Interesting time to take a poll by the Herald about troops in Iraq.
Just before ANZAC Day.
Wonder why they thought they’d should take a poll to test opinion on Iraq at that time.
Wonder why they didn’t take this poll 2 months ago.
Guess the Herald relies on people neither wondering or thinking.
The problem I had reading that poll is the wording of the poll , like most polls they trap people into getting the result the poll gatherers want.
I think we should be doing something but I don’t think it should be sending a few trainers to keep us in with the yankss .
BNZ bank chief says there isn’t a housing bubble in Auckland..
Given the profits the BNZ make thanks to the housing debt in Auckland, that’s hardly a surprise.
Guess the Herald relies on people neither wondering or thinking.
Are Bell Investment Trust, the company that flew Key twice up to Kauri Cliffs by helicopter, the same company as this corporation with interests in mining?
The fact is that they are far more dangerous to us (and our grandchildren) than we are to them. When was the last time an ageing member of the public through an overweight MP and his Slugboy mate down a flight of stairs?
And that is why we need policy to be broadly set by referendum. Only then would we have a chance that the majority of people were not voting in basic self-interest.
Eileen Goodwin at the ODT has been good with her continuing coverage of the SDHB. Most recently with the food outsourcing, but previously with the ED nurse uniform biohazard (instead of being washed inhouse, the nurses are expected to take them home and wash uniforms themselves), and the degradation of the hospital (rain leaking into operating theatres, plans to close the physio pool etc). Usually she tries for balanced reporting (though my quotes tend to be selective):
The often vocal crowd applauded Mrs Gamble’s efforts, one saying ”thanks Mary” before they filed out of the room looking dejected and annoyed.
Other comments included ”enjoy the frozen food”, ”we will remember this at the next election” and ”shame”, and there were complaints about ”shutting down democracy”, and ”too much secrecy”…
Dr Chambers expressed concern the counterproposal could not be properly considered in the closed sessions with the union excluded and unable to answer questions.
Mr Butterfield warned Dr Chambers to be ”careful” as financial issues could not be openly discussed.
But this morning Goodwin allowed herself a more personal comment:
The SDHB appeared nonplussed by the public concern, and a lack of communication was acknowledged by chairman Joe Butterfield this week.
But while communication has been abysmal, it is doubtful the public would have bought the idea of the 15-year deal with a multinational corporation even if the board was upfront about the details…
The southern board arguably has the least to gain, and the most to lose, from the Compass contract.
It is furthest from where many meals will be prepared, and has little need for equipment investment in its kitchens.
Damage to the board’s brand and relationship with an increasingly disaffected public is arguably worth more than the projected savings from outsourcing…
Mr Butterfield warned at yesterday’s meeting the South could face years of cuts.
There is a sense of vacuum at the board, as no replacement has been named for the departing Mr Butterfield, whose retirement was confirmed in February…
It is not the time to alienate the public, and if the board had no choice in adopting the food proposal, as many suspect, it should have made that clear.
So I’m not sure how this information could be uncovered, perhaps an OIA request. If nothing else, I can stand up at the meeting during next year’s election for board members and ask each how they voted. My guess is that is was only; Gamble and Chambers against, possibly Thomson as he’s also on the DCC and must know that he’d be putting his re-election chances at risk if he was seen to be not listening to the public on such an issue.
This is all we have so far (from yesterday’s pre-meeting article), unless Goodwin asks followup questions:
Board members Dr Branko Sijnja and Neville Cook said they had not decided yet. Tim Ward, Kaye Crowther and Richard Thomson declined to discuss it.
Tuari Potiki, Tony Hill and chairman Joe Butterfield could not be contacted.
Sandra Cook does not permit direct contact from media.
Thanks. I’m just refreshing my memory about the board structure with an eye on the elections. An opportunity next year to do some publicity on these people I think.
7 elected members
Up to 4 appointed members
Chair and Deputy Chair appointed by the Minister of Health
I don’t know if you read my coverage of the meeting yesterday, I didn’t see any comments from you. It was obviously a done deal from the minute the board sat down, really from last December. How the chairman treated the petition once the bulk of the public had been cleared out was particularly galling:
I can’t do this, so just putting the idea out. I’d want to know under what conditions the Board is able to either exclude the public from a vote, or not tell the public who voted which way. They can exclude the public and media from parts of the meeting that affect commercial issues, but voting isn’t one of them.
So, yep, OIAs, and legal opinions about whether the board can be required to be more accountable to the public. And educating the public on how this all works. I bet most people don’t know the processes that they could be involved in.
(and sorry, I’m not up with what has already been organised in Dndn. Thanks for your work on this Pasupial, it’s getting this information out to the Southern area that is crucial).
This whole thing is bad enough, but let’s not forget that these people are basically telling us they are incompetent to run the SDHB within budget and so are having to do crazy shit like this contract.
That’s what’s in my mind thinking about next year’s election. We need public lobbying bodies that will put time and resource into educating the public about local body elections, who is standing and what their voting records are (ditto Regional Councils).
Interesting that the public were excluded from the vote – when I was a rep on a local society, the general understanding was the the commercial discussions could be made with public excluded but subsequent votes based on those discussions were made in public. It wasn’t usual to break down who voted which way in the minutes (unless a member requested), but the vote itself was publ;ic so anybody could see.
Dunno about the legality of secret voting in a public organisation, especially by the elected representatives, but it certainly defeats the purpose of having an election for them in the first place.
about the same time hospital food was required to make a profit.
and why is no-one in the house pushing hard to discover how Tony Ryall wasted about $400 million on his proposed master plan for health ? The rumour that it will just be absorbed as losses for ADHB beggars belief.
“The Government’s spent millions of taxpayer dollars kitting out a farm with top-of-the-line New Zealand equipment and hundreds of sheep to “compensate” a Saudi businessman.
ONE News has learned that the Government has spent $6 million air freighting 900 pregnant ewes and farming equipment to Hamood Al Ali Khalaf’s farm in Saudi Arabia.
According to Mr Al Ali Khalaf’s business partner, Sydney-based George Assaf, everything from the fencing to “the shed and the wool shed and the yards and the drafting machines, the weighing, the scales, you mention it, it’s all from New Zealand”.
Mr Assaf says the deal was done to “compensate” the pair over a six-year-old ban of live sheep exports in which they say they lost hundreds of millions of dollars.
He says New Zealand was told “unless you fix that part of it, we won’t sign” the free trade deal between New Zealand and the Gulf States.
It’s said our treatment of the Saudi businessman is the reason the deal with the Gulf States has stalled.
Bribery
The offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of something of value for the purpose of influencing the action of an official in the discharge of his or her public or legal duties.The expectation of a particular voluntary action in return is what makes the difference between a bribe and a private demonstration of goodwill.
I think the Americans have a law against it, put in place after the Lockheed scandals. I’m not at all sure that it’s effective, but we do need to try to stop official bribery and corruption.
Makes me wonder:
1. How many other “aggrieved” businessman we appease. (Isn’t another word for this – extortion?”
2. Where do we find these extortion payments defined in the budget?
MMMMMmmm
The Taxpayers Union (see p 102-105 “Dirty Politics” by Nicky Hager ) has come out
against the Saudi handout
7 MAY 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Taxpayers’ Union is demanding answers from the Government after One News revealed tonight that taxpayers flew 900 sheep on Singapore Airlines to Saudi Arabia and forked out $6 million to kit out a privately owned farm to “compensate” a Saudi businessman. Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says:
“Why on earth is the Government forking out for a business to leave New Zealand? The objective of a FTA is no excuse for a taxpayer handout to an individual businessman. If the businessman has a good case for compensation from our government, that process should be managed by lawyers, not politicians. A full explanation of the dispute should be made public.”
– See more at: http://livenews.co.nz/2015/05/07/mr-taxpayers-pay-to-relocate-hawkes-bay-farm-to-saudi-arabia/#sthash.I7SLKydg.dpuf
plus Matthew Hooton has an article in the NBR (behind paywall headed “Gulf Games Fail To Deliver”
“John Key’s dissembling over live sheep exports is a case study of why so many businesspeople have lost confidence in him.”
I heard Mr Hooton on NatRad the other day blaming the lack of the Gulf FTA on Helen Clark. He then went into further detail as to why this was the case.
Live sheep exports to Saudi were banned by Aus & NZ (under HC) after a ship carrying hundreds of sheep was refused entry and sailed about until such time as the sheep perished.
Soem time after this Hooton asserted that JK assured the Saudi ‘businessman’ that live sheep exports would resume.
Based on this assurance some $50 mil was ‘invested’ in NZ sheep farms by the saudi.
JK then reneged on the agreement to allow live sheep exports – 1 pissed off Saudi.
MH then mumbled that that perhaps HC wasn’t to blame and maybe it had something to do with someones ‘word’ being worth diddly…
On top of vile politics without ethic, it is horrific animal cruelty at the very least. TVOne News also announced many sheep had died shortly after arrival due to a bad storm. And let’s be clear, these were pregnant ewes. Hard to imagine the stresses for them enduring at least 20 hours in a Singapore Airlines jet at 38,000 feet. ( What? Yes. Maybe Air NZ didn’t want to touch the job ?)
And what kind of awful conditions will these poor animals be forced to endure for their whole lives, and then in to cruel death.
I didn’t think it was possible to think even less of Key than I did yesterday. Yet, lo, he sinks ever deeper.
Curiously, the clip with Heather du Plessis Allen reporting on the deaths of many of the pregnant ewes seems to be expurgated from the TVOne News website.
If Nathan Guy had chosen his words better, there would be no argument. So was he telling the truth, and hiding something, or attempting clumsy pre-emptive dialogue and making a mess of something simple? Without his utterance of “invested” there’d be no room for the suspicion of bribery.
“It’s said our treatment of the Saudi businessman is the reason the deal with the Gulf States has stalled.”
Is there something wrong with addressing old issues before moving forward in business, if the values of differing cultures are present? Even if the “compensation” was for a justifiable (animal cruelty, say) ban and had annoyed the Saudi businessman, it still wouldn’t have mattered. Want to do business? Have to play by a set of rules acceptable to the business partner. Can’t seriously be asking/expecting the Nats to become a divison of PETA or somesuch?
Is there something wrong with addressing old issues before moving forward in business, if the values of differing cultures are present?
What issues? If a single businessman is having issues because of something our government did then he can take it through the NZ courts. They don’t get to stop a trade deal between countries. The only thing that can be said about this is that one country was acting as an agent for a businessman which is pure corruption on their part and at which point NZ should have pulled out of the deal and not gifted millions of dollars to a businessman.
Ummm… during an election campaign by an independent election authority. Unless you are implying it isn’t independent. In which case why aren’t any of the Opposition parties up in arms about this?
If they are not independent as you imply then this is terrible news for democracy in New Zealand. The Opposition parties should be demanding an immediate restructure of our Electoral authorities to ensure that independence is reestablished. Strangely I haven’t heard a peep from them on this issue. Why do you think that is?
Like The Parnell Pony-Tail puller getting the police to frantically raid several media (The New Zealand Herald, Herald on Sunday, Herald Online, TV3, Television New Zealand, Radio New Zealand.etc) to get hold of a journalist’s recording of their stupid conversation. Wonder how much that state crackdown cost!
I imagine he has a Venezuela interrogation light in his mind, full on egg-frying laser strength, which softens to an ambient candlelight flicker when looking at our current government.
Gosman, everything looks harsh under bright light – and as all romantics know – everybody looks good with candles.
Which would give; Conservatives + LDs 326 seats out of a possible 650, barely enough to govern. Will have to see what the final results are, may even go down to recounts and overseas/ early votes.
[snap to Ron & P Ure]
Update:
The exit poll says the DUP are on course to get 8 seats. So, if they joined up with the Tories and the Lib Dems, that would take the figure to 334.
“It looks like it will be a depressing night across the UK for the workers of that great land.”
Maybe so but what’s more discouraging for those who wanted a change of government not winning on the night or winning on the night expecting change and then getting your hopes dashed with the same old cak from Westminster on high despite the change of government.
I’ve already seen 2 dairy support blocks up for grabs one under the urgent sale banner the other a mortgagee . With a $4 dollar advanced payout predicted for next season the trickle could become a flood.
“In his book, How to Speak Cat, veterinarian Dr Gary Weitzman has endeavoured to decipher just what a cat is saying with its meows, tail movements and purring.”
This interview might offer some insight into mass voter thinking. It’s a development scientist? or some term.
She is talking about a happiness curve where you are at the bottom around 40 and enjoy life more as they get older.
But also she talks about people’s attitudes during economic changes upwards. And also then downwards I think. She says that poor people in the USA no longer believe that working hard will be the basis of improving one’s life. However in Latin America, athey do amonst low and middle class. There might be something useful that explains the USA and it appears to me that people hang onto beliefs even when the reality around them indicate they are not correct in their thinking, that it is false.
Apparently it is uncertainty that is the main unhappiness factor. When people in the USA had counted their losses after the crash and knew how they stood, their happiness level went up to a similar level as before. That’s what I think she said! So deep analysis and renegotiating thinking.
She has written book – Happy Peasants and Miserable Millionaires.
The audio will come up soon. Below is the blurb.
10:05 The Happiness U-Curve – how middle age blues are cured by getting older
Carol GrahamCarol Graham researches what makes people happy, finding that the lowest times in peoples’ lives occurs when they are in their forties, but after that their life satisfaction improves. It’s called the happiness u-curve and it’s a pattern that’s repeated all over the world, no matter what the socio-economic conditions of the country. So why do people get unhappy in their forties, but then get happier in their fifties?
Carol Graham is a fellow at the Brookings Institution and a professor of public policy at the University of Maryland who has written several books about happiness, including one about the paradox of “happy peasants and miserable millionaires”.
Republican state Rep. David Simpson of Longview argues marijuana comes from God and therefore shouldn’t be banned by government. The tea party stalwart has repeatedly championed what he calls the “Christian case” for legalization.
At Ali Jones PR and Communications, “professional ethics” is our touchstone. We won’t waste your time or your money. We won’t play games and we know our stuff.
Mark Twain once said “Always do right – this will gratify some and astonish the rest.” He also said “If you have nothing to say, say nothing.”
She can talk the talk but walk…..?
She used to host a radio show in christchurch which was dropped in 2009, replaced with the network show, but then started again with someone else.
Buck proposed the concept at a housing taskforce meeting on homelessness last week. The issue went to the council’s communities, housing and economic development committee meeting on Thursday. The committee instructed staff to further investigate the plan and give a full report to the council on May 28. Jones did not want further information sought.
This is Jones. What a misanthropic harpy. How come she got elected to the Chch council to represent all the people in Christchurch? (From phil ure’s link) I get where Vicki is coming from, but this is not part of what we should do. It not our core business. This is not social housing. This is kids, this is drug addiction, this is families and criminality. There's a whole lot of stuff in here we should not be dealing with.
Welcome to the workers bash – coming some more from this government. Mind you it is the Talley’s Group – not know for being particularly nice human beings to begin with.
Strike kills leader who claimed Paris attack
Nasser bin Ali al-Ansi, shown in a social media video posted by the group.
A US operation has killed the senior Al Qaeda figure who issued a claim of responsibility for the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, reports say.
I say WTF. I guess if its good enough for Israel, for Russia, then USA says it’f okay.
Ethics classes for finance sector
Commonwealth Bank (CBA) signage and ATM, Sydney, 2014.
Australia’s biggest banks have announced support for an overhaul of the financial planning sector, including mandatory exams and ethics classes.
Isn’t that sweet. All the little boys and girls with neat hair and clean nails on how to look good in public, and how to keep the govt surveillance out of your drawers.
Swede risk not flagged, group says
Swedes
A group investigating the deaths of Southland stock which ate herbicide-tolerant swedes last winter was never told there was a risk with the crop, it says.
The new super crop with enhanced whatisname and a chemical condom against the nasty spray that kills other plants has possible side effects. Who’d have thunk?
Farmer waits nervously for swaps payout
Farm
A man forced to sell his farm after losing millions in an interest rate deal is waiting to see how big an imminent payout is before deciding whether to fight on. (AUDIO)
Isn’t it a disgrace that National can’t even control the financial system here so that their supporters aren’t taken to the cleaners by overseas banks or mendacious finance houses with alluring insurance schemes against ruin from the financiers’ own outrageous market manipulations. Protection money it is called when the Mafia does it.
Fine, totally ignore another win for the little people over the tyranny of the Government.
In days of old there would be celebrations and dancing in the streets when a small group of already marginalised New Zealanders took a complaint of discrimination against the government…and won.
There would have been rioting in the streets when that hard fought battle got a bitter and evil response from the Government, which provoked
Then nearly two years on from that constitutional outrage, another win on the same issue.
Its very difficult to explain the “big picture” here in a way that those completely unfamiliar with the case could grasp.
But I’ll take the time to try.
The care of people with disabilities is funded by the Government under the auspices of the Public Health and Disability Act…a Labour piece of legislation if I recall correctly.
The government will fund disability supports to people over the age of eighteen….but only if families are unwilling or unable to.
There is no penalty for opting out to family members who do not provide the assessed care.
But those who do provide the necessary care, and are unable to work outside the home are severely and significantly impacted….unless, of course, you were one of the at least 272 family carers who were being paid….but that just complicates the issue…so we’ll move on.
So, who does provide the care to those who need it in the absence of willing and able family carers?
Companies with contracts with the Ministry of Health: Disability Support Services.
You may or may not remember these guys…..from various MSM reports of neglect, abuse, assaults and deaths at their hands.
Not all of them.
But enough to make a significant proportion of the disability community unwilling or unable to trust them. Enough of these compainies were unable to provide care for some with very high and complex needs, so family HAD to provide the care.
Hence, the Family Carers Case.
And decisions from the Human Rights Review Tribunal, the High Court (x2) and the Appeal Court (x2) saying that if the person is eligiable for government funded disabilitiy supports THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHO PROVIDES THOSE SUPPORTS.
Sorry to shout…but …are you actually listening?
One of the potential outcomes of this case is to loosen the stranglehold of those contracted providers (some multinationals) on the $1.2 billion of government funding for MOH:DSS supports.
Some of these companies now have contracts with MSD, the DHBs and ACC.
Think about that for a minute…while the current incumbents are formulating a plan to privatise social services and child, youth and family services.
We are talking about a SHIT LOAD of taxpayer money up for tender to ….well….any company who cares to bid.
Like Compass. Or Serco.
Now….let’s think about the TPPA….an issue that Labour has yet to make any clear and unequivocal statements about….an issue that scares the shit out of any Kiwi that has given it more than a passing thought.
Prof Kelsey tells us about contracts with multinationals that would leave our government exposed to legal action if we exercise our democratic and sovereign right to pass laws and have policies that undermine the ‘return on investment’ of these companies.
Now, quietly, and under the radar of the Left, there has been a wee little battle going on, that if the Government had responded in a fair and reasonable manner, would have had the potential to cause a significant reduction in income for companies that the Government has contracts with.
Which I wonder is what the government hid from ALL of us in the Regulatory Impact Statement…you remember….the one with pages and pages of blanked out bits.
Think about that….the government passing legislation that removes people’s rights and casts them forever into the margins….and THEY HIDE THE REASONS WHY.
Labour could have dealt to this prior to the 2008 election. They did a Pontious Pilate and had it go to the HRRT.
They did verbally protest on the 17th May 2013….but, as yet, I have seen no public comment from any party since the release of this latest Appeal Court decsion.
Having the Appeal Court tell the Government they have passed legislation that is not fit for purpose….to put it mildly…should have at least got a publicised mention in the House.
Maybe if it had a ponytail attached?
Methinks there is more to this than immediately apparent.
I got pulled over in west Texas
so they could look inside my car
he said are you an american citizen
I said
yes sir
so far
they made sure I wasn’t smuggling
someone in from Mexico
someone willing to settle for america
’cause there’s nowhere else to go
Ani Difranco (also a contender for great living folk singer).
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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 ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
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. ...
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 ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
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 ...
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Interesting time to take a poll by the Herald about troops in Iraq.
Just before ANZAC Day.
Wonder why they thought they’d should take a poll to test opinion on Iraq at that time.
Wonder why they didn’t take this poll 2 months ago.
Guess the Herald relies on people neither wondering or thinking.
The problem I had reading that poll is the wording of the poll , like most polls they trap people into getting the result the poll gatherers want.
I think we should be doing something but I don’t think it should be sending a few trainers to keep us in with the yankss .
BNZ bank chief says there isn’t a housing bubble in Auckland..
Given the profits the BNZ make thanks to the housing debt in Auckland, that’s hardly a surprise.
Guess the Herald relies on people neither wondering or thinking.
Are Bell Investment Trust, the company that flew Key twice up to Kauri Cliffs by helicopter, the same company as this corporation with interests in mining?
http://www.bellasset.com.au/unit-prices/global-equities/global-mining-investments-trust/
MP’s report receiving threats etc from the public. I wonder how many incidents of MP’s threatening the public, or fellow MP’s? A few come to mind…
The fact is that they are far more dangerous to us (and our grandchildren) than we are to them. When was the last time an ageing member of the public through an overweight MP and his Slugboy mate down a flight of stairs?
ever wondered why mp’s are against property-taxes..?
only seven of them don’t own properties..
..that cd well be a factor in their thinking..eh..?
It would be interesting to know how many own more then one.
most of them do…+ rentals/commercial-properties..
self-interest on a stick..
(details are in the list of mp’s pecuniary-interests – which was released yesterday..)
yet this morn the media are full of stories about how the poor-luvvies have been ‘threatened’ by disgruntled-punters..
(is that deliberate..?..the ‘threatening-news’ on the heels of the self-interest-list..?..to help cover their sorry arses..?)
Cheers they love trusts to I see
And that is why we need policy to be broadly set by referendum. Only then would we have a chance that the majority of people were not voting in basic self-interest.
Election result prediction from fivethirtyeight.com:update : LATEST:
http://fivethirtyeight.com/interactives/uk-general-election-predictions/
Eileen Goodwin at the ODT has been good with her continuing coverage of the SDHB. Most recently with the food outsourcing, but previously with the ED nurse uniform biohazard (instead of being washed inhouse, the nurses are expected to take them home and wash uniforms themselves), and the degradation of the hospital (rain leaking into operating theatres, plans to close the physio pool etc). Usually she tries for balanced reporting (though my quotes tend to be selective):
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/341514/hospital-decision-bitter-pill
But this morning Goodwin allowed herself a more personal comment:
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/341513/handling-food-services-pr-debacle
Does that mean we won’t know who voted which way?
Weka
Looking over the minutes of the April SDHB meeting supplied with the agenda for yesterday’s meeting; there doesn’t seem to be any breakdown of voting.
http://www.southerndhb.govt.nz/files/15533_2015050590054-1430773254.pdf
So I’m not sure how this information could be uncovered, perhaps an OIA request. If nothing else, I can stand up at the meeting during next year’s election for board members and ask each how they voted. My guess is that is was only; Gamble and Chambers against, possibly Thomson as he’s also on the DCC and must know that he’d be putting his re-election chances at risk if he was seen to be not listening to the public on such an issue.
This is all we have so far (from yesterday’s pre-meeting article), unless Goodwin asks followup questions:
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/341376/dhb-member-speaks-out-over-outsourcing-plan
Thanks. I’m just refreshing my memory about the board structure with an eye on the elections. An opportunity next year to do some publicity on these people I think.
7 elected members
Up to 4 appointed members
Chair and Deputy Chair appointed by the Minister of Health
http://www.southerndhb.govt.nz/pages/boardmembers/
Otago electees
Branko Sijnja (undedided)
Richard Thomson (refused to comment)
Mrs Mary Gamble (opposed and spoke out)
John Chambers (opposed and spoke out)
Otago appointees
Joe Butterfield (Chair) (could not be contacted. Tried to talk over Mary Gamble)
Tuari Potiki (Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Mamoe, Waitaha) (could not be contacted)
Southland electees
Tim Ward (Deputy Chair) (refused to comment)
Neville Cook (undecided)
Kay Crowther (refused to comment)
Southland appointees
Sandra Cook (Ngāi Tahu) (does not permit direct contact from media)
Tony Hill (could not be contacted)
Weka
I don’t know if you read my coverage of the meeting yesterday, I didn’t see any comments from you. It was obviously a done deal from the minute the board sat down, really from last December. How the chairman treated the petition once the bulk of the public had been cleared out was particularly galling:
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-07052015/#comment-1011228
Thanks, I hadn’t seen that.
Good to see the union considering legal action.
I can’t do this, so just putting the idea out. I’d want to know under what conditions the Board is able to either exclude the public from a vote, or not tell the public who voted which way. They can exclude the public and media from parts of the meeting that affect commercial issues, but voting isn’t one of them.
So, yep, OIAs, and legal opinions about whether the board can be required to be more accountable to the public. And educating the public on how this all works. I bet most people don’t know the processes that they could be involved in.
(and sorry, I’m not up with what has already been organised in Dndn. Thanks for your work on this Pasupial, it’s getting this information out to the Southern area that is crucial).
This whole thing is bad enough, but let’s not forget that these people are basically telling us they are incompetent to run the SDHB within budget and so are having to do crazy shit like this contract.
That’s what’s in my mind thinking about next year’s election. We need public lobbying bodies that will put time and resource into educating the public about local body elections, who is standing and what their voting records are (ditto Regional Councils).
Interesting that the public were excluded from the vote – when I was a rep on a local society, the general understanding was the the commercial discussions could be made with public excluded but subsequent votes based on those discussions were made in public. It wasn’t usual to break down who voted which way in the minutes (unless a member requested), but the vote itself was publ;ic so anybody could see.
Dunno about the legality of secret voting in a public organisation, especially by the elected representatives, but it certainly defeats the purpose of having an election for them in the first place.
Yep. And there is too much of this shit going in local bodies now. It’s an area of activism that is sorely lacking.
The ODT – still reporting the news because foreign rent seekers are out of the ownership equation.
When did hospitals start having ‘brands’?
about the same time hospital food was required to make a profit.
and why is no-one in the house pushing hard to discover how Tony Ryall wasted about $400 million on his proposed master plan for health ? The rumour that it will just be absorbed as losses for ADHB beggars belief.
“The Government’s spent millions of taxpayer dollars kitting out a farm with top-of-the-line New Zealand equipment and hundreds of sheep to “compensate” a Saudi businessman.
ONE News has learned that the Government has spent $6 million air freighting 900 pregnant ewes and farming equipment to Hamood Al Ali Khalaf’s farm in Saudi Arabia.
According to Mr Al Ali Khalaf’s business partner, Sydney-based George Assaf, everything from the fencing to “the shed and the wool shed and the yards and the drafting machines, the weighing, the scales, you mention it, it’s all from New Zealand”.
Mr Assaf says the deal was done to “compensate” the pair over a six-year-old ban of live sheep exports in which they say they lost hundreds of millions of dollars.
He says New Zealand was told “unless you fix that part of it, we won’t sign” the free trade deal between New Zealand and the Gulf States.
It’s said our treatment of the Saudi businessman is the reason the deal with the Gulf States has stalled.
New Zealand will receive no profit from the Saudi farm, which Mr Assaf claims is worth $80 million.”
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/nz-government-gifts-6m-offended-saudi-businessman-6309101
This looks like bribery to me.
Meanwhile DHBs outsource hospital meals for small savings.
Bribery
The offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of something of value for the purpose of influencing the action of an official in the discharge of his or her public or legal duties.The expectation of a particular voluntary action in return is what makes the difference between a bribe and a private demonstration of goodwill.
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/bribery
I think the Americans have a law against it, put in place after the Lockheed scandals. I’m not at all sure that it’s effective, but we do need to try to stop official bribery and corruption.
Makes me wonder:
1. How many other “aggrieved” businessman we appease. (Isn’t another word for this – extortion?”
2. Where do we find these extortion payments defined in the budget?
MMMMMmmm
The Taxpayers Union (see p 102-105 “Dirty Politics” by Nicky Hager ) has come out
against the Saudi handout
7 MAY 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Taxpayers’ Union is demanding answers from the Government after One News revealed tonight that taxpayers flew 900 sheep on Singapore Airlines to Saudi Arabia and forked out $6 million to kit out a privately owned farm to “compensate” a Saudi businessman. Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says:
“Why on earth is the Government forking out for a business to leave New Zealand? The objective of a FTA is no excuse for a taxpayer handout to an individual businessman. If the businessman has a good case for compensation from our government, that process should be managed by lawyers, not politicians. A full explanation of the dispute should be made public.”
– See more at: http://livenews.co.nz/2015/05/07/mr-taxpayers-pay-to-relocate-hawkes-bay-farm-to-saudi-arabia/#sthash.I7SLKydg.dpuf
plus Matthew Hooton has an article in the NBR (behind paywall headed “Gulf Games Fail To Deliver”
“John Key’s dissembling over live sheep exports is a case study of why so many businesspeople have lost confidence in him.”
Sounds of metal on Whetstone?
“John Key’s dissembling over live sheep exports is a case study of why so many businesspeople have lost confidence in him.”
One thing people have never understood properly – John Key has never been a businessman. He has been a broker / ticket-clipper. Nothing more.
John Key has never been a businessman.
+111
Correct. JK is not a businessman. He’s a ticket-clipper and Yes-man for the rich.
I heard Mr Hooton on NatRad the other day blaming the lack of the Gulf FTA on Helen Clark. He then went into further detail as to why this was the case.
Live sheep exports to Saudi were banned by Aus & NZ (under HC) after a ship carrying hundreds of sheep was refused entry and sailed about until such time as the sheep perished.
Soem time after this Hooton asserted that JK assured the Saudi ‘businessman’ that live sheep exports would resume.
Based on this assurance some $50 mil was ‘invested’ in NZ sheep farms by the saudi.
JK then reneged on the agreement to allow live sheep exports – 1 pissed off Saudi.
MH then mumbled that that perhaps HC wasn’t to blame and maybe it had something to do with someones ‘word’ being worth diddly…
Mr Hooton can fill in the detail
On top of vile politics without ethic, it is horrific animal cruelty at the very least. TVOne News also announced many sheep had died shortly after arrival due to a bad storm. And let’s be clear, these were pregnant ewes. Hard to imagine the stresses for them enduring at least 20 hours in a Singapore Airlines jet at 38,000 feet. ( What? Yes. Maybe Air NZ didn’t want to touch the job ?)
And what kind of awful conditions will these poor animals be forced to endure for their whole lives, and then in to cruel death.
I didn’t think it was possible to think even less of Key than I did yesterday. Yet, lo, he sinks ever deeper.
By whom and how was this signed off last year ?
Curiously, the clip with Heather du Plessis Allen reporting on the deaths of many of the pregnant ewes seems to be expurgated from the TVOne News website.
wtf
If Nathan Guy had chosen his words better, there would be no argument. So was he telling the truth, and hiding something, or attempting clumsy pre-emptive dialogue and making a mess of something simple? Without his utterance of “invested” there’d be no room for the suspicion of bribery.
“It’s said our treatment of the Saudi businessman is the reason the deal with the Gulf States has stalled.”
Is there something wrong with addressing old issues before moving forward in business, if the values of differing cultures are present? Even if the “compensation” was for a justifiable (animal cruelty, say) ban and had annoyed the Saudi businessman, it still wouldn’t have mattered. Want to do business? Have to play by a set of rules acceptable to the business partner. Can’t seriously be asking/expecting the Nats to become a divison of PETA or somesuch?
What issues? If a single businessman is having issues because of something our government did then he can take it through the NZ courts. They don’t get to stop a trade deal between countries. The only thing that can be said about this is that one country was acting as an agent for a businessman which is pure corruption on their part and at which point NZ should have pulled out of the deal and not gifted millions of dollars to a businessman.
The joys of State controlled TV under Socialism.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/05/venezuela-first-lady-maduro-tv-show
Isn’t this similar to what many of you leftists want to see more of in NZ?
you’re funny..!
Very funny Gossy, mind you, you thought they’d have a revolution over toilet paper – which I’m still giggling about.
I never stated they were going to have a revolution over toilet paper.
Please, read your posts – it was the apocalypse – the end is near stuff. Smacks, of talk of revolution to me.
I’ll tell you what isn’t a joke though. Cracking down of people making fun of the government.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2015/05/05/404443837/its-no-joke-venezuela-cracks-down-on-comedians
Like this here in NZ on ‘planet key’ track being banned eh
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11309749
Ummm… during an election campaign by an independent election authority. Unless you are implying it isn’t independent. In which case why aren’t any of the Opposition parties up in arms about this?
pinhead dancer
He can’t vto, he always slips off, he has a grip on the wrong handle.
But dear Gossy – the Electoral Commission was in error (so I wonder just how independent they are?) You can in fact read a very erudite and informed opinion on the judge’s ruling here:
http://pundit.co.nz/content/the-larks-on-the-wing-the-snails-on-the-thorn
If they are not independent as you imply then this is terrible news for democracy in New Zealand. The Opposition parties should be demanding an immediate restructure of our Electoral authorities to ensure that independence is reestablished. Strangely I haven’t heard a peep from them on this issue. Why do you think that is?
The level you operate at is dropping rapidly
Your comments about the ‘Greek Haircut’ should they return to a native currency were hilarious
See if you can work out what was missing from your thought pattern when you made that comment
Yes indeed Gos ol chum! Many of our so-called independent authorities are jammed packed with Party sympathizers. Hand picked and placed in positions where they can influence the decisions in favour of National’s objectives. Katherine Rich, Jackie Blue, Wayne Mapp,
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/daily-cronyism.html
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2014/10/an-unmanaged-conflict.html
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2014/10/cronyism-in-christchurch-ii.html
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2014/06/more-cronyism.html
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2014/03/more-cronyism.html
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2014/03/jobs-for-donors.html
oh! the list goes on and on! 🙁 and just the other day there were marches in the street and protests over a decision by a National sympathizer to ax the last remaining current affairs programme of any credibility.
One day the sheeple will awaken and realise that scumbags like you have stolen everything from them. Those who fail to learn from history will have to relive it. Another French Revolution is not too far into the future I fear.
Like The Parnell Pony-Tail puller getting the police to frantically raid several media (The New Zealand Herald, Herald on Sunday, Herald Online, TV3, Television New Zealand, Radio New Zealand.etc) to get hold of a journalist’s recording of their stupid conversation. Wonder how much that state crackdown cost!
He is… philu… he is.
I imagine he has a Venezuela interrogation light in his mind, full on egg-frying laser strength, which softens to an ambient candlelight flicker when looking at our current government.
Gosman, everything looks harsh under bright light – and as all romantics know – everybody looks good with candles.
OMG Based on exit polls Tories have increased their majority.
Early days, Ron, but still worrying! I blame the SNP 😉
Nah Its not SNP or anyone but Labour. They seem to have no idea how to appeal to the people. Personally I still think they had the wrong Miliband.
Nah, it’s the wannabe upper-class-twit-of-the-year types that think that the Tories represent their interests and keep voting for them.
Pointing fingers
Missing the point
exit polls show tories winning british election..
UK election exit polls not looking good:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2015/may/07/election-2015-live-final-votes-cast-as-battle-for-power-looms
Which would give; Conservatives + LDs 326 seats out of a possible 650, barely enough to govern. Will have to see what the final results are, may even go down to recounts and overseas/ early votes.
[snap to Ron & P Ure]
Update:
the guru of polling.. nate silver..calls it thus:
CON 297, LAB 253, SNP 56, LD 19.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32633099
Hartd luck guys
Time will tell Gosman. The poll seems way out compared to other polls.
Which probably tells us more about the pre-election polls then anything.
It looks like it will be a depressing night across the UK for the workers of that great land.
“It looks like it will be a depressing night across the UK for the workers of that great land.”
Maybe so but what’s more discouraging for those who wanted a change of government not winning on the night or winning on the night expecting change and then getting your hopes dashed with the same old cak from Westminster on high despite the change of government.
It has been pretty accurate in the past
http://www.may2015.com/featured/election-2015-what-is-the-exit-poll-and-how-does-it-work/
Hard luck for who? By all means enlighten me as to why I should give a flying continental about an election on the other side of the world?
YouGov Exit Poll:
CON – 284
LAB – 263
SNP – 48
LDEM – 31
UKIP – 2
GRN – 1
Narrow majority for Tory/Lib Dem/DUP if it holds.
Looks like a switch from Lib Dem to the Con Jobs has caused a unpredicted swing back to the Tories.
The Poms are suckers for punishment!
TRP
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2015/may/07/election-2015-live-final-votes-cast-as-battle-for-power-looms#block-554bd76de4b03ec20bdf8b30
Cheers for the clarification, pasupial.
A likely low turnout < 60%. Obviously things aren't tough enough for the masses.
Just to lighten the mood
Clarke and Dawe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6SzRFA-Ei8
Thanks, very funny as always.
Thanks for that Adam.
Just like house prices, the farming sector has its head in the clouds as well….
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/agribusiness/68327503/median-price-for-all-farms-up-to-28000-a-hectare
talk about baloney
completely unsustainable
spectacular splattery explosion imminent in the property sector
I’ve already seen 2 dairy support blocks up for grabs one under the urgent sale banner the other a mortgagee . With a $4 dollar advanced payout predicted for next season the trickle could become a flood.
How to speak to a cat
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201753567/how-to-speak-cat
“In his book, How to Speak Cat, veterinarian Dr Gary Weitzman has endeavoured to decipher just what a cat is saying with its meows, tail movements and purring.”
What’s it saying when the little bugger jumps out from under the couch and sinks its teeth into you’re foot. 🙂
Playtime.
The games Afoot?
lol…Big Game Hunting!…you are mine!…bagged your foot…now for a mauling…
This interview might offer some insight into mass voter thinking. It’s a development scientist? or some term.
She is talking about a happiness curve where you are at the bottom around 40 and enjoy life more as they get older.
But also she talks about people’s attitudes during economic changes upwards. And also then downwards I think. She says that poor people in the USA no longer believe that working hard will be the basis of improving one’s life. However in Latin America, athey do amonst low and middle class. There might be something useful that explains the USA and it appears to me that people hang onto beliefs even when the reality around them indicate they are not correct in their thinking, that it is false.
Apparently it is uncertainty that is the main unhappiness factor. When people in the USA had counted their losses after the crash and knew how they stood, their happiness level went up to a similar level as before. That’s what I think she said! So deep analysis and renegotiating thinking.
She has written book – Happy Peasants and Miserable Millionaires.
The audio will come up soon. Below is the blurb.
10:05 The Happiness U-Curve – how middle age blues are cured by getting older
Carol GrahamCarol Graham researches what makes people happy, finding that the lowest times in peoples’ lives occurs when they are in their forties, but after that their life satisfaction improves. It’s called the happiness u-curve and it’s a pattern that’s repeated all over the world, no matter what the socio-economic conditions of the country. So why do people get unhappy in their forties, but then get happier in their fifties?
Carol Graham is a fellow at the Brookings Institution and a professor of public policy at the University of Maryland who has written several books about happiness, including one about the paradox of “happy peasants and miserable millionaires”.
heh
Republican state Rep. David Simpson of Longview argues marijuana comes from God and therefore shouldn’t be banned by government. The tea party stalwart has repeatedly championed what he calls the “Christian case” for legalization.
http://www.click2houston.com/news/texas-house-committee-oks-full-marijuana-legalization-bill/32861194
That argument could be run for everything, couldn’t it? For both good shit and bad shit.
It amazes me how humans have got as far as we have
this hideous/vile/uncaring rightwing-trout is also a panellist on the mora show..
..where she comes across as all of the above – with thick as a fucken brick thrown in for good measure…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/68347499/ali-jones-homeless-people-not-christchurch-city-councils-problem
Bio on Ali Jones –
At Ali Jones PR and Communications, “professional ethics” is our touchstone. We won’t waste your time or your money. We won’t play games and we know our stuff.
Mark Twain once said “Always do right – this will gratify some and astonish the rest.” He also said “If you have nothing to say, say nothing.”
She can talk the talk but walk…..?
She used to host a radio show in christchurch which was dropped in 2009, replaced with the network show, but then started again with someone else.
Buck proposed the concept at a housing taskforce meeting on homelessness last week. The issue went to the council’s communities, housing and economic development committee meeting on Thursday. The committee instructed staff to further investigate the plan and give a full report to the council on May 28. Jones did not want further information sought.
This is Jones. What a misanthropic harpy. How come she got elected to the Chch council to represent all the people in Christchurch? (From phil ure’s link)
I get where Vicki is coming from, but this is not part of what we should do. It not our core business. This is not social housing. This is kids, this is drug addiction, this is families and criminality. There's a whole lot of stuff in here we should not be dealing with.
Seeking MP’s support puts job at risk?
http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/campbelllive/tauranga-woman-warned-over-contacting-local-mp-2015050419#axzz3Z9SSgW6J
Welcome to the workers bash – coming some more from this government. Mind you it is the Talley’s Group – not know for being particularly nice human beings to begin with.
Radionz news
Strike kills leader who claimed Paris attack
Nasser bin Ali al-Ansi, shown in a social media video posted by the group.
A US operation has killed the senior Al Qaeda figure who issued a claim of responsibility for the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, reports say.
I say WTF. I guess if its good enough for Israel, for Russia, then USA says it’f okay.
Ethics classes for finance sector
Commonwealth Bank (CBA) signage and ATM, Sydney, 2014.
Australia’s biggest banks have announced support for an overhaul of the financial planning sector, including mandatory exams and ethics classes.
Isn’t that sweet. All the little boys and girls with neat hair and clean nails on how to look good in public, and how to keep the govt surveillance out of your drawers.
Swede risk not flagged, group says
Swedes
A group investigating the deaths of Southland stock which ate herbicide-tolerant swedes last winter was never told there was a risk with the crop, it says.
The new super crop with enhanced whatisname and a chemical condom against the nasty spray that kills other plants has possible side effects. Who’d have thunk?
Farmer waits nervously for swaps payout
Farm
A man forced to sell his farm after losing millions in an interest rate deal is waiting to see how big an imminent payout is before deciding whether to fight on. (AUDIO)
Isn’t it a disgrace that National can’t even control the financial system here so that their supporters aren’t taken to the cleaners by overseas banks or mendacious finance houses with alluring insurance schemes against ruin from the financiers’ own outrageous market manipulations. Protection money it is called when the Mafia does it.
new bill makes it really easy for john key to get legal-pot at his holiday-compound in hawaii..
http://whoar.co.nz/2015/bill-makes-it-easier-for-john-key-to-get-legal-pot-when-at-his-holiday-compound-in-hawaii/
A few days ago I posted this…. http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-05052015/#comment-1010262 …to zero response.
Fine, totally ignore another win for the little people over the tyranny of the Government.
In days of old there would be celebrations and dancing in the streets when a small group of already marginalised New Zealanders took a complaint of discrimination against the government…and won.
There would have been rioting in the streets when that hard fought battle got a bitter and evil response from the Government, which provoked
this….http://pundit.co.nz/content/i-think-national-just-broke-our-constitution
Then nearly two years on from that constitutional outrage, another win on the same issue.
Its very difficult to explain the “big picture” here in a way that those completely unfamiliar with the case could grasp.
But I’ll take the time to try.
The care of people with disabilities is funded by the Government under the auspices of the Public Health and Disability Act…a Labour piece of legislation if I recall correctly.
The government will fund disability supports to people over the age of eighteen….but only if families are unwilling or unable to.
There is no penalty for opting out to family members who do not provide the assessed care.
But those who do provide the necessary care, and are unable to work outside the home are severely and significantly impacted….unless, of course, you were one of the at least 272 family carers who were being paid….but that just complicates the issue…so we’ll move on.
So, who does provide the care to those who need it in the absence of willing and able family carers?
Companies with contracts with the Ministry of Health: Disability Support Services.
You may or may not remember these guys…..from various MSM reports of neglect, abuse, assaults and deaths at their hands.
Not all of them.
But enough to make a significant proportion of the disability community unwilling or unable to trust them. Enough of these compainies were unable to provide care for some with very high and complex needs, so family HAD to provide the care.
Hence, the Family Carers Case.
And decisions from the Human Rights Review Tribunal, the High Court (x2) and the Appeal Court (x2) saying that if the person is eligiable for government funded disabilitiy supports THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHO PROVIDES THOSE SUPPORTS.
Sorry to shout…but …are you actually listening?
One of the potential outcomes of this case is to loosen the stranglehold of those contracted providers (some multinationals) on the $1.2 billion of government funding for MOH:DSS supports.
Some of these companies now have contracts with MSD, the DHBs and ACC.
Think about that for a minute…while the current incumbents are formulating a plan to privatise social services and child, youth and family services.
We are talking about a SHIT LOAD of taxpayer money up for tender to ….well….any company who cares to bid.
Like Compass. Or Serco.
Now….let’s think about the TPPA….an issue that Labour has yet to make any clear and unequivocal statements about….an issue that scares the shit out of any Kiwi that has given it more than a passing thought.
Prof Kelsey tells us about contracts with multinationals that would leave our government exposed to legal action if we exercise our democratic and sovereign right to pass laws and have policies that undermine the ‘return on investment’ of these companies.
Now, quietly, and under the radar of the Left, there has been a wee little battle going on, that if the Government had responded in a fair and reasonable manner, would have had the potential to cause a significant reduction in income for companies that the Government has contracts with.
Which I wonder is what the government hid from ALL of us in the Regulatory Impact Statement…you remember….the one with pages and pages of blanked out bits.
Think about that….the government passing legislation that removes people’s rights and casts them forever into the margins….and THEY HIDE THE REASONS WHY.
Rant over.
Laws – good people don’t need them, and the bad people will just change them to suit themselves.
Rosemary McDonald +100…scarey
…where is the New Zealand Labour Party on this?!….they should be jumping up and down!
Labour could have dealt to this prior to the 2008 election. They did a Pontious Pilate and had it go to the HRRT.
They did verbally protest on the 17th May 2013….but, as yet, I have seen no public comment from any party since the release of this latest Appeal Court decsion.
Having the Appeal Court tell the Government they have passed legislation that is not fit for purpose….to put it mildly…should have at least got a publicised mention in the House.
Maybe if it had a ponytail attached?
Methinks there is more to this than immediately apparent.
Jill Sobule – greatest living folk singer?
Great take on USA politics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXIL3Rt4mxo
Ani Difranco (also a contender for great living folk singer).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OuJQ0dg3Mc
Key & Peele
Where there ain’t no pain, ain’t no sorrow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg58d8opQKA
heads-up..!
don’t even think of taking the piss out of trp for his election-prediction..
..he’ll ban yr arse..
You did note the tags, didn’t you?
Odd Miliband
Ed Miliband trying not to touch a Scottish person
Ed Miliband trying to understand human emotion
Ed Miliband trying to shake hands with people
Ed Miliband looking at his fingers
and best of all
Ed Miliband trying to look natural
no..where are/were they..?
..and..yr point..?
The post was a piss take – the accompanying video sort of gave it away.
Categories: elections, labour, social media lolz, uk politics
i never watched the video..
..and i am not such a completist – that i read ‘categories’…(my bad!)
(does ‘social media lolz’ signify that a whole post is ‘a piss-take’..?..i must remember that..)
..so i have to admit – i took it at face-value..
..and in fact..going on the pre-election polling..
..like many others – i also thought lab/snp had it sewed up..
..and thought that if trp was guilty of anything..
..it was premature-triumphalism..
..silly/unobservant me..!..eh..?
i was in the habit of watching prime news..and then 3 news..
..but no more..
..as any significant content on prime is repeated on 3 news a few minutes later – word for fucken word..
..they really are trying to play us for fucken fools..
..but no more..