Is Emmerson the only person on the Herald’s staff who is mentioned the Panama papers?
This morning stories about diggers, the Bachelor, a ghost ship in Africa an several others were deemed more important that the revelations about our tax haven status.
New’s media represents that of North Korea’s at times in its adoration of the Dear Leader.
Keep the sheeple titilated and if you have to run a panama story, minimal facts only, no conjecture or opinion, ensure CT memes are included, dry as possible, mention hager and vlwc, park akl house price stories nearby.
Yes, Pravda would be better. Because every Soviet citizen took it for granted that Pravda never told the truth, and knew it always had an agenda. They knew you had to read very carefully between the lines of Pravda to glimpse at what was actually going onin the world and why.
@ Paul (2) … and if/when the issue is published in NZH, it will be buried deep in the bowels of the publication, requiring some eagle eyed detection and a magnifying glass to find it!
Stuff has the MF issue at number 3 news item, under far more important topics such as The Bachelor (no 1), Housing in Auckland (2).
NZ fast losing its reputation as being a good, decent nation, going down the gurgler big time, while more importantly the Bachelor selects his mate and being told the Auckland housing boom is a lie! WTF?????
Presumably something that happens at 4pm today. Or rather was supposed to happen at 4pm today NZ time but a certain blog ostensibly outside NZ jumped the gun with a statement by one of the players appearing for a short time early this morning. That post has now disappeared.
Assuming my guess is correct, not without getting myself and TS into trouble legally.
Presumably all will be revealed in a few more hours – both here and elsewhere in the blogisphere. As MS said, nothing to do with foreign trusts, Panama papers etc.
A very different messy spider’s web of intrigue, he said/he said, accusations/counter accusations etc etc which has been ongoing for a couple of years.
It’s not really that interesting, just interblog warfare going criminal. It’s unofficially accessible on the internet already.
i predict there will be a lot of self congratulatory high fives on the standard once the admission of guilt is public and the ability to name and shame is released.
If you can stand it, also seek out the a1000 word long poor me excuse laden explanation. That sense of self pity is about the only similarity with Jeffrey archer or perhaps tony veitch would be a more timely comparison.
With the greatest respect as you have considerably more experience with setting up of trusts than I do it is in my considered opinion that I believe the only thing that may or may not come out today will be of interest only to political tragics, the beltway and the msm
However it will not be of interest to the general public of NZ, therefore the Panama Papers will, in weeks/months to come be considered a political flop to rank along side the Moment of Truth or the Dirty Politics publication
I believe this is what will happen because of the intense media speculation that has caused an expectation that hasn’t been matched by the contents of the paper
In that trusts were formed in NZ prior to 2008 and more trusts were formed after but breaking no laws
My belief will most likely be shown to be correct by the next few months in which I expect there to be a small bump in Nationals fortunes in the polls which will show the voters dissatisfaction with the, possible, collusion between hackers, the MSM and the opposition
I’m pretty sure that the general public really are interested in finding out that the rich are fraudsters and are stealing from them and a daily basis.
You’re right in that respect however I think that this case is far removed from most peoples day to day experiences so as such its not “real” to them and because of that its not considered a big deal
For example what would be the difference to NZ if these trusts weren’t in NZ but were elsewhere? Well there wouldn’t be any difference at all save some lawyers and accountants would have a bit less money.
You’re right in that respect however I think that this case is far removed from most peoples day to day experiences so as such its not “real” to them and because of that its not considered a big deal
You think wrong. This hits home hard.
For example what would be the difference to NZ if these trusts weren’t in NZ but were elsewhere?
Wrong question. It should be: How much better would their lives be if these rich pricks weren’t stealing from them?
Key has already been linked to all this through his “lawyer”, his continued lackadaisical defence of the trust system and his government’s inaction on the housing issue.
PR this is an International story not some storm in a tea cup in little old back Banana milkshake republic NZ.
I will run down queens St completely naked if it goes away within the Month.
Sorry I was not clear in what I wrote. The story itself won’t go away in a couple of months but the result in the polls is what I was referring to, so in regards of doing damage to National it will considered another flop.
Please tell us that Whale Oil was not this incredibly important story?
If this was it can you warn us when your Queen Street run (or waddle) is going to be. Then we can all avoid the appalling display.
This has already sunk. In fact except on this site and Slater’s one it never reached the surface.
If it wasn’t please Slater please tell us what it was.
Is Parliament sitting ? If so its question time today. I wonder if Key will front up….and if he does, what’s the betting he sits there smiling, joking, and turns any serious question into a farce !
He would have been up all night with Carter working out how to run question time. You know, so that he can get away with all his usual shite while Daddy David looks on with fond smiles.
My pick is he will do a general smear job on Nicky Hager, the Greens, Labour and every other bogey man he can somehow characterise as being implicated in the big “left wing conspiracy” job on himself (honest john) and his mates. Kim Dotcom anyone?
Moko Rangitoheriri would almost definitely be alive today had someone, anyone, done their fucking job.
Shame on Te Whare Oranga Wairua Maori Women’s Refuge for not saving this child.
Shame on CYFs for not saving this child.
You were both told, and neither of you could be bothered even going to the home and seeing if Moko was OK.
A child made a disclosure of abuse and you twits went and asked the abuser if they were abusing? How many times has that happened and the at risk child dies.
You professionals signed this child’s death warrant.
I’m sorry…wtff. WTFF!
(trigger alert.)
Systemic failures and lack of accountability in child protection sector leading to inevitable death of one child and the life of the survivors forever blighted. No professional accepts responsibility.
This is something I have no experience of so if I inadvertently say something inappropriate I apologise in advance as it comes from ignorance not malice
I’ve thought that the policy of keeping the child within the family unit is flawed, I’ve thought that CYPs are not doing a very good job (the workers are probably doing their best however), I’ve long thought that it almost seems as if adoption is discouraged in NZ and that what National is proposing in starting again has merit
I think that since CYPs is failing it does need to start again but I’m also thinking if the same people in charge from CYPs are transferred to the same positions then nothing much will change
Do you think this is a good idea from National or will it (most likely) be doomed to failure?
“I’ve thought that the policy of keeping the child within the family unit is flawed,”
Any policy, if rigidly applied, automatically becomes flawed.
The overarching rule should always be “Do what ever is best to keep that child safe NOW.”
Someone has to take responsibility when abuse is reported.
Marama Fox did a great piece over on TDB a few weeks ago….the comments are closed unfortunately, as it would be very interesting to hear what she has to say about this case.
What the government will do is contract out core responsibilities to ‘providers’. (Labour did this with disability and it has not gone well…especially for those who need the most support.) In the Disability Sector….provider organisations are well seeded with former Misery of Health staff…all a bit incestuous.
“Contracting out” further distances the government from responsibility when the system fails individuals….
Whanau Ora…where the hell are they??? There’s a good idea that has come to nothing, nothing, nothing…
I don’t have the answers…but from the point of view of an abused child and the point of view of a former foster parent…’get the children to a place of safety, and pull out all the stops to sort the shit out in the home.’
Rosemary McDonald Whanau Ora, has been dying slowly, in the face of odd accounting requested by government. I think only two organisation are left in Auckland who still use the programme money. I’d have to check that. got to run.
Also having met folks who worked within Whanaua Ora, yes great idea,. Major criticism, one hell of a lot of paper work though – which meant face to face time was ever decreasing. – and considering the programme is only a few years old – what a spectacular way to kill it. Almost every year since inception more government paper work.
Willie and Boomers show did a good piece as well. Marama Fox is proving a good MP, I just hope she does not get burnt out.
Thank you for raising this issue Rosemary. I have a close friend who works on behalf of at risk children within the Maori community (due to who her employers are). She is very clear…the fragmentation of data between Gvt agencies, the obsession by CYFS to maintain familial contact, the disgraceful movement of children between multiple caregivers…these are all key factors in the problems we have today. Changes are being made, but these are far too late for far too many children.
“…he obsession by CYFS to maintain familial contact,”
Oh, yes. A huge problem.
“…the disgraceful movement of children between multiple caregivers,”
…and fuck all support for caregivers number five, six, seven, eight, nine…..doomed to failure from the get go. Perpetual motion….
We did (owing to our particular circumstances) emergency and short term care only….hence the idea that we’d love and care for the children while CYFs put all their social work skills into sorting our the family’s shit…or finding a long term secure placement.
There was ONE local social worker who we could rely on to a) have a couple of plans for the child
b) had a ‘make it so’ philosophy
c) kept us (the foster family) informed
d) oh, and treated us as part of ‘the team’, and with respect.
I’m in the ‘be cautious’ camp too. I know there have been calls from a few sectors of the community to place or return children to their extended families. However, I don’t believe that biology should precede one’s right to one’s child or children.
My concern is the generational dysfunctionality that exists within these families. Alcohol and drugs, along with physical and sexual abuse are experienced and perpetrated by many generations of one family. While this is their norm, someone else knows what is happening to these children…and doing nothing! How many lives could we have saved just by taking the time to make that crucial phonecall or contact!
Surely, if a child has been exposed to all of the above, then under no circumstances should that child be permanently reunited with that family.
They try and keep children in the wider family. Not the immediate, where the problem is. Keeping kids within the family means less problems later on. Rather than putting them in foster care, and all the issues that come with that.
“I think that since CYPs is failing, it does need to start again, but I’m also thinking if the same people in charge from CYPs are transferred to the same positions – then nothing much will change” — On the money with that one.
But I wonder if adoption has somehow been, for lack of a better word, “stigmatized” or isn’t encouraged (I’ve considered adoption in the past as, medically speaking, kids aren’t likely to happen for us) and so more kids are kept in situations when they could, maybe, be adopted instead
Stigmatised is not too stronger word…some bring in ‘stolen generation’ arguments and then all discussion goes to shit.
There will be people around here who were adopted, and it went well for them. Others not so well….and I’d like to see if the rates of abuse and neglect of adopted kids is higher than kids who grow up with their birth parents.
Open adoption is the norm today….with the adoptive parents having full custody rights, but with the (usually) birth mother involved. This can work well.
CYFs clamour to encourage foster parents to take out ‘permanency’ arrangements so the child has some security…the birth family have rights of access and contact…sometimes these arrangements go horribly wrong for lack of boundary enforcement by CYFs.
Older children are harder to place in permanent care or adoption….
I don’t have a problem with short term foster care, and I agree it is very useful.
I also agree we need to be open minded, but I won’t buy into another shake up for the sake of a shake up. I get the system is broken, but if it is more of the same with different labels – what’s the point? And if it is going to strangled for money to do a real transitions – what’s the point?
I do have a problem of alienating people from their families and culture. I have a real problem with that, and having live in Australia, know it can only get worse, not better if we go down the path of the state knows best about children.
Strong interview from Andrew Little on Morning Report just now making clear, relevant points about what he quite rightly calls a grubby little industry while not being diverted by a shameful piece of “journalism” by Guyon Espiner. Liked the way Little called Espiner on him challenging Little to provide one piece of evidence of criminal activity in these overseas trusts when Little had made no mention of that aspect at all.
Worse display by Andrew Little to be frank.
He is not very good at being interviewed doesn’t seem to be able to think on his feet.
Little should be in a really strong position again and fluffed it.
Oh well.
“…..doesn’t seem to be able to think on his feet.”
and yet he seamlessly sidestepped GE’s attempted distraction….so top flight journo outmaneuvered by incompetent politician…..even worse.
MediaWorks didn’t win the Roger Award (the Judges Report here). It didn’t even get into the top three. That simply shows what fierce competition there is in the transnational corporate race to the bottom.
PR it is doomed because pay rates for social workers is not increasing .
Also no increase in numbers of social workers at all.
Social workers at CYPs were expected to have 60 to 80 cases per worker 10 times more than is practical.
Causing a massive burnout and staff turnover no continuity.
The family court is a lawyers money go round which wastes another 60% of Social workers time.
Research at Canterbury university shows that putting a trained social worker in charge of a CYPs family is the best way of turning these highly dysfunctional families around it costs $72,000
Per year but is much cheaper than the million dollar welfare families.
National and Labour are aware of this successful programming but claim its to expensive.
That’s total BS.
Many CYPs families are crime ridden the cost is much higher locking up the next generation than fixing the problem.
This govt is doing another make over and not changing the way they are approaching the problem.
In order to shed some light as to who and how long people have been naming New Zealand as a tax haven, a little Googing shows this 2011 report in which a tax haven activist names NZ as one.
“Tax haven activist Nicholas Shaxson has hit out at New Zealand for opposing a plan to create a UN body to tackle tax haven abuse.
Shaxson, who has become famous following the publication of Treasure Islands: Tax Havens and the Men Who Stole the World, said New Zealand is letting down the developing world.
He has also revealed that New Zealand has a growing reputation as an offshore haven itself. He predicts New Zealand will appear on the Tax Justice Network’s Financial Secrecy Index by 2013.”
The Greens in 2013 quoted the Tax Justice Network as a source for their November 2013 claim that NZ was a tax haven.
Incidentally, the Tax Justice Network is the source also for the claim that some $7.4 billion is lost annually to the NZ government through tax evasion, in the ‘shadow economy’. This figure was known about in 2011.
Peter Dunne, former Revenue Minister from 2005-2013, complains today that he did not know about the size of the growth in foreign trusts. The Greens alerted the country to this in November 2013. Dunne was Revenue Minister in 2011, when the government eased the rules on Foreign Trusts.
Do we believe that he never asked for information about the effects of this easing from his officials? Incompetency or lies from either or both of these actors. Do we also believe that other members of the government never sought information on the effects of these changes to trust law?
This trust law is of course the concern of several foreign tax haven lawyers who were able to secure a meeting with the new Revenue Minister within 7 days of seeking it, a meeting which was held in the offices of one of these ‘highly ethical’ lawyers, and as a result of which meeting departmental advice was over-ridden and changes were not made which would have been inimical to their interests.
Do we believe that he never asked for information about the effects of this easing from his officials?
With Dunne? I’m quite happy to believe that and if they told him anyway he would have ignored them and listened to the business people who wanted to keep rorting governments.
When Dunne was asked yesterday if he would now ask questions of IRD, he backed off the concern at his lack of being informed, because he is no longer Revenue Minister. Still ask couldn’t he, though probably not a useful answer.
Rodrigo Duterte, the populist candidate who vows to to pardon himself for murder, looks set to win the Philippine presidency.
Polls have closed in the Philippines presidential election with an unofficial, partial tally of votes suggesting a strong lead for populist mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Andy Bautista, head of the polling commission, said voter turnout in Monday’s election was estimated at 80 percent, which he said was a record in the country.
While authorities described the overall conduct of the elections as peaceful, police said at least 10 people died across the country in election day violence as gunmen attacked polling stations, ambushed vehicles and stole vote-counting machines.
Based on 80 percent of votes counted, Duterte, whose controversial campaign focused on a pledge to kill criminals, had 13.7 million votes, GMA, a national news website, said, citing figures from the election commission. He was followed by Grace Poe at 7.6 million and Manuel Roxas on eight million.
If you’re Christian, if you’re a monarchist, if you’re a straight white guy, if you disagree with mass medication, and decide to stand your ground, then yes you will be dumped on from a great height. You see, you will be seen to be highly irrational, highly unconventional, and more than slightly delusional/ignorant.
“Christianity in action” seems like such a quaint anachronism to some. Even though it is still the guts of what needs to be achieved.
It makes a mockery of the supposed broad church ethos of the party. It seems that the neoliberals and the free trade globalists are very well tolerated though.
Having said that I think that we should certainly consider profanity personally directed at other commentators becoming a moderatable offence.
James Shaw is showing better judgement then Andrew Little:
Shaw made clear the party were not against Kiwis having trusts overseas, they just wanted more transparency and disclosure on their details.
“It’s not whether someone’s got a foreign trust, it’s whether they’re doing anything illegitimate such as tax avoidance, money laundering of anything like that,” he said.
Quite right GS:
The PM, Mr English and others on the right are trying to introduce a few new buzz words. Simple derogatory impact statements which they hope will catch on..’knee jerk’…’barking mad’ ..’bonkers’.. and there will be more to come.Count them.
Must have got new strategy instructions from ‘Sir’ Lynton-CT
Sorry, but you are wrong.
The Herald story doesn’t say that. It says that the majority of the overseas buyers of property (3% of the total) were Chinese.
This implies that around 2% of sales overall went to overseas Chinese buyers.
Mary you are wrong about what labour was claiming, and labour was wrong in what they were claiming. There is no tsunami and 40% of homes are not going to chinky named foreigners. Ironically the most accurate person was the barfoot and thompson ceo who said all along it was between 5 @nd 8% of buyers were overseas asians. He was only wrong by about 100%
The information provided by the herald is for this year- Jan to March, yet the comment still says
“Nearly 60 per cent of Auckland houses sold to foreign buyers went to Chinese investors, new data shows.”
There has been a huge reduction of Chinese buyers since late last year, but prior to that, Labour was correct to identify the heavy speculative investment in Auckland property by a particular group, just recently in Sydney the media was more than happy to provide the stats on Chinese property investors, indicating they had spent $12B in the last year, no one… no one called them racist for identifying them as Chinese, if they had been Spanish, then they would have been referred to as Spanish investors, it’s not racist to identify specific groups within a population, if it were Kiwi’s in China snapping up properties at a fast rate, do you think the Chinese would hesitate to identify them as Kiwi’s, of course not,
The whole “racist” thing was to throw the public off the scent, the govt’s happy for foreign money to come to NZ as there’s not a lot else happening economically.
Your argument goes up in a puff of smoke Expat…Labour went through the sales data (illegally taken from a Real estate company) and used the “test” of any Chinese sounding names as the basis for their stats…at best very crude, if not racist.
However I agree its too early, and the sampling of data needs more time. But the 40% that Labour says verse 3%…hmm even doubling it to 6% still leaves a huge gap to make up.
Now mary_a has misread a news head line…I trust it was an honest mistake.
I find it interesting that these stats are available now and weren’t a year ago, and just because residents purchased the bulk of properties, doesn’t mean that it wasn’t funded from overseas, the argument from Little was to raise the concerns of rapid increase of housing prices in Auckland, making it extremely difficult for ordinary Kiwi’s to buy a home.
As so many RW’s pointed out at the end of last year, Key’s changing the rules had reduced foreign sales, so the stats are for the first three months of this year, the same RW’s would say that this is evidence of the govt changes working and the subsequent results portrayed in the Herald story, but the same thing happened to the rest of the world, Chinese residential investment ramped down very quickly over the last year as evidenced in all the major cities around the world.
The 40% Little suggested is probably too high, but I know that in some suburbs of Auckland the percentage is more than 80% and in others less than 1%, in reality, the issue was raised and it is an important issue: housing affordability.
Listen, Maori are more criminally inclined than pakeha. It’s a fact, and the conviction and prison statistics prove it. You can’t argue with the numbers, and its not racist to say so because its the facts. Look at the over representation of Maori in our courts and in our prisons.
Not racist. Right?
The problem that the dickheads in Labour made for themselves is that they never said:
“we believe that highly cashed up foreign buyers, especially from China, but also from many other countries, have been pushing property prices in Auckland out of reach of Kiwis for years.”
And their whole “Chinese sounding last names” approach was simply stupid.
The cream on the cake for me is that Labour’s reputation as a tolerant, progressive party amongst Asians of all races went into the toilet thanks to their tactical blunder, and their poll numbers have been down since.
Not saying that timing = causality but that’s what happened around the same time.
Political correctness is never going to fix the problem, raising the issue, at least forced the Govt to make some changes, but that aspect got swept under the carpet, the nats wouldn’t have introduced changes without some pressure from somewhere, Little actually achieved a result, but the beat up has derided that achievement, the media churning out a negative view point as usual, there’s two sides to every story.
“You can’t argue with the numbers,”
Those stats that you quote probably have no credibility, and politically spurned.
I’m not saying the issue was handled perfectly, but it was raised, persistently, to get the Govt to move, you can spin things any way you like, but the reality is that changes were made, some acknowledgement of the seriousness of the issue.
exactly…and it is pertinent to remember that the historical aspect will remain unmeasured so will continue to be a source of uncertainty and debate…….and the change in declaration requirements may in itself impact the sales.
Well Switzerland has done quite well out of being a tax haven. They don’t collect taxes on the deposits, but can then lend that money and charge interest on it. Switzerland has an excellent international reputation, despite harbouring Nazi gold, no? I don’t really see the problem, NZ needs money, this is a pretty good way of getting some.
Singapore too, they say, is a tax haven for all sorts of dirty money from China, Indonesia, elsewhere in Asia. Great! Stable, efficient, honest, easy to do business with. Phrases like that.
Here’s a “little” thing from kiwiblog, pardon the pun.
“Five Labour MPs went out one day
Over the hills and far away
Angry Andrew said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack,”
but only four Labour MPs came waddling back…
…
Four Labour MPs went out one day
…
Three Labour MPs went out one day
…
Two Labour MPs went out one day
…
One Labour MP went out one day
Over the hills and far away
Angry Andrew said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack,”
but none of the Labour MPs liked him.””
I can see why there are the resident RW bloggers here at TS, kiwiblog has no theme for them to write about, just angry, stupid, incoherent bullshit is the general topic of the day, I only went there to gauge their response to Slater’s hacking activity and surprise, surprise, not a mention.
The piece above is a classic example of the level of intelligence of these RW nutjobs.
“UK authorities have hijacked a civil suit launched by a cybersecurity expert from Suffolk accused of hacking into the Federal Reserve, in a move that has sinister implications for journalists and others who rely on encrypted data storage and communications.
Gifted programmer and human rights activist Lauri Love, 31, stands accused of intercepting online systems operated by the Fed, NASA, the FBI, the US Department of Defense and the US Environmental Protection Agency, among others…
It opens with a couple of Hillarious (but definitely not Clinton-esque) examples of policies that went terribly wrong (The law of Unintended Consequences) then shows how current economic policy has turned out to be much the same. Quite a clever article really, IMO.
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
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 ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
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 ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
“Three Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.” ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallace’s debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that he’s always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe it’s something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. She’s ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whānau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says ‘outlook not great’ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: What’s KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertson’s valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules – and costs – that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didn’t know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race he’d dreamed ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 24 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. It’s not as if we haven’t done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didn’t say: “Oh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.” No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
NEWSMAKERS:By Vijay Narayan, news director of FijiVillage Blessed to be part of the University of Fiji (UniFiji) faculty to continue to teach and mentor those who want to join our noble profession, and to stand for truth and justice for the people of the country. I was privileged to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarctica’s glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer “yes” to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if they’re experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey caught the headlines yesterday, courtesy of a blistering speech condemning the latest GST carve-up. New South Wales, he claimed, would be A$11.9 billion worse off over the ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Kokoda Station, Northern province, at the start of his state visit to Papua New Guinea. Both Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape will meet with the locals and the Northern Provincial government before they begin their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra Shutterstock An important principle was invoked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week in defence of the government’s Future Made in Australia industry ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Security forces reinforcements were sent from France ahead of two rival marches in the capital Nouméa today, at the same time and only two streets away one from the other. One march, called by Union Calédonienne party (a component of the ...
A poll last August found that just 16% of New Zealanders oppose bringing back the ‘Three Strikes’ law. The nationwide poll of 1,000 New Zealanders was commissioned by Family First NZ and carried out by Curia Market Research. ...
The solo show from Ana Scotney is both sprawling and intimate, and a must-see, writes Mad Chapman. In the opening moments of Scattergun: After the Death of Rūaumoko, writer and performer Ana Scotney lays out the groundwork, literally. Silently moving around the square stage, Scotney is not so much dancing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Burridge, Professor of Linguistics, Monash University Who makes the words? Why are trees called trees and why are shoes called shoes and who makes the names? – Elliot, age 5, Eltham, Victoria Good question Elliot! Let’s start with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne at amRawpixel.com/Shutterstock Roles of health professionals are still unfortunately often stuck in the past. That is, before the ...
COMMENTARY:By Malcolm Evans Last week’s leaked New York Times staff directive, as to what words can and cannot be used to describe the carnage Israel is raining on Palestinians, is proof positive, since those reports are published verbatim here in New Zealand, that our understanding of the conflict is ...
In the case of New Zealand, the results confirm that there is no popular support for the vicious austerity program being imposed by the National Party-led government, which is backed in all fundamental respects by the opposition Labour Party. ...
The ‘Vampire’ singer has never visited our part of the world, but that might all be about to change. We assess the evidence.Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour is pulling in massive crowds as it whips around the US and Europe, even helping to catapult regular supporting act Chappell Roan ...
Testing of drinking water in rural Canterbury over the weekend by Greenpeace revealed that several public town supplies were reaching levels of nitrate above 5 mg/L - the threshold which a growing body of scientific evidence has linked to increased ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rohan Fisher, Information Technology for Development Researcher, Charles Darwin University It may come as a surprise to hear 2023 was Australia’s biggest bushfire season in more than a decade. Fires burned across an area eight times as big as the 2019–20 Black ...
Responding to the Government’s announcement of changes to resource management laws, Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, said: “These changes are a step in the right direction in terms of removing ideological and unworkable ...
More than two years after the Human Rights Council called for the establishment of a national human rights commission, such a body has yet to be formed. ...
Comment:An emergency management system with wide variations in performance, significant capability gaps, funding shortfalls and above all a setup that is not meeting the needs of New Zealanders at times of crisis. The Government’s inquiry into the response to Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events in the North ...
Welcome to the whirring wonders of one brain trying to align its actions with its beliefs within a system it thinks is evil. My brain has been spiralling in a woke conundrum ever since I found out a bookshop I’ve never been to was shutting down. Good Books, a bookshop ...
We repeat our call for criminal justice policy to be based on evidence, something the three strikes regime neglects to recognise – with no evidence that it either reduces crime or assists with rehabilitation. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara With only four more seats in the 50-member Parliament yet to be officially declared, there is no outright winner in the Solomon Islands elections. As of Monday, the two largest blocs in the winner’s circle, independents and the incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh ...
NZ law firms that lobbied government did business with Mossack Fonseca.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/panama-papers/303462/law-firms'-links-to-mossack-fonseca
Is Emmerson the only person on the Herald’s staff who is mentioned the Panama papers?
This morning stories about diggers, the Bachelor, a ghost ship in Africa an several others were deemed more important that the revelations about our tax haven status.
New’s media represents that of North Korea’s at times in its adoration of the Dear Leader.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11636230
Normal service has been resumed at granny.
Keep the sheeple titilated and if you have to run a panama story, minimal facts only, no conjecture or opinion, ensure CT memes are included, dry as possible, mention hager and vlwc, park akl house price stories nearby.
When I use the word ‘Granny’ I have fond memories of a gentle human being.
The Herald no longer deserves that moniker.
Pravda would be better.
Yes, Pravda would be better. Because every Soviet citizen took it for granted that Pravda never told the truth, and knew it always had an agenda. They knew you had to read very carefully between the lines of Pravda to glimpse at what was actually going onin the world and why.
unless there is some revelation about NZ persons or government involvement the story has no real appeal for Msm anymore.
It has many revelations .
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/panama-papers/303462/law-firms'-links-to-mossack-fonseca
@ Paul (2) … and if/when the issue is published in NZH, it will be buried deep in the bowels of the publication, requiring some eagle eyed detection and a magnifying glass to find it!
Stuff has the MF issue at number 3 news item, under far more important topics such as The Bachelor (no 1), Housing in Auckland (2).
NZ fast losing its reputation as being a good, decent nation, going down the gurgler big time, while more importantly the Bachelor selects his mate and being told the Auckland housing boom is a lie! WTF?????
Today could be a very interesting day. Stay tuned …
what what? what’s going on? you can’t say “i know a secret but can’t say…”. sheesh
@ mickysavage (3) …. ooohhh now you are teasing us ….. hint please!
Nothing to do with the Panama Papers …
Well now that is intriguing
Presumably something that happens at 4pm today. Or rather was supposed to happen at 4pm today NZ time but a certain blog ostensibly outside NZ jumped the gun with a statement by one of the players appearing for a short time early this morning. That post has now disappeared.
Can you say what it was about?
Assuming my guess is correct, not without getting myself and TS into trouble legally.
Presumably all will be revealed in a few more hours – both here and elsewhere in the blogisphere. As MS said, nothing to do with foreign trusts, Panama papers etc.
A very different messy spider’s web of intrigue, he said/he said, accusations/counter accusations etc etc which has been ongoing for a couple of years.
Ah ok, so its quite serious then
As long as it is not another Oravida which I think bore the shit out of most people by the end of it.
It may have been reading Jeffery Archer at an impressionable age but I do enjoy a good, juicy political scandal
You’ll be surprised when you find out
I’m assuming its involving someone from National or am I completely on the wrong track?
Interesting name. Whale oil says there will be a media release at 4pm and there it is…
You will know in a couple of minutes.
It’s not really that interesting, just interblog warfare going criminal. It’s unofficially accessible on the internet already.
i predict there will be a lot of self congratulatory high fives on the standard once the admission of guilt is public and the ability to name and shame is released.
If you can stand it, also seek out the a1000 word long poor me excuse laden explanation. That sense of self pity is about the only similarity with Jeffrey archer or perhaps tony veitch would be a more timely comparison.
Come on Mickey
we are waiting…this better be good
Whale Oil
Making a confession that he did what everyone already knew.
Yawn
A tad underwhelming
I am glad you told us all to stay tuned for that one Greg…
“he said/he said”
Not she said ?? A clue maybe??
The foreign property data?
And this site still shows as shabby in the big reveal.
With the greatest respect as you have considerably more experience with setting up of trusts than I do it is in my considered opinion that I believe the only thing that may or may not come out today will be of interest only to political tragics, the beltway and the msm
However it will not be of interest to the general public of NZ, therefore the Panama Papers will, in weeks/months to come be considered a political flop to rank along side the Moment of Truth or the Dirty Politics publication
I believe this is what will happen because of the intense media speculation that has caused an expectation that hasn’t been matched by the contents of the paper
In that trusts were formed in NZ prior to 2008 and more trusts were formed after but breaking no laws
My belief will most likely be shown to be correct by the next few months in which I expect there to be a small bump in Nationals fortunes in the polls which will show the voters dissatisfaction with the, possible, collusion between hackers, the MSM and the opposition
You’re looking in the wrong direction PR.
Different story entirely breaking late today.
Are you referring to Allan Hubbard or fat Elvis?
Your patience and your charm will be rewarded.
Thank you.
Are we going to be told what this important story was?
The most exciting thing I can find on the Herald is this.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11636716
Re Hubbard
Interesting that SCF was bailed out AGAINST treasury advice.
AND now we find there is Tax Haven connection.
I’m pretty sure that the general public really are interested in finding out that the rich are fraudsters and are stealing from them and a daily basis.
You’re right in that respect however I think that this case is far removed from most peoples day to day experiences so as such its not “real” to them and because of that its not considered a big deal
For example what would be the difference to NZ if these trusts weren’t in NZ but were elsewhere? Well there wouldn’t be any difference at all save some lawyers and accountants would have a bit less money.
However I may very well be wrong.
You think wrong. This hits home hard.
Wrong question. It should be: How much better would their lives be if these rich pricks weren’t stealing from them?
And the answer to that is much better.
We cannot afford the rich.
Well this could be true but are NZ companies using these tax havens to avoid paying taxes in NZ?
Probably. In fact, I heard that a number of people in NZ business have accounts in tax havens.
Then, hopefully, the IRD will come down on them if they’re not paying taxes owed to NZ
Well, that’s the point isn’t – it’s legal and this government seems to have gone out of their way to ensure that IRD can’t do anything about it.
Immoral actions such as tax avoidance should not be legal.
House prices ARE real to NZers though, so It will be interesting then to see what the data on the numbers of properties sold to foreigners being released today will reveal. It’s then only a short hop, step and a jump to the idea that the NZ property market is being screwed by wealthy foreigners (with possibly dubious backgrounds) using the trust system. Even if it’s wrong, it would be a difficult idea to shift and it isn’t without precedence ( http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/7c329314-32ae-11e5-bdbb-35e55cbae175.html – http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/panama-papers-london-property-offshore-wealth-exposed-global-elite-who-own-it-1553521 ).
Key has already been linked to all this through his “lawyer”, his continued lackadaisical defence of the trust system and his government’s inaction on the housing issue.
Is this what you’re referring to?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/79813406/just-3-per-cent-of-property-buyers-are-overseas-new-data-shows
The general public want to be rich too…they will want to know these guys did it so they can emulate it!
Oh, I’m pretty sure that the majority of people don’t actually want to be immoral arseholes.
Right…so only poor people can be considered moral. Perhaps only people who vote left can carry the banner morality ahead of them?
Whatever gives you that idea?
Why are you ignoring all the people in the middle?
You are overestimating the middle
umm – didnt you just call the middle ” immoral arseholes.”?
nope
PR this is an International story not some storm in a tea cup in little old back Banana milkshake republic NZ.
I will run down queens St completely naked if it goes away within the Month.
Sorry I was not clear in what I wrote. The story itself won’t go away in a couple of months but the result in the polls is what I was referring to, so in regards of doing damage to National it will considered another flop.
this appears to be progressing from dancing on the head of a pin to limboing on the point of a needle
Please tell us that Whale Oil was not this incredibly important story?
If this was it can you warn us when your Queen Street run (or waddle) is going to be. Then we can all avoid the appalling display.
This has already sunk. In fact except on this site and Slater’s one it never reached the surface.
If it wasn’t please Slater please tell us what it was.
Is Parliament sitting ? If so its question time today. I wonder if Key will front up….and if he does, what’s the betting he sits there smiling, joking, and turns any serious question into a farce !
He would have been up all night with Carter working out how to run question time. You know, so that he can get away with all his usual shite while Daddy David looks on with fond smiles.
What the Ffloyd? IS that a sentence or a jumble of words to make yourself feel good? or are you just another…
http://cdn.youthkiawaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/09/sexist-trolls/sexist-troll.png
My pick is he will do a general smear job on Nicky Hager, the Greens, Labour and every other bogey man he can somehow characterise as being implicated in the big “left wing conspiracy” job on himself (honest john) and his mates. Kim Dotcom anyone?
Moko Rangitoheriri would almost definitely be alive today had someone, anyone, done their fucking job.
Shame on Te Whare Oranga Wairua Maori Women’s Refuge for not saving this child.
Shame on CYFs for not saving this child.
You were both told, and neither of you could be bothered even going to the home and seeing if Moko was OK.
A child made a disclosure of abuse and you twits went and asked the abuser if they were abusing? How many times has that happened and the at risk child dies.
You professionals signed this child’s death warrant.
I’m sorry…wtff. WTFF!
(trigger alert.)
Systemic failures and lack of accountability in child protection sector leading to inevitable death of one child and the life of the survivors forever blighted. No professional accepts responsibility.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/79772891/sister-told-social-worker-moko-being-abused
+1
Hi Rosemary
This is something I have no experience of so if I inadvertently say something inappropriate I apologise in advance as it comes from ignorance not malice
I’ve thought that the policy of keeping the child within the family unit is flawed, I’ve thought that CYPs are not doing a very good job (the workers are probably doing their best however), I’ve long thought that it almost seems as if adoption is discouraged in NZ and that what National is proposing in starting again has merit
I think that since CYPs is failing it does need to start again but I’m also thinking if the same people in charge from CYPs are transferred to the same positions then nothing much will change
Do you think this is a good idea from National or will it (most likely) be doomed to failure?
“This is something I have no experience of …” 🙂
“I’ve thought that the policy of keeping the child within the family unit is flawed,”
Any policy, if rigidly applied, automatically becomes flawed.
The overarching rule should always be “Do what ever is best to keep that child safe NOW.”
Someone has to take responsibility when abuse is reported.
Marama Fox did a great piece over on TDB a few weeks ago….the comments are closed unfortunately, as it would be very interesting to hear what she has to say about this case.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/04/26/can-cyfs-save-children/
What the government will do is contract out core responsibilities to ‘providers’. (Labour did this with disability and it has not gone well…especially for those who need the most support.) In the Disability Sector….provider organisations are well seeded with former Misery of Health staff…all a bit incestuous.
“Contracting out” further distances the government from responsibility when the system fails individuals….
Whanau Ora…where the hell are they??? There’s a good idea that has come to nothing, nothing, nothing…
I don’t have the answers…but from the point of view of an abused child and the point of view of a former foster parent…’get the children to a place of safety, and pull out all the stops to sort the shit out in the home.’
We all should keep talking about this.
Rosemary McDonald Whanau Ora, has been dying slowly, in the face of odd accounting requested by government. I think only two organisation are left in Auckland who still use the programme money. I’d have to check that. got to run.
Also having met folks who worked within Whanaua Ora, yes great idea,. Major criticism, one hell of a lot of paper work though – which meant face to face time was ever decreasing. – and considering the programme is only a few years old – what a spectacular way to kill it. Almost every year since inception more government paper work.
Willie and Boomers show did a good piece as well. Marama Fox is proving a good MP, I just hope she does not get burnt out.
Thank you for raising this issue Rosemary. I have a close friend who works on behalf of at risk children within the Maori community (due to who her employers are). She is very clear…the fragmentation of data between Gvt agencies, the obsession by CYFS to maintain familial contact, the disgraceful movement of children between multiple caregivers…these are all key factors in the problems we have today. Changes are being made, but these are far too late for far too many children.
“…he obsession by CYFS to maintain familial contact,”
Oh, yes. A huge problem.
“…the disgraceful movement of children between multiple caregivers,”
…and fuck all support for caregivers number five, six, seven, eight, nine…..doomed to failure from the get go. Perpetual motion….
We did (owing to our particular circumstances) emergency and short term care only….hence the idea that we’d love and care for the children while CYFs put all their social work skills into sorting our the family’s shit…or finding a long term secure placement.
There was ONE local social worker who we could rely on to a) have a couple of plans for the child
b) had a ‘make it so’ philosophy
c) kept us (the foster family) informed
d) oh, and treated us as part of ‘the team’, and with respect.
I’m in the ‘be cautious’ camp too. I know there have been calls from a few sectors of the community to place or return children to their extended families. However, I don’t believe that biology should precede one’s right to one’s child or children.
My concern is the generational dysfunctionality that exists within these families. Alcohol and drugs, along with physical and sexual abuse are experienced and perpetrated by many generations of one family. While this is their norm, someone else knows what is happening to these children…and doing nothing! How many lives could we have saved just by taking the time to make that crucial phonecall or contact!
Surely, if a child has been exposed to all of the above, then under no circumstances should that child be permanently reunited with that family.
They try and keep children in the wider family. Not the immediate, where the problem is. Keeping kids within the family means less problems later on. Rather than putting them in foster care, and all the issues that come with that.
“I think that since CYPs is failing, it does need to start again, but I’m also thinking if the same people in charge from CYPs are transferred to the same positions – then nothing much will change” — On the money with that one.
“Rather than putting them in foster care, and all the issues that come with that.”
Maybe we could have a wee think about the premise that ‘foster care is bad’?
Maybe we could reframe it as “Respite Care” (as happens in the disability sector) then it wouldn’t attract the same negative connotations?
Because that option is always going to be needed.
Like, seriously.
I don’t know how accurate these figures are but I have no reason to disbelieve them: http://adoptionoption.org.nz/adoption/new-zealand-adoption-prof/
as they seem to be in line with this article: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/420491/Number-of-babies-available-for-adoption-falls-sharply
But I wonder if adoption has somehow been, for lack of a better word, “stigmatized” or isn’t encouraged (I’ve considered adoption in the past as, medically speaking, kids aren’t likely to happen for us) and so more kids are kept in situations when they could, maybe, be adopted instead
Geezus PR…now you’re stirring up a hornet’s nest!
Stigmatised is not too stronger word…some bring in ‘stolen generation’ arguments and then all discussion goes to shit.
There will be people around here who were adopted, and it went well for them. Others not so well….and I’d like to see if the rates of abuse and neglect of adopted kids is higher than kids who grow up with their birth parents.
Open adoption is the norm today….with the adoptive parents having full custody rights, but with the (usually) birth mother involved. This can work well.
CYFs clamour to encourage foster parents to take out ‘permanency’ arrangements so the child has some security…the birth family have rights of access and contact…sometimes these arrangements go horribly wrong for lack of boundary enforcement by CYFs.
Older children are harder to place in permanent care or adoption….
Yeah I’d forgotten about the stolen generation and the wounds they could open
I don’t have a problem with short term foster care, and I agree it is very useful.
I also agree we need to be open minded, but I won’t buy into another shake up for the sake of a shake up. I get the system is broken, but if it is more of the same with different labels – what’s the point? And if it is going to strangled for money to do a real transitions – what’s the point?
I do have a problem of alienating people from their families and culture. I have a real problem with that, and having live in Australia, know it can only get worse, not better if we go down the path of the state knows best about children.
yes.
Very sad Rosemary, and I have experienced their willful negligence. 👿
Strong interview from Andrew Little on Morning Report just now making clear, relevant points about what he quite rightly calls a grubby little industry while not being diverted by a shameful piece of “journalism” by Guyon Espiner. Liked the way Little called Espiner on him challenging Little to provide one piece of evidence of criminal activity in these overseas trusts when Little had made no mention of that aspect at all.
hard to believe anyone rates Espiner as a journalist…pretty poor display
Shameful? Making him be 100% clear on what he was saying?
Worse display by Andrew Little to be frank.
He is not very good at being interviewed doesn’t seem to be able to think on his feet.
Little should be in a really strong position again and fluffed it.
Oh well.
“…..doesn’t seem to be able to think on his feet.”
and yet he seamlessly sidestepped GE’s attempted distraction….so top flight journo outmaneuvered by incompetent politician…..even worse.
Have a look at the requirement to register as a trustee of a foreign trust
Basically name and address-
NO ID seems to be required.
http://www.interest.co.nz/sites/default/files/embedded_images/Trust%20info.pdf
AND the search function on the dump database is super fast.
Weathervane seeks explanation of wind direction.
Well done, Mr Weldon!
First You Stuffed TV3
Then You Stuffed Yourself
😈
PR it is doomed because pay rates for social workers is not increasing .
Also no increase in numbers of social workers at all.
Social workers at CYPs were expected to have 60 to 80 cases per worker 10 times more than is practical.
Causing a massive burnout and staff turnover no continuity.
The family court is a lawyers money go round which wastes another 60% of Social workers time.
Research at Canterbury university shows that putting a trained social worker in charge of a CYPs family is the best way of turning these highly dysfunctional families around it costs $72,000
Per year but is much cheaper than the million dollar welfare families.
National and Labour are aware of this successful programming but claim its to expensive.
That’s total BS.
Many CYPs families are crime ridden the cost is much higher locking up the next generation than fixing the problem.
This govt is doing another make over and not changing the way they are approaching the problem.
It is a quite a huge task in front of National (and Labour when it gets back in) I don’t envy them
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/4868884/NZ-slated-by-activist-over-tax-haven-problem
In order to shed some light as to who and how long people have been naming New Zealand as a tax haven, a little Googing shows this 2011 report in which a tax haven activist names NZ as one.
“Tax haven activist Nicholas Shaxson has hit out at New Zealand for opposing a plan to create a UN body to tackle tax haven abuse.
Shaxson, who has become famous following the publication of Treasure Islands: Tax Havens and the Men Who Stole the World, said New Zealand is letting down the developing world.
He has also revealed that New Zealand has a growing reputation as an offshore haven itself. He predicts New Zealand will appear on the Tax Justice Network’s Financial Secrecy Index by 2013.”
The Greens in 2013 quoted the Tax Justice Network as a source for their November 2013 claim that NZ was a tax haven.
Incidentally, the Tax Justice Network is the source also for the claim that some $7.4 billion is lost annually to the NZ government through tax evasion, in the ‘shadow economy’. This figure was known about in 2011.
Peter Dunne, former Revenue Minister from 2005-2013, complains today that he did not know about the size of the growth in foreign trusts. The Greens alerted the country to this in November 2013. Dunne was Revenue Minister in 2011, when the government eased the rules on Foreign Trusts.
Do we believe that he never asked for information about the effects of this easing from his officials? Incompetency or lies from either or both of these actors. Do we also believe that other members of the government never sought information on the effects of these changes to trust law?
This trust law is of course the concern of several foreign tax haven lawyers who were able to secure a meeting with the new Revenue Minister within 7 days of seeking it, a meeting which was held in the offices of one of these ‘highly ethical’ lawyers, and as a result of which meeting departmental advice was over-ridden and changes were not made which would have been inimical to their interests.
With Dunne? I’m quite happy to believe that and if they told him anyway he would have ignored them and listened to the business people who wanted to keep rorting governments.
“Rorting’ us citizens, too, Draco T. 🙁
When Dunne was asked yesterday if he would now ask questions of IRD, he backed off the concern at his lack of being informed, because he is no longer Revenue Minister. Still ask couldn’t he, though probably not a useful answer.
Public Culture, the Duke University Press journal of cultural studies, has temporarily suspended the paywall on the latest issue –
Climate Change and the Future of Cities: Mitigation, Adaptation, and Social Change on an Urban Planet
http://publicculture.dukejournals.org/content/28/2_79.toc
(PDF’s too so if you’re interested get ’em while you can)
Rodrigo Duterte, the populist candidate who vows to to pardon himself for murder, looks set to win the Philippine presidency.
Polls have closed in the Philippines presidential election with an unofficial, partial tally of votes suggesting a strong lead for populist mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Andy Bautista, head of the polling commission, said voter turnout in Monday’s election was estimated at 80 percent, which he said was a record in the country.
While authorities described the overall conduct of the elections as peaceful, police said at least 10 people died across the country in election day violence as gunmen attacked polling stations, ambushed vehicles and stole vote-counting machines.
Based on 80 percent of votes counted, Duterte, whose controversial campaign focused on a pledge to kill criminals, had 13.7 million votes, GMA, a national news website, said, citing figures from the election commission. He was followed by Grace Poe at 7.6 million and Manuel Roxas on eight million.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/05/philippines-election-160509061757928.html
John Oliver – Rodrigo Duterte, ‘Trump of the East’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKRCX9Vu2Tw
Vaughan Little:
If you’re Christian, if you’re a monarchist, if you’re a straight white guy, if you disagree with mass medication, and decide to stand your ground, then yes you will be dumped on from a great height. You see, you will be seen to be highly irrational, highly unconventional, and more than slightly delusional/ignorant.
“Christianity in action” seems like such a quaint anachronism to some. Even though it is still the guts of what needs to be achieved.
It makes a mockery of the supposed broad church ethos of the party. It seems that the neoliberals and the free trade globalists are very well tolerated though.
Having said that I think that we should certainly consider profanity personally directed at other commentators becoming a moderatable offence.
Slater admits soliciting hack. Has he gone through some form of restorative justice process with The Standard?
See new post on this.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/79814716/panama-papers-green-party-donor-listed-in-offshore-leaks
James Shaw is showing better judgement then Andrew Little:
Shaw made clear the party were not against Kiwis having trusts overseas, they just wanted more transparency and disclosure on their details.
“It’s not whether someone’s got a foreign trust, it’s whether they’re doing anything illegitimate such as tax avoidance, money laundering of anything like that,” he said.
Whereas Andrew Littles knee jerk reaction is : http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/303327/labour-would-ban-foreign-trusts
Decisions made in haste always lead to waste (or something)
Yeah but not quite what Little said was it, is ‘knee jerk’ the new buzz word or something.
Quite right GS:
The PM, Mr English and others on the right are trying to introduce a few new buzz words. Simple derogatory impact statements which they hope will catch on..’knee jerk’…’barking mad’ ..’bonkers’.. and there will be more to come.Count them.
Must have got new strategy instructions from ‘Sir’ Lynton-CT
Maybe because James Shaw knew a larger donor to the Green Party was about to be outed on the Panama dump release.
Now if this was a National party donor, cue the pitch forks and hanging rope!!
Labour was correct. Evidence is out there now. The majority of property sales in NZ, particularly Auckland was to Chinese buyers.
Nothing racist about it, because it’s fact!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11636711
Sorry, but you are wrong.
The Herald story doesn’t say that. It says that the majority of the overseas buyers of property (3% of the total) were Chinese.
This implies that around 2% of sales overall went to overseas Chinese buyers.
Mary you are wrong about what labour was claiming, and labour was wrong in what they were claiming. There is no tsunami and 40% of homes are not going to chinky named foreigners. Ironically the most accurate person was the barfoot and thompson ceo who said all along it was between 5 @nd 8% of buyers were overseas asians. He was only wrong by about 100%
The 3% is for one quarter so times that by 4 and you get 12% annually.
Oops scratch that , maffs is not my strong piont
mary_a
The information provided by the herald is for this year- Jan to March, yet the comment still says
“Nearly 60 per cent of Auckland houses sold to foreign buyers went to Chinese investors, new data shows.”
There has been a huge reduction of Chinese buyers since late last year, but prior to that, Labour was correct to identify the heavy speculative investment in Auckland property by a particular group, just recently in Sydney the media was more than happy to provide the stats on Chinese property investors, indicating they had spent $12B in the last year, no one… no one called them racist for identifying them as Chinese, if they had been Spanish, then they would have been referred to as Spanish investors, it’s not racist to identify specific groups within a population, if it were Kiwi’s in China snapping up properties at a fast rate, do you think the Chinese would hesitate to identify them as Kiwi’s, of course not,
The whole “racist” thing was to throw the public off the scent, the govt’s happy for foreign money to come to NZ as there’s not a lot else happening economically.
Your argument goes up in a puff of smoke Expat…Labour went through the sales data (illegally taken from a Real estate company) and used the “test” of any Chinese sounding names as the basis for their stats…at best very crude, if not racist.
However I agree its too early, and the sampling of data needs more time. But the 40% that Labour says verse 3%…hmm even doubling it to 6% still leaves a huge gap to make up.
Now mary_a has misread a news head line…I trust it was an honest mistake.
Chuck
I find it interesting that these stats are available now and weren’t a year ago, and just because residents purchased the bulk of properties, doesn’t mean that it wasn’t funded from overseas, the argument from Little was to raise the concerns of rapid increase of housing prices in Auckland, making it extremely difficult for ordinary Kiwi’s to buy a home.
As so many RW’s pointed out at the end of last year, Key’s changing the rules had reduced foreign sales, so the stats are for the first three months of this year, the same RW’s would say that this is evidence of the govt changes working and the subsequent results portrayed in the Herald story, but the same thing happened to the rest of the world, Chinese residential investment ramped down very quickly over the last year as evidenced in all the major cities around the world.
The 40% Little suggested is probably too high, but I know that in some suburbs of Auckland the percentage is more than 80% and in others less than 1%, in reality, the issue was raised and it is an important issue: housing affordability.
What the hell is wrong with you “progressives”?
Listen, Maori are more criminally inclined than pakeha. It’s a fact, and the conviction and prison statistics prove it. You can’t argue with the numbers, and its not racist to say so because its the facts. Look at the over representation of Maori in our courts and in our prisons.
Not racist. Right?
The problem that the dickheads in Labour made for themselves is that they never said:
“we believe that highly cashed up foreign buyers, especially from China, but also from many other countries, have been pushing property prices in Auckland out of reach of Kiwis for years.”
And their whole “Chinese sounding last names” approach was simply stupid.
The cream on the cake for me is that Labour’s reputation as a tolerant, progressive party amongst Asians of all races went into the toilet thanks to their tactical blunder, and their poll numbers have been down since.
Not saying that timing = causality but that’s what happened around the same time.
Political correctness is never going to fix the problem, raising the issue, at least forced the Govt to make some changes, but that aspect got swept under the carpet, the nats wouldn’t have introduced changes without some pressure from somewhere, Little actually achieved a result, but the beat up has derided that achievement, the media churning out a negative view point as usual, there’s two sides to every story.
“You can’t argue with the numbers,”
Those stats that you quote probably have no credibility, and politically spurned.
I’m not saying the issue was handled perfectly, but it was raised, persistently, to get the Govt to move, you can spin things any way you like, but the reality is that changes were made, some acknowledgement of the seriousness of the issue.
the data is so flawed as to be worthless
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/201800186/bernard-hickey-explains-foreign-ownership-figures
Bernard Hickey says the real number of foreign sales of NZ houses will fall between 3% and 48%.
The current data has a number of problems with it which mean that we can’t tell where the real number falls.
exactly…and it is pertinent to remember that the historical aspect will remain unmeasured so will continue to be a source of uncertainty and debate…….and the change in declaration requirements may in itself impact the sales.
Well Switzerland has done quite well out of being a tax haven. They don’t collect taxes on the deposits, but can then lend that money and charge interest on it. Switzerland has an excellent international reputation, despite harbouring Nazi gold, no? I don’t really see the problem, NZ needs money, this is a pretty good way of getting some.
Singapore too, they say, is a tax haven for all sorts of dirty money from China, Indonesia, elsewhere in Asia. Great! Stable, efficient, honest, easy to do business with. Phrases like that.
“Switzerland has an excellent international reputation, despite harbouring Nazi gold, no? ”
perhaps amongst bankers….but thats hardly representative
http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2015/may/swiss-bank-secrecy-to-come-to-an-end-with-eu-agreement/
Here’s a “little” thing from kiwiblog, pardon the pun.
“Five Labour MPs went out one day
Over the hills and far away
Angry Andrew said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack,”
but only four Labour MPs came waddling back…
…
Four Labour MPs went out one day
…
Three Labour MPs went out one day
…
Two Labour MPs went out one day
…
One Labour MP went out one day
Over the hills and far away
Angry Andrew said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack,”
but none of the Labour MPs liked him.””
I can see why there are the resident RW bloggers here at TS, kiwiblog has no theme for them to write about, just angry, stupid, incoherent bullshit is the general topic of the day, I only went there to gauge their response to Slater’s hacking activity and surprise, surprise, not a mention.
The piece above is a classic example of the level of intelligence of these RW nutjobs.
Uncle Sam wants you if you are a hacker:
‘ ‘Unprecedented’: UK activist fearing US extradition, 99yr sentence awaits landmark court ruling’
https://www.rt.com/uk/342430-lauri-love-encryption-ruling/
“UK authorities have hijacked a civil suit launched by a cybersecurity expert from Suffolk accused of hacking into the Federal Reserve, in a move that has sinister implications for journalists and others who rely on encrypted data storage and communications.
Gifted programmer and human rights activist Lauri Love, 31, stands accused of intercepting online systems operated by the Fed, NASA, the FBI, the US Department of Defense and the US Environmental Protection Agency, among others…
“GOVERNMENT:
If you think the problems we create are bad . . . Just wait until you see our solutions.”
Love that quote. Here’s my pick for offshore blog of the day:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-05-10/inevitability-unintended-consequences
It opens with a couple of Hillarious (but definitely not Clinton-esque) examples of policies that went terribly wrong (The law of Unintended Consequences) then shows how current economic policy has turned out to be much the same. Quite a clever article really, IMO.