I cannot help but think that the Leader of the Opposition (such as it is) is in a similar position, with her attack on Siouxsie Wiles, as Cersei Lannister would have been had she entered a popularity contest with Margery Tyrel. Absent a significant alchemical stockpile, there is no way for an embittered and essentially useless rule breaker to land a criticism on a useful and broadly popular expert.
If Winston Peters attempts a Lazarus-like rise from the dead with dog-whistling public remarks and /or stunts over the coming months, & Seymour carries on doing the same thing, the Trumpian Territory will be very crowded & the right wing & redneck votes could well be so split they're not a serious challenge to this government.
Please don't use that elitist putdown to denote bigotry.
“Redneck” is the contemptuous term for working people used by Democratic Party mandarins in the 1970s to condemn the minority of working people who voted for Nixon. It’s been thoughtlessly recycled over the years, and was enthusiastically used by Clintonistas and Hopey-Changey cultists to besmirch white working people who they believed should vote for them by divine right.
Think about who the most bigoted, racist, outrageous hatemongers in this country are: Don Brash, Jamie “Lock Up His Sisters” Whyte, Mike Hosking, David Seymour, Cameron “Whalefat” Slater, John Ansell, Garth “The Knife” McVicar. Only the last-named qualifies as a redneck, as he has actually done some physical work in his life.
My grandfathers and my uncles all worked hard on farms and in factories, and they often got sunburned, including on their necks. They were and are rednecks, just like the hardworking men and women in the United States are. But I’ve never, ever heard any of them utter the brutal and heartless and ignorant rhetoric that we are inflicted with every day from comfortable, sedentary, white-collared, white-necked people like Brash and co.
These hate-filled right wingers are not rednecks, they are bigots.
Thanks Andre. As your link shows, the elitist contempt for poor people certainly goes back a long way. It became particularly nasty after the Nixon election, though. The anger and bewilderment of the East Coast elite is evident in any issue of Time or Newsweek or the Village Voice from the 1970s.
The anger at poor and ignorant whites got even crazier and more unhinged during Trump’s clownish four years.
How am I "unreliable", exactly?
Oh that's right. I didn't buy in to the Russia conspiracy nonsense that you and some others pushed for the last four years. How is that going by the way? How did that Mueller Report go?
Andre. Yes I've noted Morrissey's robust style & views & might not always agree or engage with his comments. But in this case, it reminded me that I have actually heard & seen the same explanation of the origin of rednecks before.
It's an American derogatory term that doesn't really have a traditional equivalent in NZ. I have decided to not use it again in any context.
Randy Newman's contemptuous and unfunny song "Rednecks" was a catalyst in the use of the term. Newman was a guest on Kim Hill's show a while ago: he was a dyed-in-the-wool Russiagate conspiracy theorist.
I like a lot of Randy Newman's songs, & his piano & vocal style. I've always perceived them as loaded with tongue-in-cheek irony & lyrics thus never to be taken at face value.
I am surprised to hear he's a Russiagate conspiracy theorist, but he's not alone there. She's a hard road finding the perfect human being, M.
His 1974 release Good Old Boys was a set of songs about the American South. "Rednecks" began with a description of segregationist Lester Maddox pitted against a "smart-ass New York Jew" on a TV show (this was a joke, because the "Jew" was Dick Cavett), in a song that criticizes both southern racism and the complacent bigotry of Americans outside of the south who stereotype all southerners as racist yet ignore racism in northern and midwestern states and large cities.
This ambiguity was also apparent on "Kingfish" and "Every Man A King" the former a paen to Huey King the assassinated former Governor and US senator from Louisiana, the other a campaign song written by Long himself. An album that received lavish critical praise, Good Old Boys also became a commercial breakthrough for Newman, peaking at No. 36 on Billboard 200, spending 21 weeks there.
But I’ve never, ever heard any of them utter the brutal and heartless and ignorant rhetoric that we are inflicted with every day from comfortable, sedentary, white-collared, white-necked people like Brash and co.
Don Brash I personally think is a little different from the others you mention. Yes he's certainly a class of racist as the term is not singularly applied to people who hate others of another skin colour or culture.
Whenever I've watched or listened to him, my impression is that My-wife-is-from-Singapore-Don (subtext, so I can't be racist) has as his main thesis that "We are One people" & that Maori actually did sign up to surrender their tino rangatiratanga in Te Tiriti in their own nga rohe.
The Kiwi Not Iwi campaign certainly was aimed directly at racists & those who feel threatened or angered by the resurgence of Maori cultural & political awareness & believe they are not owed anything. Even in the face of the obvious fact that the treaty was almost immediately abrogated by settler governments, & that they were ripped off, tricked, ruthlessly warred on & dispossessed nationwide of huge tracts of land there was never any doubt they hadn't legally sold, for legitimately resisting. And further that treaty settlements don't go anywhere near recompensing them for the real economic & social costs of their subjugation.
Don, to me is a racist who is so blinkered he doesn't know he's a racist. He's permanently resistant to education on the matter because he can't comprehend that is. A sad figure.
But I believe (or perhaps hope might be a better word) that by now most people in NZ, and certainly I wish those younger, who have been taught or have themselves just google-researched the history of the treaty & the settlement of New Zealand by Maori & Pakeha (even Wikipedia these days is getting to be very comprehensive & balanced) now see people like Don as a rather doddery old man whose attitude is myopically ill informed and well out of date.
The media have of course focused on the word "fat" and used that to turn it against Judith and you have taken the bait 'hook, line and sinker'. If Judith had not used the word 'fat', the media would have emphasised the word 'big'. OMG….Judith called Siousxie big! Judith needs to be more careful with the language she uses.
Seymour was smarter when he called James Shaw "a complete hypocrite".
Given that you are apparently incapable of providing links; Jester (it's the button that looks like a chainlink – just paste the URL), I fosacked this out of RNZ's archive.
Shaw may be a bit of a grey suit man, but he's far less of a hypocrite than Seymour or Collins.
"We don't have the option of a virtual COP. It's not been made available to us," he said.
"There are negotiations that are happening online but the United Kingdom and the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) feel that we're not going to be able to make the kind of progress that we need to make without some portion of it happening in person."…
"I would prefer not to go, to tell you the honest truth. If I thought that I had some way to influence that, then I would. But I don't. It's not up to me .. also Glasgow in winter? Who needs that."
"David Seymour and Judith Collins had the option of a virtual Parliament … they rejected that option because they wanted to be able to have in-person conferences like this one. Media conferences,"
"The United Nations development agency says Afghanistan is teetering on the brink of “universal poverty” which could become a reality in the middle of next year unless urgent efforts are made to bolster local communities and their economies. It said the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has put 20 years of steady economic gains at risk.
…
“Afghanistan pretty much faces universal poverty by the middle of next year,” Kanni Wignaraja, UNDP’s Asia-Pacific Director, told a news conference Thursday launching its 28-page assessment. “That’s where we’re heading — it’s 97-98% (poverty rate) no matter how you work these projections.”
Currently, the poverty rate is 72% and Wignaraja pointed to many development gains after the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001: Per capita income more than doubled in the last 20 years, life expectancy at birth was extended by about nine years, the number of years of schooling rose from six to 10, “and we got women into university.”
"The Taliban have issued an ominous warning to the United States after backlash from the international community surrounding the appointment of its interim Afghanistan "terrorist" government.
…
"…in a statement on Thursday night obtained by news.com.au, Mujahid slammed US officials for calling out cabinet members of the "Islamic State" – aka Afghanistan – and claimed they were in violation of the Doha agreement.
"Pentagon officials have remarked that some cabinet members of the Islamic Emirate or family members of late Haqqani Sahib – may Allah be pleased with him – are on the US blacklists and still targets," the statement reads.
… the group claimed any leaders in the new government under the Doha agreement meant any "blacklists" should have been wiped.
…"all officials of the Islamic Emirate without any exception were part of interaction with the US and should have been removed from the UN and US blacklists, a demand which still remains valid.
"That America and other countries are making such provocative statements and trying to meddle the internal affairs of Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate condemns it in the strongest terms. "Such remarks by US officials are a repetition of past failed experiments and such positions detrimental for America.
Yes Gezza, it is indeed a hopeless situation for the Afghans. The USA is not finished with interfering in Afghanistan. They will foment ( and fund and militarily support) as much trouble as they can to bring unwanted problems to both Russia and China because that is all they are interested in to try and prove they are "exceptional and the indispensable nation”. They don't give a damn about the people of Afghanistan and they never have. Same same as Vietnam and all their other "conquests”. I will go so far as to say they would rather destroy the world than lose their "anglo/american " empire. Such is the madness and nature of their military /industrial complex.
Yes, I agree. One of the good things about Trump, I thought, was that he was such an outrageously gung ho "America First, Everywhere" Amerika uber alles ultra-nationalist bully, he made it abundantly clear that nobody else anywhere registers on the minds of so many America's politicians & voters as having any worth beyond what they can do for Americans.
And he publicly abandoned the claim to be "leader of the free world". I thought it woke a few people up.
Biden has gone back to the old script of claiming that title.
Interesting Pakistani expert/intellectual on Kim Hill (RNZ) right now saying the USA was doing well in Afghanistan until it invaded Iraq, then they lost focus and support and it all fell apart.
Of course it doesn't help that the regime they installed was corrupt.
You could at least warn us of the long Fox intro, then the Tucker Carlson intro, before you get to words out of Mr Greenwald that are so predictable that they come out as a set of Leftie Grump Hallmark Cards.
For real 20-year-hindsight analysis from the people who made the decisions on the day and in the weeks afterwards, try this long form interview piece:
– Ambassador John Negroponte, General Richard Myers, Frances Townsend, Admiral James Stafridis, Douglas Feith, John McLaughlin, General David Petraeus, Michael Chertoff, Andrew Card, Senator Tom Daschle, Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, Joshua Bolten, Paul Wolfowitz, Senator Trent Lott, Ambassador Paul Bremer, Dan Bartlett, and Senator Joseph Liebermann.
But that fact has often been used as a blanket justification for many of the most far-reaching, controversial and even harmful decisions made in the aftermath of the attacks — the vast expansion of the surveillance state; covert operations to kill or capture suspected terrorists, and in some cases torture them; and the invasion first of Afghanistan, where the attacks were planned, and then Iraq, where they were not.
It's been said that the Americans believe that if something is worth doing it's always worth overdoing. Well after 20yrs in Afghanistan – that benighted land that God uses to teach the powerful some humility – maybe it's time they learned this was never more than a dangerous hubris.
And that perhaps moderation is the smartest strategy in the room after all.
PS on scrolling down – it looks like required reading.
For real 20-year-hindsight analysis from the people who made the decisions…
Thanks for that Ad. What a collection of ghouls. Most of them are criminals, who should be behind bars, not enjoying sinecures at universities and extremist "think tanks", but a few of them come across as simply pathetic—like Tom Daschle, who admits to being browbeaten into supporting the aggression, Paul Bremer, who seems to be genuinely delusional, and Joe Lieberman who, as always, just seems sad.
It's a horrible article, a PR puff piece, but it's also darkly funny, and a perfect example of the way these crooks are packaged and presented by their media accomplices. Each one of them has been beautifully photographed in striking black and white. The pictures are similar in style to Annie Leibowitz's shots of celebrities for Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone. They have the effect of making these people appear sober, respectable, and serious.
I'm sure that I'm not the only person to be offended that the author of this shambles calls these monsters "architects of the post-9/11 world", as if they had built something instead of conspiring to destroy a country and kill millions of people. My favourite quotes are…
“Nations are like people. They get some things right, they get some things wrong.” — Admiral Stavridis
"Once you get into nation-building, you get into pacification….We thought it was going to be a cakewalk and it turned out to be a pretty nasty fight when we got in there."–John Negroponte.
“Over the years, we just took out leader after leader and some of these that are overlooked were vastly more important than people realize…. The agency and JSOC responded incredibly and carried out just innumerable operations. The problem is that so much of this is colored because of the enhanced interrogation techniques usage that was part and parcel of that CIA effort.”—Gen. Petraeus
“We should have not authorized the use of military force but we did. The administration was really pressing us to get it done before the [2002] election. I have regrets about how that was done. I think many, if not most people, share those regrets today. The costs in lives and treasure that we have experienced both in Afghanistan and Iraq as a result of those actions are ones that we all have to take some responsibility for.”— Sen. Tom Daschle
“I think we should have asked more about, ‘OK, where are these weapons of mass destruction? How can we deal with that? How can we destroy them?’ I’ve always felt like I didn’t raise enough questions about the intelligence. … I hope that in the future our leaders will be aggressive in dealing with the administration, with the presidents. Don’t just take their word for it. Try to have more input.” —Senator Trent Lott
<<“I am very happy the American forces have finally left Afghanistan, and very grateful to Allah for making this happen. At last I feel safe.”
Those murders were perhaps the most high-profile civilian deaths of the war. But it was not the only time foreign forces killed large numbers of women, children and non-combatant men, in just this one corner of a single district of Afghanistan.
Five men from Zangabad who spoke to the Guardian said they lost 49 relatives between them in airstrikes and the massacre, bloodshed spanning nearly a decade. These terrible losses, repeated in many parts of Afghanistan, would prove powerful recruiting tools for the Taliban, as they slowly gathered their forces to retake the country. >>
Thanks for that Morrissey…always good to have a bit clear eyed analysis run over these propaganda pieces…you would think these guys would be able to see through such obvious nonsense, but I guess you see what you want to see…
"“Overreach” is a word they use often to describe a nation-building effort that notched tactical and even historic successes — like empowering women in Afghanistan"…I mean come on..really?
Bang on, BG. Wherever they've invaded countries or got involved in their wars since 9/11 (and before) to "save" the local people from their "dreadful" rulers & bring the light of American culture & democracy & technology & corporations to rescue them from their "backwardness", they've slaughtered thousands of ordinary troops legitimately defending their country – & killed more innocent civilians in the local populations [directly or indirectly, thru the aftermaths, like Islamic State] than their despotic rulers ever did.
They've utterly stuffed their economies, ramped up sectarianism, installed incompetent or incoherent governments rife with corruption & instability, changed the balance of power, & in the Middle East either directly or indirectly been responsible for the total or near total destruction of whole cities & towns & their infrastructure.
And they remain blithely unconcerned & seemingly convinced they did them all a favour.
Taliban releases statement saying United States is in 'clear violation' over terrorist comments
[and they are]
Matt Young – news.com.au, 10 Sep, 2021
"That America and other countries are making such provocative statements and trying to meddle the internal affairs of Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate condemns it in the strongest terms. "Such remarks by US officials are a repetition of past failed experiments and such positions detrimental for America."
In contrast to the above, the Taliban have praised New Zealand by name for continuing our aid to the Afghan people.
The Biden administration and the Western Alliance are continuing the war by other means.
New Zealand should refuse to take part.
The Biden administration's vindictive, (and pointless), war by other means, inevitably resulting in economic collapse and mass famine in Afghanistan, cannot but help foster political instability across the region and fuel terrorist reprisals against the West.
New Zealand must have no part in the US war by other means, and continue our humanitarian aid to the Afghan people.
Taliban heaps praise on New Zealand over $3 million humanitarian donation
"New Zealand has been the first, the leading country, as it has always been during humanitarian causes, has been the leading country to announce humanitarian aid to the Afghan people."…
…."I would like to say as a representative of the people of Afghanistan, I would like to immensely thank the people of New Zealand and the Government of New Zealand for showing empathy with their fellow human beings,"
I watch Aljazeera tv news daily. It's an excellent global news media service that covers events happening all over the world, covering countless daily events in counries we never see even mentioned in NZ msm online & tv media.
Charlotte has built personal connections wirh the Taliban leadership, and when she is accosted or insulted by the Kabul footsoldiers who are brutally suppressing women protesting [the Taliban have banned protests & inappropriate reporting], or they refuse to talk to her because she is a woman and is "inapproriately dressed" she complains to them & they usually apologise, she reports.
Cameron Slater posts some surveillance footage of Siouxsie Wiles on The BFD, makes extravagant claims and accusations and what appear to be false claims, but gets no traction.
So he passes the DP baton to David Farrar who repeats and tries to give the story some semblance of reasonable analysis that appears tainted by taking Slater at his word. And there's the expected pile on on Kiwiblog.
There's two attack lines – the alleged hypocrisy of Wiles (Slater accusing someone of hypocrisy is rather cute), and blasting the media for not repeating and amplifying Slater's 'scoop'.
Someone in the media does ask questions at the high profile daily Covid media presentation, and Wiles generally does a good job of explaining that she was more or less abiding by the rules but concedes her companion breached rules by going for a swim – if that was a general member of the public it's unlikely anyone would have noticed let alone cared, but those preach strict compliance should be held to account when they don't do what they implore of others.
Then Judith Collins joins the fray, seemingly already well versed in the Slater attack and making intemperate and tone deaf comments about Wiles. I can only guess that this was a deliberate approach by Collins, but it re-emphasises her unsuitability as a leader of a party that needs mainstream support.
And it realigns her with Slater and Dirty Politics, something that will likely not work out well for her.
And back to the original source this morning it's obviously not just Slater involved. The 'editor' of The BFD, Juana Atkins, has carried on with the smearing of Wiles. Atkins has long been as complicit as Slater in the dirty BFD tactics – in fact it seems likely it only continues now due to her efforts to keep it going.
But bringing Farrar into the mix and then Collins piling in as well has effectively dragged the National Party back into the centre of Dirty Politics, something they could ill afford to happen given their deteriorating situation.
Our politics is the poorer for a dysfunctional ex-major party and for the resurrection of Dirty Politics.
Hi Pete. Missing your blog & hope you're enjoying doing the other things you wanted to get on with.
Good summary.
I can't access the BFD on this iPad2; it's too "busy" & continually crashes once I open more than one article there. Just as well though. The BFD's just a parody. Have they even got much of an audience these days?
I sometimes read Kiwiblog but note that it seems to be mainly disgruntled National commenters & the slinging off at “Cindy” & “Jacinderella” etc lowers the tone too much for my taste. It crashes a lot on this iPad2 as well, as the comments start to build up.
Serious National party people will be shaking their heads that Collins is prepared to get into the sewer with Slater and Atkins. Collins will need to try to scrape the mess off the bottom of her shoes but the smell that had subsided is back.
The most pertinent aspect of the incident is that it shows in full flourish who and what Collins is. The age old-timers will be asking, "How did it get to this? Is this who we are? Is this as good as it gets?"
Finlayson seems deadly serious in his contempt for the current management of his old firm. Whether he still counts as a Nat is another matter, but he'll always be a Tory to me.
“Political parties have to feel the cold blast of opposition before they acquire the humility to be in government again. But if you're asking me to express sympathy for them, forget it.”
He's a bright and amusing commentator. I was wrong to suggest that they're all hopeless–they're not. And after they leave parliament, they're often very nice.
Finlayson's version of treaty settlements (for which he has nothing but praise for himself) has largely delivered a very, very narrow Maori middle class based on property rights. If all you want out of a Settlement is to mirror the worst of capitalism, then all you want is the National Party.
Covid is a very tricky virus – the Gnats seem to be less evolved – more primitive – an ancient species that has outlived its time and is now chiefly of interest to paleontologists and cryptozoologists.
DP was always a bit like a 4-wheel drive in wet mud with all wheels spinning fast until one of them got some traction. It was never pretty and it was always dirty. Lately, the Leaders of the National and ACT Parties, the Crusher turned La Cheffe Fatale and the Dancer turned Cockwomble, respectively, have been hustling for the driver’s seat and the media love nothing better than a reality demolition derby. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the NZ political scene at its finest.
Biden withdraws pick to run firearms agency after NRA pressure
NRA hails withdrawal of nomination as ‘critical win’
Richard Luscombe – The Guardian, 9 Sep. 2021
…..The gun reform group Brady says Biden’s decision to bow to National Rifle Association (NRA) pressure and withdraw his nominee, a strong gun control advocate, to lead the agency enforcing federal firearms laws is “a shameful day for our country”.
…..“He would have been an exemplary director of the ATF and would have redoubled its efforts to crack down on illegal firearms traffickers and help keep our communities safe from gun violence,” Biden’s statement said.
…..In its own statement, the NRA hailed it as “a critical win”, claiming that Chipman’s work with Giffords seeking to tighten gun laws “posed a grave threat to the second amendment”.
As we all know or at least are lead to believe if you listen or watch any western media, white western lives and most especially white American lives have a lot more value than any other lives around the world….so as we are force feed a serious amount of air time around the USA's 9/11, for a bit of balance here is a bit of historical context as to why most of the world see the USA as the biggest threat to world peace….here is Chile's own 9/11 which through direct US intervention brought in a reign of terror, death, torture, rape ..which of course is never remembered by western media…but as I said they are not white westerners..so who cares.
Chile’s🇨🇱 9/11: The Augusto Pinochet Coup- How The USA Brought Neoliberal Fascism To Chile
A little of respect for nature, and to see how wonderful and enterprising Bruce is. Brought a smile in this current time when a smile can make wonders to someones state of mind.
"Just months earlier, Shaakir drove to the maximum-security Auckland Prison. After weaving through a labyrinth of guard posts and gates, he was led into a special unit for prisoners of “extreme risk” – a unit originally built to house the gunman behind the Christchurch terror attack.
In a secure meeting room, Shaakir sat face-to-face with [the Lynnmall attacker], a 31-year-old obsessed with violent, terror-inspired content. From behind a solid pane of glass, Shaakir tried to make a connection.
“Although he didn’t know me from a bar of soap, he was really excited to sit with me. He was very calm, and we had a good discussion. I tried to get inside his mind to understand how he had been radicalised, and how I could assist and rehabilitate him.”
Shaakir wasn’t the only Muslim leader who believed [S] needed help to rewrite his radical beliefs. Three years earlier, Auckland barrister Aarif Rasheed tried to persuade authorities to do exactly that.
“They had characterised [S] as a terrorist sympathiser,” says Rasheed. “However, he was the first to admit his lack of Islamic knowledge, and he was willing to learn. With the right support, we had the chance to get this guy on the right path.”
… https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/126332093/the-makings-of-a-terrorist–and-the-people-who-tried-to-help-him
…
Superb article, & lots of information about the LynnMall attacker & his situation. One hopes the latest teenager who's been charged with making statements about wanting to kill non-Muslims can be assisted by Imam Shakir & that work can be done to develop and integrate a proper personal plan for de-radicalisation with the Courts, Corrections, Police & Muslim community working together.
This sounds like a lot of submissions – something like 2% of the population. Though a lot of them may be cut and paste sock puppets. Anyone here know the usual amount of submissions to an NZ government ?
The Government is considering over 100,000 submissions on a prohibition of conversion therapy bill
The NZ Christian Network was urging its members to respond in their own words, not copy and paste. This concern about government overreach was widespread among the churches of Aotearoa. The Govt is seeking to privilege one particular ethic above others and enforce its view. It is antithetical to a secular, tolerant society.
The dreary ritual of politicians and media figures looking and sounding sad about the attacks on 11 Sept. 2001, and ignoring any political explanations for them, began in earnest yesterday morning. On TVNZ1, John Campbell interviewed an ex-Clinton staffer who looked mournful and said that today she would be reflecting on the power of memory. Campbell mirrored her sad expression and thanked her profusely for talking to him.
On TV3, the special guests were two former New York firefighters, Captain Peter Hayden and his deputy Jay Jones. Following are the highlights of Ryan Bridge's interview with them—if "highlights" is the word for such a dire few minutes.
Along the bottom of the screen the chyron informs viewers: "PETER AND JAY WALKED OUT OF THE RUBBLE TOGETHER."
DEPUTY CHIEF JAY JONAS: Today is always going to be tied to, uh, ahhh, grief and bereavement.
(Almost instantaneously the chyron at the bottom of the screen changes. "JONAS: TODAY IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE TIED TO GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT.")
The two ex-firefighters speak at length about the horror they experienced. Then it's time for Ryan Bridge to move the interview along a bit…
RYAN BRIDGE: Jay, I just wanna talk about the response to the attacks, the War on Terror and that kind of stuff. How do you feel about the response George Bush made?
DEPUTY CHIEF JAY JONAS: Uh, I don't know that I'm qualified to comment on that. I'm a firefighter. But I was happy to see the aggressive response to this horrible event.
……
RYAN BRIDGE: It was incredible, absolutely incredible. I was thirteen at the time and I don't have much to say.
(Twenty minutes later, it's time to ask another guest to reflect on the events of Sept. 11th.)
RYAN BRIDGE: It's one of those occasions isn't it where you always remember where you were. Helen Clark joins us for her take next…
(A commercial break ensues, and then the screen is filled with the grave mien of the former prime minister, beaming in via Skype from Paeroa.)
RYAN BRIDGE: It's the evilness you feel, isn't it.
HELEN CLARK: Yes, and evil is the appropriate word.
RYAN BRIDGE: And of course the world changed forever. How do you feel about the response, Helen?
HELEN CLARK:[pause] I guess hindsight is a wonderful thing. …. Iraq distracted attention away from Afghanistan, which needed long term investment. There was some indication that the Taliban were amenable to a political solution, but this was completely rejected by the Americans. [snickers]
(Then the sports guy decides, unwisely, to speak.)
MARK RICHARDSON: There have been no more attacks on American soil by Islamic militants. So the Americans would say it was a success. Do you agree?
HELEN CLARK: No. No I don't.
(Ryan Bridge and Amanda Gillies visibly squirm in embarrassment.)
ad nauseam….
"Ryan is a truly exciting broadcaster who is perfectly suited to a dynamic morning show. He flawlessly pivots from conducting hard-hitting interviews to sharing engaging and entertaining anecdotes, driven by his innate curiosity and genuine desire to connect with his audiences."—SARAH BRISTOW, Newshub "Director of News"
Your transcript, as ever, demonstrates how ill-informed significant sections of our media are.
By comparison, Double Down News actually adds context to the event.
In this 12 minute clip ‘ The One Thing They Don’t Tell You About Terrorism’ Mark Curtis provides the context that we rarely hear. The video refers to the US and the UK’s actions in Iran and Egypt back in the 1950s.
Best of all is Adam Curtis’s ‘The Power of Nightmares.’ if you have the time. Brilliant documentary with an outstanding soundtrack and amazing footage.
Interesting & very good. I know all this stuff already. It hasn't really dawned on me how important it is that most people, and politicians, in NZ don't.
Even when we get an ideal opportunity for the media here – like the 9/11 anniversary, the Lynnmall attack, & the stunning but potentially catastrophic victory of the Taliban – to post that video in an in-depth news article, or show something like that documentary on the Sunday tv1 programme, (which is about the only documentary programme we seem to have that takes offshore media content of any length) instead our media are focussed on often comparatively trivial, magazine-style content & purely local issues.
It's a good way of instructing the wider population where these these attacks have come from & why their aftermaths really happen. We need to steer clear of engaging with these kinds of enterprises.
This covert & sometimes overt US & NATO support for certain Islamic extremist or fundamentalist groups against others, or less than wholesome regimes expriencing insurrections that could undermine US & EU investments, I believe is still going on in places like Libya & other countries.
Our MSM media have been exceptionally restrained on 9/11 today.
Agreed. Although, unfortunately for aficionados of the bizarre, Ryan Bridge's dullness and Mark Richardson's stupidity are no substitute for the full-blown madness of the Saatchi headman Kevin Roberts when he made his notorious appearance on a TV3 chat show twenty years ago.
Quite right Morrisey. One right wing Puppet walks away from the am show, and the the bloke who takes his place is, and you've guessed it is. just another right wing Puppet. Newshub the voice of the National Party.
It will be interesting to see the direction Queensland go in, because they experienced their Delta spike around a month before us. They have a population around 3x the size of Auckland, have had lower daily case numbers than Auckland over the spike, and their current daily numbers are lower.
Queensland has used the same elimination techniques as NZ for each Covid outbreak to date, including the 2 recent Delta outbreaks. (so did Victoria and ACT, but lockdown weariness/lack of compliance has affected Victoria much more than Qld). So far, so good, but Qld has a long border with NSW which is intent on "living with Covid" at levels of vaccination, the wisdom of which is disputed by different "experts." Its hard to see how Qld can keep Delta out for much longer and as elsewhere the race is on to vaccinate as many people as possible and do what can be done to control any leakages.
Possibly a seasonal thing. Our warm damp Autumn wiped my total crop out in less than a week, probably wasn,t the only one. Also guess what same thing happened in Switzerland this year – most of the early summer commercial tomato crops wipe out by fungus too !
…What are 'unlinked sub-clusters', and should we be concerned about them?
Katie Kenny – Stuff.co.nz, Sep 11 2021
….Unfortunately, unlinked sub-clusters and mystery cases make it hard for the Government to be able to confidently lower alert levels without compromising the goal of eliminating Covid-19 from the community.
Experts agree the missing links could mean the difference between Auckland remaining at level 4 lockdown or shifting to level 3 next week….
Lockdown a 'small taste' of World War II hardship, Auckland Mayor says
Kendall Hutt and Josephine Franks – Stuff.co.nz, Apr 02 2020
"We're getting a small taste of what our grandparents and parents went through during World War II and the Depression, so try not to just complain.
"We need to say 'Hey, this is what it is and if we work together we will get through it'."
….there were people doing it harder than others: pregnant women and new mums, people grieving for loved ones, families living in overcrowded conditions.
"It's about thinking of all those people," he said.
Auckland's Mayor is right to invoke the memory of the Great Depression and the World War.
The government is spilling red ink all over the place, record numbers of Auckland families are queuing for food parcels. In the midst of this crisis, the banksters are still transfering hundreds of millions out of our pockets, and out of the country in the form of mortgage payments. (We all pay mortgages, renters are just paying someone else's).
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff compares the experience of our Grandparents generation during the World War and the Great Depression to the current crisis and hardship being experienced by this generation due to the Covid crisis.
Of course there are many differences, one of the biggest difference between then and now, is how little of the current hardship is being shouldered by the top end of town. During the war, in line with the Labour Government policy of conscripting wealth as well as Labour, the top tax rate on the richest New Zealanders was set at 90%.
During the Great Depression, to ease the burden of the crisis on ordinary New Zealanders, a moratorium on mortgages was enacted.
To ease the burden of the lockdown on ordinary New Zealanders, (especially if it neccessary to go on for much longer) the Current Labour Government can look back to the precedents of the past and declare a nationwide Mortgage Moratorium. (We all pay mortgages, renters just pay someone else's). Just as it was in the pass the Mortgage Moratorium legislation would be mandated, that landlords pass on mortgage relief to their tenants.
If there was anything could earn this goverrnment the love of farmers, and undercut farmers support for the right wing Groundswell movement, and the National Party, it would be mortgage relief.
…..by 1931, it was clear that further intervention was necessary to prevent widespread foreclosures and mortgagee sales. Although some of the measures taken applied to all mortgagors, this paper is concerned only with those that were of direct concern to farmers. Mortgage relief for farmers was explicit or implicit in more than a dozen pieces of legislation passed between 1931 and 1936 as successive governments tried to cope with the worsening crisis…..
…..The modification of mortgage conditions was not new in New Zealand. A 'mortgage moratorium' had been imposed as a war measure in 1914
….Although mortgage relief was frequently discussed at some length by
contemporary commentators, and by some historians in the 1950s and
1960s, it has been relegated to a few lines at most in more recent works.'
The Mortgagors and Tenants Further Relief Act, 1932, gave new rights to mortgagors. Whereas, previously, mortgagors could seek relief only when they were directly threatened by mortgagee action, they could now apply for relief independently of any action taken by a mortgagee.
This Act also extended to lessees the same protection
that had been granted to mortgagors,
This last ammendment to the Mortgage Moratorium, that it be extended to lessees, (tenants), may have been due to the work of the powerful 'Anti Eviction Committee'.
A Mortgage Moratorium, to make Auckland's level 4 lockdown bearable until there are Zero community transmission of untraceable infections.
It is not like our big foreign owned banks can't afford it, they take $3.5 billion off shore from us every year.
If the banksters dare bitch and moan, we need to quote Mayor Goff's words at them.
“We're getting a small taste of what our grandparents and parents went through during World War II and the Depression, so try not to just complain…..
this is what it is and if we work together we will get through it.” Auckland Mayor, Phil Goff.
Let us beat this pandemic.
Let's do all it takes.
The alternative is the needless deaths, and an overwhelmed public health system.
Jesus – front, side, and backward effects, huh. The poor bastards have me surrounded!
edit: I have a certain shocked admiration for the idea the vaccine causes infections in the unvaccinated. So getting covid would be the result of exposure to vaccinated people, not actually covid.
As of September 11, Savor Group has been paid $226,856.00 in wage subsidy for August 2021.
Newshub spoke to four employees who say they are among many left desperate to receive the full amounts of the wage subsidies after the company had made applications under their names, but were only paid based on their minimum contracted hours of three hours each.
[…]
When New Zealand went into lockdown, she expected to qualify for the 'part-time' wage subsidy at the very least – but instead, Davison has been receiving just $40 weekly for her contracted three hours work.
This is despite Savor Group applying for a wage subsidy under 'part-time' work in her name for $359, a Ministry of Social Development (MSD) document sent to Newshub confirms.
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
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 ...
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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 ...
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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, ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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. ...
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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. ...
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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 ...
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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. ...
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The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
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 ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
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 ...
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
We might be in Invercargill but all anyone can talk about is Gore. Specifically, Salford Street. That’s where three-year-old Lachlan Jones lived, south of the centre of town, between the A&P Showgrounds and the Mataura River. Roughly 1.2 km away from the single level home he lived in with his ...
MONDAY I lined up the latest round of civil servants from city hall against the wall, and signalled for the firing squad to drop their rifles. I stepped up onto a wooden crate to look at the office workers in the eye. But that didn’t feel right, so I found ...
Keen hiker and second-year MSc student Liam Hewson wears two hats when he’s in the great outdoors. “The scientist in me appreciates nature and goes, ‘Oh, there’s that thing and there’s another thing,’ but then the tramper and the outdoorsy person in me thinks, ‘Cool bush.’” Born and bred in ...
After a long and illustrious career as a goal kicker, Dan Carter’s favourite way to unwind is… kicking goals. Why can’t he get enough of it? And what it’s like to watch him do it for an hour straight? A semicircle of people wielding cameras and phones has formed in ...
Dame Susan Devoy takes us through her life in television, including late night ER debriefs, her proudest CTI moment and the show she watches in secret. Quite aside from her four world champion squash titles, Dame Susan Devoy will likely go down in history as one of the best Celebrity ...
Hera Lindsay Bird reveals the best places in Ōtepoti to score more for your apocalypse-prep book hoard.Sometimes I get the feeling I’ve been killed in a car crash, and this second half of my life is just the brain unspooling itself, like one of those episodes of a hospital ...
ThreeNow’s new murder mystery series takes us on a dark, damp journey into the Australian wilderness.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. High Country is ThreeNow’s new Australian eight-part crime drama, set in a remote part of the Victorian highlands. It tells ...
Introducing a new way to read The Spinoff every weekend. After nearly 10 years of being an online magazine, we’re finally embracing the weekend liftout. Despite our best efforts to convince you otherwise, writers and editors at The Spinoff don’t work weekend. It is through the sheer power of technology ...
Tip one: let yourself be nurtured by this big old man. Tip two: don’t ask him to adopt you. So, you’ve arrived at your first session with a new therapist. He tells you to make yourself comfortable and you opt for the tweed armchair, hoping it makes you look like ...
I didn’t know books could open you back up; that there were books that stayed with you, where reading was like a chemical event. I knew nothing.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Not too long ago, I was listening to the American ...
Former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has already started training for the Enhanced games, though says he won’t start taking performance enhancing substances until about nine months out from the competition. The Australian world champion was the first athlete to be announced by Enhanced, but he says the organisation has had ...
Everyone thinks he’s dead. Every day they expect his body to be washed up along the coast. Most likely up Karitane way, the way the tide’s running. But nobody’ll be too surprised if his body’s never found. Even in death he wouldn’t have wished for such attention. He would have ...
Council members voted 21 to 4 in favour of Ahluwalia returning to the Laucala campus following a much-awaited meeting in Vanuatu this week. It comes as USP and its two unions — the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) and the Administration and Support Staff Union ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Henry, Professor & Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University Shutterstock Following an emergency meeting of the National Cabinet this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a raft of measures to tackle the problem ...
Analysis - A poll showing the opposition is more popular than the government raises questions, politicians go through their 'trial by pay rise' and a Green MP loses her cool in the debating chamber. ...
The entire stretch of Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast will be subject to a joint customary marine title for two hapū, and extending up to four miles out to sea. A High Court judge has found the two groups, who during the case settled a dispute over boundaries for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Hall, Lecturer, Media & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University A longstanding feud between TikTok and Universal Music Group seems to have finally reached an end, with both parties signing a deal that will see Universal-backed music returned to the social media ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney After several highly publicised alleged murders of women in Australia, the Albanese government this week pledged more than A$925 million over five years ...
Political parties have now fully disclosed the donations they received last year - with National getting more than double the cash of any other party. ...
A Pacific regionalism expert has called out New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS military pact. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard de Grijs, Professor of Astrophysics, Macquarie University Bruno Scramgnon/Pexels All systems are “go” for tonight’s launch of China’s next step in a carefully planned lunar exploration program. Placed on top of a powerful Long March 5 rocket, the Chang’e 6 ...
National returned a massive donation the day after a Newsroom story linked the donors to a property being investigated for operating unlawfully as a migrant workers’ hostel. The party’s 2023 donation filings, released on Friday, show it returned a $200,000 donation from Buen Holdings on August 23. That was the ...
Pacific Media Watch New Zealand has slumped to an unprecedented 19th place in the annual Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index survey released today on World Press Freedom Day — May 3. This was a drop of six places from 13th last year when it slipped out of its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Political Historian and Administrator Officer, Australian Historical Association, Australian National University Australia has had its fair share of public record-keeping controversies in recent years. Some have been mere farce, as in the case of two formerly government-owned filing cabinets (containing ...
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated organization dedicated to fostering peace through civilian-led initiatives, has issued a statement in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. Key facts Marriages and civil unions In ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lennon Y.C. Chang, Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety ...
In this excerpt from her new memoir, Dame Susan Devoy remembers her turn as star contestant on the 2022 season of Celebrity Treasure Island. The most anxious time of every day was pre-elimination, when you knew this could be your final day on the show. I felt such contradictory emotions, ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
What’s to blame for the coalition’s choppy start? Six months in, and the mojo meter is in the doldrums. A new poll would put National out of power and sees its leader, Chris Luxon, sliding in popularity. How much is it about policy, how much coalition management and a perception ...
The striking report goes far beyond the proposed repeal of the Oranga Tamariki Act’s Treaty of Waitangi provision, and its impact should be felt far beyond the unique circumstances of the claim it addresses. Earlier this week, the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report on the government’s proposed repeal of ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Monash University Ken stocker/Shutterstock In the wake of numerous killings of women allegedly by men’s violence in 2024, thousands of Australians have joined rallies across the country to demand action ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Cutler, Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University Oleg Ivanov IL/Shutterstock Waiting times for public hospital elective surgery have been in the news ahead of this year’s federal budget. That’s the type of non-emergency surgery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Amna Artist/Shutterstock One of the earliest descriptions of someone with cancer comes from the fourth century BC. Satyrus, tyrant of the city of Heracleia on the Black Sea, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Rose, Professor of Sustainable Future Transport, University of Sydney LanaElcova/Shutterstock Electric vehicles are often seen as the panacea to cutting emissions – and air pollution – from transport. Is this view correct? Yes – but only once uptake accelerates. Despite the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Natassia Woodley, Researcher and Phd Candidate, Edith Cowan University There is widespread agreement Australia needs to do better when it comes to gender-based violence. Anger and frustration at the numbers of women being killed saw national rallies over the weekend and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Mark and Anna Photography/Shutterstock As home ownership moves further out of reach for many Australians, “rentvesting” is being touted as a lifesaver. Rentvesting is the practice of renting one property to live ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney Netflix The new season of Heartbreak High is garnering mixed reviews. Critics are writing about the racy story lines, comparing it to other coming-of-age series about teenage relationships and ...
Bob Carr intends to launch legal action against Winston Peters and Julie Anne Genter is facing a second allegation of bullying. Both sucked the air out of an announcement on education, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
In 1995, Sally Clark went out on her own in a bold and unorthodox attempt to join an illustrious group of equestrian riders conquering the world. In the days of glovebox road maps, brick cell phones, and the hit song How Bizarre, Clark refused to follow Sir Mark Todd, Blyth ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Beaglehole, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago niphon/Getty Images The number of people accessing medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa New Zealand increased significantly between 2006 and 2022. But the disorder is still under-diagnosed and ...
To celebrate the start of New Zealand music month, we look back at the best local tuneage that managed to weasel its way into Hollywood productions. There’s nothing quite like the thrilling zap of recognition when New Zealand weasels its way into a glamorous Hollywood production. Crack open a Tui ...
People trust other people more than institutions. So how can the media gain that trust through journalists without losing what’s important about the institution? Anna Rawhiti-Connell reflects on two years of curating the news for The Bulletin.Amonth ago, armed cops descended on my neighbourhood as calls to “lock your ...
Opinion: PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a class of thousands of man-made chemicals used widely in everyday consumer items such as textiles, packaging, and cookware, popular for their water, grease and stain-repellent properties. However, the very properties that make PFAS so attractive to manufacturers are also what ...
NONFICTION 1 The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)’ This is the hottest book in New Zealand, number one with a bullet in its first week, selling more than any overseas title, and demand is so huge that it’s already been reprinted. A ...
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I cannot help but think that the Leader of the Opposition (such as it is) is in a similar position, with her attack on Siouxsie Wiles, as Cersei Lannister would have been had she entered a popularity contest with Margery Tyrel. Absent a significant alchemical stockpile, there is no way for an embittered and essentially useless rule breaker to land a criticism on a useful and broadly popular expert.
If Winston Peters attempts a Lazarus-like rise from the dead with dog-whistling public remarks and /or stunts over the coming months, & Seymour carries on doing the same thing, the Trumpian Territory will be very crowded & the right wing & redneck votes could well be so split they're not a serious challenge to this government.
…the right wing & redneck votes…
Please don't use that elitist putdown to denote bigotry.
“Redneck” is the contemptuous term for working people used by Democratic Party mandarins in the 1970s to condemn the minority of working people who voted for Nixon. It’s been thoughtlessly recycled over the years, and was enthusiastically used by Clintonistas and Hopey-Changey cultists to besmirch white working people who they believed should vote for them by divine right.
Think about who the most bigoted, racist, outrageous hatemongers in this country are: Don Brash, Jamie “Lock Up His Sisters” Whyte, Mike Hosking, David Seymour, Cameron “Whalefat” Slater, John Ansell, Garth “The Knife” McVicar. Only the last-named qualifies as a redneck, as he has actually done some physical work in his life.
My grandfathers and my uncles all worked hard on farms and in factories, and they often got sunburned, including on their necks. They were and are rednecks, just like the hardworking men and women in the United States are. But I’ve never, ever heard any of them utter the brutal and heartless and ignorant rhetoric that we are inflicted with every day from comfortable, sedentary, white-collared, white-necked people like Brash and co.
These hate-filled right wingers are not rednecks, they are bigots.
Good call. Sorry M. Thank you for the education & clarity about rednecks. The word will disappear from any future comments by me.
Good on you Gezza, yoo're a champion.
I recommend thoroughly checking any assertions made by Morrissey that might influence you. His reliability isn't the greatest.
For instance, here's just one of the first hits on looking for the origin of the term "redneck":
https://slate.com/culture/2019/12/redneck-origin-definition-union-uprising-south.html
Thanks Andre. As your link shows, the elitist contempt for poor people certainly goes back a long way. It became particularly nasty after the Nixon election, though. The anger and bewilderment of the East Coast elite is evident in any issue of Time or Newsweek or the Village Voice from the 1970s.
The anger at poor and ignorant whites got even crazier and more unhinged during Trump’s clownish four years.
How am I "unreliable", exactly?
Oh that's right. I didn't buy in to the Russia conspiracy nonsense that you and some others pushed for the last four years. How is that going by the way? How did that Mueller Report go?
Andre. Yes I've noted Morrissey's robust style & views & might not always agree or engage with his comments. But in this case, it reminded me that I have actually heard & seen the same explanation of the origin of rednecks before.
It's an American derogatory term that doesn't really have a traditional equivalent in NZ. I have decided to not use it again in any context.
Randy Newman's contemptuous and unfunny song "Rednecks" was a catalyst in the use of the term. Newman was a guest on Kim Hill's show a while ago: he was a dyed-in-the-wool Russiagate conspiracy theorist.
Ha! I thought that song was unfunny and unlistenable as well.
The only song of his I like is "Baltimore."
I do enjoy some of his songs, but I just don't have a lot of respect for someone who endorsed Barack Obama in 2012.
I like a lot of Randy Newman's songs, & his piano & vocal style. I've always perceived them as loaded with tongue-in-cheek irony & lyrics thus never to be taken at face value.
I am surprised to hear he's a Russiagate conspiracy theorist, but he's not alone there. She's a hard road finding the perfect human being, M.
His 1974 release Good Old Boys was a set of songs about the American South. "Rednecks" began with a description of segregationist Lester Maddox pitted against a "smart-ass New York Jew" on a TV show (this was a joke, because the "Jew" was Dick Cavett), in a song that criticizes both southern racism and the complacent bigotry of Americans outside of the south who stereotype all southerners as racist yet ignore racism in northern and midwestern states and large cities.
This ambiguity was also apparent on "Kingfish" and "Every Man A King" the former a paen to Huey King the assassinated former Governor and US senator from Louisiana, the other a campaign song written by Long himself. An album that received lavish critical praise, Good Old Boys also became a commercial breakthrough for Newman, peaking at No. 36 on Billboard 200, spending 21 weeks there.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Newman
I like his song Birmingham, among others.
Being a working class "redneck" and an ex "Westie" myself, that is appreciated.
Don Brash I personally think is a little different from the others you mention. Yes he's certainly a class of racist as the term is not singularly applied to people who hate others of another skin colour or culture.
Whenever I've watched or listened to him, my impression is that My-wife-is-from-Singapore-Don (subtext, so I can't be racist) has as his main thesis that "We are One people" & that Maori actually did sign up to surrender their tino rangatiratanga in Te Tiriti in their own nga rohe.
The Kiwi Not Iwi campaign certainly was aimed directly at racists & those who feel threatened or angered by the resurgence of Maori cultural & political awareness & believe they are not owed anything. Even in the face of the obvious fact that the treaty was almost immediately abrogated by settler governments, & that they were ripped off, tricked, ruthlessly warred on & dispossessed nationwide of huge tracts of land there was never any doubt they hadn't legally sold, for legitimately resisting. And further that treaty settlements don't go anywhere near recompensing them for the real economic & social costs of their subjugation.
Don, to me is a racist who is so blinkered he doesn't know he's a racist. He's permanently resistant to education on the matter because he can't comprehend that is. A sad figure.
But I believe (or perhaps hope might be a better word) that by now most people in NZ, and certainly I wish those younger, who have been taught or have themselves just google-researched the history of the treaty & the settlement of New Zealand by Maori & Pakeha (even Wikipedia these days is getting to be very comprehensive & balanced) now see people like Don as a rather doddery old man whose attitude is myopically ill informed and well out of date.
Judith “pot calling the kettle black” with regards to comments about Souxie’s weight issues, Judith is not exactly an A List Model IMHO ?
The media have of course focused on the word "fat" and used that to turn it against Judith and you have taken the bait 'hook, line and sinker'. If Judith had not used the word 'fat', the media would have emphasised the word 'big'. OMG….Judith called Siousxie big! Judith needs to be more careful with the language she uses.
Seymour was smarter when he called James Shaw "a complete hypocrite".
Seymour was smarter…
Wrong. Seymour is not fit to talk about hypocrisy, or anything else for that matter.
Neither of them are particularly smart especially when they open their mouths when the brain is not engaged.
That goes for all politicians from all sides of the house.
Given that you are apparently incapable of providing links; Jester (it's the button that looks like a chainlink – just paste the URL), I fosacked this out of RNZ's archive.
Shaw may be a bit of a grey suit man, but he's far less of a hypocrite than Seymour or Collins.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.rnz.co.nz/article/52655a9d-7a34-4b39-bd83-8abf45abf697
"The United Nations development agency says Afghanistan is teetering on the brink of “universal poverty” which could become a reality in the middle of next year unless urgent efforts are made to bolster local communities and their economies. It said the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has put 20 years of steady economic gains at risk.
…
“Afghanistan pretty much faces universal poverty by the middle of next year,” Kanni Wignaraja, UNDP’s Asia-Pacific Director, told a news conference Thursday launching its 28-page assessment. “That’s where we’re heading — it’s 97-98% (poverty rate) no matter how you work these projections.”
Currently, the poverty rate is 72% and Wignaraja pointed to many development gains after the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001: Per capita income more than doubled in the last 20 years, life expectancy at birth was extended by about nine years, the number of years of schooling rose from six to 10, “and we got women into university.”
But she said Afghanistan now faces “a humanitarian and development disaster” resulting from political instability, frozen foreign reserves, a collapsed public finance system, “a crush on local banking because of this,” as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic."
…
https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-pakistan-afghanistan-islamabad-qatar-d35bb246ad1db460b2a2e8d24c77f99d
…
And
"The Taliban have issued an ominous warning to the United States after backlash from the international community surrounding the appointment of its interim Afghanistan "terrorist" government.
…
"…in a statement on Thursday night obtained by news.com.au, Mujahid slammed US officials for calling out cabinet members of the "Islamic State" – aka Afghanistan – and claimed they were in violation of the Doha agreement.
"Pentagon officials have remarked that some cabinet members of the Islamic Emirate or family members of late Haqqani Sahib – may Allah be pleased with him – are on the US blacklists and still targets," the statement reads.
… the group claimed any leaders in the new government under the Doha agreement meant any "blacklists" should have been wiped.
…"all officials of the Islamic Emirate without any exception were part of interaction with the US and should have been removed from the UN and US blacklists, a demand which still remains valid.
"That America and other countries are making such provocative statements and trying to meddle the internal affairs of Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate condemns it in the strongest terms. "Such remarks by US officials are a repetition of past failed experiments and such positions detrimental for America.
"We urge that these incorrect policies be immediately reversed through diplomatic interactions."
…
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/taliban-releases-statement-saying-united-states-is-in-clear-violation-over-terrorist-comments/Y5QEQXEITJO5TKBDFCAA2MOT64/
It's like some tragic, truly awful black comedy unfolding. Just seems like a hopeless situation for the Afghan population.
Yes Gezza, it is indeed a hopeless situation for the Afghans. The USA is not finished with interfering in Afghanistan. They will foment ( and fund and militarily support) as much trouble as they can to bring unwanted problems to both Russia and China because that is all they are interested in to try and prove they are "exceptional and the indispensable nation”. They don't give a damn about the people of Afghanistan and they never have. Same same as Vietnam and all their other "conquests”. I will go so far as to say they would rather destroy the world than lose their "anglo/american " empire. Such is the madness and nature of their military /industrial complex.
Yes, I agree. One of the good things about Trump, I thought, was that he was such an outrageously gung ho "America First, Everywhere" Amerika uber alles ultra-nationalist bully, he made it abundantly clear that nobody else anywhere registers on the minds of so many America's politicians & voters as having any worth beyond what they can do for Americans.
And he publicly abandoned the claim to be "leader of the free world". I thought it woke a few people up.
Biden has gone back to the old script of claiming that title.
Interesting Pakistani expert/intellectual on Kim Hill (RNZ) right now saying the USA was doing well in Afghanistan until it invaded Iraq, then they lost focus and support and it all fell apart.
Of course it doesn't help that the regime they installed was corrupt.
The idea they were "doing well" in Afghanistan is as fraudulent as the rationale for attacking it in the first place.
You could at least warn us of the long Fox intro, then the Tucker Carlson intro, before you get to words out of Mr Greenwald that are so predictable that they come out as a set of Leftie Grump Hallmark Cards.
For real 20-year-hindsight analysis from the people who made the decisions on the day and in the weeks afterwards, try this long form interview piece:
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/09/10/9-11-attacks-20th-anniversary-reassessing-20-years-of-war-506924
It covers:
– Ambassador John Negroponte, General Richard Myers, Frances Townsend, Admiral James Stafridis, Douglas Feith, John McLaughlin, General David Petraeus, Michael Chertoff, Andrew Card, Senator Tom Daschle, Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, Joshua Bolten, Paul Wolfowitz, Senator Trent Lott, Ambassador Paul Bremer, Dan Bartlett, and Senator Joseph Liebermann.
Good looking link. Thanks.
At about the fifth para in we get this:
It's been said that the Americans believe that if something is worth doing it's always worth overdoing. Well after 20yrs in Afghanistan – that benighted land that God uses to teach the powerful some humility – maybe it's time they learned this was never more than a dangerous hubris.
And that perhaps moderation is the smartest strategy in the room after all.
PS on scrolling down – it looks like required reading.
For real 20-year-hindsight analysis from the people who made the decisions…
Thanks for that Ad. What a collection of ghouls. Most of them are criminals, who should be behind bars, not enjoying sinecures at universities and extremist "think tanks", but a few of them come across as simply pathetic—like Tom Daschle, who admits to being browbeaten into supporting the aggression, Paul Bremer, who seems to be genuinely delusional, and Joe Lieberman who, as always, just seems sad.
It's a horrible article, a PR puff piece, but it's also darkly funny, and a perfect example of the way these crooks are packaged and presented by their media accomplices. Each one of them has been beautifully photographed in striking black and white. The pictures are similar in style to Annie Leibowitz's shots of celebrities for Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone. They have the effect of making these people appear sober, respectable, and serious.
I'm sure that I'm not the only person to be offended that the author of this shambles calls these monsters "architects of the post-9/11 world", as if they had built something instead of conspiring to destroy a country and kill millions of people. My favourite quotes are…
How mass killings by US forces after 9/11 boosted support for the Taliban | Afghanistan | The Guardian
<<“I am very happy the American forces have finally left Afghanistan, and very grateful to Allah for making this happen. At last I feel safe.”
Those murders were perhaps the most high-profile civilian deaths of the war. But it was not the only time foreign forces killed large numbers of women, children and non-combatant men, in just this one corner of a single district of Afghanistan.
Five men from Zangabad who spoke to the Guardian said they lost 49 relatives between them in airstrikes and the massacre, bloodshed spanning nearly a decade. These terrible losses, repeated in many parts of Afghanistan, would prove powerful recruiting tools for the Taliban, as they slowly gathered their forces to retake the country. >>
Thanks for that Morrissey…always good to have a bit clear eyed analysis run over these propaganda pieces…you would think these guys would be able to see through such obvious nonsense, but I guess you see what you want to see…
"“Overreach” is a word they use often to describe a nation-building effort that notched tactical and even historic successes — like empowering women in Afghanistan"…I mean come on..really?
"Overreach"—isn't that what got Mayor Cuomo into trouble?
Bang on, BG. Wherever they've invaded countries or got involved in their wars since 9/11 (and before) to "save" the local people from their "dreadful" rulers & bring the light of American culture & democracy & technology & corporations to rescue them from their "backwardness", they've slaughtered thousands of ordinary troops legitimately defending their country – & killed more innocent civilians in the local populations [directly or indirectly, thru the aftermaths, like Islamic State] than their despotic rulers ever did.
They've utterly stuffed their economies, ramped up sectarianism, installed incompetent or incoherent governments rife with corruption & instability, changed the balance of power, & in the Middle East either directly or indirectly been responsible for the total or near total destruction of whole cities & towns & their infrastructure.
And they remain blithely unconcerned & seemingly convinced they did them all a favour.
In contrast to the above, the Taliban have praised New Zealand by name for continuing our aid to the Afghan people.
The Biden administration and the Western Alliance are continuing the war by other means.
New Zealand should refuse to take part.
The Biden administration's vindictive, (and pointless), war by other means, inevitably resulting in economic collapse and mass famine in Afghanistan, cannot but help foster political instability across the region and fuel terrorist reprisals against the West.
New Zealand must have no part in the US war by other means, and continue our humanitarian aid to the Afghan people.
I watch Aljazeera tv news daily. It's an excellent global news media service that covers events happening all over the world, covering countless daily events in counries we never see even mentioned in NZ msm online & tv media.
Charlotte has built personal connections wirh the Taliban leadership, and when she is accosted or insulted by the Kabul footsoldiers who are brutally suppressing women protesting [the Taliban have banned protests & inappropriate reporting], or they refuse to talk to her because she is a woman and is "inapproriately dressed" she complains to them & they usually apologise, she reports.
https://finance.yahoo.com/video/afghan-journalists-were-beaten-taliban-155623974.html
So it's Dirty Politics deja vu.
Cameron Slater posts some surveillance footage of Siouxsie Wiles on The BFD, makes extravagant claims and accusations and what appear to be false claims, but gets no traction.
So he passes the DP baton to David Farrar who repeats and tries to give the story some semblance of reasonable analysis that appears tainted by taking Slater at his word. And there's the expected pile on on Kiwiblog.
There's two attack lines – the alleged hypocrisy of Wiles (Slater accusing someone of hypocrisy is rather cute), and blasting the media for not repeating and amplifying Slater's 'scoop'.
Someone in the media does ask questions at the high profile daily Covid media presentation, and Wiles generally does a good job of explaining that she was more or less abiding by the rules but concedes her companion breached rules by going for a swim – if that was a general member of the public it's unlikely anyone would have noticed let alone cared, but those preach strict compliance should be held to account when they don't do what they implore of others.
Then Judith Collins joins the fray, seemingly already well versed in the Slater attack and making intemperate and tone deaf comments about Wiles. I can only guess that this was a deliberate approach by Collins, but it re-emphasises her unsuitability as a leader of a party that needs mainstream support.
And it realigns her with Slater and Dirty Politics, something that will likely not work out well for her.
And back to the original source this morning it's obviously not just Slater involved. The 'editor' of The BFD, Juana Atkins, has carried on with the smearing of Wiles. Atkins has long been as complicit as Slater in the dirty BFD tactics – in fact it seems likely it only continues now due to her efforts to keep it going.
But bringing Farrar into the mix and then Collins piling in as well has effectively dragged the National Party back into the centre of Dirty Politics, something they could ill afford to happen given their deteriorating situation.
Our politics is the poorer for a dysfunctional ex-major party and for the resurrection of Dirty Politics.
Hi Pete. Missing your blog & hope you're enjoying doing the other things you wanted to get on with.
Good summary.
I can't access the BFD on this iPad2; it's too "busy" & continually crashes once I open more than one article there. Just as well though. The BFD's just a parody. Have they even got much of an audience these days?
I sometimes read Kiwiblog but note that it seems to be mainly disgruntled National commenters & the slinging off at “Cindy” & “Jacinderella” etc lowers the tone too much for my taste. It crashes a lot on this iPad2 as well, as the comments start to build up.
We must not forget what Collins said about Wiles
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/collins-calls-dr-siouxsie-wiles-big-fat-hypocrite
And remember who traveled to wellington from lev 4 Auckland because she was/is (HUH) an ‘essential worker.
Serious National party people will be shaking their heads that Collins is prepared to get into the sewer with Slater and Atkins. Collins will need to try to scrape the mess off the bottom of her shoes but the smell that had subsided is back.
The most pertinent aspect of the incident is that it shows in full flourish who and what Collins is. The age old-timers will be asking, "How did it get to this? Is this who we are? Is this as good as it gets?"
Serious National party people will be shaking their heads…
?????
Could you provide us with one example of a "serious National party" person?
Finlayson seems deadly serious in his contempt for the current management of his old firm. Whether he still counts as a Nat is another matter, but he'll always be a Tory to me.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300345221/national-party-is-selfdestructing-former-minister-says
He's a bright and amusing commentator. I was wrong to suggest that they're all hopeless–they're not. And after they leave parliament, they're often very nice.
Finlayson's version of treaty settlements (for which he has nothing but praise for himself) has largely delivered a very, very narrow Maori middle class based on property rights. If all you want out of a Settlement is to mirror the worst of capitalism, then all you want is the National Party.
It was telling that he considers "Property Rights" are second only to the "right to life".
As we have seen many times, "Property Rights" are most often the rights of the "overlords' to hang onto the commons they originally stole.
Rather Ironic when we are talking about Maori land rights.
It worked to get the Maori "elite" invested in supporting a capitalist ruling class however.
Brian Easton makes the same point today in his column.
Yes every time Finlayson is on The Panel (RNZ) he appears to be a legend in his own mind.
I think the stages of National Party people go something like:
minor, mild, moderate, serious, acute, and morbid.
They have a bit of a surplus on the extreme right atm – goes with the territory.
Stuart Munro.. A bit like covid then?
Covid is a very tricky virus – the Gnats seem to be less evolved – more primitive – an ancient species that has outlived its time and is now chiefly of interest to paleontologists and cryptozoologists.
DP was always a bit like a 4-wheel drive in wet mud with all wheels spinning fast until one of them got some traction. It was never pretty and it was always dirty. Lately, the Leaders of the National and ACT Parties, the Crusher turned La Cheffe Fatale and the Dancer turned Cockwomble, respectively, have been hustling for the driver’s seat and the media love nothing better than a reality demolition derby. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the NZ political scene at its finest.
'
All politics is pressure:
Sadly, guns are there to stay in the US. The gun lobby owns too many politicians in both the Democrat & Republican parties.
As we all know or at least are lead to believe if you listen or watch any western media, white western lives and most especially white American lives have a lot more value than any other lives around the world….so as we are force feed a serious amount of air time around the USA's 9/11, for a bit of balance here is a bit of historical context as to why most of the world see the USA as the biggest threat to world peace….here is Chile's own 9/11 which through direct US intervention brought in a reign of terror, death, torture, rape ..which of course is never remembered by western media…but as I said they are not white westerners..so who cares.
Chile’s🇨🇱 9/11: The Augusto Pinochet Coup- How The USA Brought Neoliberal Fascism To Chile
A little of respect for nature, and to see how wonderful and enterprising Bruce is. Brought a smile in this current time when a smile can make wonders to someones state of mind.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/disabled-kea-at-willowbank-wildlife-reserve-uses-stone-to-preen-himself/V6A24KRMK6ZZE7SA3ZQMVOR5GE/
"Just months earlier, Shaakir drove to the maximum-security Auckland Prison. After weaving through a labyrinth of guard posts and gates, he was led into a special unit for prisoners of “extreme risk” – a unit originally built to house the gunman behind the Christchurch terror attack.
In a secure meeting room, Shaakir sat face-to-face with [the Lynnmall attacker], a 31-year-old obsessed with violent, terror-inspired content. From behind a solid pane of glass, Shaakir tried to make a connection.
“Although he didn’t know me from a bar of soap, he was really excited to sit with me. He was very calm, and we had a good discussion. I tried to get inside his mind to understand how he had been radicalised, and how I could assist and rehabilitate him.”
Shaakir wasn’t the only Muslim leader who believed [S] needed help to rewrite his radical beliefs. Three years earlier, Auckland barrister Aarif Rasheed tried to persuade authorities to do exactly that.
“They had characterised [S] as a terrorist sympathiser,” says Rasheed. “However, he was the first to admit his lack of Islamic knowledge, and he was willing to learn. With the right support, we had the chance to get this guy on the right path.”
…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/126332093/the-makings-of-a-terrorist–and-the-people-who-tried-to-help-him
…
Superb article, & lots of information about the LynnMall attacker & his situation. One hopes the latest teenager who's been charged with making statements about wanting to kill non-Muslims can be assisted by Imam Shakir & that work can be done to develop and integrate a proper personal plan for de-radicalisation with the Courts, Corrections, Police & Muslim community working together.
interesting read, for sure
This sounds like a lot of submissions – something like 2% of the population. Though a lot of them may be cut and paste sock puppets. Anyone here know the usual amount of submissions to an NZ government ?
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/300403159/hate-shame-and-redemption-the-road-back-from-conversion-therapy
That seems to me to be a lot. The abortion law reform bill got around 25,000. The same sex marriage bill got about 22,000.
I would think they would have been among the higher numbers, considering their contentiousness
The NZ Christian Network was urging its members to respond in their own words, not copy and paste. This concern about government overreach was widespread among the churches of Aotearoa. The Govt is seeking to privilege one particular ethic above others and enforce its view. It is antithetical to a secular, tolerant society.
https://amongtraditions.wordpress.com/2021/09/02/recognising-the-hostility-of-the-powers/
Bomber’s rant was good too
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2021/09/10/mediawatch-faafoi-ardern-hate-speech-burn-so-bad-it-sizzles/
"I just wanna talk about the response to the attacks, the War on Terror and that kind of stuff."
A.M. Show, Newshub, TV3, Friday 10 September 2021, 7:15 a.m.
Ryan Bridge, Amanda Gillies, Mark Richardson
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2021/09/9-11-anniversary-new-york-firefighters-describe-moment-towers-collapsed-impact-of-attacks-20-years-on.html
The dreary ritual of politicians and media figures looking and sounding sad about the attacks on 11 Sept. 2001, and ignoring any political explanations for them, began in earnest yesterday morning. On TVNZ1, John Campbell interviewed an ex-Clinton staffer who looked mournful and said that today she would be reflecting on the power of memory. Campbell mirrored her sad expression and thanked her profusely for talking to him.
On TV3, the special guests were two former New York firefighters, Captain Peter Hayden and his deputy Jay Jones. Following are the highlights of Ryan Bridge's interview with them—if "highlights" is the word for such a dire few minutes.
Along the bottom of the screen the chyron informs viewers: "PETER AND JAY WALKED OUT OF THE RUBBLE TOGETHER."
DEPUTY CHIEF JAY JONAS: Today is always going to be tied to, uh, ahhh, grief and bereavement.
(Almost instantaneously the chyron at the bottom of the screen changes. "JONAS: TODAY IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE TIED TO GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT.")
The two ex-firefighters speak at length about the horror they experienced. Then it's time for Ryan Bridge to move the interview along a bit…
RYAN BRIDGE: Jay, I just wanna talk about the response to the attacks, the War on Terror and that kind of stuff. How do you feel about the response George Bush made?
DEPUTY CHIEF JAY JONAS: Uh, I don't know that I'm qualified to comment on that. I'm a firefighter. But I was happy to see the aggressive response to this horrible event.
……
RYAN BRIDGE: It was incredible, absolutely incredible. I was thirteen at the time and I don't have much to say.
(Twenty minutes later, it's time to ask another guest to reflect on the events of Sept. 11th.)
RYAN BRIDGE: It's one of those occasions isn't it where you always remember where you were. Helen Clark joins us for her take next…
(A commercial break ensues, and then the screen is filled with the grave mien of the former prime minister, beaming in via Skype from Paeroa.)
RYAN BRIDGE: It's the evilness you feel, isn't it.
HELEN CLARK: Yes, and evil is the appropriate word.
RYAN BRIDGE: And of course the world changed forever. How do you feel about the response, Helen?
HELEN CLARK: [pause] I guess hindsight is a wonderful thing. …. Iraq distracted attention away from Afghanistan, which needed long term investment. There was some indication that the Taliban were amenable to a political solution, but this was completely rejected by the Americans. [snickers]
(Then the sports guy decides, unwisely, to speak.)
MARK RICHARDSON: There have been no more attacks on American soil by Islamic militants. So the Americans would say it was a success. Do you agree?
HELEN CLARK: No. No I don't.
(Ryan Bridge and Amanda Gillies visibly squirm in embarrassment.)
ad nauseam….
"Ryan is a truly exciting broadcaster who is perfectly suited to a dynamic morning show. He flawlessly pivots from conducting hard-hitting interviews to sharing engaging and entertaining anecdotes, driven by his innate curiosity and genuine desire to connect with his audiences."—SARAH BRISTOW, Newshub "Director of News"
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2021/09/ryan-bridge-confirmed-as-new-host-of-the-am-show.html
Do you have a point you want to make? Spit it out.
Sure. The point is that Ryan Bridge is a shallow and ill-informed person and is not fit to front a television discussion about such a serious event.
In other words, he's almost a carbon copy of his horrible predecessor, Duncan "Vyshinsky" Garner.
Agreed, Morrissey.
Your transcript, as ever, demonstrates how ill-informed significant sections of our media are.
By comparison, Double Down News actually adds context to the event.
In this 12 minute clip ‘ The One Thing They Don’t Tell You About Terrorism’ Mark Curtis provides the context that we rarely hear. The video refers to the US and the UK’s actions in Iran and Egypt back in the 1950s.
Best of all is Adam Curtis’s ‘The Power of Nightmares.’ if you have the time. Brilliant documentary with an outstanding soundtrack and amazing footage.
Thank you for that, Ed. I endorse your opinion of that excellent site.
Another superb analyst of contemporary politics is Mark Curtis. Interestingly, he is rigorously excluded from British state media.
http://markcurtis.info/
The DDN news reporter is Mark Curtis.
I suggest you will have to look and hard in the official narratives from New Zealand, the US and the UK to hear about World Trade Centre 7 Building.
It is predictable to see what detail is omitted in the reporting.
Interesting & very good. I know all this stuff already. It hasn't really dawned on me how important it is that most people, and politicians, in NZ don't.
Even when we get an ideal opportunity for the media here – like the 9/11 anniversary, the Lynnmall attack, & the stunning but potentially catastrophic victory of the Taliban – to post that video in an in-depth news article, or show something like that documentary on the Sunday tv1 programme, (which is about the only documentary programme we seem to have that takes offshore media content of any length) instead our media are focussed on often comparatively trivial, magazine-style content & purely local issues.
It's a good way of instructing the wider population where these these attacks have come from & why their aftermaths really happen. We need to steer clear of engaging with these kinds of enterprises.
This covert & sometimes overt US & NATO support for certain Islamic extremist or fundamentalist groups against others, or less than wholesome regimes expriencing insurrections that could undermine US & EU investments, I believe is still going on in places like Libya & other countries.
Our MSM media have been exceptionally restrained on 9/11 today.
New Zealand certainly does have specific commentary to add on terrorist acts within our country. If it felt inclined to do so.
ATM they are largely confining themselves to the Christchurch ceremony with our firefighters that helped in the recovery effort.
Our MSM media have been exceptionally restrained on 9/11 today.
Agreed. Although, unfortunately for aficionados of the bizarre, Ryan Bridge's dullness and Mark Richardson's stupidity are no substitute for the full-blown madness of the Saatchi headman Kevin Roberts when he made his notorious appearance on a TV3 chat show twenty years ago.
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-04122016/#comment-1269709
Quite right Morrisey. One right wing Puppet walks away from the am show, and the the bloke who takes his place is, and you've guessed it is. just another right wing Puppet. Newshub the voice of the National Party.
And for today's good news story
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2021/09/stan-walker-shares-emotional-look-at-his-wedding-day-in-music-video-for-new-te-reo-m-ori-song-matemateaone.html
All the best to them. Stan has fought some fights in his young life – I truly hope he has found happiness.
New Covid-19 community cases reported today in New Zealand and Australia.
Auckland: 23
NSW: 1,599
Victoria: 450
ACT: 15
Queensland: 5
Tasmania: 0
SA and WA not yet reported.
It will be interesting to see the direction Queensland go in, because they experienced their Delta spike around a month before us. They have a population around 3x the size of Auckland, have had lower daily case numbers than Auckland over the spike, and their current daily numbers are lower.
Queensland has used the same elimination techniques as NZ for each Covid outbreak to date, including the 2 recent Delta outbreaks. (so did Victoria and ACT, but lockdown weariness/lack of compliance has affected Victoria much more than Qld). So far, so good, but Qld has a long border with NSW which is intent on "living with Covid" at levels of vaccination, the wisdom of which is disputed by different "experts." Its hard to see how Qld can keep Delta out for much longer and as elsewhere the race is on to vaccinate as many people as possible and do what can be done to control any leakages.
Sorry for the odd post. But it has defuddled me a bit, as still don't quite believe it.
I was in the supermarket yesterday. Was looking at tomatoes.
You know those plastic tray things you buy with about 8 in for $3.99 ish?
$10 *****ing dollars. I mean WTF?
Possibly a seasonal thing. Our warm damp Autumn wiped my total crop out in less than a week, probably wasn,t the only one. Also guess what same thing happened in Switzerland this year – most of the early summer commercial tomato crops wipe out by fungus too !
Will Auckland stay at level 4 for another week?
The answer; 'Unfortunately' is, Yes.*
*(That is if the government doesn't abandon their elimination strategy. And I can't see that happening.)
This unfortunately will mean more hardship for many small businesses and retailers and householders.
Let us hope that at Monday’s presser the PM will be able to announce some new relief strategies.
I am hoping for a rent and mortgage moratorium. (Let the banksters share some of the pain).
Correction; I should have said "weeks" not "week".
Auckland's Mayor is right to invoke the memory of the Great Depression and the World War.
The government is spilling red ink all over the place, record numbers of Auckland families are queuing for food parcels. In the midst of this crisis, the banksters are still transfering hundreds of millions out of our pockets, and out of the country in the form of mortgage payments. (We all pay mortgages, renters are just paying someone else's).
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff compares the experience of our Grandparents generation during the World War and the Great Depression to the current crisis and hardship being experienced by this generation due to the Covid crisis.
Of course there are many differences, one of the biggest difference between then and now, is how little of the current hardship is being shouldered by the top end of town. During the war, in line with the Labour Government policy of conscripting wealth as well as Labour, the top tax rate on the richest New Zealanders was set at 90%.
During the Great Depression, to ease the burden of the crisis on ordinary New Zealanders, a moratorium on mortgages was enacted.
To ease the burden of the lockdown on ordinary New Zealanders, (especially if it neccessary to go on for much longer) the Current Labour Government can look back to the precedents of the past and declare a nationwide Mortgage Moratorium. (We all pay mortgages, renters just pay someone else's). Just as it was in the pass the Mortgage Moratorium legislation would be mandated, that landlords pass on mortgage relief to their tenants.
If there was anything could earn this goverrnment the love of farmers, and undercut farmers support for the right wing Groundswell movement, and the National Party, it would be mortgage relief.
All politics is pressure.
This last ammendment to the Mortgage Moratorium, that it be extended to lessees, (tenants), may have been due to the work of the powerful 'Anti Eviction Committee'.
A Mortgage Moratorium, to make Auckland's level 4 lockdown bearable until there are Zero community transmission of untraceable infections.
It is not like our big foreign owned banks can't afford it, they take $3.5 billion off shore from us every year.
If the banksters dare bitch and moan, we need to quote Mayor Goff's words at them.
“We're getting a small taste of what our grandparents and parents went through during World War II and the Depression, so try not to just complain…..
this is what it is and if we work together we will get through it.” Auckland Mayor, Phil Goff.
Let us beat this pandemic.
Let's do all it takes.
The alternative is the needless deaths, and an overwhelmed public health system.
10 minutes says the manor in question is likely connected to a dement[ed] unit.
https://twitter.com/nz_voter/status/1436529365030821890
Jesus – front, side, and backward effects, huh. The poor bastards have me surrounded!
edit: I have a certain shocked admiration for the idea the vaccine causes infections in the unvaccinated. So getting covid would be the result of exposure to vaccinated people, not actually covid.
They've checked themselves with their own lunacy and now it's double down on the absurd, or bust.
Lock the pricks up.
As of September 11, Savor Group has been paid $226,856.00 in wage subsidy for August 2021.
Newshub spoke to four employees who say they are among many left desperate to receive the full amounts of the wage subsidies after the company had made applications under their names, but were only paid based on their minimum contracted hours of three hours each.
[…]
When New Zealand went into lockdown, she expected to qualify for the 'part-time' wage subsidy at the very least – but instead, Davison has been receiving just $40 weekly for her contracted three hours work.
This is despite Savor Group applying for a wage subsidy under 'part-time' work in her name for $359, a Ministry of Social Development (MSD) document sent to Newshub confirms.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/09/savor-group-staff-paid-3-hours-a-week-in-lockdown-despite-bosses-claiming-wage-subsidies-upwards-of-20-hours-work.html