Almost one-quarter of the world’s population lives in regions where groundwater is being used up faster than it can be replenished, concludes a comprehensive global analysis of groundwater depletion, published this week in Nature.
…
Yet in most of the world’s major agricultural regions, including the Central Valley in California, the Nile delta region of Egypt, and the Upper Ganges in India and Pakistan, demand exceeds these reservoirs’ capacity for renewal.
And frakking uses more ground water than many places can afford to lose:
Not only is the oil and gas industry turning our rural areas into sacrifice zones, it is also diverting water that is needed to grow food.
“Drilling and fracking is not only a threat to water quality — it also uses massive amounts of water, removing much of the water used from the water cycle altogether.
The Hunger Wars in Our Future
Heat, Drought, Rising Food Costs, and Global Unrest
By Michael T. Klare
The Great Drought of 2012 has yet to come to an end, but we already know that its consequences will be severe. With more than one-half of America’s counties designated as drought disaster areas, the 2012 harvest of corn, soybeans, and other food staples is guaranteed to fall far short of predictions. This, in turn, will boost food prices domestically and abroad, causing increased misery for farmers and low-income Americans and far greater hardship for poor people in countries that rely on imported U.S. grains.
This, however, is just the beginning of the likely consequences: if history is any guide, rising food prices of this sort will also lead to widespread social unrest and violent conflict…
Intensive agriculture the answer you say, Gerry? Alongside ‘drill it, mine it, sell it’? Yeah, right!
US corn crop projected to be down 17% this season, to lows not seen since the 1980’s. This is because almost 70% of the midwest corn growing region is in a prolonged drought. And the US is the largest producer of corn in the world, by far.
Just in case, and, not wishing to be an alarmist, but,buy a kilo bag of rice with your weekly shopping until such time? as the US corn production either recovers or fails altogether…
I think the problem is that NZ farmers are so tied into the export market and that drives their crop choices. I doubt that there is any NZ grown rice though 😉
And it’s all GM corn that cannot withstand drought or changing conditions — seed built only for money and no sustainability, just like everything else !!
And buying rice .. 90% of rice grown in China is now GMO … good luck shopping !
I also heard they have already closed all the ethanol manufacturing plants in USA due to corn shortages.
ya got that all wrong…. Its an extremely drought resistant strain thats why its still alive… Its also why they have been able to increase yield despite a drying climate…
Friday, 10 August 2012 15:34 Javier Blas , Gregory Meyer, Financial Times
The UN has called for an immediate suspension of government-mandated US ethanol production, adding to pressure on Barack Obama to address the food-versus-fuel debate in the run-up to presidential elections.
Most US ethanol is made from corn. The dispute over ethanol promotion pits states such as Iowa that benefit from higher corn prices – and in some cases are swing states in the election – against livestock-raising states such as Texas that are helped by lower corn prices.
The UN intervention will be seized upon by state governors, lawmakers and the meat and livestock industry, who have expressed alarm at surging prices for corn. Members of the Group of 20 leading economies – including France, India and China – have already expressed concern about the US ethanol policy.
You thought Murray Deaker was sub-standard?
Baseless claims by Tony Johnson re Belorussian shot putter
NewstalkZB, Friday 10 August 2012, 5:50 p.m.
The Huddle is a notoriously bad segment on Larry Williams Drive, which is itself a notoriously bad radio program. Featuring such brutally partisan and unpleasant commentators as Bill Ralston, his ghastly wife Janet Wilson, the unsurpassingly vicious Ellen Read, the crazed Cameron (Whaleoil) Slater, the superficially nice but not nice David Farrar and the false front bonhomie of Jock Anderson, it’s hard to imagine that whatever follows them could be any worse, but with the calibre of sports correspondents like one Tony Johnson, AKA “T.J.”, it is on many occasions, incredibly, much, much, much worse. . . . .
LARRY WILLIAMS: Valerie Adams must have been disappointed to miss out on a gold medal, T.J.
TONY JOHNSON: [with gravitas] Frankly, I think the winner is a cheat. The word around the traps is that she is a cheat.
LARRY WILLIAMS: But there is no evidence of that. She passed every test.
NIGEL YALDEN: I have seen no evidence that she is a cheat.
TONY JOHNSON: Well that’s the word around the traps.
Reasonable people might ask if these “traps” which “T.J.” has been “around” are the same traps which recently brought forth the bitterly fanciful notion, also unsupported by any evidence whatsoever, that the referee in the 2007 RWC quarter-final match was corrupt.
Reasonable people might also ask how much research “T.J.” does for his assignments, and how much of that “research” is done around “traps” with names like The Flying Horse, the Crown and the Red Lion…
The USA had a now well known drug cheat called Marion Jones. However despite their relay team breaking the world record this morning, no cries of “must be cheating”. The former darling of US track and field, Carl Lewis was revealled to have tested positive for a banned substance prior to one of his olympics but the US Olympic Committee covered up the results…
The former iron curtain states do not have the money they used to for cheating yet the prejudice remains.
Gatlin (US) a proven drug cheat “won” a bronze… no one had the balls to question its legitimacy or the disgrace that he could even compete. Someone who may have worked damned hard and fair didn’t get a spot because of him. But he’s from the USA, so it’s ok.
That’s the way it is these days! (Apropos of which I heard the BBC WSpromoting Mitt Romney’s insane ‘running mate’ just now. So, that’s what we have to look forward to?)
Morrissey
I am sorry for you that you have to subject yourself to this sort of diarrhoea. But as you are well informed about sports broadcasting etc could you tell me who is the hyped up commentator reporting for Sky and who we hear short bursts of on Radionz Olympic results?
Prob mark watson… He does have some interesting insight…
“Interesting insight”? The guy stands out as an ignoramus and a nutcase even in the notoriously ignorant and nutty world of Radio Sport.
…as he was a full time athelete.
So were the likes of Willy Lose, Ian Smith, and Richard Loe. None of those blokes ever has much intelligent or insightful to say, but they all sound much smarter than Mark Watson.
Actually, on second thought, Ian Smith NEVER has anything interesting, intelligent or insightful to say. The other two have the odd moment.
Morrissey
I am sorry for you that you have to subject yourself to this sort of diarrhoea.
Thanks for the concern, my friend—but that few minutes of idiocy was all I have heard of those learned commentators for weeks. It is instructive to note that such grievously substandard commentary was what I heard from a random sampling. I urge you or anyone else who has a few minutes to waste, to tune in to that station, and I’ll bet Bill Clinton’s weekly whoring budget that you’ll hear something equally ignorant, inane and offensive.
But as you are well informed about sports broadcasting etc could you tell me who is the hyped up commentator reporting for Sky and who we hear short bursts of on Radionz Olympic results?
Mark Watson and Nigel Yalden are the most hyped up of all of them. Yalden pretends to be commentating the races, but he actually does it from a booth in Mt Wellington.
I see John Armstrong is doing a bit of “concern trolling” in his Herald column. I do do not usually read that guy, since he has little to offer beyond right wing cheer leading, but he is one of the few to comment on this week’s ructions. To quote him:
“It is unclear whether the MPs’ musings were simply residual animosity from Cunliffe’s undermining of Phil Goff’s leadership in the run-up to last year’s election. The former is said to have been finance spokesman in name only so sparse was his contribution. The consequent lack of trust in Cunliffe was further deepened by a speech by him in April which was widely seen as a grab for control of the party’s left faction. That resulted in Shearer confronting Cunliffe at a subsequent caucus meeting, which saw the bulk of MPs coming down firmly on Shearer’s side.”
Once again, the right is far more entranced by Labour’s current status quo than the left, and more than happy to reinforce it, while superficially “analysing” the situation.
I read it and I thought this was round two of leaks by whoever the focker is. The allegation that Cunliffe undermined Goff is crap. Goff did it to himself.
The suggestion that Cunliffe is staging a coup is an even bigger pile of crap. Let’s see, a senior MP leaking to a journo that Cunliffe is despised by all of caucus is somehow evidence of a Cunliffe inspired coup against Shearer? Does the guy think that we are idiots?
If Cunliffe can mount a coup by having some insolent prick lie about him to a Journo then he is the greatest politician that ever walked.
It seems to me pretty clear that someone begun to stage a coup against Shearer. But it aint Cunliffe.
David Cunliffe never ever undermined Phil Goff or the Labour Party. He fastidiously worked to make sure he acted and showed traditional Labour Party loyalty. The party membership saw that and they like that. Please stop repeating that old contrived ABC tosh.
David Cunliffe gave a huge input, insight and direction as Finance Spokesperson. The only “sparse” aspect was his public profile: he was instructed to give Phil Goff the limelight so that Phil might go up in the preferred PM stakes. That was the openly known protocol.
“Show me the money”: when Phil floundered on Finance and Economics on TV with John Key, Phil’s team blamed Cunliffe. Phil never had a Finance or Economics role on all of his long career: yet he took his TV briefing/preparation from his strategists/team and not directly from his spokesman, Cunliffe. Phil is a big boy. He should have made sure he had the best preparation for that gig. He didn’t. And Shearer is behaving exactly the same way.
Helen made a mistake in not putting a proper broad leadership selection process in place. The Caucus made a mistake on not replacing Phil earlier. And now we have an embattled leadership team trying to entrench their positions with a 67% veto over the membership’s and affiliate’s wishes.
The behaviours of the past 4-5 years has to stop and there has to be some personnel changes. Very very soon.
Can Armstrong be allowed to get away with this poison piece. If he is lying then Labour should say so. If he isn’t.. Labour needs to do something to prevent the idea of a demoralised faction ridden party getting reinforced in people’s minds. Think the unthinkable – think Queensland.
+1. It’s odd that they do not consider Queensland when you come to think of it, in their determination to pull to the right.
@ Raw Seer: I was certainly not endorsing the article or its contents, I was just drawing attention to it. And while I was convinced that the bit about failing to support Goff was nonsense, I do not have inside information so could not authoritatively refute it. My point in putting it up was to note that ever since Shearer was elected, his greatest defenders are from the right, and this remains the case. While Armstrong appeared to ‘critical engage’ with the Labour Party’s problems, he nonetheless managed to sink the boot into Cunliffe.
My point in putting it up was to note that ever since Shearer was elected, his greatest defenders are from the right
Please define right in this context… I gather Cunliffe is being put forward as everyone’s hero because he’s ‘left’, but I’d like to see some proof of this.
Lie Big, Retract Quietly: Mainstream media sources (especially newspapers) are notorious for reporting flagrantly dishonest and unsupported news stories on the front page, then quietly retracting those stories on the very back page when they are caught. In this case, the point is to railroad the lie into the collective consciousness. Once the lie is finally exposed, it is already too late, and a large portion of the population will not notice or care when the truth comes out.
Unconfirmed Or Controlled Sources As Fact: Cable news venues often cite information from “unnamed” sources, government sources that have an obvious bias or agenda, or “expert” sources without providing an alternative “expert” view. The information provided by these sources is usually backed by nothing more than blind faith.
Calculated Omission: Otherwise known as “cherry picking” data. One simple piece of information or root item of truth can derail an entire disinfo news story, so instead of trying to gloss over it, they simply pretend as if it doesn’t exist. When the fact is omitted, the lie can appear entirely rational. This tactic is also used extensively when disinformation agents and crooked journalists engage in open debate.
Distraction, And The Manufacture Of Relevance: Sometimes the truth wells up into the public awareness regardless of what the media does to bury it. When this occurs their only recourse is to attempt to change the public’s focus and thereby distract them from the truth they were so close to grasping. The media accomplishes this by “over-reporting” on a subject that has nothing to do with the more important issues at hand. Ironically, the media can take an unimportant story, and by reporting on it ad nauseum, cause many Americans to assume that because the media won’t shut-up about it, it must be important!
Dishonest Debate Tactics: Sometimes, men who actually are concerned with the average American’s pursuit of honesty and legitimate fact-driven information break through and appear on T.V. However, rarely are they allowed to share their views or insights without having to fight through a wall of carefully crafted deceit and propaganda.
The other ‘deep thinker’ in the Heralds team of ‘opinion piece’ writers Fran O’Sullivan made some very un-refreshing comments today on the Court of Appeals decision to allow the sale of the Crafer Farms to go ahead,
Spot the snide attack upon Maori who She accuses of ‘bleating’ in their attempt to regain through commercial means farms of significance within their Rohe,
The real information imparted within the abysmally written piece by O’sullivan is tho of greater interest than Her equally abysmal opinions,(spose those are what you get when you take a basic press hack reporter and ask Her to give a opinion),
The ‘new owners’ of the Crafar Farms are very busy people right now having put together a consortium within China with the intent of in the next 5 years building a series of standardized dairy units, (farms), to be initally stocked with a total herd of 200,000 cows,
Obviously the intelligence to build such a foundation for the new Chinese dairy industry will have been gained from the buy in to the Crafar Farms and it will be from Crafar that i would imagine that the breeding herd will be sourced,
I have no objection to the Chinese gaining such valuable knowledge they after all have purchased such at the going rate in terms of the Capitalist ism although my good mood evaporates at the thought of the loss of even more land to overseas interests,
The New Zealand dairy industry tho will by dint of the announced mega-expansion of the Chinese dairy industry, it wont stop at 200,000 cows and will probably rival in out-put in ten years time our own giant Fonterra, will have to aim for being debt free by 2020 as Chinese production even if confined to internal Chinese consumption will effectively collapse the demand for the New Zealand product enjoyed at the moment,
Fran O Sullivan reminds me of those idiots in the 1930’s who thought Hitler and Mussolini were wonderful people who would whip their countries into shape…
Bryce Edwards has a very thoughtful analysis in the Herald, examining the current Labour Party issues in light of wider challenges for political partys.
A few teasers…
Ideology and political principles are drained as the hired guns focus on the whims of a small group of swinging voters and the result is bland and, in the end, counter-productive. ‘Labour-lite’ and ‘National-lite’ are leveled as insults, but are not proof of a national consensus over policy….
Contrary to what some MPs may think, they can’t actually run their campaigns with just parliamentary staff…
Shearer’s ‘guy in my electorate’ who resents beneficiary bludgers may not read the Imperator Fish blog, but those who do read it represent a lot of pamphlets delivered, doors knocked, voters driven to polling booths and discussions with friends about who to vote for. Some of them may even be sickness beneficiaries.
Things sure are going swimmingly in Aghanistan. In Vietnam there was talk about a ‘decent interval’, the idea being, pretty much, ‘declare victory and leave.’
Why am I not fucking surprised in the least thunderf00t would do such a fucking stupid thing?
Oh right, it was the string of downright stupid blog posts displaying complete fucking blindness and selective reading skills on feminism and inability to practice scepticism101 both at FTB and on his personal soapbox…
In my opinion, Nick Smith’s pro-fracking article just confirms what a complete ignoramus he is.
THE hysteria sweeping the country over fracking is like a modern-day version of the Chicken Licken story. It is not the sky falling in but a fear of what is happening underground that has seen groups like Frack-Free Tairawhiti form. Some councils have also jumped on the Green’s “Don’t Frack with NZ’’ bandwagon. It is time to inject some science and common sense into the debate.
[…]
The second concern is pollution of waterways and aquifers. These risks are also low. The proppants used are just fillers and the toxicity of the lubricants is similar to dish washing liquid.
Ah yes! The old it’s as safe as dishwashing liquid rubbish, which Smith also used to describe CoreXit 9500 when it was applied in close proximity to Tauranga residents to disperse the heavy oil leaking from the MV Rena… Nothing like a bit of cancer-causing hazardous toxins and endocrine-disrupting chemicals to wash the dishes with eh!
Josh O’Neill has a good response to the idiotic argument of National’s former Conservation and Environment Minister.
Dr Smith says “small amounts of proppants and lubricants” are used in the process. A report on fracking to the US House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce last year said that over the course of the life of a well around 440,000 litres of chemicals are used. So it probably depends on how one defines “small”.
The industry and politicians keep saying the chemicals are no worse than household cleaners and ice cream ingredients but the potential for 440,000 litres of “dishwashing liquid” (per well pad) entering our environment is enough reason for a ban on fracking. A report tabled in the US House of Representatives last year said 29 of the chemicals injected into wells were known or suspected human carcinogens.
[…]
Let us also consider the science on climate change that clearly shows we are not making the changes required fast enough and cheap fossil fuels are major contributors to the problem. There is competing evidence on gas as a better alternative to coal as a transition fuel, with some studies showing gas will be worse in the long run.
Like Dr Smith, I am passionate about New Zealand’s natural environment. We want to bequeath our children a nation with a great lifestyle, a strong economy and a clean environment — but without the latter, the first two don’t exist. All this will only be possible if we take a rational, science-based approach to our natural resources and risk management.
Speaking of water contamination, over 20% of the worlds replenishing fresh water has now been irreparably destroyed. Water will soon be in short supply… Perhaps why National is trying to ensure a large amount of it is privatized with the Mixed Ownership Model Bill.
thats right dave kennedy.
they should tell us how many states in the USA have completely poisoned their water tables and aquifers and how they get their freshwater requirements now.
Seems that whenever Owen Glenn reveals his hand as supporting an organisation they go belly up..
Now its the warriors turn.The Warriors are having a nightmare since he started shouting from the rooftops how wonderful he was going to be for them …
Would that be a bit like the promise Owen Glenn made back in September last year when he said he would give at least a hundred million if National and Act won the next election? Haven’t heard a jot about him making any payments since.
If he really does this, I reckon it’s the best use of donor money on a social (and economic) cause ever. Absolute scourge of society with so much impact in every sphere. I applaud him for choosing reducing domestic violence as his ’cause’ – it’s underfunded and the damage under appreciated.
This post by rosy is a poignant and intelligent reminder of the costs of domestic violence and why anyone stepping in to prevent or mend the damage – whatever their political persuasion – should be cheered on.
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Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
Karl du Fresne writes – There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
David Farrar writes – The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time.A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced ...
You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated. While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
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Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference. “In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed ...
The Tribunal had called on Minister for Children Karen Chhour to provide evidence at an urgent inquiry into the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Midjourney image by T.J. Thomson As more than half of Australian office workers report using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for work, we’re starting to see this technology affect every ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Nicole Sharwood, Injury epidemiologist | Expert Witness, UNSW Sydney Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock Injuries are the leading cause of disability and death among Australian children and adolescents. At least a quarter of all emergency department presentations during childhood are injury-related. Injuries can ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Di Winkler, Adjunct Associate Professor, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University Shutterstock/Ground PictureMany Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Salman Shooshtarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Salman Shooshtarian Asbestos has been found in mulch used for playgrounds, schools, parks and gardens across Sydney and Melbourne. Local communities naturally fear for the health of their ...
Family First says that the latest abortion statistics make grim and upsetting reading, with a 25% increase in abortions since the decriminalisation of abortion in March 2020. According to an Official Information Act request received by Right to Life ...
Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study on populism reveals a pervasive sense of societal and economic decline among New Zealanders. MORE DETAILS AND FULL REPORT HERE Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study ...
A couple of things to consider when preparing for future resource scarcities and climate change:
http://www.nature.com/news/demand-for-water-outstrips-supply-1.11143
And frakking uses more ground water than many places can afford to lose:
http://www.accuracy.org/release/nature-study-on-diminishing-groundwater-resources-another-reason-to-ban-fracking/
And then there’s the hunger wars:
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175579/tomgram%3A_michael_klare%2C_post-apocalyptic_fantasy_becomes_everyday_reality/#more
Intensive agriculture the answer you say, Gerry? Alongside ‘drill it, mine it, sell it’? Yeah, right!
US corn crop projected to be down 17% this season, to lows not seen since the 1980’s. This is because almost 70% of the midwest corn growing region is in a prolonged drought. And the US is the largest producer of corn in the world, by far.
Just in case, and, not wishing to be an alarmist, but,buy a kilo bag of rice with your weekly shopping until such time? as the US corn production either recovers or fails altogether…
Or buy NZ grown grains to encourage NZ farmers to grow grain for the local market.
Yes true, If the supermarket sells em and they aint all being fed to the cows and pigs…
I think the problem is that NZ farmers are so tied into the export market and that drives their crop choices. I doubt that there is any NZ grown rice though 😉
And it’s all GM corn that cannot withstand drought or changing conditions — seed built only for money and no sustainability, just like everything else !!
And buying rice .. 90% of rice grown in China is now GMO … good luck shopping !
I also heard they have already closed all the ethanol manufacturing plants in USA due to corn shortages.
Times they are a’changing …
ya got that all wrong…. Its an extremely drought resistant strain thats why its still alive… Its also why they have been able to increase yield despite a drying climate…
Friday, 10 August 2012 15:34 Javier Blas , Gregory Meyer, Financial Times
The UN has called for an immediate suspension of government-mandated US ethanol production, adding to pressure on Barack Obama to address the food-versus-fuel debate in the run-up to presidential elections.
Most US ethanol is made from corn. The dispute over ethanol promotion pits states such as Iowa that benefit from higher corn prices – and in some cases are swing states in the election – against livestock-raising states such as Texas that are helped by lower corn prices.
The UN intervention will be seized upon by state governors, lawmakers and the meat and livestock industry, who have expressed alarm at surging prices for corn. Members of the Group of 20 leading economies – including France, India and China – have already expressed concern about the US ethanol policy.
[Another failed UN / Green policy]
You thought Murray Deaker was sub-standard?
Baseless claims by Tony Johnson re Belorussian shot putter
NewstalkZB, Friday 10 August 2012, 5:50 p.m.
The Huddle is a notoriously bad segment on Larry Williams Drive, which is itself a notoriously bad radio program. Featuring such brutally partisan and unpleasant commentators as Bill Ralston, his ghastly wife Janet Wilson, the unsurpassingly vicious Ellen Read, the crazed Cameron (Whaleoil) Slater, the superficially nice but not nice David Farrar and the false front bonhomie of Jock Anderson, it’s hard to imagine that whatever follows them could be any worse, but with the calibre of sports correspondents like one Tony Johnson, AKA “T.J.”, it is on many occasions, incredibly, much, much, much worse. . . . .
LARRY WILLIAMS: Valerie Adams must have been disappointed to miss out on a gold medal, T.J.
TONY JOHNSON: [with gravitas] Frankly, I think the winner is a cheat. The word around the traps is that she is a cheat.
LARRY WILLIAMS: But there is no evidence of that. She passed every test.
NIGEL YALDEN: I have seen no evidence that she is a cheat.
TONY JOHNSON: Well that’s the word around the traps.
Reasonable people might ask if these “traps” which “T.J.” has been “around” are the same traps which recently brought forth the bitterly fanciful notion, also unsupported by any evidence whatsoever, that the referee in the 2007 RWC quarter-final match was corrupt.
Reasonable people might also ask how much research “T.J.” does for his assignments, and how much of that “research” is done around “traps” with names like The Flying Horse, the Crown and the Red Lion…
The USA had a now well known drug cheat called Marion Jones. However despite their relay team breaking the world record this morning, no cries of “must be cheating”. The former darling of US track and field, Carl Lewis was revealled to have tested positive for a banned substance prior to one of his olympics but the US Olympic Committee covered up the results…
The former iron curtain states do not have the money they used to for cheating yet the prejudice remains.
Gatlin (US) a proven drug cheat “won” a bronze… no one had the balls to question its legitimacy or the disgrace that he could even compete. Someone who may have worked damned hard and fair didn’t get a spot because of him. But he’s from the USA, so it’s ok.
That’s the way it is these days! (Apropos of which I heard the BBC WS promoting Mitt Romney’s insane ‘running mate’ just now. So, that’s what we have to look forward to?)
Look for the youtube clip where Romney introduces his running mate as the “Next PRESIDENT of the United States”
Morrissey
I am sorry for you that you have to subject yourself to this sort of diarrhoea. But as you are well informed about sports broadcasting etc could you tell me who is the hyped up commentator reporting for Sky and who we hear short bursts of on Radionz Olympic results?
Prob mark watson… He does have some interesting insight as he was a full time athelete. Never really cracked it tho. Same with the commentary imo
Prob mark watson… He does have some interesting insight…
“Interesting insight”? The guy stands out as an ignoramus and a nutcase even in the notoriously ignorant and nutty world of Radio Sport.
…as he was a full time athelete.
So were the likes of Willy Lose, Ian Smith, and Richard Loe. None of those blokes ever has much intelligent or insightful to say, but they all sound much smarter than Mark Watson.
Actually, on second thought, Ian Smith NEVER has anything interesting, intelligent or insightful to say. The other two have the odd moment.
People who care about sports and sports commentating should sign this….
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Petition-to-stop-Mark-Watson-ever-hosting-a-Radio-Sport-show-again/292523894091086
Morrissey
I am sorry for you that you have to subject yourself to this sort of diarrhoea.
Thanks for the concern, my friend—but that few minutes of idiocy was all I have heard of those learned commentators for weeks. It is instructive to note that such grievously substandard commentary was what I heard from a random sampling. I urge you or anyone else who has a few minutes to waste, to tune in to that station, and I’ll bet Bill Clinton’s weekly whoring budget that you’ll hear something equally ignorant, inane and offensive.
But as you are well informed about sports broadcasting etc could you tell me who is the hyped up commentator reporting for Sky and who we hear short bursts of on Radionz Olympic results?
Mark Watson and Nigel Yalden are the most hyped up of all of them. Yalden pretends to be commentating the races, but he actually does it from a booth in Mt Wellington.
I see John Armstrong is doing a bit of “concern trolling” in his Herald column. I do do not usually read that guy, since he has little to offer beyond right wing cheer leading, but he is one of the few to comment on this week’s ructions. To quote him:
“It is unclear whether the MPs’ musings were simply residual animosity from Cunliffe’s undermining of Phil Goff’s leadership in the run-up to last year’s election. The former is said to have been finance spokesman in name only so sparse was his contribution. The consequent lack of trust in Cunliffe was further deepened by a speech by him in April which was widely seen as a grab for control of the party’s left faction. That resulted in Shearer confronting Cunliffe at a subsequent caucus meeting, which saw the bulk of MPs coming down firmly on Shearer’s side.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10826078
Once again, the right is far more entranced by Labour’s current status quo than the left, and more than happy to reinforce it, while superficially “analysing” the situation.
True, but it is the NZ Herald, they have never bothered about real news. Armstrong is a pathetic excuse for an journalist, his ignorance always outshines the facts, and he looks even more stupid when you place his article next to a press release from a respectable website:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1208/S00151/roy-morgan-poll-national-44-labour-32-green-14.htm
I read it and I thought this was round two of leaks by whoever the focker is. The allegation that Cunliffe undermined Goff is crap. Goff did it to himself.
The suggestion that Cunliffe is staging a coup is an even bigger pile of crap. Let’s see, a senior MP leaking to a journo that Cunliffe is despised by all of caucus is somehow evidence of a Cunliffe inspired coup against Shearer? Does the guy think that we are idiots?
If Cunliffe can mount a coup by having some insolent prick lie about him to a Journo then he is the greatest politician that ever walked.
It seems to me pretty clear that someone begun to stage a coup against Shearer. But it aint Cunliffe.
David Cunliffe never ever undermined Phil Goff or the Labour Party. He fastidiously worked to make sure he acted and showed traditional Labour Party loyalty. The party membership saw that and they like that. Please stop repeating that old contrived ABC tosh.
David Cunliffe gave a huge input, insight and direction as Finance Spokesperson. The only “sparse” aspect was his public profile: he was instructed to give Phil Goff the limelight so that Phil might go up in the preferred PM stakes. That was the openly known protocol.
“Show me the money”: when Phil floundered on Finance and Economics on TV with John Key, Phil’s team blamed Cunliffe. Phil never had a Finance or Economics role on all of his long career: yet he took his TV briefing/preparation from his strategists/team and not directly from his spokesman, Cunliffe. Phil is a big boy. He should have made sure he had the best preparation for that gig. He didn’t. And Shearer is behaving exactly the same way.
Helen made a mistake in not putting a proper broad leadership selection process in place. The Caucus made a mistake on not replacing Phil earlier. And now we have an embattled leadership team trying to entrench their positions with a 67% veto over the membership’s and affiliate’s wishes.
The behaviours of the past 4-5 years has to stop and there has to be some personnel changes. Very very soon.
Quite right. The people who installed Shearer were largely responsible.
Can Armstrong be allowed to get away with this poison piece. If he is lying then Labour should say so. If he isn’t.. Labour needs to do something to prevent the idea of a demoralised faction ridden party getting reinforced in people’s minds. Think the unthinkable – think Queensland.
+1. It’s odd that they do not consider Queensland when you come to think of it, in their determination to pull to the right.
@ Raw Seer: I was certainly not endorsing the article or its contents, I was just drawing attention to it. And while I was convinced that the bit about failing to support Goff was nonsense, I do not have inside information so could not authoritatively refute it. My point in putting it up was to note that ever since Shearer was elected, his greatest defenders are from the right, and this remains the case. While Armstrong appeared to ‘critical engage’ with the Labour Party’s problems, he nonetheless managed to sink the boot into Cunliffe.
“nonetheless managed to sink the boot into Cunliffe”
–When the establishment systems, single out an individual for special treatment, it is wise to put the thought processes into “smell a rat” mode.
Please define right in this context… I gather Cunliffe is being put forward as everyone’s hero because he’s ‘left’, but I’d like to see some proof of this.
Disinformation and dishonest debate tactics of the MSM
Posted elsewhere too, but included here because they are good
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/disinformation-how-it-works
The other ‘deep thinker’ in the Heralds team of ‘opinion piece’ writers Fran O’Sullivan made some very un-refreshing comments today on the Court of Appeals decision to allow the sale of the Crafer Farms to go ahead,
Spot the snide attack upon Maori who She accuses of ‘bleating’ in their attempt to regain through commercial means farms of significance within their Rohe,
The real information imparted within the abysmally written piece by O’sullivan is tho of greater interest than Her equally abysmal opinions,(spose those are what you get when you take a basic press hack reporter and ask Her to give a opinion),
The ‘new owners’ of the Crafar Farms are very busy people right now having put together a consortium within China with the intent of in the next 5 years building a series of standardized dairy units, (farms), to be initally stocked with a total herd of 200,000 cows,
Obviously the intelligence to build such a foundation for the new Chinese dairy industry will have been gained from the buy in to the Crafar Farms and it will be from Crafar that i would imagine that the breeding herd will be sourced,
I have no objection to the Chinese gaining such valuable knowledge they after all have purchased such at the going rate in terms of the Capitalist ism although my good mood evaporates at the thought of the loss of even more land to overseas interests,
The New Zealand dairy industry tho will by dint of the announced mega-expansion of the Chinese dairy industry, it wont stop at 200,000 cows and will probably rival in out-put in ten years time our own giant Fonterra, will have to aim for being debt free by 2020 as Chinese production even if confined to internal Chinese consumption will effectively collapse the demand for the New Zealand product enjoyed at the moment,
http://www.topix.com/…/fran-osullivan-crafar-farms-decision-a-breath-of-fresh-air
Fran O Sullivan reminds me of those idiots in the 1930’s who thought Hitler and Mussolini were wonderful people who would whip their countries into shape…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10825760
Bryce Edwards has a very thoughtful analysis in the Herald, examining the current Labour Party issues in light of wider challenges for political partys.
A few teasers…
Ideology and political principles are drained as the hired guns focus on the whims of a small group of swinging voters and the result is bland and, in the end, counter-productive. ‘Labour-lite’ and ‘National-lite’ are leveled as insults, but are not proof of a national consensus over policy….
Contrary to what some MPs may think, they can’t actually run their campaigns with just parliamentary staff…
Shearer’s ‘guy in my electorate’ who resents beneficiary bludgers may not read the Imperator Fish blog, but those who do read it represent a lot of pamphlets delivered, doors knocked, voters driven to polling booths and discussions with friends about who to vote for. Some of them may even be sickness beneficiaries.
Things sure are going swimmingly in Aghanistan. In Vietnam there was talk about a ‘decent interval’, the idea being, pretty much, ‘declare victory and leave.’
http://wapo.st/QOGKl8
The other phrase in play, is always, ‘decide who to lose to’.
Grrrrr:
http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2012/08/10/summary-of-thunderf00tphil-masons-disgrace/
Why am I not fucking surprised in the least thunderf00t would do such a fucking stupid thing?
Oh right, it was the string of downright stupid blog posts displaying complete fucking blindness and selective reading skills on feminism and inability to practice scepticism101 both at FTB and on his personal soapbox…
And it gets worse:
http://freethoughtblogs.com/nataliereed/2012/08/10/all-in/
Threatening to out a transperson is just fucking heartbreaking and worthy of you being branded a complete fucking idiot.
The fracking debate is heating up and Gareth and touring Australian environmentalist Drew Hutton need to be listened to and have their concerns taken seriously. Phil Heatley and Nick Smith haven’t been entirely honest about this rapidly expanding industry:
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/the-facts-around-fracking-frenzy.html
Nice roundup there Dave Kennedy.
In my opinion, Nick Smith’s pro-fracking article just confirms what a complete ignoramus he is.
Ah yes! The old it’s as safe as dishwashing liquid rubbish, which Smith also used to describe CoreXit 9500 when it was applied in close proximity to Tauranga residents to disperse the heavy oil leaking from the MV Rena… Nothing like a bit of cancer-causing hazardous toxins and endocrine-disrupting chemicals to wash the dishes with eh!
Josh O’Neill has a good response to the idiotic argument of National’s former Conservation and Environment Minister.
Speaking of water contamination, over 20% of the worlds replenishing fresh water has now been irreparably destroyed. Water will soon be in short supply… Perhaps why National is trying to ensure a large amount of it is privatized with the Mixed Ownership Model Bill.
thats right dave kennedy.
they should tell us how many states in the USA have completely poisoned their water tables and aquifers and how they get their freshwater requirements now.
Now this is interesting and would go a long way toward improving houses in NZ. A building material and insulation made out of hemp.
Seems that whenever Owen Glenn reveals his hand as supporting an organisation they go belly up..
Now its the warriors turn.The Warriors are having a nightmare since he started shouting from the rooftops how wonderful he was going to be for them …
Yep – seems he’s got the Midas touch. Rugby Union must have realised it just in time.
Yeah what an asshole…
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/owen-glenn-commits-80-million-family-violence-4973756
Would that be a bit like the promise Owen Glenn made back in September last year when he said he would give at least a hundred million if National and Act won the next election? Haven’t heard a jot about him making any payments since.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Multi-millionaire-businessman-now-backs-National/tabid/370/articleID/224472/Default.aspx
Exactly. What an asshole to only give up $80m. Scumbag.
What an odd choice of words contrarian… what prompted that comment?
If he really does this, I reckon it’s the best use of donor money on a social (and economic) cause ever. Absolute scourge of society with so much impact in every sphere. I applaud him for choosing reducing domestic violence as his ’cause’ – it’s underfunded and the damage under appreciated.
I hope Owen Glenn follows through on his promise.
This post by rosy is a poignant and intelligent reminder of the costs of domestic violence and why anyone stepping in to prevent or mend the damage – whatever their political persuasion – should be cheered on.