all.
If nationality isn’t asked for (alongside proof), then we are talking open borders; freedom of movement for people.
I’m all for that Brett.
But in the meantime, there are immigration policies. And they’re loaded to favour some over others. (Points being awarded on skill set, wealth, age etc.) So in the present scenario, why not load the policy against racists?
I mean, political beliefs already affect the ability of some people to obtain visas etc, ( and by extension residency) so why not?
No problem, I would be more than happy if a white South African extremist was denied entry to NZ. Just as I would be for Islamic extremist for their hatred of women, gays and infidels. How about you?
reiterating
“…political beliefs already affect the ability of some people to obtain visas etc, ( and by extension residency)…”
Haters of women and gays are already here in NZ
Whats a few more.
Really CV??? Is that Labour Party policy now???
And how would you determine that someone was a racist? By their national origin? Or their colour? Absurd. The most determinedly (to the point of being a tad unbalanced) person I ever met, was a social worker at Social Welfare in the 80s, a long-haired blue eyed blond man from Manchester England. (By a bit unbalanced, I mean that he frequently had dreams, he told me, of being in the centre of a group of angry Maori who chided him for not having done enough for Maori, and he always felt that he deserved it, as giving his life and that of his children would not be enough!
funny, I wasn’t aware that human sacrifice was required – lucky it was just a dream
“And maybe I’ll throw in a couple of open ended questions; such as why at the mention of a person being Polynesian, the immediate assumption is that they must be brown in spite of the fact that all white people born in NZ are Polynesian too?”
Obviously you did not see Mutu’s interview??? with the World’s Worst Interviewer on Closeup last night.
Apparently we are all just “visitors” in New Zealand. Makes you wonder, with her mixed anscestry, how she sees herself?
As for being an “academic” obviously Auckland University has a very low threshold for that title.
Okay. Just watched it. She said she wanted a discussion on racism. What it is; how it plays out and what to do about it.
‘The ‘walrus’ in his intro said she wanted a universally applied test that would pick up on racist attitudes. What she said was that she didn’t want people coming into the country who would actively pursue to deny others that which rightfully belongs to them.
I can’t see why anyone would have a problem with that.
As an immigrant, my problem was that although I had to jump through numerous hoops with the immigration service there was no official avenue available for me to seek permission from tāngata whenua to live here.
And when I considered citizenship, there was no official avenue for me to approach tāngata whenua, but there was an obligation to swear allegience to a monarch who resides on the other side of the planet.
When I made moves to seek permission from tāngata whenua, the particular people I talked to near fell over backwards. No one had ever approached them before. I thought it was merely the decent thing to do and was genuinely surprised that nobody else had sought to do it. (Besides being common decency, it would have actually meant something whereas being granted permission by a faceless, anonymous bureaucracy means absolutely nothing and is, to my mind permission being granted by an illegitimate authority.)
Meanwhile, getting back tothe point. Racist attitudes are fairly easy to pick and strangely difficult to disguise. So a test is ‘do-able’.
And Margaret Mutu objects to active racists. Not the everyday armchair type who will move along with the broader ‘cultural times’. And wouldn’t it be a good thing to have fewer active racists impacting on the cultural environments of NZ so that the cultural environment moves that bit more speedily?
You have written some awesome comments about this, and related subjects, Bill – thank you for that and what you have written here – you are a good bloke and I hope you do put up a post because you have some very valuable insights and attitudes.
“Apparently we are all just “visitors” in New Zealand.”
That’s not what she said. She said non-Maori are ‘welcome guests’. In order to understand what she means you have to understand Maori concepts of manawhenua and manaakitanga rather than misinterpreting her words through pakeha constructs.
Firstly, because official forms no longer give the “Pakeha” option, and second in my case, because although I was born here as was my mother, my father wasn’t.
I am now reading the Herald article linked to, and looking at the picture of Mutu – and laughing! She’s whiter than my mother was!
“Why no posts from the writers about Margaret Mutu?”
How about getting off your lazy arse and submitting one for consideration as a “guest post”?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10749743
When poor law, bad judgement and kneejerk hysteria are exposed as an expensive waste of time and resources they resort to desperate measures and end up with applying what we can only imagine are the flimsiest of organised crime charges, though it will be interesting to see what the nature of the organised crime actually was . . . .
The Minister’s claim that the Invercargill Principals, who signed an open letter expressing concerns with National Standards, are part of a Green Party stunt stretches credibility.
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.com/2011/09/just-political-stunt-claims-tolley.html
Sir Anne must be on the right track. She has been elevated in the Nat List rankings. Future PM in the making?
thanks for that ianmac, i will have nightmares now ,
The fact that she appears to genuinely believe her own spin against all the evidence to the contrary appears to serve her well. She just chants the same mantra no matter what is put in front of her.
Typical RWNJ then putting ideology before reality.
She could become Acts education spokes person then
@freedom – Your comment was very enigmatic. Why didn’t you put one descriptive word ie Urewera or similar? I had to go to the link to see what you are on about which I find is what I want to comment on.
A recent Court case has resulted in charges in Operation Eight against the Tuhoe group being dropped but nothing can be revealed about the finding according to radionz! There are still 4 to go including Tame Iti for consorting with criminals or similar.
Makes me wonder why we are over in the USA talking about that dodgy TPPPPTTT? Surely the country that dominates this matter is also criminal. It has broken numerous laws, but hey ho why should we worry about dealing with an entity which only washes the top of its hands. Turn them over and see what is on their palms! Let’s have some practical sense not the present non-sense from this government.
prism, exactly why i wrote what i wrote,
( wouldn’t it be be interesting to know what all the other possible articles were that went through people’s heads 🙂 )
Another serious example of self-regulation and slack and lazy control over high standards for business has just been referred to today. Apparently MAF won’t prosecute bad, sloppy bee keepers after serious outbreaks of problem disease and pests. MAF says that it’s better to work with them, but then the bad practices are just continued with. Isn’t this amazing at a time when we know that the vital bee industry is under threat.
What happens is that this foulbrood disease type spreads and infects other hives. The latest outbreak has resulted in 30 hives having to be burnt in an effort to rid the area of the infection.
This hurts other beekeepers trying to run their businesses in a hygienic, responsible way. Enough of having their hives and business destroyed regularly and some beekeepers will give up all together. Not everybody wants to raise bees, not everybody is a good beekeeper either. When can we get our country back from this disease of neo liberalism, this desire for business to selfishly please themselves in their businesses with as few controls or commitment to good standards as possible.
Nice to see people-power is still alive and well…
http://evolutionnews.co.nz/capitalist-exploitation/a-story-missing-from-our-media-iceland’s-on-going-revolution/
I read that via a Naomi Klein tweet the other day, she quickly retracted once she was corrected, just thought I should point it out. I wish the article had been true…
http://grapevine.is/Features/ReadArticle/A-Deconstruction-of-Icelands-Ongoing-Revolution
The Reykjavik Grapevine seems to provide good factual reading.
I found this while browsing on Stuff…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5572717/Son-13-ready-to-support-family-and-ill-dad?comment_msg=posted#post_comment
and I am not sure where to begin! The child is an idiot… as I said in my comment which is “awaiting approval”, he’s a prime example of the benefits of home-schooling. He says that when his father dies and if he can’t support his family, ”
“If I can’t support my family, they will have to go on the dole. I don’t want that,”
If things still work as they did when I worked for Social Welfare, the boy’s mother will go on to a widow’s benefit. That’s not “the dole”. Presumably the boy isn’t concerned about the amount – in common with the average non-beneficiary out there he probably thinks benefit levels are 3 times what they really are. He’s probably worried about the “shame”… However a 13 year old boy should not be risking other peoples’ lives by driving a truck – he should be getting an education. Apologies if someone’s already mentioned this – I am havinn connection problems!
I am becoming suspicious of certain news items.I think there is a move instigated by Crosby/Textor to drive a wedge between the Greens and Labour. The Left must not fall into a trap from the Right that would have the Greens and Labour competing against each other. We must never forget that although we sometimes differ we are both on the political Left .Lets both insprire for a Labour /Green government. Which Aotearoa badly needs.
The Pink Postman
Totally agree and the first thing Labour should do, unless it has another plan, is to accept the Greens’ get children out of poverty for $180million plan. That will cement the political relationship and people will know that Labour means what it says about helping children. This is instant. I know Labour has various other policy but it can I’m sure incorporate this strategy and more importantly, acknowledge Greens’ importance in this by giving the Greens the portfolio to make it happen. That way the Greens will get on with it.
Hear hear!
Marsman,
Labour needs to acknowledge both Progressives and the Greens. Jim Anderton added a huge plus to that Government with KiwiBank and if Labour had still been in Government Anderton would have had his affordable dental care bill followed up.
Greens missed out for obvious reasons – United Future and NZ First forced them out and Labour had to deal with them in order to keep National out or we would have been even worse off now.
Perhaps people will begin to finally accept that sustainable living along with 21st century lifestyles can live side by side with thoughtful compromise.
The worst thing New Zealanders can do now is keep NActU in once more term; it is this next term whereby New Zealand loses its future. Labour can reinstate the 75% requirement before Local Government assets can be sold, which it laudably legislated for in 2002.
Why on earth isn’t Labour shouting out about what it has achieved and what it has saved New Zealand from if National had manipulated it into giving out more tax cuts. We’ve already seen the damage that NActU has done in this short time. Be warned; they will speed up if they get in again. Give them time on the sidelines while we bring some worker/employer/government balance back to our community.
Helen Clark gave us time to recoup our losses from the previous Douglas/Richardson cuckoos.
Douglas got back; don’t be surprised if Richardson gets back in too. Where did she get thrown out of after destroying their economy? Iceland? Ireland?
Parliament is waxing lyrical over the Local Government Borrowing Bill – sounds good.
Word of caution; anything Rodney Hide touches turns to lead and our country-wide assets will be seen trotting off to foreign parts on JKeyll and Hide’s little piggy legs.
Auckland has $28 billion of assets which Hide stole from all the greater councils around the city. The jury is out on the worthwhile benefits to the country areas that have been completely left out except for a good library service, but even that carries risks if only one area of the Library can buy books. It was noticeable by the books that the libraries were selling off by the bucketload that anything to do with women’s rights and political books that put another point of view to that of the neo-conservative were being reduced.
The country areas don’t have electric trains expected so Stephen Joyce was lying in Parliament today.
Also, Christchurch’s earthquake was extremely convenient for this government to take public view off the fact they had shut down the democratice ECAN in Canterbury. Brownlee will certainly try to force (he is czar after all) Christchurch Council to sell off its assets.
Should Auckland have an earthquake in the future the LG Borrowing Bill debt, which I admit does save us from PPPs, etc. will be used to force the Councils in debt to sell off LG assets.
Read The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein and you will see why I am so cynical about this government and its bovver boy Hide. JKeyll is hiding behind these extremists. Remember.
This tickled me.
http://gizmodo.com/5835821/1-in-10-dead-bosses-are-murdered
and dont forget goldman sacks. they have stepped up to asist the PM by sticking their oar in and saying that ‘industry’ is being held back because there is not enough liquidity in the sharemarket so therfore sell the state assets so the rugged individualists can play monopol;y with other peoples money. look there goes the march hare and the mad hatter.
Randal,
What was that valuable piece of information on the Stock Exchange? That it has nothing to do with the overall financial well-being of New Zealand and New Zealanders – just a place for mostly men with pots of money they’ve stolen off other people to go and play paper wars with.
Aaron Gilmour – for PM – the leadership coup begins
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aaron-Gilmore-for-Prime-Minister/118195268201661
or
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5572501/MP-spoofed-in-faux-Facebook-page,
or even better!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Gilmore
NB none of them are my own work!