Under their Code of Ethics they have to be fair and balanced. If they do not offer comments on the scrutiny of the recent avalanche of spending from Bill English in the same article, their code says that is ok so long as they are doing a series.
Audrey Young owes us one on National on that basis from earlier in the week and now stuff owes us one. When do you reckon we will get it? Sept 24?
Of thes state of our health system.
Of the state of our Waterways
Of the numbers in our Prisons
Of the state of our Education system
Of the levels of our emissions
Of the levels of Child poverty
Of the levels of inequality
Of the levels of drug abuse including alcohol
Of the levels of obesity
Of the levels of homelessness
Of the levels of home ownership
Of the levels of foreign ownership of New Zealand
Of the levels of corporate lobbying in NZ
The comment “Young people have been clamouring for the superannuation age to be lifted” seems to a statement of fact as written but when asked for evidence of this “clamouring” – no response!
It is particularly risible considering that the two points she singles out for scrutiny, tax and the age of eligibility for superannuation, have been subjected to nothing but scrutiny since they first surfaced. The entire article could be reduced to “Heather du Plessis Allen opines that media coverage of the election campaign should continue until the election.”
Well said. The irony of an article lacking real scrutiny bemoaning the lack of scrutiny of Labour. Where is the scrutiny of the avalanche of money suddenly available from Bills cold dead hands? Taxpayer money on a Cathedral and NOW 30m for other random churches…
As for the “mean girl” nonsense. When women resort to sexist generalisations we are the worst for it.
Referencing the Smiling Assassin pisses me of cos most John Keyers saw it as a badge of honour. And no scrutiny there. Where were the journoes finding victims of the asassin and seeing how their lives have worked out?
John Key ran this country for 8 years on the back of his popularity and people like HDA and Soper worshipped at his feet. It looks like now it is a woman…
I agree with the tenet that Labour has deliberately sought to cannabalise Green votes. However I am not on the front page of Stuff. Scrutinise Act and NZF and so on as well. It is like HDA is suffering from Ardern ardour envy?
‘The smiling assassin’ was Sir John’s nickname and to use it in reference to Jacinda Ardern is infantile & unoriginal and expresses some kind of misplaced nostalgia for a political ‘chapter’ that should be turned over ASAP or, even better, written over with a completely new chapter.
I don’t think it’s quite that simple. Tame’s piece is relatively harmless, although it does peddle a couple of annoying right-wing memes unquestioningly (the electorate votes with its collective wallet; it isn’t the substance that counts, but the perception), and the editorial “Jacinda should reveal more” actually contains some analysis of what Labour’s thinking on tax might be, rather than the constant screeching about every conceivable tax under the sun. However, the presence of all three pieces all in one go certainly shows that someone is toeing the editorial line we all expect from the Herald.
Getting back to Tame’s piece, though, if one were to substitute “courageous” for “risky” in the title, and make a couple of minor tweaks to the article, such as replacing some references to “voters” with “National and the media”, it would actually be quite positive for Labour. Perhaps his framing’s deliberate, but perhaps it’s just symptomatic of political journalists’ being a rather closed chattering circle that constantly feeds off its own memes…
it is even less than ‘relatively harmless’…it is almost cleverly supportive (wonder how his masters let that one slip through)…..he rationalises Labours stance for those seeking reassurance…..remembering it is not the tribally opposed that will determine this election, they are beyond reassurance.
Nice analysis. Before your piece I had wondered if it was Soper and he and HDA wrote their pieces for Herald and Stuff respectively over eggs benedict yesterday.
I do not think Tame has it in for Labour. Quite the opposite.
For a former ACT leader, libertarian, promoter of choice and freedom, and an advocate of legalised suicide to want to restrict the ability of women to chose is utter hypocrisy.
And throwing in the suggestion that women will be able to terminate at full term is pathetic for someone of his standing and snatched straight from the Down’s Syndrome advocacy group’s Facebook page.
Hide’s also just a poorly constructed piece. He starts off arguing that Ardern’s stance is misguided because taking any firm stance at all risks alienating some voters, then segues into arguing that, although the current law is unfit for purpose, changing it is a bad idea because there are issues to be tackled.
He doesn’t even attempt to draw any conclusion from these two disparate arguments, nor does he offer any insight into the issues beyond what has already been put out there by Saving Downs, whose “information”, moreover, has already been highlighted as unconnected to Ardern’s undertaking to remove abortion from the Crimes Act. It almost goes without saying that he makes no attempt to refute that assessment.
Hide seems to be a perfect example of the Peter Principle: elevated to party leadership and political commentator on the basis of a formidable reputation as a “perkbuster”, but found to be woefully inadequate in any pursuit other than embodying that phenomenally stupid term.
On Q+A this morning at 9am, is a debate about the environment, “there are 7 parties in tomorrow’s debate: @winstonpeters @ScottSimpsonMP @DavidParkerMP @damianlight @FoxMarama @dbseymour @jamespeshaw”
Why isn’t Nick Smith there, he is the minister for the environment, but instead scott simpson is rolled out? I’m confused. He ran away from the nelson markets yesterday after the sculpture turned up next to his caravan, is he still running away?
Here are some facts for hdpa.
She could have read this before writing her puff article defending her rich mates interests.
‘Beneficiary groups have slammed Work and Income over a new report showing people missing out on $200 million a year in entitlements.
Beneficiary advocacy groups say figures released under the Official Information Act paint a damning picture of the government and Work and Income.
According to the figures, there could be $200 million or more in payments not being collected by beneficiaries.
Auckland Action Against Poverty spokesperson Alastair Russell said Work and Income case managers deliberately withhold information about benefit entitlements.’
If you don’t know what entitlements are available at WINZ then how can you possibly apply for them ? Advocates and financial mentors have a wealth of knowledge and can support their clients at WINZ appointments. Always wise to take along a witness (although it didn’t work out that well for Winston).
Bryan Bruce has documentary out on TV3 Tuesday at 8.30 p.m.
This is from his Facebook page on 7 September.
“I have to get my facts right. Politicians don’t. In documentaries like the one coming up next Tuesday on THREE I have to make every effort to get my facts right. If I don’t do my research and just make stuff up then I face the prospect that I and the broadcaster are fined for inaccuracy .(It’s never happened to me by the way).
Not so with National’s Cabinet members Steven Joyce or Anne Tolley When Finance Minister Joyce was asked by Guyon Espiner today to name one other person in New Zealand who agreed there was a $ 11.7 Billion hole in Labour’s fiscal policy he couldn’t do it
And here’s Minister of Social Development Anne Tolley quoted in a Newsroom article by Bernard Hickey “In addition, one in five beneficiaries tell us that drug use is a barrier to them getting a job ” 1 in 5 …. Really? According to her own Ministry – last year, there were 31,791 referrals for drug testable positions nationwide and just 55 sanctions for failing a drug test. (See Herald http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11639758 ) So which is it Minister? 1 in 5 beneficiaries on drugs.. or 1 in 576 according to your own actual tests?
The more National just makes stuff up , the less credibility they have. Just take a look at the poll released tonight . National is at the lowest level its been since 2005.
So … watch out for some inconvenient truths in my doco next Tuesday. Some politicians may squeal – but I can back up every fact I give with very credible resources.”
He’s a bit off target with the drug testing comments, one of the big problems at the moment are people turning down job offers because they are scared of failing a drug test and then getting sanctioned. Multiple agencies and NGOs are dealing with this problem.
Doesn’t just effect beneficiaries either but workers looking to move up into higher skill higher paying jobs.
Do you have any data on that? The problem with Tolley’s credibility here is that she is making a claim that just *happens* to support the long-standing policy and propaganda of her party, but providing no verifiable data to back it up, whereas the available data make her claims seem counter-intuitive at best.
But we townies are hypocrites for damaging our urban environment. We plan badly, use land wastefully, underinvest in homes, infrastructure, civic amenities and environmental systems, and devalue our landscapes, coasts and water – fresh and salt.
We criticise cockies for high nitrate levels in water. Well, our emissions of nitrogen oxides from vehicles are second only to Mexico’s in the OECD.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, we’re failing to reap the deeper economic benefit of fast-growing urban areas. Wages are higher than in rural areas but productivity and wage growth is equally sluggish.
Oram feeds the cockies arguments that the cities are big polluters so get off our backs. And at present it is the cockies chosen political party that keeps the pollution levels as high as they are, because of that political party, National, being kept in power by cockies and the indifferent classes.
So don’t blame we townies for being hypocrites Rod. You are spreading the muck around too widely. Don’t be like the back end of a hippopotamus with us thank you very much. I didn’t vote the Nationals in. I am working for and thinking about having a better NZ but my agency is small compared to the vast machine of National’s that bulldozes flat every practical thought that would improve NZ in any way.
We have all got to demand and meet higher standards of thinking, planning, resource use and dealing with the effects of our activities on the environment.
For urban planning, look to the ribbon development happening all over the country. The number of urban stormwater and sewerage systems that are effectively combined at high flows is staggering. The heavy metals and hydrocarbons in urban stormwater is a disgrace. We all have to do a lot better than we are.
Rural environmental performance won’t improve unless there’s a change in urban attitudes, and equally urban performance won’t change unless there’s a change in rural attitudes. It’s not a rural / urban thing, it’s a New Zealand thing and we won’t get any improvement unless we all change.
But the real thrust of Oram’s argument is economic. We’ve spent the last 30 years trying to get richer by seeking to reduce costs, rather than have the best , highest value products and living environment. And we’ve all got to think how we do that.
“But voters should also ask a question of themselves: how can each of us help create a distinctive New Zealand urbanism, one that matches our natural environment for capturing the imagination of people the world over?”
Graeme you are exactly right. But make your point to the self-satifsied that I meet every day. Not in the community help, the environmental concern places, but in the pubs where they drink their problems away, in the financial houses, the women’s garment shops and hairdressers where they buy the look of having made it (that’s in the world of Success), the real estate houses, the farmer offices where they plan their next buy-out and study the prices for future commodity markets.
How do you make your point to them? They probably won’t be found on this blog, if they do come they are armed with a brain that is packed with bubble wrap to prevent anything impacting its delicate and fragile substance.
Fed Farmers took Invercargill City to task recently regarding ICC’s stormwater / sewer discharges. Robert Guyton might be able to provide some background on what went on there. So they actually get it, but I’m not sure whether in a positive way. But Fed Farm won’t get anywhere getting their members to have greater environmental responsibility if they don’t demand other users / abusers are held to the same account. And good on them.
Farmers I know and do work for are really onto looking after and maintaining their farm and neighbouring environments. But I also see some shockers, and not just farmers. But generally these are activities that haven’t had a consent renewal in the last 20 years.
Ngai Tahu have made QLDC buck their ideas up regarding sewer discharges and have had a very active role in water take consents in Otago. Their values make a lot of sense.
Some one is using my email to open a discus
Account I think I no who it is as discus track how many hit you get and links to Twitter Facebook an other multi media!!!!,
Nice to see the jokey foxpeters interaction. Didn’t see the same lightheartedness between labour and the greens – why are we in such a mess? Watch everyone except Shaw to find out.
Same Marty, it was a goodie. David Parker owned scott simpson more than once, James Shaw has proven to be outstanding in all the debates, and Foxy cracks me up big time. Winnie and rimmer dang. Ryan Gosling barely got a look in.
Jessica Much did a fantastic job keeping that lot under control.
Here’s a link for any that missed the Debate on the Environment it’s entertainment plus lolz. Still wondering why nick no show couldn’t even come and front the ministry he is responsible for, useless. https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/q-and-a/episodes/s2017-e27
Maybes nick is a bit butt hurt post Saturday market.
The sculpture was at the Mot markets today, a truly impressive work of art, the detail and craftsmanship, really well done, right down to the towels wrapped around his ankles as socks and the undone shoe laces. Drew quite an audience, lots of laughter, and the kids ROFL, I asked some of them if they knew who it was, Donald Trump they reply, so I filled them in, cheeky boys asking me what was hanging between the legs of the ‘feral statue’, dang local kids crack me up. The artist was generous in that dept lolz.
The stall holder at nicks rear told me he had been put in the arseholes section of the market and should get a discount for the site, LMAO, he was soooo funny, some fella was getting his photo taken in between nicks legs, and the stall holder was like… ‘careful mate, you’ll be the biggest dick head in Motueka if you stay there too long” everyone laughing. Many came just to view the sculputure.
I wonder if nick will challenge the artist again, saying “nothing you make could offend me”, may not having been the wisest comment nick made when the artist was invited to dinner one night.
be good to see that sculpture over the hill for our sat market but wrong electorate so who knows – lots of lols from your report – nice, nick needs to go
Greens, Internet, Labour, Māori, do well on support for Industrial relations, while National, top, NZ First and ACT get a NO.
On all their criteria, the GP get a tick (Yes) of approval; Internet get all ticks except for an In Principle (IP) judgement on housing; Labour mostly ticks with a few IPs; TOP a mix of Nos, Yeses and IPs; Māori 1 No plus a mix of Ys and IPs; National and ACT responses dominated by red N(o)s
The PSA one says that National ‘supports’ raising benefits to a liveable rate. Which is news to me and such a mistake that it makes me question their whole chart.
Basically, on Social Security, the Nats said No to all these:
A rewrite of the Social Security Act to recognise that work is not always available and that people may have caring responsibilities, or physical and mental health needs that means work is neither possible nor desirable.
Review of the sanctions regime with a view to removing the most unfair and punitive sanctions.
Index benefits, including Working for Families payments, to the average wage.
Maintain the age of superannuation eligibility at 65 years.
And the only social security measure the Nats said Yes to was this one:
Increase basic benefit levels to ensure they are set at liveable levels.
Which seems somewhat contradictory, and open to what they mean by “liveable”, given they don’t want to index benefits to the “average wage”.
Confound the Science
Nice melodic parody on Trump! Peace to all…..and good luck to the Greens launching their climate change policy later today in Auckland.
If you go to a shelter for #Irma, be advised: sworn LEOs will be at every shelter, checking IDs. Sex offenders/predators will not be allowed— Polk County Sheriff (@PolkCoSheriff) September 6, 2017
the conservatives did something similar in the uk and it simply increased demand and so prices….also english is saying that this deposit will enable people to buy $600k houses but forgets they cannot make the repayments …..building cheap but quality state houses is the way to go
Einstein may or may not have said…”the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result” but there appears no dispute he said
‘Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters. ”
So the MAORI seat debate so I purposed abandoning them because in my view they were unfair on the left so for the MAORI
Seats to be fair there should be 15 seats and not seven. The seats should be based on population numbers to be fair to Maori.
How could Korako Nuk sit there and back national bull shit policy the only reason only Scotty Morrison cut him down was because the others were respecting his seniority in age if not they would have cut him down good on you Scotty.
Marana Davis is right to say that the people that were in the state care state and abused many of them end up in gangs are owed a investigation. And the people and state held accountable for there actions and the state to pay compensation to these people.
I have seen prefab house built on small pieces of land quiet fast.
So we need to come up with a simple efficient designs to build eco efficant house
And the workers need to build these house well we have plenty of people to train it doesn’t take long for someone to learn to be a hammer hand you need one qualified builder for 3 hammer hand so natianal DON’T go pissing in the wind about needing 50.000 immigrants to build more house’s . We just need the right plan And the will to build.
The council’s and high schools can help train builder’s and build good houses.
Clean green are we??
I don’t think so; watch this.
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/
Polluted Paradise
People & Power investigates New Zealand’s water pollution problem as regional elections gear up.
31 Aug 2017 12:41 GMT | New Zealand, Water, Pollution
Unicef is looking for money to deal with Hurricane Irma, the Mexico earthquake, famine in the Yemen, floods in India and various other calamities occurring simultaneously – they say their “resources are stretched as never before” . You can donate at https://www.unicef.org.nz/.
Weekend thought from the utterances of Lao Tzu. (Before the weekly utterances of the combatting political parties.) The meanings are not clear, confusing even.
May be good for sharpening our minds to define the difference between truth, half-truth and ‘smoke gets in your eyes’.
Wu wei (無爲), literally “non-action” or “not acting”, is a central concept of the Daodejing. The concept of wu wei is multifaceted, and reflected in the words’ multiple meanings, even in English translation; it can mean “not doing anything”, “not forcing”, “not acting” in the theatrical sense, “creating nothingness”, “acting spontaneously”, and “flowing with the moment.”[44]
It is a concept used to explain ziran (自然), or harmony with the Dao. It includes the concepts that value distinctions are ideological and seeing ambition of all sorts as originating from the same source. Laozi used the term broadly with simplicity and humility as key virtues, often in contrast to selfish action. On a political level, it means avoiding such circumstances as war, harsh laws and heavy taxes. Some Taoists see a connection between wu wei and esoteric practices, such as zuowang “sitting in oblivion” (emptying the mind of bodily awareness and thought) found in the Zhuangzi.[43]
Some of Laozi’s famous sayings include:
“When goodness is lost, it is replaced by morality.”
“Without Darkness, there can be no Light.”
“The usefulness of a pot comes from its emptiness.”
“The best people are like water, which benefits all things and does not compete with them. It stays in lowly places that others reject. This is why it is so similar to the Way.”
“When people see some things as beautiful, other things become ugly. When people see some things as good, other things become bad.”
“Try to change it and you will ruin it. Try to hold it and you will lose it.”
“Those who know do not say. Those who say do not know.”
“When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
“A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”
“Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.”
“A journey of a thousand miles starts under one’s feet.”
“The more that laws and regulations are given prominence, the more thieves and robbers there will be.”
— Laozi, Tao Te Ching
Looks like the Cyclone will have seriously trashed the coast of Cuba but looks as though it might now head to the Gulf of Mexico reducing the effect on Florida.
“”We’re the first generation that will feel the effects of climate change, and the last that can stop it. We have a responsibility to act, and the Green Party has a plan to do it,” Shaw said.”
Not so sure we can stop it and I like this talk from the Greens. We have a responsibility to give the Greens a chance to enact their policies and with Labour (hopefully) getting serious about the issue, real change could happen.
Shaw was serious as. Great to hear Fitzsimons saying that governments have to follow the people and that we need climate action not just climate policy.
re stopping it, I see it as a continuum. Best case scenario and worst case scenario and the gradations in between. We do have choices about stopping the worst case scenarios.
Yeah, I’m in the same situation. 69% Green, 64% Labour, 58% Maori, 50% Mana in my case, but when I read through the direct comparisons of my answers with the Mana Party, the main differences consist either in their not having provided an answer to that question, or in their having said “No”, whereas I answered “No, and…”. The fact is though, that I have generally found myself generally agreeing with Harawira’s statements, both on values and policy, over many years, whereas my agreement with Labour pronouncements has been much less consistent.
Having said that, I decided several months ago to give my party vote to the Greens, and I haven’t seen any reason to change that as yet, so the tool is not entirely without merit.
Today, Shaw said current polls – which “sometimes make my teeth grind” – showed the question now was not whether Labour will win, but who they will invite into government with them.
“If you…don’t want Winston Peters holding Labour over a barrel, I am asking you to give your party vote to the Greens…[for] the most environmentally friendly, most progressive government in generations.”
And Jacinda says, “Labour would ban sales of existing houses to non-resident, foreign buyers “by Christmas”, immediately stop any sales of any state houses, and pass legislation to introduce standards for heating and ventilation in rental property.
At the top end of the property market the restriction may not have much effect unless the buyer is a dodgy bastard. If you can stump up 20 million for a property you can probably arrange residency as well.
I have been told by a couple of people from different families that New Zealand citizens who work overseas cannot buy a home in New Zealand unless they come home and reside here. One lives in Adelaide and owned a home here previously which is now sold and wishes to purchase a home here to come home to and she was not allowed to, she was told to be able to purchase she had to be living here. Another couple live in Hongkong and have also at some time sold their home here and wish to buy another to return home to – again they were told they have to come home and reside here to purchase a home.
Is this correct – and why should whoever who bought Key’s home, be in China when he purchased it. What is going wrong here and am I hearing correct that NZ born citizens who work overseas cannot purchase a home here unless they return home and reside here.
Early voting starts tomorrow and probably most of you have already decided how you will vote. For me, it will be Labour as my candidate vote and Green as my party vote. I have been helping our local Labour candidate in various ways, including door-knocking, and I gave my party vote to Labour at the last election.
If you are on the Māori roll then remember the Māori Party have sided with National for 9 years and voted for the sell off of state houses.
There are a few reasons for me giving my party vote to the Green Party this time but the two main ones are that they will push for benefit reform and their polling is dangerously low. They need every vote they can get to ensure that they can be a effective voice in a new Labour led government. A coalition with the Greens will mean we get a better Labour government, so if you are tossing up between the Greens and Labour for your party vote then I’d urge you to choose the Greens this time. They need every vote they can get.
Some may be considering giving their party vote to Mana or TOP. Please do not do this. It will be a wasted vote. It is highly unlikely that Hone will win and even if he did manage to scrape in Mana will not get enough for another seat.
I like our local Labour candidate so the choice is easy for me. Mostly, the candidate vote doesn’t actually matter; the only seats that count for candidate votes are Epsom and the Māori seats. In Epsom give your candidate vote to the Nat Paul Goldsmith and it may be enough to get rid of Seymour and Act.
If you are on the Māori roll then remember the Māori Party have sided with National for 9 years and voted for the sell off of state houses.
I don’t see TOP getting anywhere this election, so agree that a party vote for them is essentially wasted this time.
If they keep going, however, I can see them siphoning the National votes away — particularly those people with a social conscience who skew right on economics. (Or just greedy people who nevertheless understand that climate change will render hoarding up ‘wealth’ in the form of numbers in accounts a pointless exercise, unless it is dealt with.)
Having spoken to some TOP people at some length last Sunday, it is interesting that they marry some Greens ideas with what I would consider ‘conventional’ neo-liberalism. I would prefer sensible Tories to take some political power away from the more extreme and unthinking variant.
Newshub has some more of those Reid Research polls of the Māori seats. Flavell beating Coffey in Waiariki, bad news for Fox if Howie wins Te Tai Hauāuru. Mahuta is also streets ahead in Hauraki-Waikato – take that Tuku!
Great to see Māori King’s political intervention in Hauraki-Waikato so dramatically thwarted by ordinary Māori voters.
Let’s hope he – and the Iwi Elite – learn an important lesson.
(I should have added a Trigger Warning for the middle-class Luvvie Culturalist wing of the Identitarian Left who tend to self-indulgently romanticise anyone with a dollop of Māori ethnic heritage, blind to the severe clash of class interests that have opened up within Māoridom. All power to the whistleblowers who have tried to keep a Neo-Liberal Iwi Elite honest over recent years)
National, ACT, UF and the Māori Party don’t say anything about charter schools on their websites. The other main parties oppose them. UF doesn’t have anything about school-level education policies.
I don’t understand you, Weka. You put up a moderator note at 8.6.1 and asked for a response. You said I needed to cite the links. So that’s what I did. And now I have another final warning – but don’t bother to reply. I can see you’re very busy. As I am doing campaigning stuff.
I just wanted to inform people that Labour has had its climate change and environment policies worked out for a very long time. By saying these were extracts from our Policy Platform, I thought that was quite enough for a citation. But now I understand it wasn’t.
[A general link to Labour’s policy means that me and anyone else who is interested has to go hunt for what you are referring to. As I just explained, yet here you arguing about it again and still not providing the actual links/cites. If you don’t want to link/cite then don’t cut and paste, it’s pretty simple.
And here you are still commenting under my post when I’ve asked you not to. You are now banned from my posts until the end of the year. The other moderation warning stands re OM. – weka]
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
ah ! I get the picture. Anne – you’d better not say anything in support of my comments about Labour also having environmental and climate change policies. Be warned !
As to The Standard moderators – I am now going to step outside of your self-imposed rules, and say I thought you wanted reasonable discussion on various Party policies – but maybe you only want discussion on Party policies you agree with, or know about. From a strong left (Labour) point of view, that’s more than a bit disappointing.
Cheerio.
[you didn’t get moderated for talking about Labour policy, you got moderated for repeatedly ignoring requests and warnings from a moderator about citing quotes and staying out of posts when you couldn’t do as an author asked. Making shit up about why you’ve been moderated is likely to get more moderator attention, as is wasting moderator time.
Anne, or anyone, is free to support what you said about Labour. She did and didn’t get moderated because she did so well within the site rules. Read the Policy, but the bottom line is that authors moderate on behaviour especially where their time is getting taken up with unnecessary back and forths like today. – weka]
Not sure I can be bothered, Anne. So much still to do to make sure Labour gets elected as a government this time. NZ cannot take any more of the shit dealt out by the neo-libs over the last three decades….. which I have spent the last 30 years or so fighting against ….. and petty little arguments about whether or not I should have cited things properly are just too time-consuming.
why not just put the cite in – you cut and pasted it anyway – it isn’t petty imo it is important especially with billshit and dildo joyce trying to muddy the waters
I think your approach of putting some facts up is good, you just have to put where you got the info from – let go of ego and just do it if you want Labour to win – that is more important than feeling hurt (and I can understand why you may feel that way I really can) – and I’m saying all the ego stuff to myself too. Kia kaha
Pat, thanks so much for posting, that is by far the most wonderfully written opinion piece I’ve read in quite some time. Brilliant, so funny, so good. Shakespearian almost, it’s going to make the best bed time story to read to the kids, epic.
Thanks, David Slack, most excellent
“And the men in the temple were sore troubled, saying: “How do we stop her, Bill?” And then the one known as Steven said: “Hold my myrrh”.
Now Steven was a wise man, according to his CV, and also he was not a wise man according to his academic record, for the grades saying “economics” did bear the words “Did not complete.”
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The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
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 ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
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HDPA doing her best for the National Party
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11919488
Tory puppet.
what part of her article is not factually correct?
See Hanswurst’s comment.
It’s an opinion piece, and contains no facts whatsoever. Glad I could help you try and grasp that.
Alan
Under their Code of Ethics they have to be fair and balanced. If they do not offer comments on the scrutiny of the recent avalanche of spending from Bill English in the same article, their code says that is ok so long as they are doing a series.
Audrey Young owes us one on National on that basis from earlier in the week and now stuff owes us one. When do you reckon we will get it? Sept 24?
Alan
Let’s have some election scrutiny.
Of thes state of our health system.
Of the state of our Waterways
Of the numbers in our Prisons
Of the state of our Education system
Of the levels of our emissions
Of the levels of Child poverty
Of the levels of inequality
Of the levels of drug abuse including alcohol
Of the levels of obesity
Of the levels of homelessness
Of the levels of home ownership
Of the levels of foreign ownership of New Zealand
Of the levels of corporate lobbying in NZ
I could go on.
The comment “Young people have been clamouring for the superannuation age to be lifted” seems to a statement of fact as written but when asked for evidence of this “clamouring” – no response!
It is particularly risible considering that the two points she singles out for scrutiny, tax and the age of eligibility for superannuation, have been subjected to nothing but scrutiny since they first surfaced. The entire article could be reduced to “Heather du Plessis Allen opines that media coverage of the election campaign should continue until the election.”
Well said. The irony of an article lacking real scrutiny bemoaning the lack of scrutiny of Labour. Where is the scrutiny of the avalanche of money suddenly available from Bills cold dead hands? Taxpayer money on a Cathedral and NOW 30m for other random churches…
As for the “mean girl” nonsense. When women resort to sexist generalisations we are the worst for it.
Referencing the Smiling Assassin pisses me of cos most John Keyers saw it as a badge of honour. And no scrutiny there. Where were the journoes finding victims of the asassin and seeing how their lives have worked out?
John Key ran this country for 8 years on the back of his popularity and people like HDA and Soper worshipped at his feet. It looks like now it is a woman…
I agree with the tenet that Labour has deliberately sought to cannabalise Green votes. However I am not on the front page of Stuff. Scrutinise Act and NZF and so on as well. It is like HDA is suffering from Ardern ardour envy?
I think I confused Stacey Kirk with HDA
The smiling assassin reference won’t do any harm. Middle NZ loves a bully.
‘The smiling assassin’ was Sir John’s nickname and to use it in reference to Jacinda Ardern is infantile & unoriginal and expresses some kind of misplaced nostalgia for a political ‘chapter’ that should be turned over ASAP or, even better, written over with a completely new chapter.
yes herald pulling out all the stops for nats today
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11918679
Looks like nat have finially settled on their brilliant plan……… scaremongering
And we find out the true colours of some in the media.
I don’t think it’s quite that simple. Tame’s piece is relatively harmless, although it does peddle a couple of annoying right-wing memes unquestioningly (the electorate votes with its collective wallet; it isn’t the substance that counts, but the perception), and the editorial “Jacinda should reveal more” actually contains some analysis of what Labour’s thinking on tax might be, rather than the constant screeching about every conceivable tax under the sun. However, the presence of all three pieces all in one go certainly shows that someone is toeing the editorial line we all expect from the Herald.
Getting back to Tame’s piece, though, if one were to substitute “courageous” for “risky” in the title, and make a couple of minor tweaks to the article, such as replacing some references to “voters” with “National and the media”, it would actually be quite positive for Labour. Perhaps his framing’s deliberate, but perhaps it’s just symptomatic of political journalists’ being a rather closed chattering circle that constantly feeds off its own memes…
it is even less than ‘relatively harmless’…it is almost cleverly supportive (wonder how his masters let that one slip through)…..he rationalises Labours stance for those seeking reassurance…..remembering it is not the tribally opposed that will determine this election, they are beyond reassurance.
Hanswurst
Your analysis of the Herald items – really good. Thanks – it’s easy to go to knee jerk reactions and miss the finer points.
Nice analysis. Before your piece I had wondered if it was Soper and he and HDA wrote their pieces for Herald and Stuff respectively over eggs benedict yesterday.
I do not think Tame has it in for Labour. Quite the opposite.
or perhaps interference from sub editor?
Agreed, and to accompany it they find the worst possible picture of Jacinda.
The editor writes the headline and adds the photo.
If I were Tame, I’d feel misrepresented by Roughan.
And then there is this….https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/96633168/stacey-kirk-move-over-john-key-jacinda-ardern-is-the-new-smiling-assassin.
Is the editor of the Sunday Herald different to normal editor?
Today there seems to be a whole heap of articles with an anti-Labour bias.
Hdpa
Hide
Tame
and an anonymous Editorial.
The Hide one was odious.
For a former ACT leader, libertarian, promoter of choice and freedom, and an advocate of legalised suicide to want to restrict the ability of women to chose is utter hypocrisy.
And throwing in the suggestion that women will be able to terminate at full term is pathetic for someone of his standing and snatched straight from the Down’s Syndrome advocacy group’s Facebook page.
What a horrible little man he is.
Hide’s also just a poorly constructed piece. He starts off arguing that Ardern’s stance is misguided because taking any firm stance at all risks alienating some voters, then segues into arguing that, although the current law is unfit for purpose, changing it is a bad idea because there are issues to be tackled.
He doesn’t even attempt to draw any conclusion from these two disparate arguments, nor does he offer any insight into the issues beyond what has already been put out there by Saving Downs, whose “information”, moreover, has already been highlighted as unconnected to Ardern’s undertaking to remove abortion from the Crimes Act. It almost goes without saying that he makes no attempt to refute that assessment.
Hide seems to be a perfect example of the Peter Principle: elevated to party leadership and political commentator on the basis of a formidable reputation as a “perkbuster”, but found to be woefully inadequate in any pursuit other than embodying that phenomenally stupid term.
On Q+A this morning at 9am, is a debate about the environment, “there are 7 parties in tomorrow’s debate: @winstonpeters @ScottSimpsonMP @DavidParkerMP @damianlight @FoxMarama @dbseymour @jamespeshaw”
Why isn’t Nick Smith there, he is the minister for the environment, but instead scott simpson is rolled out? I’m confused. He ran away from the nelson markets yesterday after the sculpture turned up next to his caravan, is he still running away?
https://twitter.com/NZQandA
Hopefully the other parties will ask that question.
Here are some facts for hdpa.
She could have read this before writing her puff article defending her rich mates interests.
‘Beneficiary groups have slammed Work and Income over a new report showing people missing out on $200 million a year in entitlements.
Beneficiary advocacy groups say figures released under the Official Information Act paint a damning picture of the government and Work and Income.
According to the figures, there could be $200 million or more in payments not being collected by beneficiaries.
Auckland Action Against Poverty spokesperson Alastair Russell said Work and Income case managers deliberately withhold information about benefit entitlements.’
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/election-2017/339084/beneficiary-advocates-slam-winz
I’ve heard from more than one beneficiary that they are not told what they are entitled to, they have to ask. The info is not volunteered.
In fact it is in their KPIs according to some in the know to NOT tell what the client doesnt know
If you don’t know what entitlements are available at WINZ then how can you possibly apply for them ? Advocates and financial mentors have a wealth of knowledge and can support their clients at WINZ appointments. Always wise to take along a witness (although it didn’t work out that well for Winston).
Sorry, “financial mentors”?
Bryan Bruce has documentary out on TV3 Tuesday at 8.30 p.m.
This is from his Facebook page on 7 September.
“I have to get my facts right. Politicians don’t. In documentaries like the one coming up next Tuesday on THREE I have to make every effort to get my facts right. If I don’t do my research and just make stuff up then I face the prospect that I and the broadcaster are fined for inaccuracy .(It’s never happened to me by the way).
Not so with National’s Cabinet members Steven Joyce or Anne Tolley When Finance Minister Joyce was asked by Guyon Espiner today to name one other person in New Zealand who agreed there was a $ 11.7 Billion hole in Labour’s fiscal policy he couldn’t do it
And here’s Minister of Social Development Anne Tolley quoted in a Newsroom article by Bernard Hickey “In addition, one in five beneficiaries tell us that drug use is a barrier to them getting a job ” 1 in 5 …. Really? According to her own Ministry – last year, there were 31,791 referrals for drug testable positions nationwide and just 55 sanctions for failing a drug test. (See Herald http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11639758 ) So which is it Minister? 1 in 5 beneficiaries on drugs.. or 1 in 576 according to your own actual tests?
The more National just makes stuff up , the less credibility they have. Just take a look at the poll released tonight . National is at the lowest level its been since 2005.
So … watch out for some inconvenient truths in my doco next Tuesday. Some politicians may squeal – but I can back up every fact I give with very credible resources.”
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1462834220465592&id=334536643295361&__tn__=%2As%2As-R
He’s a bit off target with the drug testing comments, one of the big problems at the moment are people turning down job offers because they are scared of failing a drug test and then getting sanctioned. Multiple agencies and NGOs are dealing with this problem.
Doesn’t just effect beneficiaries either but workers looking to move up into higher skill higher paying jobs.
I was gonna say, Hickey’s 1 in 576 is not necessarily incompatible with Tolleys 1 in 5.
A.
Do you have any data on that? The problem with Tolley’s credibility here is that she is making a claim that just *happens* to support the long-standing policy and propaganda of her party, but providing no verifiable data to back it up, whereas the available data make her claims seem counter-intuitive at best.
Rod Oram has a newsroom article about NZ’s failure to and need for plans for economically viable and environmentally sustainable cities and urban areas.
He destroys the government’s argument for the East/West corridor.
Oram feeds the cockies arguments that the cities are big polluters so get off our backs. And at present it is the cockies chosen political party that keeps the pollution levels as high as they are, because of that political party, National, being kept in power by cockies and the indifferent classes.
So don’t blame we townies for being hypocrites Rod. You are spreading the muck around too widely. Don’t be like the back end of a hippopotamus with us thank you very much. I didn’t vote the Nationals in. I am working for and thinking about having a better NZ but my agency is small compared to the vast machine of National’s that bulldozes flat every practical thought that would improve NZ in any way.
We have all got to demand and meet higher standards of thinking, planning, resource use and dealing with the effects of our activities on the environment.
For urban planning, look to the ribbon development happening all over the country. The number of urban stormwater and sewerage systems that are effectively combined at high flows is staggering. The heavy metals and hydrocarbons in urban stormwater is a disgrace. We all have to do a lot better than we are.
Rural environmental performance won’t improve unless there’s a change in urban attitudes, and equally urban performance won’t change unless there’s a change in rural attitudes. It’s not a rural / urban thing, it’s a New Zealand thing and we won’t get any improvement unless we all change.
But the real thrust of Oram’s argument is economic. We’ve spent the last 30 years trying to get richer by seeking to reduce costs, rather than have the best , highest value products and living environment. And we’ve all got to think how we do that.
“But voters should also ask a question of themselves: how can each of us help create a distinctive New Zealand urbanism, one that matches our natural environment for capturing the imagination of people the world over?”
Graeme you are exactly right. But make your point to the self-satifsied that I meet every day. Not in the community help, the environmental concern places, but in the pubs where they drink their problems away, in the financial houses, the women’s garment shops and hairdressers where they buy the look of having made it (that’s in the world of Success), the real estate houses, the farmer offices where they plan their next buy-out and study the prices for future commodity markets.
How do you make your point to them? They probably won’t be found on this blog, if they do come they are armed with a brain that is packed with bubble wrap to prevent anything impacting its delicate and fragile substance.
Fed Farmers took Invercargill City to task recently regarding ICC’s stormwater / sewer discharges. Robert Guyton might be able to provide some background on what went on there. So they actually get it, but I’m not sure whether in a positive way. But Fed Farm won’t get anywhere getting their members to have greater environmental responsibility if they don’t demand other users / abusers are held to the same account. And good on them.
Farmers I know and do work for are really onto looking after and maintaining their farm and neighbouring environments. But I also see some shockers, and not just farmers. But generally these are activities that haven’t had a consent renewal in the last 20 years.
Ngai Tahu have made QLDC buck their ideas up regarding sewer discharges and have had a very active role in water take consents in Otago. Their values make a lot of sense.
Some one is using my email to open a discus
Account I think I no who it is as discus track how many hit you get and links to Twitter Facebook an other multi media!!!!,
Q+A just started on tvnz, Environment Debate, link for live stream here if you are interested
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/content/tvnz/onenews/story/2017/08/31/live-stream-q-a.html
Thanks enjoyed that.
Nice to see the jokey foxpeters interaction. Didn’t see the same lightheartedness between labour and the greens – why are we in such a mess? Watch everyone except Shaw to find out.
Same Marty, it was a goodie. David Parker owned scott simpson more than once, James Shaw has proven to be outstanding in all the debates, and Foxy cracks me up big time. Winnie and rimmer dang. Ryan Gosling barely got a look in.
Jessica Much did a fantastic job keeping that lot under control.
Here’s a link for any that missed the Debate on the Environment it’s entertainment plus lolz. Still wondering why nick no show couldn’t even come and front the ministry he is responsible for, useless.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/q-and-a/episodes/s2017-e27
Maybes nick is a bit butt hurt post Saturday market.
The sculpture was at the Mot markets today, a truly impressive work of art, the detail and craftsmanship, really well done, right down to the towels wrapped around his ankles as socks and the undone shoe laces. Drew quite an audience, lots of laughter, and the kids ROFL, I asked some of them if they knew who it was, Donald Trump they reply, so I filled them in, cheeky boys asking me what was hanging between the legs of the ‘feral statue’, dang local kids crack me up. The artist was generous in that dept lolz.
The stall holder at nicks rear told me he had been put in the arseholes section of the market and should get a discount for the site, LMAO, he was soooo funny, some fella was getting his photo taken in between nicks legs, and the stall holder was like… ‘careful mate, you’ll be the biggest dick head in Motueka if you stay there too long” everyone laughing. Many came just to view the sculputure.
I wonder if nick will challenge the artist again, saying “nothing you make could offend me”, may not having been the wisest comment nick made when the artist was invited to dinner one night.
be good to see that sculpture over the hill for our sat market but wrong electorate so who knows – lots of lols from your report – nice, nick needs to go
It’s interesting to look at the ratings given to various political parties on various areas of interest.
Boots theory has links to some such ratings.
Of interest is that:
On climate change and health, (NZ climate and health council), The Greens by far the best, with TOP scoring quite badly – worse than Labour.
people’s agenda for Aotearoa, Greens, Māori and TOP score well, Labour slightly behind them.
PSA on various selected priorities, noticeably,
Greens, Internet, Labour, Māori, do well on support for Industrial relations, while National, top, NZ First and ACT get a NO.
On all their criteria, the GP get a tick (Yes) of approval; Internet get all ticks except for an In Principle (IP) judgement on housing; Labour mostly ticks with a few IPs; TOP a mix of Nos, Yeses and IPs; Māori 1 No plus a mix of Ys and IPs; National and ACT responses dominated by red N(o)s
The PSA one says that National ‘supports’ raising benefits to a liveable rate. Which is news to me and such a mistake that it makes me question their whole chart.
The PSA chart is based on the politcal partoes responses to their questions. So basically, it means that is what the Nats’ said.
The full list of responses to the PSA survey is here.
Basically, on Social Security, the Nats said No to all these:
And the only social security measure the Nats said Yes to was this one:
Which seems somewhat contradictory, and open to what they mean by “liveable”, given they don’t want to index benefits to the “average wage”.
“So basically, it means that is what the Nats’ said.”
Doesn’t that render it useless given we know National lies? I would have thought they would fact check.
Confound the Science
Nice melodic parody on Trump! Peace to all…..and good luck to the Greens launching their climate change policy later today in Auckland.
Nowhere in the Florida Keys is safe but the procession of people, their children and dogs, continues.
Cam location
https://www.google.co.nz/maps/place/Southernmost+Point/@24.5248648,-81.7632164,75094m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x88d1b6dc4e08c339:0xf94b45644a592e51!8m2!3d24.5465315!4d-81.7974323?dcr=0
Video,
https://twitter.com/AldoGiammusso/status/906621913874812929
Network error trying to use that cam. This is a shocking storm.
Looks like local cams are dropping out as they lose power.
btw, a list of twitter accounts to watch
https://twitter.com/mattdpearce/lists/hurricane-irma
edit: found a montage of cams
The worst of people.
its worse then you think if they cannot read or spell the ROE.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJTSsKQXcAEAk44.jpg:large
Florida man strikes.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/florida-gun-owners-encouraged-apos-213111921.html?.tsrc=fauxdal
https://twitter.com/_floridaman/
More spending promises by the National Party. When will Audrey Young check their numbers?
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/election-2017/339097/national-pledge-to-add-10k-to-homestart
More like, “idiot National use tax payer money to drive up house prices another 10k.”
What a clueless policy, demonstrating a total ignorance of basic economics, from the party that pretends it is good with finance
Bernard Hickey @bernardchickey 31m31 minutes ago
“National doubles 1st home buyers grants again. Treasury says they just push up prices & hand subsidies to the rich.”
the conservatives did something similar in the uk and it simply increased demand and so prices….also english is saying that this deposit will enable people to buy $600k houses but forgets they cannot make the repayments …..building cheap but quality state houses is the way to go
2014
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11313568
2016
http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/money/82657663/First-home-buyers-get-boost-with-KiwiSaver-changes-Nick-Smith
2017
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2017/09/10/47097/election2017live-15days
Einstein may or may not have said…”the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result” but there appears no dispute he said
‘Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters. ”
National…the epitome of both.
I thought it was illegal for Political Parties to offer bribes for votes?
If so, will English be charged?
Yep, it looks like Boring Bill is trying to buy votes with taxpayers money.
So the MAORI seat debate so I purposed abandoning them because in my view they were unfair on the left so for the MAORI
Seats to be fair there should be 15 seats and not seven. The seats should be based on population numbers to be fair to Maori.
How could Korako Nuk sit there and back national bull shit policy the only reason only Scotty Morrison cut him down was because the others were respecting his seniority in age if not they would have cut him down good on you Scotty.
Marana Davis is right to say that the people that were in the state care state and abused many of them end up in gangs are owed a investigation. And the people and state held accountable for there actions and the state to pay compensation to these people.
I have seen prefab house built on small pieces of land quiet fast.
So we need to come up with a simple efficient designs to build eco efficant house
And the workers need to build these house well we have plenty of people to train it doesn’t take long for someone to learn to be a hammer hand you need one qualified builder for 3 hammer hand so natianal DON’T go pissing in the wind about needing 50.000 immigrants to build more house’s . We just need the right plan And the will to build.
The council’s and high schools can help train builder’s and build good houses.
On election day, spare a thought for Lani Hagaman. 😈
Clean green are we??
I don’t think so; watch this.
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/
Polluted Paradise
People & Power investigates New Zealand’s water pollution problem as regional elections gear up.
31 Aug 2017 12:41 GMT | New Zealand, Water, Pollution
Big upps to everyone in NZ and around the world for using social media to fight for changes to the fucked up systems that run our world and country.
Unicef is looking for money to deal with Hurricane Irma, the Mexico earthquake, famine in the Yemen, floods in India and various other calamities occurring simultaneously – they say their “resources are stretched as never before” . You can donate at https://www.unicef.org.nz/.
A.
Dr. Gerald Horne is the Chair of History and African American Studies at the University of Houston talks to Abby Martin. Great interview, 33 minutes.
Weekend thought from the utterances of Lao Tzu. (Before the weekly utterances of the combatting political parties.) The meanings are not clear, confusing even.
May be good for sharpening our minds to define the difference between truth, half-truth and ‘smoke gets in your eyes’.
Wu wei (無爲), literally “non-action” or “not acting”, is a central concept of the Daodejing. The concept of wu wei is multifaceted, and reflected in the words’ multiple meanings, even in English translation; it can mean “not doing anything”, “not forcing”, “not acting” in the theatrical sense, “creating nothingness”, “acting spontaneously”, and “flowing with the moment.”[44]
It is a concept used to explain ziran (自然), or harmony with the Dao. It includes the concepts that value distinctions are ideological and seeing ambition of all sorts as originating from the same source. Laozi used the term broadly with simplicity and humility as key virtues, often in contrast to selfish action. On a political level, it means avoiding such circumstances as war, harsh laws and heavy taxes. Some Taoists see a connection between wu wei and esoteric practices, such as zuowang “sitting in oblivion” (emptying the mind of bodily awareness and thought) found in the Zhuangzi.[43]
Some of Laozi’s famous sayings include:
“When goodness is lost, it is replaced by morality.”
“Without Darkness, there can be no Light.”
“The usefulness of a pot comes from its emptiness.”
“The best people are like water, which benefits all things and does not compete with them. It stays in lowly places that others reject. This is why it is so similar to the Way.”
“When people see some things as beautiful, other things become ugly. When people see some things as good, other things become bad.”
“Try to change it and you will ruin it. Try to hold it and you will lose it.”
“Those who know do not say. Those who say do not know.”
“When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
“A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”
“Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.”
“A journey of a thousand miles starts under one’s feet.”
“The more that laws and regulations are given prominence, the more thieves and robbers there will be.”
— Laozi, Tao Te Ching
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozi
Greens livestream climate change policy announcement is about to start,
https://www.facebook.com/nzgreenparty/videos/10154698048811372/
(should be able to see that without a login, just click past the prompts)
Am watching it currently – very interesting!
And talking of climate change the current wind map is here:
https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-81.97,24.57,1815
Looks like the Cyclone will have seriously trashed the coast of Cuba but looks as though it might now head to the Gulf of Mexico reducing the effect on Florida.
That’s some serious shit from the Greens.
“”We’re the first generation that will feel the effects of climate change, and the last that can stop it. We have a responsibility to act, and the Green Party has a plan to do it,” Shaw said.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/96690066/green-party-to-set-up-a-climate-commission-and-instate-universal-dividend-from-climate-fund
Not so sure we can stop it and I like this talk from the Greens. We have a responsibility to give the Greens a chance to enact their policies and with Labour (hopefully) getting serious about the issue, real change could happen.
Shaw was serious as. Great to hear Fitzsimons saying that governments have to follow the people and that we need climate action not just climate policy.
re stopping it, I see it as a continuum. Best case scenario and worst case scenario and the gradations in between. We do have choices about stopping the worst case scenarios.
One of those online voter quizzes and I was surprised to see how close Greens and TOP were in my results.
https://newzealand.isidewith.com/
Maybe because of the questions asked. Little on industrial relations, housing, social security,etc.
I got 73% GP
70%Labour
67%TOP
61% Maori
54% Mana
Basically, I’m more for Mana than Labour, so I say it’s nonsense.
Yeah, I’m in the same situation. 69% Green, 64% Labour, 58% Maori, 50% Mana in my case, but when I read through the direct comparisons of my answers with the Mana Party, the main differences consist either in their not having provided an answer to that question, or in their having said “No”, whereas I answered “No, and…”. The fact is though, that I have generally found myself generally agreeing with Harawira’s statements, both on values and policy, over many years, whereas my agreement with Labour pronouncements has been much less consistent.
Having said that, I decided several months ago to give my party vote to the Greens, and I haven’t seen any reason to change that as yet, so the tool is not entirely without merit.
“A Labour-led Government would ban foreign purchases of New Zealand property “by Christmas”, leader Jacinda Ardern told her supporters at a rally in Wellington this afternoon.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11920642
Today, Shaw said current polls – which “sometimes make my teeth grind” – showed the question now was not whether Labour will win, but who they will invite into government with them.
“If you…don’t want Winston Peters holding Labour over a barrel, I am asking you to give your party vote to the Greens…[for] the most environmentally friendly, most progressive government in generations.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11920649
And Jacinda says, “Labour would ban sales of existing houses to non-resident, foreign buyers “by Christmas”, immediately stop any sales of any state houses, and pass legislation to introduce standards for heating and ventilation in rental property.
So Key guessed that Labour would be in power so sold his house for $20million to a Chinese foreigner. After Christmas he would not be able to. 1500 people at her meeting in Wellington.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11920642
At the top end of the property market the restriction may not have much effect unless the buyer is a dodgy bastard. If you can stump up 20 million for a property you can probably arrange residency as well.
Twenty million buys quite a residence in my books.
I have been told by a couple of people from different families that New Zealand citizens who work overseas cannot buy a home in New Zealand unless they come home and reside here. One lives in Adelaide and owned a home here previously which is now sold and wishes to purchase a home here to come home to and she was not allowed to, she was told to be able to purchase she had to be living here. Another couple live in Hongkong and have also at some time sold their home here and wish to buy another to return home to – again they were told they have to come home and reside here to purchase a home.
Is this correct – and why should whoever who bought Key’s home, be in China when he purchased it. What is going wrong here and am I hearing correct that NZ born citizens who work overseas cannot purchase a home here unless they return home and reside here.
I hear the banks here generally won’t lend to non-residents anymore. So non-residents need to be cashed-up or able to borrow overseas to buy in NZ.
So it appears it’s the banks making it hard, not government regulation.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/those-shoes-quite-moving-see-jacinda-ardern-tears-up-speaking-youth-suicide-awareness-event
Totally agree with Jacinda – the only acceptable suicide figure is 0.
Early voting starts tomorrow and probably most of you have already decided how you will vote. For me, it will be Labour as my candidate vote and Green as my party vote. I have been helping our local Labour candidate in various ways, including door-knocking, and I gave my party vote to Labour at the last election.
If you are on the Māori roll then remember the Māori Party have sided with National for 9 years and voted for the sell off of state houses.
There are a few reasons for me giving my party vote to the Green Party this time but the two main ones are that they will push for benefit reform and their polling is dangerously low. They need every vote they can get to ensure that they can be a effective voice in a new Labour led government. A coalition with the Greens will mean we get a better Labour government, so if you are tossing up between the Greens and Labour for your party vote then I’d urge you to choose the Greens this time. They need every vote they can get.
Some may be considering giving their party vote to Mana or TOP. Please do not do this. It will be a wasted vote. It is highly unlikely that Hone will win and even if he did manage to scrape in Mana will not get enough for another seat.
I like our local Labour candidate so the choice is easy for me. Mostly, the candidate vote doesn’t actually matter; the only seats that count for candidate votes are Epsom and the Māori seats. In Epsom give your candidate vote to the Nat Paul Goldsmith and it may be enough to get rid of Seymour and Act.
If you are on the Māori roll then remember the Māori Party have sided with National for 9 years and voted for the sell off of state houses.
Thanks Karen.
Yep in Te Tai Tonga I am voting for the Greens with 2 ticks even though it is a major long shot for Metiria to get in.
For me – no vote is wasted.
Good luck to everyone – let’s kick these gnats out!!!
Big ups for giving Metiria Turei your electorate vote. I’d hate to see her out of Parliament.
Out of interest Karen which electorate are you in?
nice one karen…i have been helping labour but will vote green
The number of Lefties who have suggested they might just vote for the Blue-Green TOP is a shocker. Utterly Wasted vote – might as well vote Tory.
I don’t see TOP getting anywhere this election, so agree that a party vote for them is essentially wasted this time.
If they keep going, however, I can see them siphoning the National votes away — particularly those people with a social conscience who skew right on economics. (Or just greedy people who nevertheless understand that climate change will render hoarding up ‘wealth’ in the form of numbers in accounts a pointless exercise, unless it is dealt with.)
Having spoken to some TOP people at some length last Sunday, it is interesting that they marry some Greens ideas with what I would consider ‘conventional’ neo-liberalism. I would prefer sensible Tories to take some political power away from the more extreme and unthinking variant.
Newshub has some more of those Reid Research polls of the Māori seats. Flavell beating Coffey in Waiariki, bad news for Fox if Howie wins Te Tai Hauāuru. Mahuta is also streets ahead in Hauraki-Waikato – take that Tuku!
Great to see Māori King’s political intervention in Hauraki-Waikato so dramatically thwarted by ordinary Māori voters.
Let’s hope he – and the Iwi Elite – learn an important lesson.
(I should have added a Trigger Warning for the middle-class Luvvie Culturalist wing of the Identitarian Left who tend to self-indulgently romanticise anyone with a dollop of Māori ethnic heritage, blind to the severe clash of class interests that have opened up within Māoridom. All power to the whistleblowers who have tried to keep a Neo-Liberal Iwi Elite honest over recent years)
you are good with cutting and pasting the numbers – the other stuff not so much.
RESPECT MAH AUTHORITAH!, and babby Yeshua and my magic sceptre, and lower your millibars, you hurricane you!.
Interesting comparison of what parties say on their websites about charter schools.
National, ACT, UF and the Māori Party don’t say anything about charter schools on their websites. The other main parties oppose them. UF doesn’t have anything about school-level education policies.
I don’t understand you, Weka. You put up a moderator note at 8.6.1 and asked for a response. You said I needed to cite the links. So that’s what I did. And now I have another final warning – but don’t bother to reply. I can see you’re very busy. As I am doing campaigning stuff.
I just wanted to inform people that Labour has had its climate change and environment policies worked out for a very long time. By saying these were extracts from our Policy Platform, I thought that was quite enough for a citation. But now I understand it wasn’t.
[A general link to Labour’s policy means that me and anyone else who is interested has to go hunt for what you are referring to. As I just explained, yet here you arguing about it again and still not providing the actual links/cites. If you don’t want to link/cite then don’t cut and paste, it’s pretty simple.
And here you are still commenting under my post when I’ve asked you not to. You are now banned from my posts until the end of the year. The other moderation warning stands re OM. – weka]
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
.
Thanks Anne. Appreciated.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
ah ! I get the picture. Anne – you’d better not say anything in support of my comments about Labour also having environmental and climate change policies. Be warned !
As to The Standard moderators – I am now going to step outside of your self-imposed rules, and say I thought you wanted reasonable discussion on various Party policies – but maybe you only want discussion on Party policies you agree with, or know about. From a strong left (Labour) point of view, that’s more than a bit disappointing.
Cheerio.
[you didn’t get moderated for talking about Labour policy, you got moderated for repeatedly ignoring requests and warnings from a moderator about citing quotes and staying out of posts when you couldn’t do as an author asked. Making shit up about why you’ve been moderated is likely to get more moderator attention, as is wasting moderator time.
Anne, or anyone, is free to support what you said about Labour. She did and didn’t get moderated because she did so well within the site rules. Read the Policy, but the bottom line is that authors moderate on behaviour especially where their time is getting taken up with unnecessary back and forths like today. – weka]
It’s only the posts of one moderator Jenny. You can make comments on the other posts without fear of moderation.
Not sure I can be bothered, Anne. So much still to do to make sure Labour gets elected as a government this time. NZ cannot take any more of the shit dealt out by the neo-libs over the last three decades….. which I have spent the last 30 years or so fighting against ….. and petty little arguments about whether or not I should have cited things properly are just too time-consuming.
why not just put the cite in – you cut and pasted it anyway – it isn’t petty imo it is important especially with billshit and dildo joyce trying to muddy the waters
I think your approach of putting some facts up is good, you just have to put where you got the info from – let go of ego and just do it if you want Labour to win – that is more important than feeling hurt (and I can understand why you may feel that way I really can) – and I’m saying all the ego stuff to myself too. Kia kaha
I agree with marty’s comments.
.
Meanwhile, way across on the other side of the Atlantic, south of Cabo Verde, a tropical wave could well go full tropical depression within the week.
It’s going to be a long September for these folk.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=atlc&fdays=2
need a laugh?
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/96633028/david-slack-not-quite-the-greatest-story-ever-told
Is Joyce a descendent of Moses then?
maybe he’s Aaron reincarnate?
Pat, thanks so much for posting, that is by far the most wonderfully written opinion piece I’ve read in quite some time. Brilliant, so funny, so good. Shakespearian almost, it’s going to make the best bed time story to read to the kids, epic.
Thanks, David Slack, most excellent
“And the men in the temple were sore troubled, saying: “How do we stop her, Bill?” And then the one known as Steven said: “Hold my myrrh”.
Now Steven was a wise man, according to his CV, and also he was not a wise man according to his academic record, for the grades saying “economics” did bear the words “Did not complete.”
This is very funny ! thanks Pat.