Back in the early 80s Ruthenasia Richardson was promoting border dyke irrigation on the Canterbury Plains to be done by the MOW (Ministry of Works for those too young to remember the state used to have a public works capability) and paid for by the tax payer (Ruth the free marketeer had no problem with looting the public purse….for her mates the farmers). The whole concept was more sheep, for which the farmers received SMPs (a per head price subsidy paid for by the taxpayer). So to sum up we the citizens paid taxes that were to be used to pay for a scheme to grow more grass, more sheep and to pay a priveleged sector for a product we could not sell.
Last night Key announced a $400 million irrigation fund for a Crown irrigation company to grow more grass for more cows paid for by (you guessed it) the taxpayer. Sectoral venality at your expense. Pollution and salination at your expense. Two free marketeers ripping off the public purse.
It is seldom remembered that it was National during the early 90s who relaxed the building regulations as a sort of Free Market rules. This caused the Leaky buildings. National caused the problem. They must own both the cause and the solution.
“It was a combination of building products and building practices – and new home builders price priorities also played a part.”
Yes, it was what emerged from an unregulated/’self-regulating’ free market (i.e., National Party policy priority ‘Number One’), as you so succinctly put it, Pete George.
If the Government says you can drive at whatever speed you want and all traffic enforcers are withdrawn and then there is a pileup of cars travelling at 150kmh across town would you blame the cars or the lack of speed limit?
Of course we would blame the drivers, but do you not think that the disaster could have been prevented with a bit of Governmental common sense? Government absolved do you think?
…and new home builders price priorities also played a part.
Was it the purchasers pricing or the profit motive? Because looking at history I don’t see prices for houses going down but I do see developers making higher profits.
Perhaps this displays best what the building industry is like and how sub-servient our govt is towards them. A $900k is no punishment, I would imagine thatthe profit margins were still excessive even allowing for the fine. http://www.constructionnews.co.nz/articles/dec10/Carter-Holt-Harvey-warned.php http://www.comcom.govt.nz/fair-trading-media-releases/detail/2007/carterholtharveyexecutivefinedover
And even Labour failed to see this issue for what it was and now we have a $20+b issue. At least this will increase our GDP- and what a waste of resources, time and stress http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3006431
Just because building standards were lowered- is that any excuse for the govt to reduce theirs. The schools could have been built using alternative cladding e.g. tilt slab.
And ianmac- Nat were the govt yet it was the building regulators that said it was all ok e.g. Brandz and supposed “experts” many representing the building suppliers. All care and no responsibility
what a load of bullshit PG Deregulation caused the problem Shifting the blame is Nationals solution.Band aid solution .National have come up with $500million to fix a $32 billion dollar problem typical National party.
As I recall they allowed members of suppliers to the industry onto the group that defines material codes. Then blamed the existence of amateur owner builders for the failure of commercial builds and formed professional registers to prove they weren’t cowboys themselves. It was like watching a bunch of slow-witted toddlers trying to conceal the turd in their pants.
Yes. Saw that. The narrative is building, and JK won’t be very much of a poster boy by the end of a second term… if he makes it that far. It wil also undermine him somewhat this election.
Contradictory though – how do people know he’s a safe pair of hands with the economy if they can’t trust what he says?
In my view, what has emerged is the unthinkable. Goff has managed to “tear the teflon” right off Key and the liar brand is sticking. Theyve been given a gift this morning with Nick Smith annoucing 100% Pure Brand essentially will be scrapped in favour of irrigation and intensive dairying – lets see if Labour can claw a few points out of this?
I went to the Whenuapai meet the candidates meeting last night. Key was there along with Labour’s Jeremy Greenbrook-Held, the greens Jeanette Elley, some guy from ALCP who made lot of sense at times, an ACT candidate who is not going to vote for himself and an unfortunate Conservative Party candidate who promised to actually do what he promises unless a binding referendum said otherwise.
Jeremy performed really well and Jeanette was also impressive. They both knew their stuff and spoke from the heart.
Key was superficially impressive. He is like a little kid with a stick trying to upset a hive of bees. He relishes any sort of argument.
But I kept thinking of what he said and I have to conclude that he keeps saying fibs.
On unemployment he said National had created 60,000 jobs over the last year. He did not acknowledge the promise to create 170,000 or that under his watch unemployment has doubled.
And fiscal responsibility was one of his main themes. Without being embarrassed he kept saying National was responsible and Labour was irresponsible with the finances.
He promised $400 million for the irrigation fund Bored mentioned. Yesterday National also promised the delay in some sectors coming into the ETS at a cost I understand of $500 million.
So where is the money coming from John? And when is the MSM going to call him for what he is, a fibber?
Radio NZ reported this morning that work has been going for months getting our state assets ready for sale and Key has said they will start selling straight after election if they are the govt.
I don’t understand why the majority of NZers who value holding on to our state assets are so keen to vote for the man who is hellbent on selling them as quickly and cheaply as possible.
Could someone please confirm, the petrol price did hardly change the last four weeks?
The reason, I ask this question, is the oil price increased somewhere around 15 to 20% to 97 US Dollar per barrel recently and the exchange rate against the US Dollar improved only marginal. Begin of the year, this would have meant a significant price increase at the petrol pump.
Why is the change of the oil price not reflected at the petrol pump?
Surely, a 10 cent increase a couple of week before an election would cause a complete outrage.
Also the World Energy Outlook 2011 by the International Energy Agency was released yesterday:
– Expected oil crises around 2015 unless significant investments of 100 Billion US Dollar anually are done… Mainly in not so stable countries in the Mid-East and North Afrika.
– In the next 20 years additional 2/3 of today’s output has to be found and come “online” so it covers the decline and we still have approximately 67 Million barrels per day of conventional oil consumed globally. We are not even talking about meeting the increased demand by developing countries!
And a bit of a joke… Big success story: In Brasil they found another “huge” oil field with a total reserve of over 600 Million barrel or, taking the 87 Million barrel consumed daily into account, around 7 to 8 days of global oil consumption.
NZ petrol is sourced from Dubai Crude, which is different from Brent and WTI. Also the price that matters is actually refined product, not crude. They usually move in tandem, but not always.
Also, the recent flooding Thailand may have caused a drop in demand, which decreases the price for the rest of us.
If you look into the price of Dubai Crude, it’ll probably match up with the pump price a lot better.
You need to ignore the price of oil and focus on the cost of refined fuel out of Singapore.
We use lots of different oil grades, mostly heavier sour Arabian crudes which is why NZRC has a dirty great hydrocracker, but also lighter Malaysian/Indonesian and local ones too, and blendstocks to balance things out. The price of these affects us over the medium term. But it is the price of refined fuel ex Singapore and the margins over that that really drives our day to day pricing. MED has it on their website and it is relatively up to date.
I saw the petrol price at the pump this morning and thought the same.
The corporates are absorbing oil price rises currently IMO, for whatever reason.
BTW for those referring to WTI, Brent, Dubai crude – all valid points, but very little of the worlds oil are traded through visible exchanges so all of them are very indicative only.
A convincing rebuttal of recent allegations of bias (/sarc) has played out in the letters to the editor section of the Herald after a couple of letters were published accusing the paper of favoritism for National. Subsequently another letter was published accusing the paper of favoritism for the left. A final letter letter was published today asserting that all the complaints were just ‘bleating’ and that the paper has got the balance ‘about right’ because there was a complaint from both sides.
The Herald itself had no comment to make on the matter.
This latest victory for National comes on the heels of Key’s three-handshake at the World Cup presentation ceremony which won the social retard vote, and his “show me the money” jibe at the town hall debate which saw both Jerry Maguire fans and Scientologists declare for National.
A good election forum in Dunedin tonight – a Sustainable Dunedin and Forest & Bird sponsored look at candidate and party views on sustainability and environmental issues.
7.30pm, Hutton Theatre, Otago Museum
You’re welcome to say hello – or heckle if you prefer.
Hey, I saw your glorious leader on Breakfast this morning – has he ever been described to you as a leech?
He seems to want to cling to whoever he fancies at the time. Please can you advise exactly what is the significance of United Future? Frankly I see it as a pointless exercise, other than keeping your leader in a job.
Duncan Garner arced up on TV3 this morning apparently, said the underclass had grown undeniably under National and the gap between rich and poor had widened massively. Hidden in the Chch quake news in the Herald is ” Labour ahead in the South’. Hidden because nothing in the story justifies it being in quake news and that will only be read by Cantaburians. There is a slight seachange in the MSM, except for boofhead Alexander who has obviously been offered the job Garner thought he was getting.
(Mainstream media are blocking this info.
If anything is useful – please ‘help yourselves’. 🙂
PRESS RELEASE: Penny Bright Independent Candidate for Epsom
“Does ACT Leader Don Brash have a PhD in ‘Hypocrisy’?
“Does ACT Leader (former National Party Leader) Dr Don Brash, have a PhD in ‘Hypocrisy’?” asks Penny Bright Independent Candidate for Epsom, responding to reported comments in his latest speech, where Mr Brash said Act “remains committed to equality before the law for all New Zealanders”.
“How come ACT’s ‘one law for all’ doesn’t appear to apply to ‘white collar criminals’ – only Maori?”, continues Ms Penny Bright.
“Does ACT Leader , (former National Party Leader) Dr Don Brash, agree that this ‘one law for all’ policy should equally apply to himself, and ACT candidate for Epsom (former National Government Minister for Police and Local Government) John Banks?
Does ACT Leader , (former National Party Leader) Dr Don Brash, agree that this ‘one law for all’ policy should equally apply to himself, and ACT candidate for Epsom (former National Government Minister for Police and Local Government) John Banks, and that both should equally face criminal charges for misleading investors when former Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd, as did fellow former Director Peter Huljich?
If not – why not?”
“Why should the voting public trust a word from the lips of ACT Leader, (former National Party Leader) Dr Don Brash, and ACT candidate for Epsom (formally National Government Minister for Police and Local Government) John Banks, when the ‘one law for all’ that they espouse – does not equally apply to themselves?”
“Are ACT Leader, (former National Party Leader) Dr Don Brash, and ACT candidate for Epsom (former National Government Minister for Police and Local Government) John Banks going to support the Finance Markets Authority (FMA) equally filing criminal charges against each of them for allegedly misleading investors when former Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd. – or not?”
“Does the ACT candidate for Epsom, (former National Government Minister for Police and Local Government) really think that National Party Leader, and NZ Prime Minister John Key should publicly endorse an alleged ‘white collar’ criminal, such as himself, who has yet to be charged, let alone convicted, because the ‘one law for all’ principle has yet to apply to John Banks, former fellow Director of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd?”
“ACT’s leadership supports ‘one law for all? – yeah right”, concludes Ms Penny Bright.
Penny Bright
Independent Candidate for Epsom.
Campaigning against ‘white collar’ crime, corruption (and its root cause – privatisation), and ‘corporate welfare’.
Attendee: Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference 2009
Attendee: Transparency International’s 14th International Anti-Corruption Conference 2010
Keys insider trading should be brought before the courts .Merrill Lynchs $79 trillion US in toxic derivatives has Keys hands all over it this debt didn’t build up overnight Key was an instrumental part of it being in charge of currency trading
11.27 LATEST: A slippery scallop is blamed for a minor injury to Prime Minister John Key on the election trail in New Plymouth today. “It’s nothing actually,” Key told journalists outside Taranaki District Health Board’s emergency department. “Just a nick. I’ve had plenty of those.” A spokesman for National’s campaign downplayed the incident. “They knew the Prime Minister was in town and knew exactly what to do. Minister Ryall has ensured that all ED’s in the country are well prepared to deal with a forked tongue.”
In other news, volunteers at Port Taranaki were relieved after a false alarm sparked a callout to a nearby beach. “We thought for a minute it might be another Rena,” said Morris Heyhey, the retired engineer who first noticed a suspicious oily slick along the tidal mark. “but then they told us John Key had just walked along that morning.”
In his distinct and colourful manner, he analyses the Arab Spring, the eurozone crisis, the “Occupy Wall Street” movement and the rise of China. Concerned about the future of the existing western democratic capitalism Zizek believes that the current “system has lost its self-evidence, its automatic legitimacy, and now the field is open.”
It should be remembered that earlier this year Zizek ranted against young people taking part in the London “riots”. And as this article explains:
Zizek has a political history as a founder and candidate of Slovenia’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDS), which oversaw the reorganization of the former Yugoslav Republic along free market capitalist lines.
Interestingly, he is also apparently something of an admirer of Joseph Stalin.
Per capita, New Zealand is currently third at producing non-organic and non-recyclable waste. Auckland alone creates 180,000 tonnes of waste each year… 14% of this being potentially hazardous…
I wonder if this is due to lack of recycling/organic bin programmes around the country.
For example in CHCH we had green recycling tubs for quite a while, and then 3 years ago they introduced 3 wheeley bins for organic, recyclable and landfill waste. I believe this has cut down the amount of waste going to landfill quite a lot.
In Oamaru however, they just have rubbish bags that everything gets put into.
introduced 3 wheeley bins for organic, recyclable and landfill waste.
We’re getting something like that in Auckland over the next few years. My landlord/flatmate is complaining about it because the bins are going to be chipped and charged on a per weight basis I believe. Personally, I think it’s great as it will encourage people to produce less waste and start people to question why they’re paying so much for the junk mail* they get that they don’t want and don’t read.
* Junk mail is the original spam and should have been banned along with the electronic version.
A good idea in essence, perhaps. Not sure how it will work in practice. For example, how will you prevent others from adding their waste to your bin without your permission?
For most people that would imply someone actually sneaking onto your property and finding your bins around the back of your house. Not sure that’s a huge issue really.
In other situations where your bins have to be in a public area there’s no reason they couldn’t have a padlock on the lid.
The graph Proportion of ‘other’ waste in OECD countries on this Ministry of Environment webpage shows that New Zealand produces the third most overall waste. However their preamble says that New Zealand ranks 28th worst out of 30 OECD countries.
“New Zealand ranks 28th out of 30 OECD countries in the ‘other’ category; with our proportion being one-and-a-half times the OECD average. The high proportion of ‘other’ waste in New Zealand is likely to reflect the relatively large proportions of rubble from landscaping waste and timber from residential waste. Australia has a much lower proportion of ‘other’ waste than New Zealand and ranks seventh out of the OECD countries.”
“Overall, New Zealand has comparatively low proportions of paper waste disposal, average proportions of glass, organic, metal and plastic waste disposal and high proportions of ‘other’ waste disposal compared with other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.”
I don’t think you can make the comment you have, however, there is no doubt that there is considerable room for improvement.
Ever wondered whats behind it? Its not ideology (neo lib is too discredited) and its neither good nor rational economics (no semi comatose business would sell off its key income earners).
Think this way, the Euro is crashing ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/nov/09/european-debt-crisis-eurozone-breakup ) cash is escaping Europe into US Treasury bonds and into the US stock markets which have risen steadily in the last months (but started crashing last night)….so where is a safe haven for the cash? Chinas economy is at a standstill as demand falters…..and they hold huge US debt notes which will soon be worthless.
Where can Key and the international money junKeys find a safe haven, a sure thing for their millions to be invested in? Not in stocks anywhere, Treasury Bonds depend upon the country not defaulting or being able to pay, so where?
Where indeed is “safe”? Good “monopoly” rentals from you and me are available fby stripping our necessary assets. Electricity SOEs, coal SOEs etc. Ma and Pa NZers consisting our own 1%ers….
On a side note, the article you link to states that Italy is thought “too big to rescue”.
That’s an interesting switch from banks that are “too big to fail”. Of course, Italy is only a country with people in it. Banks are pivotal transnational corporates with lots of capital in them. No contest, really, when it comes to taxpayer bailouts.
The world of fantasy digits meets the world of real people…..too big to fail was always a chimera, an impossible fantasy. “Occupy” signals a broader intention, a seminal zeitgeist emerging…we aint going to take it. The resurrected spirit of the inner Jacobin.
Democracy tamed by the owners of digital promises to pay will transform into the mob versus the digit holders.
State assets sales have never been about efficiency but about giving our assets to the rentiers so that they have a nice, safe, government guaranteed income from other peoples work.
Thanks for that Bored. Been wondering lately… what exactly is the link between the global financial crisis… the rapidly spreading Occupy Movement (and it’s off shoots)… and the almost desperate desire by Key and co. to sell off our biggest assets. The last ditch attempt by the global rich-pricks at holding on to their power and their wealth?
Yes Anne, the lack of awareness of the larcenous nature of the “corporate state / big finance nexus” is a tribute to their propaganda powers, the common consent manufactured by an owned media and compliant state. To regain our democracy we need to break “big media” as well.
Having a go at what is mine and yours too, is there no low to which Key wont stoop? His holidays, our assets. Burglars and larcenists normally get state funded holidays.
Didn’t you know Brett? Key works 19hrs a day, 7 days a week for us! He is such a marvelous man he must also be magical to be able to fit holidays to Hawaii in there too! When does he sleep? Is he trying to one up Maggie?
What I have found farcial with Key is that he was intent upon becoming Minister of Tourism from day one – but at every opportunity he heads off overseas and particularly to Hawaii for his holidays. Certainly not walking the talk.
For a start Brett, I doubt there is anything that Goff does that would impress you so you missed a few important things in your rush to denigrate Goff.
Family doesn’t enter into. Goff never attacked his family and (despite what you think of him) Goff is just not that sort of guy.
However, it is a valid political move to compare the circumstances of people trapped in poverty with someone who, even outside his PM’s salary, has such freedoms that his wealth affords him, that he can escape whatever situation he may find himself in in NZ by holidaying at his own home in Hawaii.
It is a valid political comparison because the very people affected by his policies, unlike him, are unable to break out of their context and have to take whatever shit policies Key decides to deliver to them. I’m sure the poor would just love to take their families to Hawaii for a holiday – even just once – even in a ratty hotel – let alone every year or whenever the whim takes them!
It is also valid for an opposition to question whether such wealth, and the freedom of choice it brings, blinds Key to the true mental and emotional prison that people in poverty endure.
It is no longer acceptable for people to give Key a break on the Crosby/Textor crafted narrative of poor boy made good. He has not been that poor boy for many years.
And most importantly, that story has not translated into action for the poor. On his watch the rich have got richer and the poor have got poorer. He had three years to help the poor out of their situation but he has not only failed but shown every sign of being the right wing fat cat bastard we suspected that he was underneath.
He, like Bennett, have pulled the ladder after him. Tax breaks for the rich, hob-nobing with the rich and famous while driving a knife into the poor and neglecting the economy.
I see the eager beaver steven joyce delayed the introducyion of important legislation on April 1 in case people thought it was a joke.
well that just about takes the cake.
what does he take us for.
ninnies like him and his national cabinet.
deosn’t he think kiwis know how to doa nything unless it is spoon fed.
gahhhhhhhhh. this government gets more and more horibbler by the minute.
out with them.
How patronising can Joyce be? The man is a totally arrogant pompous ass!
This decision and it’s reasoning is an insult to the NZdrs he expects to vote for him and his elitist wankers.
I was just called at home by Research International and asked if I would be willing to do a political poll. I was more than happy to as I had never been called before.
The questioner asked which electorate I was enrolled in. Answer – Ilam.
Questioner – Where is that?
Me – Ilam in Christchurch.
Questioner – Is that Christchurch east?
Me – No.
Questioner – Is that Waimakiriri?
Me – No, it’s Gerry Brownlee’s electorate. Have you heard of him?
Questioner – No I haven’t. I need to talk to someone enrolled in Waimakiriri. The MP is Catherine, umm, Catherine someone in that electorate.
Me – I don’t know a Catherine anyone but the MP in Waimak is Clayton Cosgrove.
Questioner – Sorry, Clayton who?
Me – Clayton Cosgrove, from Labour.
Questioner – Oh right, I don’t think you can do the poll. It’s got to be a person enrolled in Waimak.
Me – Maybe you should call homes that are actually in the Waimakiriri electorate then.
Questioner – Oh yeah. Thanks for your time
Whoever is paying research international should get their money back.
This must have slipped past the Herald censors. Someone there will get sacked! Herald Online:
“Grant Robertson has accused Prime Minister John Key of “ducking the tough questions”
and: “He (Key)has refused to go head-to-head in a live debate with Labour Leader Phil Goff for the Herald; with Morning Report because he was ‘too busy to prepare’; with Close Up twice; and Radio Live.
“He (Key)continues to give Campbell Live the cold shoulder and Radio New Zealand confirmed last month it had only been able to get him on its programmes a handful of times in the past year. ”
Just in time for the first anniversary, charges get laid against those responsible for killing 29 miners at Pike River. No names yet, but here’s hoping Peter Whittall is prominent among them.
The evidence of this Japanese engineer in another four or five days should be interesting and informative. He made a rational decision to leave based on known factors likely to result in an explosion. We have short-changed our miners and ourselves in NZ with our she’ll be right approach. It wasn’t so easy for our people to leave, they just worked on and hoped for the best, and that wasn’t wise.
If they had gone on strike would anything have been done to improve conditions?? Or would it have been a case of ‘put these blokes in their place’, cosh a few if necessary and get them back to work instead of wasting time over their endless grievances and demands. I think it would have been the last.
Emil Zola – we need you. Emil ZOLA’s novel Germinal is the heading to get on to his novel about coal mining in northern France with miners being paid for output and having to shore up the mines themselves. Their working conditions and safety were their own problem. When the price of coal fell of course they got paid less for their output but still had the same hazards.
I am really brassed off. The road rules are being changed at the end of March next year back to how they used to be. On a whim and a theory that it would be better, we were forced to change some time ago from left having right of way, now the bureaucrats want to change back and I bet on no better arguments than for the original change.
And it will cause more accidents for some time I think. And our roads will have to be remarked, in some cases redesigned and traffic lights recalibrated or whatever, and how can we afford this unnecessary carry-on. How can we stop this waste of money?
…now the bureaucrats want to change back and I bet on no better arguments than for the original change.
Actually, my quick reading of the literature awhile back showed a couple of good reasons:
1.) It’s actually more logical
2.) We’re the last place on Earth to have such backward road rules and so it confuses drivers from other countries
3.) The change will result in less accidents see 1.)
Does that mean we went through the original kerfuffle for an illogical reason? It has been made to work, and assists those turning right to achieve their requirements. So that is illogical is it.
Yes, because people behind the left turning car but going straight ahead aren’t giving way to the right turning car which results in accidents when the right turning car pulls across in front of them.
I am getting vengeful in my old age. Where are the people who made us change our original driving patterns to give way to the right turning? I would like to have a few words with them, and also get payment for all the road and sign changes made then, and to be done in the next few months. And also kick them up the bum.
If I remember correctly the change to give way to right turning traffic was made to prevent huge queues forming in the middle of the roads when right-turning traffic had to give way and there was not enough room for cars from behind to pass safely along the left of them. To me, and a few international friends I’ve discussed this with, the NZ system works well.
However, the research seems to have been done and the conclusion is that it apparently causes more accidents so it’s being changed back. I hope they have it right because it would piss me off intensely if the change was being made simply to fall in line with international practice and a different set of intersection accidents increase (thinking here, in particular, of long queues on high-speed rural roads that might be have quite different characteristics to the international rural roads that may have been used in comparative studies).
The change from the original rule happened when I was overseas. After a couple of decades overseas, all using the rule the way it used to be in NZ, it was very hard to change to the “new” NZ rule when I came back. It took 2-3 years to be able to follow the rule without thinking. I used to curse it. Because I’d remind myself about the rule when I set out driving somewhere, but when I did a left turn, decades of driving habit kicked in and I’d turn without waiting for the cars in the middle of the road.
Yeah, I reckon that difference is part of the problem with the accidents. I’m just worried that NZ’s difficult rural roads might end up with more serious accidents. C’est la vie.
The Department of Labour says the rise will cost 6000 jobs. But Treasury has a counter view; “This has not been true in the past. The balance of probabilities is that a higher minimum wage does not cost jobs.”
Not all employers are worried about a hike either. Andy Martin runs a pub, employing 26 people in Oamaru.
He says put the wage up and people just spend more money – everyone wins.
“$15 is fair,” he says.
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Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. 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 economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
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 ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
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. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
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 ...
The Government Communications Security Bureau denies hosting a foreign spying capability flagged by the watchdog, differentiating it from the system recently criticised. ...
RNZ News A group of academic staff at New Zealand’s largest university have expressed concern at the administration’s move to block a protest encampment that was planned to take place on campus calling for support for the rights of Palestinians. This week, the University of Auckland warned that while it ...
Genterwocky After a hard days marching, Sir Doocey calls in at the Village Tavern For a pint of ale and a pork pie. The grim villagers stare at him. “Do not be travelling on the forest road,” warns a crusty old beak. “And why is that, antique peasant?” Grins Sir ...
Political conferences after a party returns to power are usually a chance for some healthy, even unhealthy backslapping. Yet National Party president Sylvia Wood’s address to its mainland representatives on Saturday hardly contained the unalloyed delight that one might have expected following National’s escape from the wilderness of opposition. Yes, ...
Comment: Almost half the world is voting in national elections this year and artificial intelligence is the elephant in the room. There are genuine fears AI-generated or AI-edited deepfakes will potentially manipulate election outcomes not just in the US and UK, but critically in countries such as India. For that ...
Ahead of the reality franchise’s return to New Zealand, allow us to introduce the eight brides and grooms. Chuck on a veil and tie back your man bun, because it’s time to say “I do” to a new season of Married at First Sight NZ. The reality TV “social experiment” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University Every year on June 1, student debt in Australia is indexed to inflation. In 2023, high inflation pushed the indexation rate to 7.1%, the highest since 1990. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Changes in the May 14 budget will cut the student debt of more than three million people, wiping more than $3 billion from what people owe. The government will cap the HELP indexation rate ...
Asia Pacific Report The prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed for an end to what it calls intimidation of its staff, saying such threats could constitute an offence against the “administration of justice” by the world’s permanent war crimes court. The Hague-based office of ICC Prosecutor ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A women’s union in New Caledonia has staged a sit-in protest this week to support senior Kanak indigenous journalist Thérèse Waia, who works for public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première, after a smear attack by critics. The peaceful demonstration was held on ...
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History never repeats…well it does.
Back in the early 80s Ruthenasia Richardson was promoting border dyke irrigation on the Canterbury Plains to be done by the MOW (Ministry of Works for those too young to remember the state used to have a public works capability) and paid for by the tax payer (Ruth the free marketeer had no problem with looting the public purse….for her mates the farmers). The whole concept was more sheep, for which the farmers received SMPs (a per head price subsidy paid for by the taxpayer). So to sum up we the citizens paid taxes that were to be used to pay for a scheme to grow more grass, more sheep and to pay a priveleged sector for a product we could not sell.
Last night Key announced a $400 million irrigation fund for a Crown irrigation company to grow more grass for more cows paid for by (you guessed it) the taxpayer. Sectoral venality at your expense. Pollution and salination at your expense. Two free marketeers ripping off the public purse.
They announced a potentially $400m investment fund in the Budget in March. Is this the same thing?
Looks like it.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10764979
Leaky schools. Labour blamed for not doing enough. Questions: when were the leaks discovered? What did Labour do? And whose fault is this really if we’re finger pointing?
It is seldom remembered that it was National during the early 90s who relaxed the building regulations as a sort of Free Market rules. This caused the Leaky buildings. National caused the problem. They must own both the cause and the solution.
No. It was a combination of building products and building practices – and new home builders price priorities also played a part.
Can’t wait to see you with the silverware on your head after you take the leadership from Dunne there Petey.
Close but lacking din – my primary focus is leadership for Dunedin.
Getting a very good response via candidate meetings – from individuals, groups, other party candidates and even MPs.
Well then you will be able to thank all the kind people who voted for you and all the others who said they would!
National allowed the combination to begin with.
“It was a combination of building products and building practices – and new home builders price priorities also played a part.”
Yes, it was what emerged from an unregulated/’self-regulating’ free market (i.e., National Party policy priority ‘Number One’), as you so succinctly put it, Pete George.
If the Government says you can drive at whatever speed you want and all traffic enforcers are withdrawn and then there is a pileup of cars travelling at 150kmh across town would you blame the cars or the lack of speed limit?
I’d primarily blame stupid drivers. Wouldn’t you?
No. I’d see it as a failure of collective decision making (i.e., a political failure).
A simple reduction of the social to the individual is pretty poor thinking.
Of course we would blame the drivers, but do you not think that the disaster could have been prevented with a bit of Governmental common sense? Government absolved do you think?
Primarily – maybe.
Secondarily – the dick who created the systemic problem.
Or do you assign blame exclusively to those at the point of contact?
Was it the purchasers pricing or the profit motive? Because looking at history I don’t see prices for houses going down but I do see developers making higher profits.
Perhaps this displays best what the building industry is like and how sub-servient our govt is towards them. A $900k is no punishment, I would imagine thatthe profit margins were still excessive even allowing for the fine.
http://www.constructionnews.co.nz/articles/dec10/Carter-Holt-Harvey-warned.php
http://www.comcom.govt.nz/fair-trading-media-releases/detail/2007/carterholtharveyexecutivefinedover
And even Labour failed to see this issue for what it was and now we have a $20+b issue. At least this will increase our GDP- and what a waste of resources, time and stress
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3006431
Just because building standards were lowered- is that any excuse for the govt to reduce theirs. The schools could have been built using alternative cladding e.g. tilt slab.
And ianmac- Nat were the govt yet it was the building regulators that said it was all ok e.g. Brandz and supposed “experts” many representing the building suppliers. All care and no responsibility
what a load of bullshit PG Deregulation caused the problem Shifting the blame is Nationals solution.Band aid solution .National have come up with $500million to fix a $32 billion dollar problem typical National party.
*sighs*
Never let it be said that neo-liberals take responsibility for anything.
Beneficiaries – yes.
Neo-libs – no. It was someone else whut done it.
As I recall they allowed members of suppliers to the industry onto the group that defines material codes. Then blamed the existence of amateur owner builders for the failure of commercial builds and formed professional registers to prove they weren’t cowboys themselves. It was like watching a bunch of slow-witted toddlers trying to conceal the turd in their pants.
All those who voted National; in the 90’s should be levied for leaky buildings.
OR maybe we should charge politicians, with criminal negligence, as any other profession would be if they were in charge of such a major fuckup.
John Key – Safe hands, Forked tongue
On Stuff! no less!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/fairfax-media-poll/5939285/John-Key-Safe-hands-forked-tongue
Yes. Saw that. The narrative is building, and JK won’t be very much of a poster boy by the end of a second term… if he makes it that far. It wil also undermine him somewhat this election.
Contradictory though – how do people know he’s a safe pair of hands with the economy if they can’t trust what he says?
In my view, what has emerged is the unthinkable. Goff has managed to “tear the teflon” right off Key and the liar brand is sticking. Theyve been given a gift this morning with Nick Smith annoucing 100% Pure Brand essentially will be scrapped in favour of irrigation and intensive dairying – lets see if Labour can claw a few points out of this?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10764987
Even more interesting was this comment piece by Vernon Small.
Online it is headed: ‘John Key finds ready answers to queries’
In the print edition it was headed “Bend it like Key” (as in ‘bending the truth’).
By Hartevelt not Small. Small writes to praise Ceasar not to point at the borer infesting Key’s feet.
Ooops! You’re right of course. Too many ‘V’s and ‘e’s in their names …
That’s because the MSM have been having a love-in with NAct rather than doing their job of investigation and reporting.
Wine being released nationally. Supply available to 26 November. Then remaindered.
Pinot Cchio vintages 2009, 2010, 2011.
The PM’s favourite, with a nose that is steadily developing.
Better still – someone at Fairfax can’t count! This was picked up by Mathew, one of our commentators: http://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2011/11/10/someone-at-fairfax-cant-count/
I went to the Whenuapai meet the candidates meeting last night. Key was there along with Labour’s Jeremy Greenbrook-Held, the greens Jeanette Elley, some guy from ALCP who made lot of sense at times, an ACT candidate who is not going to vote for himself and an unfortunate Conservative Party candidate who promised to actually do what he promises unless a binding referendum said otherwise.
Jeremy performed really well and Jeanette was also impressive. They both knew their stuff and spoke from the heart.
Key was superficially impressive. He is like a little kid with a stick trying to upset a hive of bees. He relishes any sort of argument.
But I kept thinking of what he said and I have to conclude that he keeps saying fibs.
On unemployment he said National had created 60,000 jobs over the last year. He did not acknowledge the promise to create 170,000 or that under his watch unemployment has doubled.
And fiscal responsibility was one of his main themes. Without being embarrassed he kept saying National was responsible and Labour was irresponsible with the finances.
He promised $400 million for the irrigation fund Bored mentioned. Yesterday National also promised the delay in some sectors coming into the ETS at a cost I understand of $500 million.
So where is the money coming from John? And when is the MSM going to call him for what he is, a fibber?
I just saw a short clip of the meeting on the news, Jeremy did have a bit of the ‘possum caught in the headlights’ look about him.
That’s the usual TV ‘show the candidate picking his nose’ editing.
“And when is the MSM going to call him for what he is, a fibber? ”
Vernon Small comes pretty close. See my link in the comment above.
Make that ‘John Hartevelt’
What happened to to $50? payment by people convicted to their victims?
How much has been collected, how much distributed?
Radio NZ reported this morning that work has been going for months getting our state assets ready for sale and Key has said they will start selling straight after election if they are the govt.
I don’t understand why the majority of NZers who value holding on to our state assets are so keen to vote for the man who is hellbent on selling them as quickly and cheaply as possible.
Country is disconnected with itself presently. Its waking up but too slow.
As reported, they have been pressing ahead regardless. This was also “lost” in Stuff’s business news yesterday
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5886811/Govt-appoints-Lazard-for-asset-sale-advice
Accordiang to the one comment on the article, Lazard have also been advising the Greek government!
This is Duncan Garner’s take on it.
It’s been said many times before, but a significant number of people don’t appear to be voting for Naitonal (or its policies) but, instead, for Key.
Stephen Franks welcomed the emphasis on personalities at interest.co.nz a few weeks ago.
Yep. A lot of National supporters I talk to buy into Brand Key. Brand National’s actual policies? Way less so.
Could someone please confirm, the petrol price did hardly change the last four weeks?
The reason, I ask this question, is the oil price increased somewhere around 15 to 20% to 97 US Dollar per barrel recently and the exchange rate against the US Dollar improved only marginal. Begin of the year, this would have meant a significant price increase at the petrol pump.
Why is the change of the oil price not reflected at the petrol pump?
Surely, a 10 cent increase a couple of week before an election would cause a complete outrage.
Also the World Energy Outlook 2011 by the International Energy Agency was released yesterday:
– Expected oil crises around 2015 unless significant investments of 100 Billion US Dollar anually are done… Mainly in not so stable countries in the Mid-East and North Afrika.
– In the next 20 years additional 2/3 of today’s output has to be found and come “online” so it covers the decline and we still have approximately 67 Million barrels per day of conventional oil consumed globally. We are not even talking about meeting the increased demand by developing countries!
And a bit of a joke… Big success story: In Brasil they found another “huge” oil field with a total reserve of over 600 Million barrel or, taking the 87 Million barrel consumed daily into account, around 7 to 8 days of global oil consumption.
What oil price are you referring to?
NZ petrol is sourced from Dubai Crude, which is different from Brent and WTI. Also the price that matters is actually refined product, not crude. They usually move in tandem, but not always.
Also, the recent flooding Thailand may have caused a drop in demand, which decreases the price for the rest of us.
If you look into the price of Dubai Crude, it’ll probably match up with the pump price a lot better.
You need to ignore the price of oil and focus on the cost of refined fuel out of Singapore.
We use lots of different oil grades, mostly heavier sour Arabian crudes which is why NZRC has a dirty great hydrocracker, but also lighter Malaysian/Indonesian and local ones too, and blendstocks to balance things out. The price of these affects us over the medium term. But it is the price of refined fuel ex Singapore and the margins over that that really drives our day to day pricing. MED has it on their website and it is relatively up to date.
Note fuel prices dropped this week about 3cpl.
Thanks insider.
I saw the petrol price at the pump this morning and thought the same.
The corporates are absorbing oil price rises currently IMO, for whatever reason.
BTW for those referring to WTI, Brent, Dubai crude – all valid points, but very little of the worlds oil are traded through visible exchanges so all of them are very indicative only.
That said they will have a benchmark value for inter/intra company trades or will reflect the off market trading values.
Note that Countdown are promoting a 25cpl discount this weekend. No doubt P&S will be matching
Wellington’s Women’s Trade Union Choir Choir Pants on Fire singing about election policies
Been removed by User.
http://aotearoaawiderperspective.wordpress.com/2011/11/10/odious-debt-john-keys-legacy/ Enjoy!
“World headed for irreversible climate change in five years, IEA warns”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/09/fossil-fuel-infrastructure-climate-change
Allegations of Herald political bias disproved:
A convincing rebuttal of recent allegations of bias (/sarc) has played out in the letters to the editor section of the Herald after a couple of letters were published accusing the paper of favoritism for National. Subsequently another letter was published accusing the paper of favoritism for the left. A final letter letter was published today asserting that all the complaints were just ‘bleating’ and that the paper has got the balance ‘about right’ because there was a complaint from both sides.
The Herald itself had no comment to make on the matter.
Well nothing to see here then I guess.
I like how if “both sides complain, there’s no bias” is somehow seen as a reasonable argument.
John Key’s baby-killing spree has no effect on poll numbers
This latest victory for National comes on the heels of Key’s three-handshake at the World Cup presentation ceremony which won the social retard vote, and his “show me the money” jibe at the town hall debate which saw both Jerry Maguire fans and Scientologists declare for National.
A good election forum in Dunedin tonight – a Sustainable Dunedin and Forest & Bird sponsored look at candidate and party views on sustainability and environmental issues.
7.30pm, Hutton Theatre, Otago Museum
You’re welcome to say hello – or heckle if you prefer.
Hey, I saw your glorious leader on Breakfast this morning – has he ever been described to you as a leech?
He seems to want to cling to whoever he fancies at the time. Please can you advise exactly what is the significance of United Future? Frankly I see it as a pointless exercise, other than keeping your leader in a job.
John sez “It really is all about me”
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/election/a/-/11526953/criticism-of-pms-breach-of-mourning-moment/
Duncan Garner arced up on TV3 this morning apparently, said the underclass had grown undeniably under National and the gap between rich and poor had widened massively. Hidden in the Chch quake news in the Herald is ” Labour ahead in the South’. Hidden because nothing in the story justifies it being in quake news and that will only be read by Cantaburians. There is a slight seachange in the MSM, except for boofhead Alexander who has obviously been offered the job Garner thought he was getting.
(Mainstream media are blocking this info.
If anything is useful – please ‘help yourselves’. 🙂
PRESS RELEASE: Penny Bright Independent Candidate for Epsom
“Does ACT Leader Don Brash have a PhD in ‘Hypocrisy’?
“Does ACT Leader (former National Party Leader) Dr Don Brash, have a PhD in ‘Hypocrisy’?” asks Penny Bright Independent Candidate for Epsom, responding to reported comments in his latest speech, where Mr Brash said Act “remains committed to equality before the law for all New Zealanders”.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10764866
“How come ACT’s ‘one law for all’ doesn’t appear to apply to ‘white collar criminals’ – only Maori?”, continues Ms Penny Bright.
“Does ACT Leader , (former National Party Leader) Dr Don Brash, agree that this ‘one law for all’ policy should equally apply to himself, and ACT candidate for Epsom (former National Government Minister for Police and Local Government) John Banks?
Does ACT Leader , (former National Party Leader) Dr Don Brash, agree that this ‘one law for all’ policy should equally apply to himself, and ACT candidate for Epsom (former National Government Minister for Police and Local Government) John Banks, and that both should equally face criminal charges for misleading investors when former Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd, as did fellow former Director Peter Huljich?
If not – why not?”
“Why should the voting public trust a word from the lips of ACT Leader, (former National Party Leader) Dr Don Brash, and ACT candidate for Epsom (formally National Government Minister for Police and Local Government) John Banks, when the ‘one law for all’ that they espouse – does not equally apply to themselves?”
“Are ACT Leader, (former National Party Leader) Dr Don Brash, and ACT candidate for Epsom (former National Government Minister for Police and Local Government) John Banks going to support the Finance Markets Authority (FMA) equally filing criminal charges against each of them for allegedly misleading investors when former Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd. – or not?”
“Does the ACT candidate for Epsom, (former National Government Minister for Police and Local Government) really think that National Party Leader, and NZ Prime Minister John Key should publicly endorse an alleged ‘white collar’ criminal, such as himself, who has yet to be charged, let alone convicted, because the ‘one law for all’ principle has yet to apply to John Banks, former fellow Director of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd?”
“ACT’s leadership supports ‘one law for all? – yeah right”, concludes Ms Penny Bright.
Penny Bright
Independent Candidate for Epsom.
Campaigning against ‘white collar’ crime, corruption (and its root cause – privatisation), and ‘corporate welfare’.
Attendee: Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference 2009
Attendee: Transparency International’s 14th International Anti-Corruption Conference 2010
Ph (09) 846 9825 Mob 021 211 4 127 [email deleted]
Keys insider trading should be brought before the courts .Merrill Lynchs $79 trillion US in toxic derivatives has Keys hands all over it this debt didn’t build up overnight Key was an instrumental part of it being in charge of currency trading
KEY’S CUTLERY CLANGER NO WORRY SAY DOCS
11.27 LATEST: A slippery scallop is blamed for a minor injury to Prime Minister John Key on the election trail in New Plymouth today. “It’s nothing actually,” Key told journalists outside Taranaki District Health Board’s emergency department. “Just a nick. I’ve had plenty of those.” A spokesman for National’s campaign downplayed the incident. “They knew the Prime Minister was in town and knew exactly what to do. Minister Ryall has ensured that all ED’s in the country are well prepared to deal with a forked tongue.”
In other news, volunteers at Port Taranaki were relieved after a false alarm sparked a callout to a nearby beach. “We thought for a minute it might be another Rena,” said Morris Heyhey, the retired engineer who first noticed a suspicious oily slick along the tidal mark. “but then they told us John Key had just walked along that morning.”
Do you need to be slickly oiled in order to speak with a forking tongue?
Al Jazeera interview with Slavoj Zizek
Hey Draco, any chance of re posting that link. Just takes me to Standard home page. Would love to see it.
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/talktojazeera/2011/10/2011102813360731764.html
Brilliant, thank you! I shall watch that now.
It should be remembered that earlier this year Zizek ranted against young people taking part in the London “riots”. And as this article explains:
Interestingly, he is also apparently something of an admirer of Joseph Stalin.
http://www.iep.utm.edu/zizek/
Smiths Environmental Failures
Per capita, New Zealand is currently third at producing non-organic and non-recyclable waste. Auckland alone creates 180,000 tonnes of waste each year… 14% of this being potentially hazardous…
I wonder if this is due to lack of recycling/organic bin programmes around the country.
For example in CHCH we had green recycling tubs for quite a while, and then 3 years ago they introduced 3 wheeley bins for organic, recyclable and landfill waste. I believe this has cut down the amount of waste going to landfill quite a lot.
In Oamaru however, they just have rubbish bags that everything gets put into.
We’re getting something like that in Auckland over the next few years. My landlord/flatmate is complaining about it because the bins are going to be chipped and charged on a per weight basis I believe. Personally, I think it’s great as it will encourage people to produce less waste and start people to question why they’re paying so much for the junk mail* they get that they don’t want and don’t read.
* Junk mail is the original spam and should have been banned along with the electronic version.
A good idea in essence, perhaps. Not sure how it will work in practice. For example, how will you prevent others from adding their waste to your bin without your permission?
For most people that would imply someone actually sneaking onto your property and finding your bins around the back of your house. Not sure that’s a huge issue really.
In other situations where your bins have to be in a public area there’s no reason they couldn’t have a padlock on the lid.
I was thinking of when your bins are outside waiting for collection.
Ah so
The bin would be full, anyway, when put out for collection?
‘Per capita, New Zealand is currently third at producing non-organic and non-recyclable waste. ‘
Have you got a link for that Jackal ? I’d be interested to have a read.
The graph Proportion of ‘other’ waste in OECD countries on this Ministry of Environment webpage shows that New Zealand produces the third most overall waste. However their preamble says that New Zealand ranks 28th worst out of 30 OECD countries.
I think you’re reading the dataset incorrectly.
“New Zealand ranks 28th out of 30 OECD countries in the ‘other’ category; with our proportion being one-and-a-half times the OECD average. The high proportion of ‘other’ waste in New Zealand is likely to reflect the relatively large proportions of rubble from landscaping waste and timber from residential waste. Australia has a much lower proportion of ‘other’ waste than New Zealand and ranks seventh out of the OECD countries.”
“Overall, New Zealand has comparatively low proportions of paper waste disposal, average proportions of glass, organic, metal and plastic waste disposal and high proportions of ‘other’ waste disposal compared with other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.”
I don’t think you can make the comment you have, however, there is no doubt that there is considerable room for improvement.
Yes timber waste is a huge problem but just identifying it doesn’t mean you get to subtract it from the total.
It’s a bit like saying “Yes officer I’ve had about 20 drinks tonight but quite a few of them were wine, so we’re sweet yeah?”
Asset sales…..asset sales.
Ever wondered whats behind it? Its not ideology (neo lib is too discredited) and its neither good nor rational economics (no semi comatose business would sell off its key income earners).
Think this way, the Euro is crashing ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/nov/09/european-debt-crisis-eurozone-breakup ) cash is escaping Europe into US Treasury bonds and into the US stock markets which have risen steadily in the last months (but started crashing last night)….so where is a safe haven for the cash? Chinas economy is at a standstill as demand falters…..and they hold huge US debt notes which will soon be worthless.
Where can Key and the international money junKeys find a safe haven, a sure thing for their millions to be invested in? Not in stocks anywhere, Treasury Bonds depend upon the country not defaulting or being able to pay, so where?
Where indeed is “safe”? Good “monopoly” rentals from you and me are available fby stripping our necessary assets. Electricity SOEs, coal SOEs etc. Ma and Pa NZers consisting our own 1%ers….
I feel a Jacobin moment coming on.
On a side note, the article you link to states that Italy is thought “too big to rescue”.
That’s an interesting switch from banks that are “too big to fail”. Of course, Italy is only a country with people in it. Banks are pivotal transnational corporates with lots of capital in them. No contest, really, when it comes to taxpayer bailouts.
The world of fantasy digits meets the world of real people…..too big to fail was always a chimera, an impossible fantasy. “Occupy” signals a broader intention, a seminal zeitgeist emerging…we aint going to take it. The resurrected spirit of the inner Jacobin.
Democracy tamed by the owners of digital promises to pay will transform into the mob versus the digit holders.
+1
State assets sales have never been about efficiency but about giving our assets to the rentiers so that they have a nice, safe, government guaranteed income from other peoples work.
Thanks for that Bored. Been wondering lately… what exactly is the link between the global financial crisis… the rapidly spreading Occupy Movement (and it’s off shoots)… and the almost desperate desire by Key and co. to sell off our biggest assets. The last ditch attempt by the global rich-pricks at holding on to their power and their wealth?
Yes Anne, the lack of awareness of the larcenous nature of the “corporate state / big finance nexus” is a tribute to their propaganda powers, the common consent manufactured by an owned media and compliant state. To regain our democracy we need to break “big media” as well.
Having a go at Key’s private FAMILY holidays now, is there no low Goff wont stoop too.
Having a go at what is mine and yours too, is there no low to which Key wont stoop? His holidays, our assets. Burglars and larcenists normally get state funded holidays.
Didn’t you know Brett? Key works 19hrs a day, 7 days a week for us! He is such a marvelous man he must also be magical to be able to fit holidays to Hawaii in there too! When does he sleep? Is he trying to one up Maggie?
Goff should argue policies not having a go at where someone takes their family on holiday.
What I have found farcial with Key is that he was intent upon becoming Minister of Tourism from day one – but at every opportunity he heads off overseas and particularly to Hawaii for his holidays. Certainly not walking the talk.
For a start Brett, I doubt there is anything that Goff does that would impress you so you missed a few important things in your rush to denigrate Goff.
Family doesn’t enter into. Goff never attacked his family and (despite what you think of him) Goff is just not that sort of guy.
However, it is a valid political move to compare the circumstances of people trapped in poverty with someone who, even outside his PM’s salary, has such freedoms that his wealth affords him, that he can escape whatever situation he may find himself in in NZ by holidaying at his own home in Hawaii.
It is a valid political comparison because the very people affected by his policies, unlike him, are unable to break out of their context and have to take whatever shit policies Key decides to deliver to them. I’m sure the poor would just love to take their families to Hawaii for a holiday – even just once – even in a ratty hotel – let alone every year or whenever the whim takes them!
It is also valid for an opposition to question whether such wealth, and the freedom of choice it brings, blinds Key to the true mental and emotional prison that people in poverty endure.
It is no longer acceptable for people to give Key a break on the Crosby/Textor crafted narrative of poor boy made good. He has not been that poor boy for many years.
And most importantly, that story has not translated into action for the poor. On his watch the rich have got richer and the poor have got poorer. He had three years to help the poor out of their situation but he has not only failed but shown every sign of being the right wing fat cat bastard we suspected that he was underneath.
He, like Bennett, have pulled the ladder after him. Tax breaks for the rich, hob-nobing with the rich and famous while driving a knife into the poor and neglecting the economy.
William Joyce:
Goff was having a cheap shot, talking to people in south auckland, saying “this guy is rich he goes to hawaii, bad man bad man”
I guess he forgot to them he took his family to Europe.
shhhhhh.
Next thing you’ll say it was envy – go away troll
I see the eager beaver steven joyce delayed the introducyion of important legislation on April 1 in case people thought it was a joke.
well that just about takes the cake.
what does he take us for.
ninnies like him and his national cabinet.
deosn’t he think kiwis know how to doa nything unless it is spoon fed.
gahhhhhhhhh. this government gets more and more horibbler by the minute.
out with them.
How patronising can Joyce be? The man is a totally arrogant pompous ass!
This decision and it’s reasoning is an insult to the NZdrs he expects to vote for him and his elitist wankers.
I was just called at home by Research International and asked if I would be willing to do a political poll. I was more than happy to as I had never been called before.
The questioner asked which electorate I was enrolled in. Answer – Ilam.
Questioner – Where is that?
Me – Ilam in Christchurch.
Questioner – Is that Christchurch east?
Me – No.
Questioner – Is that Waimakiriri?
Me – No, it’s Gerry Brownlee’s electorate. Have you heard of him?
Questioner – No I haven’t. I need to talk to someone enrolled in Waimakiriri. The MP is Catherine, umm, Catherine someone in that electorate.
Me – I don’t know a Catherine anyone but the MP in Waimak is Clayton Cosgrove.
Questioner – Sorry, Clayton who?
Me – Clayton Cosgrove, from Labour.
Questioner – Oh right, I don’t think you can do the poll. It’s got to be a person enrolled in Waimak.
Me – Maybe you should call homes that are actually in the Waimakiriri electorate then.
Questioner – Oh yeah. Thanks for your time
Whoever is paying research international should get their money back.
That’s hilarious. 🙂
The person making the calls is obviously out of his/her depth. Research International ought to put in a bit more effort in their business.
Did they have a hint of a Bangalore accent?
Just a plain old kiwi accent. They did say that their supervisor could be listening in to see how they were going.
It will just be poor staff training. Kind of felt sorry for her and disappointed that I didn’t get to answer the questions.
This must have slipped past the Herald censors. Someone there will get sacked! Herald Online:
“Grant Robertson has accused Prime Minister John Key of “ducking the tough questions”
and: “He (Key)has refused to go head-to-head in a live debate with Labour Leader Phil Goff for the Herald; with Morning Report because he was ‘too busy to prepare’; with Close Up twice; and Radio Live.
“He (Key)continues to give Campbell Live the cold shoulder and Radio New Zealand confirmed last month it had only been able to get him on its programmes a handful of times in the past year. ”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10765098
Just in time for the first anniversary, charges get laid against those responsible for killing 29 miners at Pike River. No names yet, but here’s hoping Peter Whittall is prominent among them.
The evidence of this Japanese engineer in another four or five days should be interesting and informative. He made a rational decision to leave based on known factors likely to result in an explosion. We have short-changed our miners and ourselves in NZ with our she’ll be right approach. It wasn’t so easy for our people to leave, they just worked on and hoped for the best, and that wasn’t wise.
If they had gone on strike would anything have been done to improve conditions?? Or would it have been a case of ‘put these blokes in their place’, cosh a few if necessary and get them back to work instead of wasting time over their endless grievances and demands. I think it would have been the last.
Emil Zola – we need you. Emil ZOLA’s novel Germinal is the heading to get on to his novel about coal mining in northern France with miners being paid for output and having to shore up the mines themselves. Their working conditions and safety were their own problem. When the price of coal fell of course they got paid less for their output but still had the same hazards.
If National get in for a second term one of the biggest casualties will be education.
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.com/2011/11/education-is-investment-in-our-future.html
Oh dear…
http://tvnz.co.nz/election-2011/drop-in-support-national-and-labour-poll-4520729
I think the best way to arrest this slide is to keep attacking Key, maybe even point out he has holidays in Hawaii
Yep that’ll work
That would be why Key etc look so confident and in no way worried, then. /sarc
All or nothing – the money-trader’s gamble, because they don’t have a stake in it themselves.
Gotta be a rogue poll Chris73 by those naughty people from the MSM
I am really brassed off. The road rules are being changed at the end of March next year back to how they used to be. On a whim and a theory that it would be better, we were forced to change some time ago from left having right of way, now the bureaucrats want to change back and I bet on no better arguments than for the original change.
And it will cause more accidents for some time I think. And our roads will have to be remarked, in some cases redesigned and traffic lights recalibrated or whatever, and how can we afford this unnecessary carry-on. How can we stop this waste of money?
Actually, my quick reading of the literature awhile back showed a couple of good reasons:
1.) It’s actually more logical
2.) We’re the last place on Earth to have such backward road rules and so it confuses drivers from other countries
3.) The change will result in less accidents see 1.)
Oh OK. I’ll just lie down and think of England.
Have a cup of tea first. 🙂
I don’t know which is right or left now. Should I have English Breakfast or Gumboot and erupt kicking and shouting?
Green
Does that mean we went through the original kerfuffle for an illogical reason? It has been made to work, and assists those turning right to achieve their requirements. So that is illogical is it.
Yes, because people behind the left turning car but going straight ahead aren’t giving way to the right turning car which results in accidents when the right turning car pulls across in front of them.
I am getting vengeful in my old age. Where are the people who made us change our original driving patterns to give way to the right turning? I would like to have a few words with them, and also get payment for all the road and sign changes made then, and to be done in the next few months. And also kick them up the bum.
If I remember correctly the change to give way to right turning traffic was made to prevent huge queues forming in the middle of the roads when right-turning traffic had to give way and there was not enough room for cars from behind to pass safely along the left of them. To me, and a few international friends I’ve discussed this with, the NZ system works well.
However, the research seems to have been done and the conclusion is that it apparently causes more accidents so it’s being changed back. I hope they have it right because it would piss me off intensely if the change was being made simply to fall in line with international practice and a different set of intersection accidents increase (thinking here, in particular, of long queues on high-speed rural roads that might be have quite different characteristics to the international rural roads that may have been used in comparative studies).
The change from the original rule happened when I was overseas. After a couple of decades overseas, all using the rule the way it used to be in NZ, it was very hard to change to the “new” NZ rule when I came back. It took 2-3 years to be able to follow the rule without thinking. I used to curse it. Because I’d remind myself about the rule when I set out driving somewhere, but when I did a left turn, decades of driving habit kicked in and I’d turn without waiting for the cars in the middle of the road.
Yeah, I reckon that difference is part of the problem with the accidents. I’m just worried that NZ’s difficult rural roads might end up with more serious accidents. C’est la vie.
I feel so dirty.
Quick…someone hose me down !
🙂
pollywog I’m not with you. What are you feeling so dirty about? Do tell.
Pig wrestling with nutjobs down at the ‘bog.
Nice, Patrick Gower…. Raising minimum wage won’t cost jobs