Yesterday’s politics on Radio New Zealand’s nine to noon show left me with a familiar yet unusual feeling. John Pagani was there to represent the left and Matthew Hooton to represent the right. I expected the usual beat up on the left and claims of extremism and for such comments to be met with a reasoned and fact based response.
This duly occurred. There was the claim that David Cunliffe, one of Labour’s leadership candidates, had advocated for the forced renationalisation of privatised assets. Forced renationalisation I tell you, forced renationalisation. This was met with the calm response that the claim was “a bit extreme”.
What was unusual however was that Pagani was the one who made the extreme comment and Hooton was the reasoned and fact based responder.
Pagani’s claim that Cunliffe said he will forcibly renationalise sold assets has the unfortunate feature that Cunliffe actually did not say this. Cunliffe actually said, when asked about what he would do about privatisation, that he would not rule out renationalising some sold assets and would look hard at buying them back.
Somehow to Pagani this means that all sold assets will be forcibly renationalised, presumably without compensation. If you think about it you will do it. If only.
He then had the cheek to suggest that the commentary around this particular issue was building up. He neglected to mention that he was the one busily constructing the theme as fast as he could do so.
The suggestion that the support for Shearer is essentially coming from the old guard yesterday became even more credible.
“I don’t stand for a paler shade of blue, and I want to look down the barrel and say this: if the Government is going to sell off precious state assets then we would not rule out re-nationalising some of them. And people need to be aware of that regulatory risk.”
So he started talking tough, then softened substantially. It’s difficult trying to talk to multiple audiences at the same time. And is now he seems to be fizzling out on it.
“Mr Key had previously promised to resign as prime minister rather than support a change in the age of eligibility for superannuation. Yesterday he said a change of the kind proposed by UnitedFuture would not violate that pledge.””
Yeah – I can only see 3 possibles for this:
1. The debate is a non-debate
2. Key is going to resign
3. A promise will be broken – probably due to a dynamic environment
The United Future flexible super proposal wouldn’t violate Key’s pledge, it still provides the option of the status quo plus offers choice of earlier or later uptake.
I know you ar not keen on informed analysis but for the sake of getting the truth out:
In the past it was possible for governments of western nations to provide most people with a high standard of living because large amounts of resources (trees, oil, rubber, gold, diamonds etc.) were being stolen from poor countries (especially those in Africa, South America and Asia) while the populations of those nations lived [by western standards] in extreme poverty, coal was being dug out the ground very cheaply, and oil was coming out the ground at very low cost.
Those arrangements gradually came to an end in the latter part of the twentieth century and the first few years of the twenty-first century, and ceased around 2008. Add to the mix the fact that global population tripled in the last half of the twentieth century, so there are now three times as many people as in 1950 chasing less resources. The numbers do not stack up and never will.
What we have at the moment is a system of financial fraud, whereby the reality of collapse of the system is being concealed from the general public via massive amounts of borrowing which devalues all the money already in the system -hence the cost of all the basics are rising rapidly.
Since the entire Ponzi scheme is dependent on perpetual economic growth [on a finite planet], which is a mathematical impossibility and is gringing to a halt (as it must ) , and since the entire Ponzi scheme is dependent on creating money out of thin air via the international bond market, expect all super schemes to ‘go up in smoke’ over the next few years, just as has been happening in the US recently.
Also expect to be utterly ‘shafted’ by Dunne over the next few years.
That’s the least obvious option that I can see – for a start the administrative costs will either make super more expensive, or they’ll be clawed back. But, we’ll see I guess.
Well on theory it sounds good, retire early get less or retire later get more as some people don’t want to retire at 65 so its good to let people have choice in these matters
I’d be curious to see the numbers if everyone retired early or later as that could get interesting
Don’t forget that back in the 1980s the retrement age was 60 and many supernnuanants took two or three overseas holidays a year to prevent their bank balances getting too high.
How times have changed as more and more resources have been consumed and converted into waste.
If you were born in 1973 you will never receive a retirement benefit at 60, 65, 67, 70 or any other number. The present economic system will not endure beyond 2020, and many parts of it will collapse before then.
I think Dunne’s policy would build in further inequality into our society.
Those able to retire early on reduced superannuation would be those who either have substantial assets or private super schemes to supplement a reduced entitlement for the rest of their lives.
As I read it (hopefully I’m wrong), any low income worker who retired earlier would be consigned, for the rest of their lives, to a lower superannuation than someone who retired at 65 or later. Such low income workers would likely be those who, for (mental and/or physical) health reasons needed to retire sooner. Given that the present entitlement is very restrictive for those who have no other means of support, expect old age poverty to reappear in significant numbers in New Zealand.
Typically, those low income workers still able to work would ‘choose’ to work beyond 65 in order to gain the higher rate. Yet, those same workers are less likely to live as long – and working longer at the jobs they work at may well further reduce their life expectancy.
Overall, many bad ‘unintended’ consequences for poorer people is what I foresee.
Yes, a typical example of why UF is more at home with National than Labour. Nothing about this policy supports equitable distribution of resources. A bit like their income-splitting, it sounds oh so reasonable but the costs of the policy are superficially hidden in the end wil be borne by the less well-off.
And by the way I think he’s going to bugger off and take a position with the NZ exchange <a href="%20And%20by%20the%20way%20I%20think%20he's%20going%20to%20bugger%20off%20and%20take%20a%20position%20in%20the%20NZ%20exchange%20to%20do%20an%20Ireland%20on%20NZ”>to do an Ireland on NZ!
Can anybody enlighten me about changes to legislation being passed under WTO mandates that govern such issues as food sharing and what seed you can base your crops on.
Keep hearing from concerned rural folk who want a simple life and not be told what to grow and what they can do with it.
People around here who are awake are very concerned that legislation is well on the way to being passed by [NZ] parliament. The fascists who make up the majority of MPs will facilitate the next phase of the corporate takeover of society soon.
People will soon be getting what they voted for -more frankenfood (of low nutritional value) distributed at high cost via frankenoutlets (which transfer wealth to those who already have far too much).
Those who don’t wish to be part of this dytopian future are keeping their heads down and getting on with what needs to be done to live healthy lives and survive the impending crash of the system.
Dig up your lawn, plant only orgainc seeds, save seeds from each crop and distribute both crop and seed amongst friends, plant seedlings around your neigbourhood as living urban sculptures, leave trays of seedlings where there is foot traffic with take me home and plant me signs. Lead by example, prepare for this law, defy false authority.
Just because I could I googled Laurel and Hardy and found a clip of them from “Way out West” doing an extremely funny dance.Now I know where Key was cloned from.I forget who is who but Key is the absolute dead spit for the little one. Even the dancing is exactly like Key.Right down to the fatuous grin and the mincing walk.A must see.
Oy, Chris Oden, that sequence is one of my favourite funny memories from childhood reconfirmed by the magic of Youtube- and now ruined by the thought of Stan Laurel as Key.
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.
The counterpoint of envy is charity, something in pitifully short supply in the Randian psychopathy we describe as neo liberal political economy.
That system is driven by greed, so to St Thomas Aquinas on greed…”a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, in as much as man condemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things.”
‘Churchill’s wry comment on the business was that he’d supposed the miners to be the most unreasonable people he had ever met, until he met the mine owners’. -British General Strike 1926.
Oh, look at that, a Pisshead agreeing with a Pisshead.
Capitalism is the failure and the cause of poverty. If you still “believe” in it after it just fell over again then it is you that is ignorant and wilfully so.
NZ does seem to have divided into two nations over recent years: Auckland, which has been turned into a gigantic speculative casiono, and the rest of the country.
‘New Zealand’s QV agency has found house prices nationally have dropped only 4.4 per cent below the peak in 2007, and yesterday Barfoot & Thompson released data showing the November average selling price rose by 2.5 per cent on October to $567,489, its second-highest average monthly price ever.’
25%? You won’t be too worried then Afew, your bunker in the wops won’t be under threat, though your internet connection might be. Surely you should be using carrier pigeons?
I struggle with that. House values today are generally below cost already. Unless the underlying land values go through the floor into subterranean territory…
The last time I was in Orewa (about 6 years ago) specualtors were asking (and getting) $350,000 for fairly standard a piece of dirt to build on.
Yes, the cost of building materials, labour and compliance costs have pushed the cost of new housing beyond what can be regarded as sane.
However, Auckland is in a fairly unique position of attracting economic and environmental refugees from overseas and is not a sane place. The huge pressure for accommodation is totally skewing everything.
In Taranaki things are failry stable. In the Manawatu things are looking pretty dire from what I have heard. In Canterbury there is huge demand within commuting distance of Christchurch, but beyond that things are fairly dire (falling prices) from what I have heard
Because Auckland and Christchurch together make up such a huge portion of national statistics and because the A + C markest are so skewed at the moment weird things are happening.
I wouldn’t know. I gave up listening to the propaganda NR churns out years ago. It’s very bad for one’s mental health.
Bill English used have entertainment value because what he said was so ludicrous, but now that he is in power and digging NZ into an ever deeper hole he’s not funny anymore.
AFKTT: I agree. In the past I have stopped listening to RNZ for long spells but tend to drift back. It’s not nearly so mentally harmful as TV, which we gave away completely in our household about three years ago. That helped a lot. Recently we viewed a DVD which had some of the latest advertisements on it. That was a shock. Until you stop watching those things every day, you don’t realise how overbearing and aggressive they are. I think it was Frank Zappa who termed TV ads “the dreamtime of a capitalist society”.
BTW, in your setup that you have designed to withstand looming socio-economic collapse, how are you going to contend with the inevitable gate-crashers who turn up wanting the fruits of your garden?
I have a theory that society is now so dumbed-down that when ‘the shit hits the fan’ a large portion of society (especially those living in big cities) will sit in front of their television sets and wait for the government or the council to save them. They are literally addicted to nonsense.
Well there could be a lot of gate crashers if you factor in the paltry number of days foodstocks held by major ‘just in time’ retailers in cities and towns. Civil defence know this stuff. Idiot consumers don’t.
I actually feel lucky to live in the Far North with 10,000 litres of rain water in tanks, vege garden, gas or wood for cooking if power goes out and I am not even an eco warrior. In a serious breakdown hungry city folks or even non farming rural folks seeking kai will get the hunting guns turned on them and the farmers will keep the meat.
AFKTT makes some good points, just the posts are a little long sometimes.
Figures disclosed to The Daily Telegraph show that half of the country’s jailed women — about 350 — have been sentenced for “moral crimes”. For girls aged 12 to 18 in prison, the figure rises to four-fifths.
The latest United Nations figures estimate that the women’s prison population has risen to 600, up from 380 two years ago.
A further 114 girls aged 12 to 18 are locked up, of which 80 per cent are serving sentences for either running away from home or extramarital sex, an Afghan justice official said
Ok, so let’s have a debate about Labour’s economic policy, who fronts it from here, and the relationship with the leader and (looks like) his office.
There is a real opportunity here and NOW for us to present a coherent alternative economic policy to the friendly, ‘inclusive’ neoliberalism that has run things here for the last 15 or so years. The GFC, the housing bubbles and private debt blowout, questions of whether ownership of revenue and profit producing assets and companies really matters or not, economic geography and how a small place like ours copes with increasing scale returns that would see all regional head offices in Melbourne or Sydney, monetary policy and how to actually enable exports, building something new on the back of primary production, dealing with inequalities and the labour market, how to deal with fundmanagers who via Kiwisaver will run much of the nations savings, deal with the housing market which has probably done more than anything else to contribute to rising child poverty (rising real rents) and suck money out of productive investments, deal with the utilities ‘market’ which ditto has added vast amounts of household outgoings, deal with duopoly in supermarkets, deal with the sugar lobby who have stymieed public health reform, deal with strategic national investment coming out from from the Cullen and other sovereign wealth funds, deal with regulating Aussie banks and building KiwiBank and Kiwisafe and govt Kiwisaver into …. and plenty more.
We had the large bits of this going into the last election: but for whatever reason (I have my suspicions) we didnt stitch it together into a coherent narrative people could get. We didnt sell it as a story, because I think ultimately leadership and campaign strategy didnt really see or believe it was a compelling alternative economic narrative. Was this because they were lite blue? Not sure that is the whole story. But i couldnt honestly rule it out. Was it because they lacked an overall political economic analytic framework within which the real dimensions of a real alternative would become clear? Yes. Was it because they were driven by fragmented polling questions not framed against an overall analytic framing? yes. was it because this left them in reactionary and negative mode, mainly opposing things, rather than looking forward to and projecting a vision what the economy etc might be ? yes.
Now, what next for labour economic policy wise: you could sit and wait for Treasury to offer some strategic social democratically oriented advice in one or two of these areas. Ok sorry back the question. You could formulate policy at arms length from leadership, but risk they dont get the overall narrative and analysis and cant plausibly and personally sell it effectively as an alternative (but will bust off and poll against bits of it like ‘no GST on food’ and throw that out there like a fizzing firecracker). You could trust this to smart people like Parker and Jones who have some great ideas and some balls, but from what I have seen, forgive me guys not the bigger overall vision and expertise/ confidence in dealing with things like Telecom, etc. Or you could have the best closest relationship possible (after some lumps are sorted) between a brilliant overall economic strategist and an emerging political maestro: a kind of Clark Cullen for the 6th Labour government.
I know what i would like to see. But I am on the outside, and maybe there is something here no-one is telling me.
meantime I wonder: can David Shearer really lead the nation on this stuff? David Parker? even Grant? not so sure…. Should we let them have a go and see how we get on?? Hmm.
And without getting this economic vision etc right, there just arent going to be $$ for dealing with the fruits of 6 years of Nats: funding public schools and hospitals to the point where they can compete with / offer comparable standards to the charter schools and private hospitals the Nats will have subsidised and moved into ‘mainstream’ education. The money to do serious social housing, which is what the kids freezing in one room of an uninsulated state house mum cant afford to heat need. and I could go on.
For god’s sake let’s make the most of the team we have, and make sure it’s lead by someone who really can lead when it comes to policy, presenting it, defending it, and getting the better of the nats and Key on it. .
It would make a lot of sense to start from scratch. However, that will not happen because of the psychology of previous investment. And ego. There are far too many people in Labour who would have to admit they’ve been barking up the wrong tree for decades. They just will not do that.
The most important lesson of history is that the lessons of history are not learned.
Political parties rarely reform themselves. They normally keep banging away with whatever they’ve always done until they can’t.
Humanity is on the cusp of the greatest discontininuity in all of history and most Labour MPs:
Thanks afkt: I have heard your wise voice before, I think. I do think though think there are some people who will listen to this kind of analysis, and I intend to make sure they hear it. Value any further guidance, as ever. would like to hear/ see your version of this.
Glad, though, we are all having some of this debate!! It’s a breath of fresh air.
There are far too many people in Labour who would have to admit they’ve been barking up the wrong tree for decades. They just will not do that.
Agreed. I see passion and willingness to help eradicate some of the imbalances caused by capitalism but they won’t accept that capitalism and the profit driven free-market is the problem. Because of this they’re stuck in the mindset of helping business grow.
The failure to take the wishes of voters into consideration leaves the resulting national debts on shaky ground politically and even legally. Debts imposed by fiat, by governments or foreign financial agencies in the face of strong popular opposition may be as tenuous as those of the Habsburgs and other despots in past epochs. Lacking popular validation, they may die with the regime that contracted them. New governments may act democratically to subordinate the banking and financial sector to serve the economy, not the other way around.
One can only hope. Interesting read but not specific to National’s borrowing regime. Even accounting for the global recession, downturn and Christchurch earthquakes, I don’t see how National is managing to borrow so much?
This is turning international finance into a new mode of warfare. Its objective is the same as military conquest in times past: to appropriate land and mineral resources, communal infrastructure and extract tribute.
Among Rome’s leading historians, Livy, Plutarch and Diodorus blamed the fall of the Republic on creditor intransigence in waging the century-long Social War marked by political murder from 133 to 29 BC. Populist leaders sought to gain a following by advocating debt cancellations (e.g., the Catiline conspiracy in 63-62 BC). They were killed. By the second century AD about a quarter of the population was reduced to bondage. By the fifth century Rome’s economy collapsed, stripped of money. Subsistence life reverted to the countryside as a Dark Age descended.
Seems that debt being used to accumulate communal land and rent has been around for some time and it brought about the same problems then as it does now – poverty, war and the collapse of the economy.
Yes, the money system and debt was one of many factors that led to the collapse of the Roman Empire.
Other factors were the ‘drying up’ of readily obtainable loot (the army was at its best when the treasure stolen from newly colonised lands could be used to pay for conquest), environmental destruction, poor farming practices.
It’s always easier to build an empire than keep it.
Every empire that ever emerged collapsed.
The present global industrial-financial empire will be one of the most short-lived of all empires.
Actually, I was talking general history. Capitalism has been a failure for the last 5000 years and the reason is because a few people charge rent/interest in such a way as to accumulate all the wealth in a few hands which eventually trashes the economy. Combined with the mismanagement of resources due to the resultant dictatorship brings about the collapse of the civilisation/empire. The same thing is happening to the present globalised economy.
whoops, missed the second half of the paragraph. My bad.
I think the credit issue is especially relevant at the moment, because the immediate aftermath in rome was civil war and dictatorship. The resource-related collapse might or might not happen on the same timescale, but uk, greece etc tend to suggest anarchy then dictatorship is a possibility.
I note that Maersk have pulled out from Ports of Auckland, costing nearly $20m in revenue. When the final washup is done, and jobs have been lost, there’ll be some port workers who will be wondering why they went on strike, since it’s unlikely they’ll be able to get another $91K job. Well done the Maritime Union, thats looking after your constituents.
Yeah right VV, great press, means fuck all. Its posturing, the buggers will always go where they can to get the best deals. Wager they will be back next week.
IVV did you ever managed to get a wage slip from one of those wharfies? Remember, they are claiming they get $13 per hour, which as I pointed out to you, means they’d need to work about 20 hours per day. Unlike the CEO who reportedly gets $3000 per day.
eff off IVV, it is such a classic corporate bait and switch move, if the Tauranga and Auckland port companies were amalgamated, competition removed, game over. Cargo would go to the best location.
Workers are never right in a market scenario. But, workers who organise at least get a chance of dignity, better wages and kicking against the pricks.
McFlock, the Herald reported that the average wage for a full time stevedore at POA is $91480. I’m sure you’ll concede that the CEO wouldnt be counted as a stevedore.
Further to that, 53% of full time stevedores (123 indviduals) earn over $80,000, with 28% (23 individuals) earning over $100,000. Plus they receive other benefits, including 5 weeks holiday and health insurance for themselves AND their families, amongst other things.
Guess what McFlock? These guys are the rich pricks you and your ilk constantly rail against! Ironic, isnt it?
Then there’s the crane drivers and deck foremen who work on average 5.33 hours for every 8 hours paid and straddle drivers who work an average 6 hours for every 8 paid . So, using Upnorths $13 per hour (if it were so), they are actually getting $19.52 for cranies and deck foremen, and $17.34 for straddle drivers.
Then there’s the most probable reason for the lock out. Union thinking it was being clever, strikes Friday and Monday, with workers available Saturday and Sunday. Of course, all the shipping due diverts to other ports, meaning our erstwhile port workers get two days of sitting round on their arse getting paid.
How many hours do they work? Does that include overtime for working stat holidays or night shifts? Does that include the wages for supervisory staff? Are there two tiers of staff, casual staff waiting for a cellphone call to see if they’re needed vs fulltime?
Lastly, get over yourself – it’s not wealth that I find repugnant, it’s wealth accrued without work. Hereditary wealth, proceeds of gambling with other people’s money, monopoly exploitation, rent farming – that sort of thing.
Cathy Odgers lost credibility when she claimed the wharfies are “rich pricks“. Mind you she never had any credibility to begin with… so I guess it doesn’t really matter.
The ports of Auckland strike has certainly brought out the worst in some people, particularly the usual right wing bloggers that wouldn’t know the truth if it bit them on the arse. What they’re ignoring is that the proposal for shipping giant Maersk to move its operations to Port Tauranga has been around since August 2006…
Mentioned Randian psychopathy earlier. Just listened to some idiot over lunch (names not given) who honestly thought that we could cure any issue through the market…by rational selfishness aka greed, self interest. Rather than just crucify the bastard in an honest bit of charity to my fellow citizens I thought about what was said.
Then I got really angry because I could envisage the antisocial construct that is “rational positivism” excluding any hint of charity except for selfish reasons. Or the doing of good for the reason that it was good regardless of any negative impact oneself. Or of pure altruism…in effect the selfish rationalism that underpins our current commercial and political construct is rotten to the core and can not be reformed. Which is why we should not trust “Blue Greens”……or banksters.
Randian psychopathy very much embraces the cult of technofundamentalism I mentioned earluer. To such people everything has an engineering solution and there are no limits.
Earth overheating? -we’ll just put mirrors into orbit to reflect sunlight.
Overpopulation a problem? -we’ll just build underwater cities.
Earth runniing out of resources? -we’ll just mine Mars and Venus and bring back what we need.
I must go. I need to replace the trilithium crystals in my warp drive.
So Pete Dunne retains the Family whatsit. Who will it be as it is now down to one? Given that Christine Rankin was seconded without a job description, will she be the chosen one for this undefined role or is she now history?
Quote… John Banks is nobody’s poodle. No poodle could have won the gains Banks has secured in return for Act guaranteeing National its support. …unquote
Nah Armstrong, you just didn’t do your job leading up to the election. Banks is just articulating the National Party’s hidden agenda. And if it turns to custard, Key can blame ACT.
Today I have come to the conclusion that we have a celebrity PM. That is, a PM famous for being famous rather than for what he has done. He is the political expression of the 21st century consumerist popular culture. The Kim Kardashian of NZ politics.
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Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
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. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
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Yesterday’s politics on Radio New Zealand’s nine to noon show left me with a familiar yet unusual feeling. John Pagani was there to represent the left and Matthew Hooton to represent the right. I expected the usual beat up on the left and claims of extremism and for such comments to be met with a reasoned and fact based response.
This duly occurred. There was the claim that David Cunliffe, one of Labour’s leadership candidates, had advocated for the forced renationalisation of privatised assets. Forced renationalisation I tell you, forced renationalisation. This was met with the calm response that the claim was “a bit extreme”.
What was unusual however was that Pagani was the one who made the extreme comment and Hooton was the reasoned and fact based responder.
Pagani’s claim that Cunliffe said he will forcibly renationalise sold assets has the unfortunate feature that Cunliffe actually did not say this. Cunliffe actually said, when asked about what he would do about privatisation, that he would not rule out renationalising some sold assets and would look hard at buying them back.
Somehow to Pagani this means that all sold assets will be forcibly renationalised, presumably without compensation. If you think about it you will do it. If only.
He then had the cheek to suggest that the commentary around this particular issue was building up. He neglected to mention that he was the one busily constructing the theme as fast as he could do so.
The suggestion that the support for Shearer is essentially coming from the old guard yesterday became even more credible.
What Cunliffe said:
So he started talking tough, then softened substantially. It’s difficult trying to talk to multiple audiences at the same time. And is now he seems to be fizzling out on it.
http://yourdunedin.org/2011/12/06/labour-leadership-maneuvering/
🙁
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6089778/Superannuation-debate-part-of-election-deal
“Mr Key had previously promised to resign as prime minister rather than support a change in the age of eligibility for superannuation. Yesterday he said a change of the kind proposed by UnitedFuture would not violate that pledge.””
Guess its all in the wording aye
Yeah – I can only see 3 possibles for this:
1. The debate is a non-debate
2. Key is going to resign
3. A promise will be broken – probably due to a dynamic environment
The United Future flexible super proposal wouldn’t violate Key’s pledge, it still provides the option of the status quo plus offers choice of earlier or later uptake.
I think Dunnes idea of superannuation is the best I’ve heard so far (if the numbers do stack up)
chris.
I know you ar not keen on informed analysis but for the sake of getting the truth out:
In the past it was possible for governments of western nations to provide most people with a high standard of living because large amounts of resources (trees, oil, rubber, gold, diamonds etc.) were being stolen from poor countries (especially those in Africa, South America and Asia) while the populations of those nations lived [by western standards] in extreme poverty, coal was being dug out the ground very cheaply, and oil was coming out the ground at very low cost.
Those arrangements gradually came to an end in the latter part of the twentieth century and the first few years of the twenty-first century, and ceased around 2008. Add to the mix the fact that global population tripled in the last half of the twentieth century, so there are now three times as many people as in 1950 chasing less resources. The numbers do not stack up and never will.
What we have at the moment is a system of financial fraud, whereby the reality of collapse of the system is being concealed from the general public via massive amounts of borrowing which devalues all the money already in the system -hence the cost of all the basics are rising rapidly.
Since the entire Ponzi scheme is dependent on perpetual economic growth [on a finite planet], which is a mathematical impossibility and is gringing to a halt (as it must ) , and since the entire Ponzi scheme is dependent on creating money out of thin air via the international bond market, expect all super schemes to ‘go up in smoke’ over the next few years, just as has been happening in the US recently.
Also expect to be utterly ‘shafted’ by Dunne over the next few years.
.
That’s the least obvious option that I can see – for a start the administrative costs will either make super more expensive, or they’ll be clawed back. But, we’ll see I guess.
Well on theory it sounds good, retire early get less or retire later get more as some people don’t want to retire at 65 so its good to let people have choice in these matters
I’d be curious to see the numbers if everyone retired early or later as that could get interesting
i think there’s a heck of a lot more people who want to retire as early as possible.
“Most workers in most OECD countries leave the labour market before the standard pension eligibility age.”
http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/download/fulltext/8111011ec006.pdf?expires=1323116591&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=5E9193C181FFAB6BBB6DCD4E6F93843C
Mind you, kiwis may not conform to the average 🙂
I know I would
chris
Don’t forget that back in the 1980s the retrement age was 60 and many supernnuanants took two or three overseas holidays a year to prevent their bank balances getting too high.
How times have changed as more and more resources have been consumed and converted into waste.
If you were born in 1973 you will never receive a retirement benefit at 60, 65, 67, 70 or any other number. The present economic system will not endure beyond 2020, and many parts of it will collapse before then.
I think Dunne’s policy would build in further inequality into our society.
Those able to retire early on reduced superannuation would be those who either have substantial assets or private super schemes to supplement a reduced entitlement for the rest of their lives.
As I read it (hopefully I’m wrong), any low income worker who retired earlier would be consigned, for the rest of their lives, to a lower superannuation than someone who retired at 65 or later. Such low income workers would likely be those who, for (mental and/or physical) health reasons needed to retire sooner. Given that the present entitlement is very restrictive for those who have no other means of support, expect old age poverty to reappear in significant numbers in New Zealand.
Typically, those low income workers still able to work would ‘choose’ to work beyond 65 in order to gain the higher rate. Yet, those same workers are less likely to live as long – and working longer at the jobs they work at may well further reduce their life expectancy.
Overall, many bad ‘unintended’ consequences for poorer people is what I foresee.
Yes, a typical example of why UF is more at home with National than Labour. Nothing about this policy supports equitable distribution of resources. A bit like their income-splitting, it sounds oh so reasonable but the costs of the policy are superficially hidden in the end wil be borne by the less well-off.
It’s all dinamic environment, ain’t it!
And by the way I think he’s going to bugger off and take a position with the NZ exchange <a href="%20And%20by%20the%20way%20I%20think%20he's%20going%20to%20bugger%20off%20and%20take%20a%20position%20in%20the%20NZ%20exchange%20to%20do%20an%20Ireland%20on%20NZ”>to do an Ireland on NZ!
Oh, I don’t know what went wrong here and I am not allowed to edit it for some reason
Here is the link I tried to insert:
http://publiccreditorbust.blog.com/2011/11/18/former-us-president-bill-clinton-information-confirms-john-key-new-zealand-prime-minister-played-a-large-part-in-the-global-financial-crisis/
Can anybody enlighten me about changes to legislation being passed under WTO mandates that govern such issues as food sharing and what seed you can base your crops on.
Keep hearing from concerned rural folk who want a simple life and not be told what to grow and what they can do with it.
tc.
People around here who are awake are very concerned that legislation is well on the way to being passed by [NZ] parliament. The fascists who make up the majority of MPs will facilitate the next phase of the corporate takeover of society soon.
People will soon be getting what they voted for -more frankenfood (of low nutritional value) distributed at high cost via frankenoutlets (which transfer wealth to those who already have far too much).
Those who don’t wish to be part of this dytopian future are keeping their heads down and getting on with what needs to be done to live healthy lives and survive the impending crash of the system.
Dig up your lawn, plant only orgainc seeds, save seeds from each crop and distribute both crop and seed amongst friends, plant seedlings around your neigbourhood as living urban sculptures, leave trays of seedlings where there is foot traffic with take me home and plant me signs. Lead by example, prepare for this law, defy false authority.
Watch this clip… #occupyfood
[lprent: Another bug to fix. ]
Just because I could I googled Laurel and Hardy and found a clip of them from “Way out West” doing an extremely funny dance.Now I know where Key was cloned from.I forget who is who but Key is the absolute dead spit for the little one. Even the dancing is exactly like Key.Right down to the fatuous grin and the mincing walk.A must see.
Oy, Chris Oden, that sequence is one of my favourite funny memories from childhood reconfirmed by the magic of Youtube- and now ruined by the thought of Stan Laurel as Key.
Heh. Perhaps Stephen Joyce is Oliver Hardy?
Thought for today:
“Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy.” – Winston Churchill
Freedom in capitalist society always remains about the same as it was in ancient Greek republics: Freedom for slave owners. – Vladimir Lenin
I dont recall Winston Churchill selling off the coal mines that the Atlee government nationalised.
Abraham Lincoln: State of the Union Address 1861
Reply to thought for the day:
IVV – you missed the beginning of the Churchill quote which was “The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; ……”
And it’s instructive that in 1945, Churchill’s anti soicialist rhetoric contributed to a landslide victory for the British Labour Party
Thanks locus, I posted the “blessings” bit a few days back for comment!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/dec/05/income-inequality-growing-faster-uk
And when capitalism thrives the gap increases
The counterpoint of envy is charity, something in pitifully short supply in the Randian psychopathy we describe as neo liberal political economy.
That system is driven by greed, so to St Thomas Aquinas on greed…”a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, in as much as man condemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things.”
IVV
‘Churchill’s wry comment on the business was that he’d supposed the miners to be the most unreasonable people he had ever met, until he met the mine owners’. -British General Strike 1926.
Life and Times of Winston Churchill
“Capitalism is the legitimate racket of the ruling class.”
Al Capone
Oh, look at that, a Pisshead agreeing with a Pisshead.
Capitalism is the failure and the cause of poverty. If you still “believe” in it after it just fell over again then it is you that is ignorant and wilfully so.
Well he would say that would he not.? After all in 1912 he wanted to shoot the striking miners.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein
What would Einstein make of asset sales?
Another elephant in the room:
‘New Zealand homes are overvalued by 25 per cent and the country is one of nine under threat of a housing bubble burst, says the Economist.’
http://msn.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10771182&ref=rss
NZ does seem to have divided into two nations over recent years: Auckland, which has been turned into a gigantic speculative casiono, and the rest of the country.
‘New Zealand’s QV agency has found house prices nationally have dropped only 4.4 per cent below the peak in 2007, and yesterday Barfoot & Thompson released data showing the November average selling price rose by 2.5 per cent on October to $567,489, its second-highest average monthly price ever.’
25%? You won’t be too worried then Afew, your bunker in the wops won’t be under threat, though your internet connection might be. Surely you should be using carrier pigeons?
I struggle with that. House values today are generally below cost already. Unless the underlying land values go through the floor into subterranean territory…
vto
The last time I was in Orewa (about 6 years ago) specualtors were asking (and getting) $350,000 for fairly standard a piece of dirt to build on.
Yes, the cost of building materials, labour and compliance costs have pushed the cost of new housing beyond what can be regarded as sane.
However, Auckland is in a fairly unique position of attracting economic and environmental refugees from overseas and is not a sane place. The huge pressure for accommodation is totally skewing everything.
In Taranaki things are failry stable. In the Manawatu things are looking pretty dire from what I have heard. In Canterbury there is huge demand within commuting distance of Christchurch, but beyond that things are fairly dire (falling prices) from what I have heard
Because Auckland and Christchurch together make up such a huge portion of national statistics and because the A + C markest are so skewed at the moment weird things are happening.
Isn’t it interesting how, after months of refusing to appear on RNZ, PM Key seems to be popping up every morning for a chat?
uke
I wouldn’t know. I gave up listening to the propaganda NR churns out years ago. It’s very bad for one’s mental health.
Bill English used have entertainment value because what he said was so ludicrous, but now that he is in power and digging NZ into an ever deeper hole he’s not funny anymore.
AFKTT: I agree. In the past I have stopped listening to RNZ for long spells but tend to drift back. It’s not nearly so mentally harmful as TV, which we gave away completely in our household about three years ago. That helped a lot. Recently we viewed a DVD which had some of the latest advertisements on it. That was a shock. Until you stop watching those things every day, you don’t realise how overbearing and aggressive they are. I think it was Frank Zappa who termed TV ads “the dreamtime of a capitalist society”.
BTW, in your setup that you have designed to withstand looming socio-economic collapse, how are you going to contend with the inevitable gate-crashers who turn up wanting the fruits of your garden?
uke.
That is a commonly discussed topic here:
http://guymcpherson.com/
I have a theory that society is now so dumbed-down that when ‘the shit hits the fan’ a large portion of society (especially those living in big cities) will sit in front of their television sets and wait for the government or the council to save them. They are literally addicted to nonsense.
Well there could be a lot of gate crashers if you factor in the paltry number of days foodstocks held by major ‘just in time’ retailers in cities and towns. Civil defence know this stuff. Idiot consumers don’t.
I actually feel lucky to live in the Far North with 10,000 litres of rain water in tanks, vege garden, gas or wood for cooking if power goes out and I am not even an eco warrior. In a serious breakdown hungry city folks or even non farming rural folks seeking kai will get the hunting guns turned on them and the farmers will keep the meat.
AFKTT makes some good points, just the posts are a little long sometimes.
what is going on here….more chump change maybe, or maybe just gifting assets now?
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/93038/whirinaki-sold-to-contact
http://tvnz.co.nz/content/428631/2556418.xhtml
Why this country continues to support the incumbent regime is beyond me.
Afghanistan’s women languishing in prisons 10 years after fall of Taliban
Figures disclosed to The Daily Telegraph show that half of the country’s jailed women — about 350 — have been sentenced for “moral crimes”. For girls aged 12 to 18 in prison, the figure rises to four-fifths.
The latest United Nations figures estimate that the women’s prison population has risen to 600, up from 380 two years ago.
A further 114 girls aged 12 to 18 are locked up, of which 80 per cent are serving sentences for either running away from home or extramarital sex, an Afghan justice official said
Funny you should say that I was just going to post my two pennies on Afghanistan, New Zealand’s involvement and Mandarin. LOL
Ok, so let’s have a debate about Labour’s economic policy, who fronts it from here, and the relationship with the leader and (looks like) his office.
There is a real opportunity here and NOW for us to present a coherent alternative economic policy to the friendly, ‘inclusive’ neoliberalism that has run things here for the last 15 or so years. The GFC, the housing bubbles and private debt blowout, questions of whether ownership of revenue and profit producing assets and companies really matters or not, economic geography and how a small place like ours copes with increasing scale returns that would see all regional head offices in Melbourne or Sydney, monetary policy and how to actually enable exports, building something new on the back of primary production, dealing with inequalities and the labour market, how to deal with fundmanagers who via Kiwisaver will run much of the nations savings, deal with the housing market which has probably done more than anything else to contribute to rising child poverty (rising real rents) and suck money out of productive investments, deal with the utilities ‘market’ which ditto has added vast amounts of household outgoings, deal with duopoly in supermarkets, deal with the sugar lobby who have stymieed public health reform, deal with strategic national investment coming out from from the Cullen and other sovereign wealth funds, deal with regulating Aussie banks and building KiwiBank and Kiwisafe and govt Kiwisaver into …. and plenty more.
We had the large bits of this going into the last election: but for whatever reason (I have my suspicions) we didnt stitch it together into a coherent narrative people could get. We didnt sell it as a story, because I think ultimately leadership and campaign strategy didnt really see or believe it was a compelling alternative economic narrative. Was this because they were lite blue? Not sure that is the whole story. But i couldnt honestly rule it out. Was it because they lacked an overall political economic analytic framework within which the real dimensions of a real alternative would become clear? Yes. Was it because they were driven by fragmented polling questions not framed against an overall analytic framing? yes. was it because this left them in reactionary and negative mode, mainly opposing things, rather than looking forward to and projecting a vision what the economy etc might be ? yes.
Now, what next for labour economic policy wise: you could sit and wait for Treasury to offer some strategic social democratically oriented advice in one or two of these areas. Ok sorry back the question. You could formulate policy at arms length from leadership, but risk they dont get the overall narrative and analysis and cant plausibly and personally sell it effectively as an alternative (but will bust off and poll against bits of it like ‘no GST on food’ and throw that out there like a fizzing firecracker). You could trust this to smart people like Parker and Jones who have some great ideas and some balls, but from what I have seen, forgive me guys not the bigger overall vision and expertise/ confidence in dealing with things like Telecom, etc. Or you could have the best closest relationship possible (after some lumps are sorted) between a brilliant overall economic strategist and an emerging political maestro: a kind of Clark Cullen for the 6th Labour government.
I know what i would like to see. But I am on the outside, and maybe there is something here no-one is telling me.
meantime I wonder: can David Shearer really lead the nation on this stuff? David Parker? even Grant? not so sure…. Should we let them have a go and see how we get on?? Hmm.
And without getting this economic vision etc right, there just arent going to be $$ for dealing with the fruits of 6 years of Nats: funding public schools and hospitals to the point where they can compete with / offer comparable standards to the charter schools and private hospitals the Nats will have subsidised and moved into ‘mainstream’ education. The money to do serious social housing, which is what the kids freezing in one room of an uninsulated state house mum cant afford to heat need. and I could go on.
For god’s sake let’s make the most of the team we have, and make sure it’s lead by someone who really can lead when it comes to policy, presenting it, defending it, and getting the better of the nats and Key on it. .
David
It would make a lot of sense to start from scratch. However, that will not happen because of the psychology of previous investment. And ego. There are far too many people in Labour who would have to admit they’ve been barking up the wrong tree for decades. They just will not do that.
The most important lesson of history is that the lessons of history are not learned.
Political parties rarely reform themselves. They normally keep banging away with whatever they’ve always done until they can’t.
Humanity is on the cusp of the greatest discontininuity in all of history and most Labour MPs:
1. don’t know
2. don’t want to know.
3. are in denial
4. are too cowardly to speak the truth.
Thanks afkt: I have heard your wise voice before, I think. I do think though think there are some people who will listen to this kind of analysis, and I intend to make sure they hear it. Value any further guidance, as ever. would like to hear/ see your version of this.
Glad, though, we are all having some of this debate!! It’s a breath of fresh air.
Agreed. I see passion and willingness to help eradicate some of the imbalances caused by capitalism but they won’t accept that capitalism and the profit driven free-market is the problem. Because of this they’re stuck in the mindset of helping business grow.
New Zealand ripped off
Being that National has managed to more than double our total government debt, could somebody please explain why they’re borrowing so heavily?
The article I linked to in comment 12 tells you.
Thanks DTB. I particularly like this bit though:
One can only hope. Interesting read but not specific to National’s borrowing regime. Even accounting for the global recession, downturn and Christchurch earthquakes, I don’t see how National is managing to borrow so much?
Democracy and Debt
Seems that debt being used to accumulate communal land and rent has been around for some time and it brought about the same problems then as it does now – poverty, war and the collapse of the economy.
DTB
Yes, the money system and debt was one of many factors that led to the collapse of the Roman Empire.
Other factors were the ‘drying up’ of readily obtainable loot (the army was at its best when the treasure stolen from newly colonised lands could be used to pay for conquest), environmental destruction, poor farming practices.
It’s always easier to build an empire than keep it.
Every empire that ever emerged collapsed.
The present global industrial-financial empire will be one of the most short-lived of all empires.
DTB was talking the roman republic, not empire. Republic fell, triumvirate/triumvirate/Augustus.
Actually, I was talking general history. Capitalism has been a failure for the last 5000 years and the reason is because a few people charge rent/interest in such a way as to accumulate all the wealth in a few hands which eventually trashes the economy. Combined with the mismanagement of resources due to the resultant dictatorship brings about the collapse of the civilisation/empire. The same thing is happening to the present globalised economy.
whoops, missed the second half of the paragraph. My bad.
I think the credit issue is especially relevant at the moment, because the immediate aftermath in rome was civil war and dictatorship. The resource-related collapse might or might not happen on the same timescale, but uk, greece etc tend to suggest anarchy then dictatorship is a possibility.
Athens had a similar problem: Solon cancelled debt leading to the golden age. They are still doing it, expect default any time soon.
Which is why I’m waiting for my copy of David Graeber’s new book “Debt”
http://inthearena.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/05/david-graeber-studied-5000-years-of-debt-real-dirty-secret-is-that-if-the-deficit-ever-completely-went-away-it-would-cause-a-major-catastrophe/
And am interested in Steve Keen’s propositions of Debt Jubilee and the historical precedent.
I note that Maersk have pulled out from Ports of Auckland, costing nearly $20m in revenue. When the final washup is done, and jobs have been lost, there’ll be some port workers who will be wondering why they went on strike, since it’s unlikely they’ll be able to get another $91K job. Well done the Maritime Union, thats looking after your constituents.
Yeah right VV, great press, means fuck all. Its posturing, the buggers will always go where they can to get the best deals. Wager they will be back next week.
I see you’re missing facts again. Maersk shifted ports because they’d been wooed to another port.
IVV did you ever managed to get a wage slip from one of those wharfies? Remember, they are claiming they get $13 per hour, which as I pointed out to you, means they’d need to work about 20 hours per day. Unlike the CEO who reportedly gets $3000 per day.
yup – the tyranny of averages. The “Average Wage” for a “wharfie” depends entirely on who you count as a “wharfie” – supervisor? Manager? CEO?
eff off IVV, it is such a classic corporate bait and switch move, if the Tauranga and Auckland port companies were amalgamated, competition removed, game over. Cargo would go to the best location.
Workers are never right in a market scenario. But, workers who organise at least get a chance of dignity, better wages and kicking against the pricks.
McFlock, the Herald reported that the average wage for a full time stevedore at POA is $91480. I’m sure you’ll concede that the CEO wouldnt be counted as a stevedore.
Further to that, 53% of full time stevedores (123 indviduals) earn over $80,000, with 28% (23 individuals) earning over $100,000. Plus they receive other benefits, including 5 weeks holiday and health insurance for themselves AND their families, amongst other things.
Guess what McFlock? These guys are the rich pricks you and your ilk constantly rail against! Ironic, isnt it?
Then there’s the crane drivers and deck foremen who work on average 5.33 hours for every 8 hours paid and straddle drivers who work an average 6 hours for every 8 paid . So, using Upnorths $13 per hour (if it were so), they are actually getting $19.52 for cranies and deck foremen, and $17.34 for straddle drivers.
Then there’s the most probable reason for the lock out. Union thinking it was being clever, strikes Friday and Monday, with workers available Saturday and Sunday. Of course, all the shipping due diverts to other ports, meaning our erstwhile port workers get two days of sitting round on their arse getting paid.
How many hours do they work? Does that include overtime for working stat holidays or night shifts? Does that include the wages for supervisory staff? Are there two tiers of staff, casual staff waiting for a cellphone call to see if they’re needed vs fulltime?
Lastly, get over yourself – it’s not wealth that I find repugnant, it’s wealth accrued without work. Hereditary wealth, proceeds of gambling with other people’s money, monopoly exploitation, rent farming – that sort of thing.
Cathy Odgers lost credibility when she claimed the wharfies are “rich pricks“. Mind you she never had any credibility to begin with… so I guess it doesn’t really matter.
+1
She has so little credibility Jackal, that you obviously read her. Excellent.
Propaganda to discredit strike
The ports of Auckland strike has certainly brought out the worst in some people, particularly the usual right wing bloggers that wouldn’t know the truth if it bit them on the arse. What they’re ignoring is that the proposal for shipping giant Maersk to move its operations to Port Tauranga has been around since August 2006…
David.
‘Value any further guidance, as ever. would like to hear/ see your version of this.’
I can only suggest you read this.
http://www.publishme.co.nz/shop/theeasyway-p-684.html
Practically everything you need to know is there.
Available by inter-library loan if you genuinely cannot afford $20.
Mentioned Randian psychopathy earlier. Just listened to some idiot over lunch (names not given) who honestly thought that we could cure any issue through the market…by rational selfishness aka greed, self interest. Rather than just crucify the bastard in an honest bit of charity to my fellow citizens I thought about what was said.
Then I got really angry because I could envisage the antisocial construct that is “rational positivism” excluding any hint of charity except for selfish reasons. Or the doing of good for the reason that it was good regardless of any negative impact oneself. Or of pure altruism…in effect the selfish rationalism that underpins our current commercial and political construct is rotten to the core and can not be reformed. Which is why we should not trust “Blue Greens”……or banksters.
Uber-randian Ron Paul defends the 99%: In many ways, it’s a very healthy movement.
Bored.
Randian psychopathy very much embraces the cult of technofundamentalism I mentioned earluer. To such people everything has an engineering solution and there are no limits.
Earth overheating? -we’ll just put mirrors into orbit to reflect sunlight.
Overpopulation a problem? -we’ll just build underwater cities.
Earth runniing out of resources? -we’ll just mine Mars and Venus and bring back what we need.
I must go. I need to replace the trilithium crystals in my warp drive.
.
Rachel Maddow on the latest RWN jobbery’
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/the-rachel-maddow-show/45561953#45561953
So Pete Dunne retains the Family whatsit. Who will it be as it is now down to one? Given that Christine Rankin was seconded without a job description, will she be the chosen one for this undefined role or is she now history?
Twelve heartbreaking facts I reckon.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/12-extremely-disappointing-facts-about-popular-mus
9. Barbra Streisand has sold more records (140 million) than Pearl Jam, Johnny Cash, and Tom Petty combined
John Armstrong in the Herald today
Quote… John Banks is nobody’s poodle. No poodle could have won the gains Banks has secured in return for Act guaranteeing National its support. …unquote
Nah Armstrong, you just didn’t do your job leading up to the election. Banks is just articulating the National Party’s hidden agenda. And if it turns to custard, Key can blame ACT.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10771213
Today I have come to the conclusion that we have a celebrity PM. That is, a PM famous for being famous rather than for what he has done. He is the political expression of the 21st century consumerist popular culture. The Kim Kardashian of NZ politics.