did you know that people approach our ‘drug-services’ with problems with amphetamines..
..and that they are put onto the most addictive drug..and one that is harder to kick than heroin..?
..namely methadone..(nazi-smack..so-called because it was developed by the nazis..when the course of war cut them off from supplies of opium..
..did you know that cold-turkey on heroin may feel like a form of long/slow/nasty death..?
..but it will not kill you..
..did you know that cold turkey on methadone can kill you..?
..did you know that morphine was first hailed as a cure for opium-addicts..?
..did you know that heroin was first hailed as a cure for morphine addicts..?
..which brings us to methadone..(the worst of them all..to date..)
..did you know that there is a drug..that will bring people back from overdoses…?
..why is that not widely available..(at needle-exchanges/pharmacies..)..?
..a bill has just been fast-tracked thru an american state legislature..to do just that..
..part of what i am calling the ‘hoffman-effect’..
..in that his death appears to have kicked off a ‘sensible’ discussion about a subject we have got so so wrong..since forever..
..sadly..that conversation is not happening here..
..and shows little sign of happening..
..and left and right here are as blind as each other on this..
..here we have labour-people williams and pagani..both on media this week snorting in derision at any ideas of any sanity around cannabis-laws..f.f.s..!
..how far are labour/greens/mana etc..from any sanity on/around drugs..
..from what i can see..
..they are all fucked in the head..on this..
..that moralistic/judgemental/wowser/blue-stocking virus (where any logic flies out the window)..
..that is so redolent here..
..is firmly in control..
..in the minds of people who should know better..
..who should have bigger fucken brains than that..
+1.
Pity its not compulsory reading for the ‘experts’ making the decisions – and I mean all those who’ve got us to where we are today!
Those that decided that Hanmer, the likes of Care NZ’s Marton centre, and countless others needed to be closed.
When you look back over time, decisions such as these have done more damage than good, as has the idea of criminalising addicts rather than treating various addictions as illnesses.
Go way way back ….. make Chinese opium smokers in Hawke’s Bay criminals…..
make various drugs illegal and punish users – e.g. heroin ….. what happens? Homebake (far more dangerous in terms of the lethal shit in it’s ingredients when the amateur ‘baker’ sees an earn in it; others see the potential for fast money and violence, gang involvement becomes the norm, etc.)! Ban the next thing on the list …… similar results ….. right up to where we are today – and the Police and others merely scream about what a problem it all is. Well Derrrr – what did they THINK was going to happen.
Phil …. you’re correct re doing the same old shit and expecting a different outcome. I’m not sure what it will take for many of them to see the bleeding obvious.
There’s another thing that interests me (from a sociological perspective).
When people live in poverty, and find the going pretty tuff – when there is no obvious way out, or means of AT LEAST improving their circumstance, it’s not all that surprising to me that they might seek means of escape (or at least indulge in escapist activity) – be it booze, or gambling, or ‘P’, or Methadone diversion, OR whatever.
The solution is CERTAINLY not one where criminalisation, punishment, comparative judgements made by those with holier-than-thou attitudes is warranted. Hasn’t worked so far (and I mean after several decades). WHY do we expect that it’s going to now?
It amuses me hearing the piss-head-contractor-self-employed-Kiwi-hardworking-‘bloke’ (often with fuck-all capacity for logical reasoning or critical thought) chanting the “pull yasef tagetha men, get with tha progrem” – i.e. right before going home, engineering an argument ‘with the missus’, then beating the shit out of her. (Often JK’s aspirational vushun to get ahead (a head) is paramount in their minds – that silly fukn bitch just doesn unna Stan (aye?)
…. and that’s just ONE of my visions of the Kiwi attitudinal outlook (“going forward’)
…… another one is …… perhaps …..’if they only fukn knew!’
….. if they only knew the various human frailties behind some of their current ‘idols’
……. if they only knew (let’s just say – “for example”) one of our top trauma specialists whose worked in ‘the system’ is a junkie in recovery – subject to the very same that article you offered above)
…….. if they only knew a certain ‘science advisor’ has secrets in his closet regarding his very close relatives (one a practicing GP last time I heard) with a liking for Pethidene, Palfium, and various other junkie luvlies – taken intravenously.
……. if they only knew …..
…………(eh?) as you might say.
Now obviously – even with the above examples I’ve given, the peeps are entitled to their privacy!
BUT perhaps it could be useful if those WITH certain skeletons in their closets who prop up the various prejudices to STFU instead of demonising their fellow dysfunctioals, OR (perhaps like a Kirwin) – grow some balls and speak out,
……. and those WITHOUT what they consider to be those skeletons should start to realise that they’re perhaps JUST a tweet, or a tarted-up magazine masqueurading as the haven for investigative johnolism, or a TV$ CampbellLive, or a Q+A, or a foul Blubber-oil-bleached outlet, or a muppet apologist running on a Kiwiblog platform, or…… WHOEVER! …. they just an instant away from that stack of shitcans suddenly changing theur ‘opinion’ when they become part of that demographic where they can claim ‘victimhood’.
(Ekshly, when they get to claim that status – they generally scream the loudest)
“did you know that people approach our ‘drug-services’ with problems with amphetamines..
..and that they are put onto the most addictive drug..and one that is harder to kick than heroin..?}”
I did P U and its unbelievably stupid! Harm reduction I think they call it!
Actually …. stupid on so many levels.
Trying to fix a fried brain by also frying their teeth and disguising symptoms of other physical health problems they probably have.
Any thoughts on the NZ Herald and its front page “Protest-Free News Pages” declaration yesterday? With a cute little logo featuring a clenched white fist?
The ‘thin blue line’ seems to be getting fatter according to the NZ public anyway, going on the 835 complaints registered in recent months.
Not that examining themselves via the IPCA sees too many members of this aberrant culture sanctioned. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11197764
So as we have effectively had a short week this week with buggerall people working today and thinking about how relatively painless it was to have to work Monday – Wednesday before getting two days off, it got me thinking. perhaps we should change the way things work so that instead of working 5 days every week before getting two off we should instead change it to 3 days on 2 days off. Thoughts?
problem is that under the current system there is a massive driver to increase profit and reduce costs in order to stay competitive in what is essentially a global market. The drive to maximize returns to company owners is a big driver for this. I agree that if we are to stick with this system (and I don’t think we should) workers need to be paid a living wage. but it would need to be phased in and applied accross the board. It would also need to be applied in other countries around the world also.
Edit: I think that if a government came into power and said righto living wage will be law in two years time from date X that would be enough time for us to make the necessary changes to enable it in my business.
Are you suggesting schools go to a 3 day week
……. or would schools work to the same 3 day week as parents working timetable, or kids at school Mon to Wed & my 3 days is Wed to Fri
……..do kids have two teachers with split teaching
As a parent of school age children this not something I would support
I don’t get your comment ” increasing technologies the 5 day working week should have been ditched a while back”. There are certainly areas whereby technology has certainly impacted the way we work i.e processing transactions – online banking rather than using a bank teller.
However, in many areas technologies has created new jobs and industries. The work I do, the companies I have worked for/contact to did not exist when I left university.
I suggest that you could indirectly create further income inequality even with “people would need to be paid a fair wage for the hours they work” as some people would:
1. work a 3 day week
2. work 2 jobs of say maybe 3 days & 2 days
3. continue to work in jobs of 40/50/60 hrs because that what they do – doctors, small business owners, researchers etc
Public services and businesses could still open 5 -7 days a week. Staff could work on rotation or job share – happens already with businesses that open 7 days a week.
In case you haven’t noticed, a large number of people have no jobs. So, if people in jobs worked less days/hours, then there would be more jobs to spread around. And that would require higher wages per hour.
It would have to be worked towards gradually – maybe a 4 day or 30 hour working week to start with.
Primary school teachers job sharing is actually a very good idea. Why would you not support it? There are already many instances of this. Shared planning, more opportunity for preparation.
Because logie97 the school my kids attended has tried this due to circumstances & it didn’t work.
However, your comment “shared planning more opportunity for preparation” doesn’t fit into what Karol is proposing. Its not a case of a teacher in class for 3 days and planning/preparation for the other two. Its means the teacher only work 3 days per week – which means you are in the classroom for 3 days, and you still have the same hours (pro-rata) for those planning& preparation tasks.
The people that were really upset where the kids. I expect it was due to having an excellent teacher who the kids liked and a questionable teacher who even my child refer to as lazy. The kids really did rate the two teachers as equals & made it known. No one ask the kids if they wanted two teachers – because the kids didn’t want it.
Nope. As with the good teachers that I know, most planning and preparation happens in their own time (unpaid) – just good professionals. Your one example does not prove the rule …
There are ways to work with jobs that require the same person working more than 3 /4 days a week, while reducing their average number of hours/days per year. For instance, with teachers if there is a very good educational argument for them being in primary schools 5 days a week in term time, they could possibly look at ways of ensuring they don’t have to do any work at all during the term holidays.
I think the main problem with the proposal is that there are so many things which would have to happen first, which might in themselves go a long way to solving the problem.
As Karol has already noted, wages would have to increase. Also, in 2006, “a total of 415,641 people reported working 50 or more hours each week, with this representing 22.68% of the workforce and 29.08% of full-time workers.” Source DoL.
If those people worked five hours less per week there’s 50,000 full time jobs right there.
There was a good coverage in Morning Report of matters in Oz that are a concern and some good questioning of Key who gave I thought a straight answer that he doesn’t think he’ll achieve much on the supermarket issue.
I note that the excuse now is that Oz is suffering a downturn in their flow of gold coins, and there seems little energy going to be put into demanding the citizen rights that have been removed, since 2001, and never revised. And won’t be until pigs fly.
Hi Warbly. I haven’t had a chance to digest your previous article on Aussie supermarkets throwing a hissy over NZ produced goods, except to say that I agree with the Aussie Bully essence of the article.
We shouldn’t bother to expect any trade fairness from the Australians. Remember they refused to import our apples for decades? They have always been proactive with “Buy Australian Made” yet don’t respect our efforts to promote our own products. Check out the country of origin for a lot of the “Home Brand” items in Countdown – they are Australian! They even send us Australian salmon for gawd’s sake. How unnecessary is that!?
Needless to say I shop at Foodstuff”s store because they are NZ owned and support more local producers I also want my money to stay onshore.
One of the draw backs to supporting Foodstuff’s is they are notoriously difficult to unionise where as Union membership is more the “norm” in Australia therefore they don’t adopt union busting techniques in their stores here where as I have heard first hand from New World and Pak N save staff how they have been actively discouraged by the boss from joining a Union. Hence Countdown staff have better wages and conditions (from the horses mouth).
Many years ago I worked for an Australian company and had to go over to head office in Melbourne every now and then. I can tell you the attitude they had towards the NZ market was very arrogant. They couldn’t care less how our market for our product worked, who the customer base was etc, they just wanted to force their way of doing things on to us. They constantly joked about how small and backwards we are but it wasn’t really a joke.
Get this: They were so unaware of NZ that I recall one day the receptionist phoned me to say the next day was a public holiday in Aus so I shouldn’t try to contact them. The public holiday was ANZAC day. I had to explain to this person what the NZ in ANZAC stood for, and no I wouldn’t be working either. Ok, that was an extreme example of ignorance but I am trying to demonstrate how little we mean to them, in a business sense. Other NZer’s, hopefully will have worked for more progressively minded trans Tasman operators.
JK won’t make any headway with Tony Abbott. Firstly Tone’s won’t be listening and second, JK struggles to stand up for NZ. He has no connection with the place. Look how easily he sold us out to Murica! (Hollywood, GCSB + TICS Act’s, TPPA, Anadarko etc)
I used to think that and certainly there price is very competitive at something like 79 cents compared with $1.29+ for Watties
But after using the cheaper version for many years I recently went back to Watties. I think their tomatoe sauce is preferable. Everyones taste is different I guess I am begrudgingly paying the higher price for Watties which is owned by Heinz these days isn’t it.
there is only one reason to go to countdown..
..their budget baked beans are the best on the market..
Ron
I think that about the b.beans and spahetti too. Don’t like the flavour of the other’s tomato sauce. I hope that is due to the fact that watties is better quality not that it’s some artificial flavour they put in. Oak’s are always cheaper but don’t taste as good, so cheapest isn’t always best is my motto.
It’s interesting what gets discussed on this blog. From A to Z and a half. Never a dull moment.
Baked beans out of a tin acceptable ,but spaghetti out of a tin is an insult to this gift from Italy . Home cooked with a selection of cheeses. Wonderful!!
Rosie
Thanks. Good thoughts. It sounds as if mine are well-based.
What are we doing about Oz? There is a feeling of helplessness, oh dear we can’t do anything. I wonder if there should be A Committee set up with all ‘players’ relating to business and employment going into the future, and work out a new path for getting work and business moving IN this country. No old-mates, retired plodding RWNJ on his/her/their own trajectories.
And what about reviewing what we offer Australians here? And introducing a visa system so that the government could get all that travel to Australia to pay something to us, and included in that would be an insurance cost providing emergency transport, and aid to the needy allowance so that people didn’t get stranded and turned into beggars by the Australian authorities and the free market economy. It doesn’t do anything for our image over there to have us forming a large part of the underclass and always begging for help (that any modern, principled, friendly country in union with us would provide). We need to have pride in ourselves in ways that are real, not just related to some sports achievements, or occasional peaks of success and endeavour.
And what can we do here to retaliate and show our displeasure, dismay, disdain and other dissing words to the smug, bloated mosquitoes that are the Oz supermarkets here in the Progressive-Woolworths-Countdown roundabout. They are sucking our money out of the country very nicely, while their parent-brother company/ies in Oz stick it to us there.
How can we give them some reciprocal love? How to put people off trading in their markets here. Money they understand, and bad PR isn’t good for them. Perhaps somebody should make up some punk music about them – punk supermarket should be sunk – countdown now! Remember the Oz fury about how NZ wasn’t able to pay up on everything when Ansett collapsed and we were caught with our pants down trying to pass its vast debt burden. An unlovely image, but one that was very revealing of how thread-like our so-called good relations with Oz actually are. All those jokes they made about us, ya know, they actually meant them! Suckers they thought. Sob.
I note your comment on Froodstuffs, and I noted at the bottom of my post that they are NZ owned.
I also have noticed in the articles I was reading that most Foodstuffs stores are franchised and there can be no collective agreement across the brand because of this. However unions should be able to talk to the owners and do a checklist of conditions and set up a template that they can discuss with owners.
I wondered if unions might publish a league table of good employers annually, with explanations of why they were good. And perhaps they could publish the ones they had the most problems with.
Also have checklists on what employers can expect from their workers.
Also they could perhaps make a template of what they would like to see workers receive, in conditions so that workers had some idea of what a reasonable work place should offer as in earlier years. Say, a break for morning and afternoon tea, even a time to sit down and relax with a drink of water and a biscuit, an hour for lunch or just half an hour with the other time for glide time, allowing for late arrival, or early departure if possible – for transport, shopping etc. regular time off.
Oh dear, out of time as usual! Acknowledgements to phil and Ron re Baked Beans, To karol and Tracey.
I’d have to stop and think if I were to reply to your first four paragraphs so will jump to a subject I am more familiar with. Yes, I have heard that the resistance to negotiating a national collective agreement is in part due to the nature of the franchise. This is only part of it but certainly their most vocal disagreement. But it doesn’t have to be difficult. A national collective agreement can be negotiated under a “Multi Employer Collective Agreement” or MECA for short.That would cover those conditions you mention above such as breaks.
Their in house Health & Safety programme demonstrates that multiple stores can work from one document (Although, from witnessing their H&S standards as a supplier and talking to staff their standards leave a lot to be desired!)
Guess what though? Under Bridges’ Union Busting planned amendments in the E.R.A “employers can refuse to be part of an industry agreement (MECA)” quoted from a pamphlet I have sitting here on my table. There may be more info at http://www.workrights.org.nz
And:
“And what can we do here to retaliate and show our displeasure, dismay, disdain and other dissing words to the smug, bloated mosquitoes that are the Oz supermarkets here in the Progressive-Woolworths-Countdown roundabout”
Boycott them?!?!. I do already! Incidentally the consumer backlash to the Progressive Enterprises lock out of winter 06 really got their attention and they began to realise their arrogance had cost them. The CEO Marty Hamnet ended up getting the sack over his handling of the lock out.
NZ consumers would have to be on board though and there is always the risk of hurting workers during a boycott. There’s pro’s and cons. Having a proactive pro NZ business government would be an excellent start though.
Furthermore, there is an interesting article about Union membership on stuff of all places. Robert Reid of First Union has this to say about pay rates for Union members at Countdown Vs. Foodstuff’s stores.
“First has negotiated a collective agreement for employees of Australian-owned Progressive Enterprises which operates Countdown supermarkets in New Zealand, he says.
Strength in numbers has earned Countdown workers pay rates of “high” $15 an hour to “low” $16 an hour; well above the industry norm according to Reid.
Staff of non-unionised New Zealand co-operative Foodstuffs earn around the minimum wage of $13.75, Reid says.”
Foodstuffs North Island HR manager goes on to respond.
Just get used to other countries having a say in what we can sell. Thanks to Australia we are just now getting a foretaste of what New Zealand will be like under TPPA.
You will soon get used to not being allowed to import recordings or books from Amazon , not purchase items from retailers like Parallel Imports, not buying cheaper medicines via Pharmac, etc etc. The list is endless but we will get used to it.
It’s ironic I know, but it almost sounds like a neo keynesian system where we are encouraged to become self sufficient to a degree again.
On the face of it, the aussies protecting their ‘local’ products, sounds like a good idea because we can follow suit and reciprocally ban ‘theirs’ thus promoting local production and consumption.
I do think Aussie’s charmed economy, sailing through the GFC, is on the way down. Not so much an excuse as a reality. And of course, rather than take more democratic action, the coporates will be as ruthess as they want to maintain their profit margins.. In this case, they are appealing to Aussie chauvinism to get a market edge.
karol the coporates will be as ruthess as they want to maintain their profit margins.. In this case, they are appealing to Aussie chauvinism to get a market edge.
Right on there. Couldn’t express the situation better. Only apparently both large chains are doing it, so where is the strategic, tactical advantage? I guess if one does it, then the other has to also, or be the subject of a shaming, sneering campaign – ‘they don’t care too hoots about Oz’ not like us.
And we public, would get all emotional about it, and stand around shouting shame and so on, because we do give very limited time to rational thought and understanding. Most of us anyway, especially when we are young. And it doesn’t always catch on as a practice, like eating our greens and keeping slim, even when we get older.
he doesnt blink at the UK putting up brit visa fees for kiwis either… what is ti we get in return for the aussies stance on everything kiwi???/ Don’t ourbanks earn them enough profit to assist thekiwis over there paying taxes?
If Key believes in moral mandates the least he could do is put the commission’s suggestions to a referendum and let the people decide on the rules that elect their representatives and their governments.
That would be far more meaningful than a vote for the colours on a rectangle of material flying atop a flagpole.
Since we know Key does not bother about the morality of anything very much, it can be assumed there will be no referendum while he is PM. Unless he sees political value including it in this year’s voting papers… knowing that if he wins he’ll be gone before the 2017 election so won’t be affected.
As for the last sentence… I’ll be even more blunt.
This debate over a bit of coloured rag on the end of a long stick is a huge con job by Key and co. – a classic diversionary tactic from the issues that count. It doesn’t put food in people’s mouths or a roof over their heads or provide the best education and health services available. IMO, it produces nothing but prejudice and jingoistic nonsense. Look at the USA for proof of that!
Thanks for the link ianmac. Very good summation by Vernon Small.
Anne
About ‘the best education and health services available’.
I would be happy to have ‘good services for all’ aimed to provide the best outcomes possible. Something more humble-sounding, that worked with people to meet their needs plus enhance their lives.
That would take us out of merely existing with the least that could be provided, to having a fulfilling and enjoyable life.
I nearly changed that sentence to something with more meaning to it because that parrot, Parata trots it out ad infinitum. I certainly don’t mean her idea of best education parctises etc.
Anne
I had a good education and it never did me any harm! A bit of alliteration there I see. Parrota and a bit of dumb rhyming , say, someone should garotte her. Ooh forget that one. Back to the drawing board.
It drips on her head most days, says Champaben, but in the monsoon season it’s worse. In rain, worms multiply. Every day, nonetheless, she gets up and walks to her owners’ house, and there she picks up their excrement with her bare hands or a piece of tin, scrapes it into a basket, puts the basket on her head or shoulders, and carries it to the nearest waste dump. She has no mask, no gloves, and no protection. She is paid a pittance if she is paid at all. She regularly gets dysentery, giardia, brain fever. She does this because a 3,000-year-old social hierarchy says she has to.
Adopted kids need to be placed with like. A kid of say christian parents should be placed with a stable christian family. A kid with a mother and father similarly surely with another family with a male and female guardians in a long term stable committed family. Now for sure the best match up possible would mean some same sex couples, in longer term stable committed relationships, would become eligible. But given the large population of mixed couples willing to adopted…
…but the question does arise, what happens when there is a problem within a same sex couple leading to the adoption of their children? What rights do these kids have to a ‘like’ environment?
How many humans work at your average bank and supermarket compared to ten years ago? Huge profit makers both.
How about those who advocate for workers rights start a campaign to use the human run queues in the banks and supermarkets. No more atms during business hours, no speedy deposits. Stand int he queue and complain about how long the line is when you get to the top… and when they say use atm or speedy deposit or online, tell them straight. I believe in humans and a fair society. i want to deal
with people… get more staff…
I stopped using self serve in supermarkets after a post here by someone and as of last Friday stand in queues at the bank.
You actually slow down your life which aint a bad thing, and chat with the folks int he line.
Thank for your insight Tracy, I am ready to start picketing outside both the supermarket chains. The timing is perfect with Woolworths current attitude. The name Meyers is in there some where typical ‘***’ The supermarket cartel forces the hours of our growers market on a Saturday to the ‘friendly hours’ of 6.30am till 10.30, meaning those that travel to bring produce from out of town have to drag themselves up at 2-3 am. I am going to start a petition calling for the hours to change and fuck the supermarkets objections.
A young man I know went to countdown to get a job. He got one as a shelf-picker for the oniline purchasers. ten hour shifts. Only gets asked the day before if he wants to work the next day. minimum wage. No written contract. he’s hung in there but he got selected for the auckland U19 cricket team and needed to go to CHCH for ten days. They told him if he went, there would be no job when he came back as he wouldn’t be available to work.
Was reading an interesting article about the Luddite movement , and how their motivation has been warped by efforts to re-write history.
“The machine wrecking was not wanton or indiscriminate. The Luddites destroyed frames owned by the manufacturers who doled out substandard wages or paid in goods rather than currency. Within the same room, machines were smashed or spared according to the business practices of their owners.”
P.S. Next time you fly Air NZ, refuse to use the kiosk and demand you line up at a check in counter just like the old days. You could also demand to pay the air fares that used to be charged in those good old days.
Whereas your ideas…. rationalisation etc have no history of leading to living wages or full employment.
Neither the banks nor our supermarkets suffered when they used more humans. Shareholders had less profit (as opposed to no profit). Dont you let hu8mans get in the way of your personal ideology to buy loads of stuff with your imaginary high earnings.
“In late August 2006 Progressive Enterprises locked its supermarket distribution centre workers out of their jobs, creating one of the highest profile industrial disputes in New Zealand in recent memory. Progressive Enterprises is 100% owned by Woolworths Australia, a company which reported a profit of $A1.01 billion, a 24.3% increase on the previous year. The then boss of Woolworths Australia, Roger Corbett, had to make do with a salary of $A8.5 million a year, earning more in a day than the average full time checkout operator earns in a year. “
Is profit calculated on turnover? To me, it makes more sense to calculate it on capital invested. For example, if I have $100, buy something each day, and sell it for $101, is my profit 1% (on turnover), or 365% (on investment)?
I have refused to used a self service checkout at the supermarket since their inception a few years ago. When directed to a kiosk I turn them down, and state my reason, for everyone to hear.
Best time ever was when the owner of the supermarket directed me to the self service check out. I didn’t know she was the owner, at that point in time although I found out later. I said “We have an unemployment problem in NZ, so I would rather keep NZer’s working, so no thanks, I’ll wait for a person”. Everyone within earshot would have heard. The scowl on her face was priceless.
They don’t seem to be a good idea from several points of view. My Brazilian wife was amazed to notice that wealthy Australians in Brisbane will scan expensive fruit as cheap carrots and other lovely tricks. She was suffering from the delusion that this sort of thing didn’t happen in the developed countries.
Do you mean where will they be placed? (as opposed to where the lead to). Everytime a new road is built, put in a cycle lane and if appropriate a walk lane too. Each time a road gets resealed, look at how it can be widened. Everytime town traffic flows are reviewed, make cycling and walking a priority.
Peak oil prep, AGW mitigation, increased health via exercise and decreased pollution, better safety for all… It’s a no brainer.
I met someone today who said she had half a mind to vote Green. I told her that that was all she needed.
The Greens have never been in government and hopefully never will be because most people have a mind.
Yeah why plan now BM, wait till the last benzine guzzler coughs to a halt and thousands are trapped in the burbs with closed malls, no house hold rain water tanks or community gardens etc. Instant cycle ways, just veer around all the dead motor vehicles.
Removing on street parking for main drags will pretty much add 50% more area to most roads.A!so removes the main traffic flow impedement. Cars pulling into, out of,and above all waiting for others to pull out of slow traffic flows immensely in Auckland
Interesting Op Ed in the NZ Herald – but a pity the author doesn’t take the whole idea that we don’t actually have a “meritocracy” to its ultimate conclusion. She still advocates for the top tiers of the business world. Mind you, it took her long enough to understand the evidence before her eyes – the business world is not a meritocracy.
What would it take for her to look at the whole system and see how impacts on those with less power and money? Especially, as she is loking at gender imabalances, how it impacts on women with less power. Making the top tiers of the business world more diverse in a range of ways, will not fix a damaging system.
I do like what she says about the Metiria Turei wardrobe beat-up though:
When one looks at the line-up of political leaders contesting this year’s election, one sees lots of white males, a few brown males, and one woman, Metiria Turei, who may be there under some sort of “quota”, but who brings something entirely different to the table – not least her implacable manner as she is subjected to the nasty taunts of the National Party’s Margaret Thatcher acolytes.
‘Margaret Thatcher’ acolytes. Interesting the type of woman that feminist agitation for better opportunities brings out. The NACTs, Margaret T lookalikes with that complacent superiority one gets from having done very well for a girl, and the intelligent, self-actualised woman who is well organised and integrated into the community.
Getting your kids locked into a privatised system of loans in an economy about to crash is hardly a great deal anyway. It just delivers more customers to the banks, tied hand and foot.
JPMorgan Chase & Co agreed to pay $614 million to the U.S. government and admitted to defrauding federal agencies, Reuters reports.
As part of the settlement JPMorgan Chase admitted it defrauded federal agencies for over a decade by approving thousands of insured loans that were not eligible for insurance by the Federal Housing Administration and the Department of Veteran Affairs. When the unqualified loans failed both the FHA and VA incurred substantial losses.
All the while large numbers of propagandised Americans continue to sing the star spangled banner and declare the place “the land of opportunity” (see, just look at that Black boy from the immigrant family who became Prez!!!)
Red Logix said this on the Waldegrave thread but I have borrowed
it because I thought it was good in isolation. He is talking about our tendency to keep on following the life pattern that we know and see around us. Yet —
Almost all behaviour (as distinct from our motivations) is a social construct and is a result of the circumstances we construct and tolerate. Change these circumstances and people’s behaviour will adapt with an extraordinary flexibility.
Jared Diamond (who I keep on referencing) used the example in his book Collapse. How Societies choose to Succeed or Fail used the example of an isolated group on a tiny, remote Eastern Pacific atolls who faced with environmental collapse chose to ban the raising and eating of pigs. This was a very big and difficult decision for them to make – but enabled them to survive an otherwise almost certain collapse.
Napoleon Hill who wrote books on thinking patterns –
“What ever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
And Confucius was no slug on wise advice – (fromThinkExist.com)
“By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the most bitter.”
Confucius quotes (China’s most famous teacher, philosopher, and political theorist, 551-479 BC)
Mr Smith
I think that it is wise to have some philosophical thoughts about standards of behaviour and how to strive to maintain them in politics, which we are all interested in. So the recorded wisdom of others can remind us of how to do this.
I see you’re confused. We don’t think about such things very often. It’s about whether someone is being scammed, or hotel bills, or changing partners, or making deals, or getting too much money – usually. Not much quiet higher thought and commitment to a greater good in the former list.
Mr Smith
I think that it is wise to have some philosophical thoughts about standards of behaviour and practices of society and politics. We would like to make changes in the methods we have used for decades so how do we go about this effectively. We are all interested in politics, and we need to think what we and our politicians are doing and if we could do better. The recorded wisdom of others can remind us of how to do this.
I see you’re confused. We don’t think about such things very often. It’s about whether someone is being scammed, or hotel bills, or changing partners, or making deals, or getting too much money – usually. Not much quiet higher thought and commitment to a greater good in the former list.
Attendees of these summits are warned that the seminars, where the Kochs and their allies hatch strategies for electing Republicans and advancing conservative initiatives on the state and national levels, are strictly confidential; they are cautioned to keep a close eye on their meeting notes and materials. But last week, following the Kochs’ first donor gathering of 2014, one attendee left behind a sensitive document at the Renaissance Esmeralda resort outside of Palm Springs, California, where the Kochs and their comrades had spent three days focused on winning the 2014 midterm elections and more.
Another Confucius quote that we can make last all 2014 or till the election, whichever comes first.
Do not be desirous of having things done quickly. Do not look at small advantages.
Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly.
Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished
So Abbott is giving youngsters the opportunity of student allowance after ten years residence. What about a student travel pass? Can that be slipped under the door of the policy room? And we owe it all to Julia Gillard or perhaps thingy who snatched Labour from the jaws of victory or not, who knows?
So Abbott bravely and to show good faith with NZ offers a toffee, quite good, just partly unwrapped, to Key. That is all I need says Key just something to keep the punters quiet. Nudge, nudge.
We can face up to having all the other things later in exchange for reducing the free flow of NZs to Oz, Jokeyhen might have said. Then citizenship after a working period of 10 years too. You can set a quota for entrants as you do for other refugees, and we will introduce a visa, and limitations that echo yours. Very practical. And we will give Kiwibank a cash injection so that it can hold up the NZ bank trading in a foreign-owned banking system more effectively. All good positive moves Tony, we have your visionary offer to thank for this.
Just heard Quax interviewed (eaten) by Mary Wilson. on his continuing hissy fit about the Mayor.
She made him sound like a blithering wish-wash. Is he that bad?
She’s so professional.
Just heard Quax interviewed (eaten) by Mary Wilson. on his continuing hissy fit about the Mayor.
She made him sound like a blithering wish-wash. Is he that bad?
She’s so professional.
Chris Hedges says Climate Change is an Emergency
Begins by pointing to the destruction of indigenous historically.
Predicts retreat into forms of magical thinking.
Society is collapsing already, neo-liberalism is magical thinking!
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
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 ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
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. ...
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 ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 26 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
“..Russell Brand: Philip Seymour Hoffman is another victim of extremely stupid drug laws:
In Hoffman’s domestic or sex life there is no undiscovered riddle–
– the man was a drug addict –
– and thanks to our drug laws
– his death inevitable..”
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/06/russell-brand-philip-seymour-hoffman-drug-laws
phillip ure..
did you know that people approach our ‘drug-services’ with problems with amphetamines..
..and that they are put onto the most addictive drug..and one that is harder to kick than heroin..?
..namely methadone..(nazi-smack..so-called because it was developed by the nazis..when the course of war cut them off from supplies of opium..
..did you know that cold-turkey on heroin may feel like a form of long/slow/nasty death..?
..but it will not kill you..
..did you know that cold turkey on methadone can kill you..?
..did you know that morphine was first hailed as a cure for opium-addicts..?
..did you know that heroin was first hailed as a cure for morphine addicts..?
..which brings us to methadone..(the worst of them all..to date..)
..did you know that there is a drug..that will bring people back from overdoses…?
..why is that not widely available..(at needle-exchanges/pharmacies..)..?
..a bill has just been fast-tracked thru an american state legislature..to do just that..
..part of what i am calling the ‘hoffman-effect’..
..in that his death appears to have kicked off a ‘sensible’ discussion about a subject we have got so so wrong..since forever..
..sadly..that conversation is not happening here..
..and shows little sign of happening..
..and left and right here are as blind as each other on this..
..here we have labour-people williams and pagani..both on media this week snorting in derision at any ideas of any sanity around cannabis-laws..f.f.s..!
..how far are labour/greens/mana etc..from any sanity on/around drugs..
..from what i can see..
..they are all fucked in the head..on this..
..that moralistic/judgemental/wowser/blue-stocking virus (where any logic flies out the window)..
..that is so redolent here..
..is firmly in control..
..in the minds of people who should know better..
..who should have bigger fucken brains than that..
..but it would seem not..
..let’s just keep on doing the same things eh..?
..and expecting different outcomes..?
..are we..?
..phillip ure..
this is well worth the read/effort..
http://www.alternet.org/drugs/valley-shadow-philip-seymour-hoffmans-slip
phillip ure..
+1.
Pity its not compulsory reading for the ‘experts’ making the decisions – and I mean all those who’ve got us to where we are today!
Those that decided that Hanmer, the likes of Care NZ’s Marton centre, and countless others needed to be closed.
When you look back over time, decisions such as these have done more damage than good, as has the idea of criminalising addicts rather than treating various addictions as illnesses.
Go way way back ….. make Chinese opium smokers in Hawke’s Bay criminals…..
make various drugs illegal and punish users – e.g. heroin ….. what happens? Homebake (far more dangerous in terms of the lethal shit in it’s ingredients when the amateur ‘baker’ sees an earn in it; others see the potential for fast money and violence, gang involvement becomes the norm, etc.)! Ban the next thing on the list …… similar results ….. right up to where we are today – and the Police and others merely scream about what a problem it all is. Well Derrrr – what did they THINK was going to happen.
Phil …. you’re correct re doing the same old shit and expecting a different outcome. I’m not sure what it will take for many of them to see the bleeding obvious.
There’s another thing that interests me (from a sociological perspective).
When people live in poverty, and find the going pretty tuff – when there is no obvious way out, or means of AT LEAST improving their circumstance, it’s not all that surprising to me that they might seek means of escape (or at least indulge in escapist activity) – be it booze, or gambling, or ‘P’, or Methadone diversion, OR whatever.
The solution is CERTAINLY not one where criminalisation, punishment, comparative judgements made by those with holier-than-thou attitudes is warranted. Hasn’t worked so far (and I mean after several decades). WHY do we expect that it’s going to now?
It amuses me hearing the piss-head-contractor-self-employed-Kiwi-hardworking-‘bloke’ (often with fuck-all capacity for logical reasoning or critical thought) chanting the “pull yasef tagetha men, get with tha progrem” – i.e. right before going home, engineering an argument ‘with the missus’, then beating the shit out of her. (Often JK’s aspirational vushun to get ahead (a head) is paramount in their minds – that silly fukn bitch just doesn unna Stan (aye?)
…. and that’s just ONE of my visions of the Kiwi attitudinal outlook (“going forward’)
…… another one is …… perhaps …..’if they only fukn knew!’
….. if they only knew the various human frailties behind some of their current ‘idols’
……. if they only knew (let’s just say – “for example”) one of our top trauma specialists whose worked in ‘the system’ is a junkie in recovery – subject to the very same that article you offered above)
…….. if they only knew a certain ‘science advisor’ has secrets in his closet regarding his very close relatives (one a practicing GP last time I heard) with a liking for Pethidene, Palfium, and various other junkie luvlies – taken intravenously.
……. if they only knew …..
…………(eh?) as you might say.
Now obviously – even with the above examples I’ve given, the peeps are entitled to their privacy!
BUT perhaps it could be useful if those WITH certain skeletons in their closets who prop up the various prejudices to STFU instead of demonising their fellow dysfunctioals, OR (perhaps like a Kirwin) – grow some balls and speak out,
……. and those WITHOUT what they consider to be those skeletons should start to realise that they’re perhaps JUST a tweet, or a tarted-up magazine masqueurading as the haven for investigative johnolism, or a TV$ CampbellLive, or a Q+A, or a foul Blubber-oil-bleached outlet, or a muppet apologist running on a Kiwiblog platform, or…… WHOEVER! …. they just an instant away from that stack of shitcans suddenly changing theur ‘opinion’ when they become part of that demographic where they can claim ‘victimhood’.
(Ekshly, when they get to claim that status – they generally scream the loudest)
+1 …thanks Phillip …very informative
Hey phillip the though processes in your piece are effective.
Wtill not many joined up paragraphs.
Though.
+1000 for Russel Brand’s comment
“did you know that people approach our ‘drug-services’ with problems with amphetamines..
..and that they are put onto the most addictive drug..and one that is harder to kick than heroin..?}”
I did P U and its unbelievably stupid! Harm reduction I think they call it!
Actually …. stupid on so many levels.
Trying to fix a fried brain by also frying their teeth and disguising symptoms of other physical health problems they probably have.
Any thoughts on the NZ Herald and its front page “Protest-Free News Pages” declaration yesterday? With a cute little logo featuring a clenched white fist?
well, it ties in nicely with the Fact-Free News Pages 🙂
LOLOLOL
+ 100 & lolz
Freedom’s comment wins my Quote of the Day
Got a lot of opposition on Twitter yesterday.
They cannot now claim they reflect the news don’t shape it.
Which is a position that they themselves (and any observant person) never believed for a sec.
The ‘thin blue line’ seems to be getting fatter according to the NZ public anyway, going on the 835 complaints registered in recent months.
Not that examining themselves via the IPCA sees too many members of this aberrant culture sanctioned.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11197764
So as we have effectively had a short week this week with buggerall people working today and thinking about how relatively painless it was to have to work Monday – Wednesday before getting two days off, it got me thinking. perhaps we should change the way things work so that instead of working 5 days every week before getting two off we should instead change it to 3 days on 2 days off. Thoughts?
it’d bugger the calendar
Nah, we’d just have to find new names for the days.
Sleepy, Dozey, Sneezy, Doc and Bashful.
Two days of leisure, a sick day, a doctor’s appointment, and one day at work being ridden hard by an angry boss 🙂
my boss is lovely – anyone less than a saint would have fired my arse by now 🙂
With our increasing technologies the 5 day working week should have been ditched a while back – opening up more jobs for more people.
Of course that mean that people would need to be paid a fair wage for the hours they work.
problem is that under the current system there is a massive driver to increase profit and reduce costs in order to stay competitive in what is essentially a global market. The drive to maximize returns to company owners is a big driver for this. I agree that if we are to stick with this system (and I don’t think we should) workers need to be paid a living wage. but it would need to be phased in and applied accross the board. It would also need to be applied in other countries around the world also.
Edit: I think that if a government came into power and said righto living wage will be law in two years time from date X that would be enough time for us to make the necessary changes to enable it in my business.
Karol,
Are you suggesting schools go to a 3 day week
……. or would schools work to the same 3 day week as parents working timetable, or kids at school Mon to Wed & my 3 days is Wed to Fri
……..do kids have two teachers with split teaching
As a parent of school age children this not something I would support
I don’t get your comment ” increasing technologies the 5 day working week should have been ditched a while back”. There are certainly areas whereby technology has certainly impacted the way we work i.e processing transactions – online banking rather than using a bank teller.
However, in many areas technologies has created new jobs and industries. The work I do, the companies I have worked for/contact to did not exist when I left university.
I suggest that you could indirectly create further income inequality even with “people would need to be paid a fair wage for the hours they work” as some people would:
1. work a 3 day week
2. work 2 jobs of say maybe 3 days & 2 days
3. continue to work in jobs of 40/50/60 hrs because that what they do – doctors, small business owners, researchers etc
Public services and businesses could still open 5 -7 days a week. Staff could work on rotation or job share – happens already with businesses that open 7 days a week.
In case you haven’t noticed, a large number of people have no jobs. So, if people in jobs worked less days/hours, then there would be more jobs to spread around. And that would require higher wages per hour.
It would have to be worked towards gradually – maybe a 4 day or 30 hour working week to start with.
Primary school teachers job sharing is actually a very good idea. Why would you not support it? There are already many instances of this. Shared planning, more opportunity for preparation.
Because logie97 the school my kids attended has tried this due to circumstances & it didn’t work.
However, your comment “shared planning more opportunity for preparation” doesn’t fit into what Karol is proposing. Its not a case of a teacher in class for 3 days and planning/preparation for the other two. Its means the teacher only work 3 days per week – which means you are in the classroom for 3 days, and you still have the same hours (pro-rata) for those planning& preparation tasks.
The people that were really upset where the kids. I expect it was due to having an excellent teacher who the kids liked and a questionable teacher who even my child refer to as lazy. The kids really did rate the two teachers as equals & made it known. No one ask the kids if they wanted two teachers – because the kids didn’t want it.
left out a not in one sentence which changed the context – should have read
The kids really did not rate the two teachers as equals & made it known.
Nope. As with the good teachers that I know, most planning and preparation happens in their own time (unpaid) – just good professionals. Your one example does not prove the rule …
There are ways to work with jobs that require the same person working more than 3 /4 days a week, while reducing their average number of hours/days per year. For instance, with teachers if there is a very good educational argument for them being in primary schools 5 days a week in term time, they could possibly look at ways of ensuring they don’t have to do any work at all during the term holidays.
How did the two for the price of one teacher get paid – each by the hours ?
Far too disruptive for the kids.
… and your evidence Meg?
I think the main problem with the proposal is that there are so many things which would have to happen first, which might in themselves go a long way to solving the problem.
As Karol has already noted, wages would have to increase. Also, in 2006, “a total of 415,641 people reported working 50 or more hours each week, with this representing 22.68% of the workforce and 29.08% of full-time workers.” Source DoL.
If those people worked five hours less per week there’s 50,000 full time jobs right there.
@ Polish Pride
I think changing the working hours – if it is lowering the working week – is a good idea.
This would assist more people to have jobs and would also reduce stress related problems with those who have work.
It would require the minimum wage going up.
I do not know why this hasn’t been seriously considered already – other countries have done it.
Get us back to a forty-hour week first.
There was a good coverage in Morning Report of matters in Oz that are a concern and some good questioning of Key who gave I thought a straight answer that he doesn’t think he’ll achieve much on the supermarket issue.
I note that the excuse now is that Oz is suffering a downturn in their flow of gold coins, and there seems little energy going to be put into demanding the citizen rights that have been removed, since 2001, and never revised. And won’t be until pigs fly.
Hi Warbly. I haven’t had a chance to digest your previous article on Aussie supermarkets throwing a hissy over NZ produced goods, except to say that I agree with the Aussie Bully essence of the article.
We shouldn’t bother to expect any trade fairness from the Australians. Remember they refused to import our apples for decades? They have always been proactive with “Buy Australian Made” yet don’t respect our efforts to promote our own products. Check out the country of origin for a lot of the “Home Brand” items in Countdown – they are Australian! They even send us Australian salmon for gawd’s sake. How unnecessary is that!?
Needless to say I shop at Foodstuff”s store because they are NZ owned and support more local producers I also want my money to stay onshore.
One of the draw backs to supporting Foodstuff’s is they are notoriously difficult to unionise where as Union membership is more the “norm” in Australia therefore they don’t adopt union busting techniques in their stores here where as I have heard first hand from New World and Pak N save staff how they have been actively discouraged by the boss from joining a Union. Hence Countdown staff have better wages and conditions (from the horses mouth).
Many years ago I worked for an Australian company and had to go over to head office in Melbourne every now and then. I can tell you the attitude they had towards the NZ market was very arrogant. They couldn’t care less how our market for our product worked, who the customer base was etc, they just wanted to force their way of doing things on to us. They constantly joked about how small and backwards we are but it wasn’t really a joke.
Get this: They were so unaware of NZ that I recall one day the receptionist phoned me to say the next day was a public holiday in Aus so I shouldn’t try to contact them. The public holiday was ANZAC day. I had to explain to this person what the NZ in ANZAC stood for, and no I wouldn’t be working either. Ok, that was an extreme example of ignorance but I am trying to demonstrate how little we mean to them, in a business sense. Other NZer’s, hopefully will have worked for more progressively minded trans Tasman operators.
JK won’t make any headway with Tony Abbott. Firstly Tone’s won’t be listening and second, JK struggles to stand up for NZ. He has no connection with the place. Look how easily he sold us out to Murica! (Hollywood, GCSB + TICS Act’s, TPPA, Anadarko etc)
there is only one reason to go to countdown..
..their budget baked beans are the best on the market..
..and by a country-mile..
..pshaw! to yr watties etc..
..countdown budget is the best baked-bean gloop..
phillip ure..
I used to think that and certainly there price is very competitive at something like 79 cents compared with $1.29+ for Watties
But after using the cheaper version for many years I recently went back to Watties. I think their tomatoe sauce is preferable. Everyones taste is different I guess I am begrudgingly paying the higher price for Watties which is owned by Heinz these days isn’t it.
Ron
I think that about the b.beans and spahetti too. Don’t like the flavour of the other’s tomato sauce. I hope that is due to the fact that watties is better quality not that it’s some artificial flavour they put in. Oak’s are always cheaper but don’t taste as good, so cheapest isn’t always best is my motto.
It’s interesting what gets discussed on this blog. From A to Z and a half. Never a dull moment.
the cd bbb’s hang together better on the toast..
..(they probably use ground up calves’ nipples..or the like..as a (secret-squirrel) coagulant..)
..and i’ll grant you watties @ number 2..
..and ‘oak’..?..blech…!..never..!..
..philip ure
Baked beans out of a tin acceptable ,but spaghetti out of a tin is an insult to this gift from Italy . Home cooked with a selection of cheeses. Wonderful!!
tinned spaghetti is foul muck..
..whatever brand it is..
..phillip ure..
That is why you need the cheese
i picked you as a tinned-spag man..there..naki..
..it goes with the/yr velcro-fastenings on yr grey shoes..
..the perma-crease pants..
..and the comb-over..
..eh..?
(and of course..the tinned-gloop/muck must be on white-bread toast..eh..?..)
phillip ure..
Rosie
Thanks. Good thoughts. It sounds as if mine are well-based.
What are we doing about Oz? There is a feeling of helplessness, oh dear we can’t do anything. I wonder if there should be A Committee set up with all ‘players’ relating to business and employment going into the future, and work out a new path for getting work and business moving IN this country. No old-mates, retired plodding RWNJ on his/her/their own trajectories.
And what about reviewing what we offer Australians here? And introducing a visa system so that the government could get all that travel to Australia to pay something to us, and included in that would be an insurance cost providing emergency transport, and aid to the needy allowance so that people didn’t get stranded and turned into beggars by the Australian authorities and the free market economy. It doesn’t do anything for our image over there to have us forming a large part of the underclass and always begging for help (that any modern, principled, friendly country in union with us would provide). We need to have pride in ourselves in ways that are real, not just related to some sports achievements, or occasional peaks of success and endeavour.
And what can we do here to retaliate and show our displeasure, dismay, disdain and other dissing words to the smug, bloated mosquitoes that are the Oz supermarkets here in the Progressive-Woolworths-Countdown roundabout. They are sucking our money out of the country very nicely, while their parent-brother company/ies in Oz stick it to us there.
How can we give them some reciprocal love? How to put people off trading in their markets here. Money they understand, and bad PR isn’t good for them. Perhaps somebody should make up some punk music about them – punk supermarket should be sunk – countdown now! Remember the Oz fury about how NZ wasn’t able to pay up on everything when Ansett collapsed and we were caught with our pants down trying to pass its vast debt burden. An unlovely image, but one that was very revealing of how thread-like our so-called good relations with Oz actually are. All those jokes they made about us, ya know, they actually meant them! Suckers they thought. Sob.
I note your comment on Froodstuffs, and I noted at the bottom of my post that they are NZ owned.
I also have noticed in the articles I was reading that most Foodstuffs stores are franchised and there can be no collective agreement across the brand because of this. However unions should be able to talk to the owners and do a checklist of conditions and set up a template that they can discuss with owners.
I wondered if unions might publish a league table of good employers annually, with explanations of why they were good. And perhaps they could publish the ones they had the most problems with.
Also have checklists on what employers can expect from their workers.
Also they could perhaps make a template of what they would like to see workers receive, in conditions so that workers had some idea of what a reasonable work place should offer as in earlier years. Say, a break for morning and afternoon tea, even a time to sit down and relax with a drink of water and a biscuit, an hour for lunch or just half an hour with the other time for glide time, allowing for late arrival, or early departure if possible – for transport, shopping etc. regular time off.
Oh dear, out of time as usual! Acknowledgements to phil and Ron re Baked Beans, To karol and Tracey.
I’d have to stop and think if I were to reply to your first four paragraphs so will jump to a subject I am more familiar with. Yes, I have heard that the resistance to negotiating a national collective agreement is in part due to the nature of the franchise. This is only part of it but certainly their most vocal disagreement. But it doesn’t have to be difficult. A national collective agreement can be negotiated under a “Multi Employer Collective Agreement” or MECA for short.That would cover those conditions you mention above such as breaks.
Their in house Health & Safety programme demonstrates that multiple stores can work from one document (Although, from witnessing their H&S standards as a supplier and talking to staff their standards leave a lot to be desired!)
Guess what though? Under Bridges’ Union Busting planned amendments in the E.R.A “employers can refuse to be part of an industry agreement (MECA)” quoted from a pamphlet I have sitting here on my table. There may be more info at http://www.workrights.org.nz
And:
“And what can we do here to retaliate and show our displeasure, dismay, disdain and other dissing words to the smug, bloated mosquitoes that are the Oz supermarkets here in the Progressive-Woolworths-Countdown roundabout”
Boycott them?!?!. I do already! Incidentally the consumer backlash to the Progressive Enterprises lock out of winter 06 really got their attention and they began to realise their arrogance had cost them. The CEO Marty Hamnet ended up getting the sack over his handling of the lock out.
NZ consumers would have to be on board though and there is always the risk of hurting workers during a boycott. There’s pro’s and cons. Having a proactive pro NZ business government would be an excellent start though.
Furthermore, there is an interesting article about Union membership on stuff of all places. Robert Reid of First Union has this to say about pay rates for Union members at Countdown Vs. Foodstuff’s stores.
“First has negotiated a collective agreement for employees of Australian-owned Progressive Enterprises which operates Countdown supermarkets in New Zealand, he says.
Strength in numbers has earned Countdown workers pay rates of “high” $15 an hour to “low” $16 an hour; well above the industry norm according to Reid.
Staff of non-unionised New Zealand co-operative Foodstuffs earn around the minimum wage of $13.75, Reid says.”
Foodstuffs North Island HR manager goes on to respond.
It’s worth a read.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/9696643/Are-unions-a-good-deal-for-workers
Just get used to other countries having a say in what we can sell. Thanks to Australia we are just now getting a foretaste of what New Zealand will be like under TPPA.
You will soon get used to not being allowed to import recordings or books from Amazon , not purchase items from retailers like Parallel Imports, not buying cheaper medicines via Pharmac, etc etc. The list is endless but we will get used to it.
It’s ironic I know, but it almost sounds like a neo keynesian system where we are encouraged to become self sufficient to a degree again.
On the face of it, the aussies protecting their ‘local’ products, sounds like a good idea because we can follow suit and reciprocally ban ‘theirs’ thus promoting local production and consumption.
Would be great, but who in the mainstream would publish them?
I do think Aussie’s charmed economy, sailing through the GFC, is on the way down. Not so much an excuse as a reality. And of course, rather than take more democratic action, the coporates will be as ruthess as they want to maintain their profit margins.. In this case, they are appealing to Aussie chauvinism to get a market edge.
karol
the coporates will be as ruthess as they want to maintain their profit margins.. In this case, they are appealing to Aussie chauvinism to get a market edge.
Right on there. Couldn’t express the situation better. Only apparently both large chains are doing it, so where is the strategic, tactical advantage? I guess if one does it, then the other has to also, or be the subject of a shaming, sneering campaign – ‘they don’t care too hoots about Oz’ not like us.
And we public, would get all emotional about it, and stand around shouting shame and so on, because we do give very limited time to rational thought and understanding. Most of us anyway, especially when we are young. And it doesn’t always catch on as a practice, like eating our greens and keeping slim, even when we get older.
he doesnt blink at the UK putting up brit visa fees for kiwis either… what is ti we get in return for the aussies stance on everything kiwi???/ Don’t ourbanks earn them enough profit to assist thekiwis over there paying taxes?
Yesterday there was mention of Vernon Small’s interesting column on the Morality Mandate of Mr Key’s argument and the implications of holding on to the coat tail provision. If you missed it it is online now.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/9689935/Key-and-the-moral-mandate
Since we know Key does not bother about the morality of anything very much, it can be assumed there will be no referendum while he is PM. Unless he sees political value including it in this year’s voting papers… knowing that if he wins he’ll be gone before the 2017 election so won’t be affected.
As for the last sentence… I’ll be even more blunt.
This debate over a bit of coloured rag on the end of a long stick is a huge con job by Key and co. – a classic diversionary tactic from the issues that count. It doesn’t put food in people’s mouths or a roof over their heads or provide the best education and health services available. IMO, it produces nothing but prejudice and jingoistic nonsense. Look at the USA for proof of that!
Thanks for the link ianmac. Very good summation by Vernon Small.
Anne
About ‘the best education and health services available’.
I would be happy to have ‘good services for all’ aimed to provide the best outcomes possible. Something more humble-sounding, that worked with people to meet their needs plus enhance their lives.
That would take us out of merely existing with the least that could be provided, to having a fulfilling and enjoyable life.
hi greywarbler
I nearly changed that sentence to something with more meaning to it because that parrot, Parata trots it out ad infinitum. I certainly don’t mean her idea of best education parctises etc.
Anne
I had a good education and it never did me any harm! A bit of alliteration there I see. Parrota and a bit of dumb rhyming , say, someone should garotte her. Ooh forget that one. Back to the drawing board.
Kathryn Ryan on nine- to- noon radionz superb today…..(always liked her)…interviews with economists:
1. Brian Easton: on the importance of alleviating child poverty in New Zealand….for all other inequality
2. European/ Italian economist Loretta Napoleoni , who wrote ‘Rogue Economics’ and predicted the last economic meltdown has written a new book :
‘ Maonomics: Why Chinese Communists Make Better Capitalists Than We Do’
Well worth going to replay radio for these interviews if you have missed them
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loretta_Napoleoni
http://lorettanapoleoni.net/
can also recommend interview with Jamil Anderlini on Asian military spending ..
and The Man who contracted Bubonic Plague ( ha ha…. not)…watch your pussycats!
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon
I’m sure they are both wrong. Don’t have to even listen to them. I just know it.
Thanks for that Chooky. Both Easton and Napoleoni both sound like they have something to say that is well worth hearing.
Sad, very said… but hey well still have pussy riot!!
http://creativetimereports.org/2014/02/06/open-letter-pussy-riot/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=utm_content%3DADDutm_campaign%3DCTRsocial
Today’s misanthropy goes off scale.
It drips on her head most days, says Champaben, but in the monsoon season it’s worse. In rain, worms multiply. Every day, nonetheless, she gets up and walks to her owners’ house, and there she picks up their excrement with her bare hands or a piece of tin, scrapes it into a basket, puts the basket on her head or shoulders, and carries it to the nearest waste dump. She has no mask, no gloves, and no protection. She is paid a pittance if she is paid at all. She regularly gets dysentery, giardia, brain fever. She does this because a 3,000-year-old social hierarchy says she has to.
http://blog.longreads.com/post/a-brief-history-of-class-and-waste-in-india/
Adopted kids need to be placed with like. A kid of say christian parents should be placed with a stable christian family. A kid with a mother and father similarly surely with another family with a male and female guardians in a long term stable committed family. Now for sure the best match up possible would mean some same sex couples, in longer term stable committed relationships, would become eligible. But given the large population of mixed couples willing to adopted…
…but the question does arise, what happens when there is a problem within a same sex couple leading to the adoption of their children? What rights do these kids have to a ‘like’ environment?
How many humans work at your average bank and supermarket compared to ten years ago? Huge profit makers both.
How about those who advocate for workers rights start a campaign to use the human run queues in the banks and supermarkets. No more atms during business hours, no speedy deposits. Stand int he queue and complain about how long the line is when you get to the top… and when they say use atm or speedy deposit or online, tell them straight. I believe in humans and a fair society. i want to deal
with people… get more staff…
I stopped using self serve in supermarkets after a post here by someone and as of last Friday stand in queues at the bank.
You actually slow down your life which aint a bad thing, and chat with the folks int he line.
“Huge profit makers both.”
The average profit margin for supermarkets globally is between 1 and 2% – in the five years post GFC closer to 1%. How is that a “huge” profit?
Yes we could demand that supermarkets emply more people, reducing New Zealand’s already woeful productivity record and driving up costs and prices.
How about we emply people to walk in front of cars waving red flags?
” average profit margin for supermarkets globally is between 1 and 2% ”
I live in NZ, so global averages are irrelevant.
“How about we emply [sic] people to walk in front of cars waving red flags?”
You have the job srylands, motorways only, forget the flag..
thanks for the chuckle. out loud too
So what’s the profit margin here in NZ? I doubt very much it’s 1-2 % even after tricky accounting is take in.
That’s not relevant to shrillands faux argument.
Thank for your insight Tracy, I am ready to start picketing outside both the supermarket chains. The timing is perfect with Woolworths current attitude. The name Meyers is in there some where typical ‘***’ The supermarket cartel forces the hours of our growers market on a Saturday to the ‘friendly hours’ of 6.30am till 10.30, meaning those that travel to bring produce from out of town have to drag themselves up at 2-3 am. I am going to start a petition calling for the hours to change and fuck the supermarkets objections.
Good human!
A young man I know went to countdown to get a job. He got one as a shelf-picker for the oniline purchasers. ten hour shifts. Only gets asked the day before if he wants to work the next day. minimum wage. No written contract. he’s hung in there but he got selected for the auckland U19 cricket team and needed to go to CHCH for ten days. They told him if he went, there would be no job when he came back as he wouldn’t be available to work.
What does *** mean ? Something to do with the ethnicity of his name ? Meyers ? Surely you wouldn’t stoop so low?
@ sryland..
..1% profit..on average-turnover of..?
..and we could/should(?) hire someone .. to walk in front of you..
..with a red flag..
..eh..?
..”warning..!..bullshitter follows..!’
phillip ure..
Was reading an interesting article about the Luddite movement , and how their motivation has been warped by efforts to re-write history.
“The machine wrecking was not wanton or indiscriminate. The Luddites destroyed frames owned by the manufacturers who doled out substandard wages or paid in goods rather than currency. Within the same room, machines were smashed or spared according to the business practices of their owners.”
luddites, like anarchists have been deliberately misrepresented by those who seek to keep the under valued and low paid on the treadmill.
P.S. Next time you fly Air NZ, refuse to use the kiosk and demand you line up at a check in counter just like the old days. You could also demand to pay the air fares that used to be charged in those good old days.
Whereas your ideas…. rationalisation etc have no history of leading to living wages or full employment.
Neither the banks nor our supermarkets suffered when they used more humans. Shareholders had less profit (as opposed to no profit). Dont you let hu8mans get in the way of your personal ideology to buy loads of stuff with your imaginary high earnings.
“In late August 2006 Progressive Enterprises locked its supermarket distribution centre workers out of their jobs, creating one of the highest profile industrial disputes in New Zealand in recent memory. Progressive Enterprises is 100% owned by Woolworths Australia, a company which reported a profit of $A1.01 billion, a 24.3% increase on the previous year. The then boss of Woolworths Australia, Roger Corbett, had to make do with a salary of $A8.5 million a year, earning more in a day than the average full time checkout operator earns in a year. “
I think their turnover is around $60 billion a year.
Yes it is. Profits are around 1-2%
Is profit calculated on turnover? To me, it makes more sense to calculate it on capital invested. For example, if I have $100, buy something each day, and sell it for $101, is my profit 1% (on turnover), or 365% (on investment)?
It’s 1% on the cost of that investment. Profit is the return above capital investment.
You seem to have forgotten about all the other costs involved in running a business.
The net profit is often a lot less than you might think.
I know. Highly paid accountants and tax lawyers make sure of that.
Crap. I lost my comment so will repeat it.
Went something like this:
Hi Tracey,
I have refused to used a self service checkout at the supermarket since their inception a few years ago. When directed to a kiosk I turn them down, and state my reason, for everyone to hear.
Best time ever was when the owner of the supermarket directed me to the self service check out. I didn’t know she was the owner, at that point in time although I found out later. I said “We have an unemployment problem in NZ, so I would rather keep NZer’s working, so no thanks, I’ll wait for a person”. Everyone within earshot would have heard. The scowl on her face was priceless.
They don’t seem to be a good idea from several points of view. My Brazilian wife was amazed to notice that wealthy Australians in Brisbane will scan expensive fruit as cheap carrots and other lovely tricks. She was suffering from the delusion that this sort of thing didn’t happen in the developed countries.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/money/saving/selfscan-fail-supermarkets-lose-billions-as-thieving-customers-help-themselves-20140130-31o3p.html
Signture collectors need for the seperate cycle paths campaign for aucklnd.
http://generationzero.nationbuilder.com/help_collect_signautres_for_separated_cycleways_in_auckland_at_ciclovia?utm_campaign=cp&utm_medium=email&utm_source=generationzero
Where are these cycle lanes going to go?
consider reading the link and going from there BM. I know using search engines is easy for you from your past posts.
Do you mean where will they be placed? (as opposed to where the lead to). Everytime a new road is built, put in a cycle lane and if appropriate a walk lane too. Each time a road gets resealed, look at how it can be widened. Everytime town traffic flows are reviewed, make cycling and walking a priority.
Peak oil prep, AGW mitigation, increased health via exercise and decreased pollution, better safety for all… It’s a no brainer.
But the Greens will not allow any new roads. Now that really is a no brainer.
the no brainer is you fisiani
Telling lies again fisiani? Still, glad you realise that the GP will be part of the next govt.
I met someone today who said she had half a mind to vote Green. I told her that that was all she needed.
The Greens have never been in government and hopefully never will be because most people have a mind.
So you like to talk to yourself in the mirror to increase it from a quarter to a half, who would have ‘thunk’ it..
she had a half a mind more than you, oh swallower of lies
@..fisani..
psstt!!….have you heard about the secret green party plan..
..to have table-inspectors..
..to make sure you eat yr greens..?
..quick..!
..scurry/scuttle off back to kiwiblogswamp..now..
..with this shock/horror!-news..
..the denizens will welcome you with assorted grunts/orifice-expectorating ..
..as they do..as they do..
..phillip ure..
Yeah, where are they going to be placed.
With land at such a premium in Auckland and the car still King I really can’t see where bike lanes are going to go.
Not that I don’t think it’s a good idea it’s just that I don’t think it’s particularly feasible at the moment.
Yeah why plan now BM, wait till the last benzine guzzler coughs to a halt and thousands are trapped in the burbs with closed malls, no house hold rain water tanks or community gardens etc. Instant cycle ways, just veer around all the dead motor vehicles.
I think you will find those are horse lanes 😉
Removing on street parking for main drags will pretty much add 50% more area to most roads.A!so removes the main traffic flow impedement. Cars pulling into, out of,and above all waiting for others to pull out of slow traffic flows immensely in Auckland
Interesting Op Ed in the NZ Herald – but a pity the author doesn’t take the whole idea that we don’t actually have a “meritocracy” to its ultimate conclusion. She still advocates for the top tiers of the business world. Mind you, it took her long enough to understand the evidence before her eyes – the business world is not a meritocracy.
What would it take for her to look at the whole system and see how impacts on those with less power and money? Especially, as she is loking at gender imabalances, how it impacts on women with less power. Making the top tiers of the business world more diverse in a range of ways, will not fix a damaging system.
I do like what she says about the Metiria Turei wardrobe beat-up though:
It’s incredible how many continue to look to those who caused the problems for a solution?
‘Margaret Thatcher’ acolytes. Interesting the type of woman that feminist agitation for better opportunities brings out. The NACTs, Margaret T lookalikes with that complacent superiority one gets from having done very well for a girl, and the intelligent, self-actualised woman who is well organised and integrated into the community.
Australia has agreed to extend access to student loans for the children of long-term Kiwi expats.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9696401/Australia-agrees-student-loan-deal-for-Kiwi-expats-kids
Nice to see that John Key has been able to reverse one of the most odious restrictions of the deal signed by Helen Clark in 2001.
RNZ are reporting that student loans will be granted “in some circumstances”.
Devil. Detail. etc.
wow and before he even met with Abbot. Whodathunkit
“Nice to see that John Key has been able to reverse one of the most odious restrictions of the deal signed by Helen Clark in 2001.”
You do understand what the alternative was to that 2001 deal, don’t you?
at least you admit there was an alternative in that case
Getting your kids locked into a privatised system of loans in an economy about to crash is hardly a great deal anyway. It just delivers more customers to the banks, tied hand and foot.
Wall street, where nobody ever goes to gaol.
JPMorgan Chase & Co agreed to pay $614 million to the U.S. government and admitted to defrauding federal agencies, Reuters reports.
As part of the settlement JPMorgan Chase admitted it defrauded federal agencies for over a decade by approving thousands of insured loans that were not eligible for insurance by the Federal Housing Administration and the Department of Veteran Affairs. When the unqualified loans failed both the FHA and VA incurred substantial losses.
http://consumerist.com/2014/02/05/jpmorgan-chase-to-pay-614m-in-settlement-for-defrauding-federal-agencies/
$614M, so that’s like two weeks profits then, the tax payer and home owners are all shafted but the power elite goes on their merry way.
When the legislature’s in your pocket….
So frustrating. RT @Crewof42 You gotta love Senators who voted YES to a $800 BILLION bank bailout voting NO on UI
https://twitter.com/CoryBooker/statuses/431535969964027904
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/06/unemployment-extension-senate_n_4739526.html
All the while large numbers of propagandised Americans continue to sing the star spangled banner and declare the place “the land of opportunity” (see, just look at that Black boy from the immigrant family who became Prez!!!)
yup.. pay a pittance, good to go. We can trust them now, right?
Hey – did you know you could vote for the best blog site by going to this link :
http://techday.com/webawards/
Couldn’t spell Whaleblog thing JK, so I entered The Standard as the best blog site.
Yeah – so did I !
Red Logix said this on the Waldegrave thread but I have borrowed
it because I thought it was good in isolation. He is talking about our tendency to keep on following the life pattern that we know and see around us. Yet —
Almost all behaviour (as distinct from our motivations) is a social construct and is a result of the circumstances we construct and tolerate. Change these circumstances and people’s behaviour will adapt with an extraordinary flexibility.
Jared Diamond (who I keep on referencing) used the example in his book Collapse. How Societies choose to Succeed or Fail used the example of an isolated group on a tiny, remote Eastern Pacific atolls who faced with environmental collapse chose to ban the raising and eating of pigs. This was a very big and difficult decision for them to make – but enabled them to survive an otherwise almost certain collapse.
Napoleon Hill who wrote books on thinking patterns –
“What ever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
And Confucius was no slug on wise advice – (fromThinkExist.com)
Confucius quotes (China’s most famous teacher, philosopher, and political theorist, 551-479 BC)
so what’s your point? apart from stroking Reds Ego.
Mr Smith
I think that it is wise to have some philosophical thoughts about standards of behaviour and how to strive to maintain them in politics, which we are all interested in. So the recorded wisdom of others can remind us of how to do this.
I see you’re confused. We don’t think about such things very often. It’s about whether someone is being scammed, or hotel bills, or changing partners, or making deals, or getting too much money – usually. Not much quiet higher thought and commitment to a greater good in the former list.
Fare enough Greywabler, how about we start another Religion then, before the present one’s fall apart.
Wouldn’t it be better if we just stuck to the facts!
Mr Smith
I think that it is wise to have some philosophical thoughts about standards of behaviour and practices of society and politics. We would like to make changes in the methods we have used for decades so how do we go about this effectively. We are all interested in politics, and we need to think what we and our politicians are doing and if we could do better. The recorded wisdom of others can remind us of how to do this.
I see you’re confused. We don’t think about such things very often. It’s about whether someone is being scammed, or hotel bills, or changing partners, or making deals, or getting too much money – usually. Not much quiet higher thought and commitment to a greater good in the former list.
oops
Attendees of these summits are warned that the seminars, where the Kochs and their allies hatch strategies for electing Republicans and advancing conservative initiatives on the state and national levels, are strictly confidential; they are cautioned to keep a close eye on their meeting notes and materials. But last week, following the Kochs’ first donor gathering of 2014, one attendee left behind a sensitive document at the Renaissance Esmeralda resort outside of Palm Springs, California, where the Kochs and their comrades had spent three days focused on winning the 2014 midterm elections and more.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/02/koch-brothers-palm-springs-donor-list
Another Confucius quote that we can make last all 2014 or till the election, whichever comes first.
Do not be desirous of having things done quickly. Do not look at small advantages.
Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly.
Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished
So Abbott is giving youngsters the opportunity of student allowance after ten years residence. What about a student travel pass? Can that be slipped under the door of the policy room? And we owe it all to Julia Gillard or perhaps thingy who snatched Labour from the jaws of victory or not, who knows?
So Abbott bravely and to show good faith with NZ offers a toffee, quite good, just partly unwrapped, to Key. That is all I need says Key just something to keep the punters quiet. Nudge, nudge.
We can face up to having all the other things later in exchange for reducing the free flow of NZs to Oz, Jokeyhen might have said. Then citizenship after a working period of 10 years too. You can set a quota for entrants as you do for other refugees, and we will introduce a visa, and limitations that echo yours. Very practical. And we will give Kiwibank a cash injection so that it can hold up the NZ bank trading in a foreign-owned banking system more effectively. All good positive moves Tony, we have your visionary offer to thank for this.
Just heard Quax interviewed (eaten) by Mary Wilson. on his continuing hissy fit about the Mayor.
She made him sound like a blithering wish-wash. Is he that bad?
She’s so professional.
Steven Joyce must be back at work today, unless Iprent has barred “Meg”.
God, she (or he?) was crazy. Mrs Ansell perhaps?
Just heard Quax interviewed (eaten) by Mary Wilson. on his continuing hissy fit about the Mayor.
She made him sound like a blithering wish-wash. Is he that bad?
She’s so professional.
Chris Hedges says Climate Change is an Emergency
Begins by pointing to the destruction of indigenous historically.
Predicts retreat into forms of magical thinking.
Society is collapsing already, neo-liberalism is magical thinking!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6BOvprpI6c&feature=em-uploademail