Hi everyone. Rodney Hide speaking and it’s great to be me. I just wanted to let you know a bit about the Labour-Green power plan. Here are 10 reasons why it is just plain wrong, you know, like I was when I rorted the taxpayer out of heaps of perk-based cash.
1. Electricity prices are working: The Labour and the Greens say the market isn’t working, but it is. Prices are only rising as much as they should. The market is working completely correctly because when I switch the light on my lights go. That’s the market working.
2. Electricity prices are fair and reasonable: You know, generators hardly pay anything to make hydropower, but it’s no longer sufficient to cover demand. And remember, if we all turn on the lights at the same time, and make toast, and put on our electric blankets, that increases demand. And simple economics suggest that I should be able to make more money out of the situation because I’m a MRP shareholder, if I was.
3. Quick! Turn up the swimming pool: Poor people don’t have swimming pools so they don’t use as much power as people who live in Ilam or Orakei. Rich people have bigger houses too. And other houses. All the savings will go to the rich people. That’s just stupid. We’d rather have tax cuts. But then again, some of us don’t really pay much tax anyway so $6 a week is like a large flat white, or something. Poor people won’t get as much of a saving so we shouldn’t do it.
4. The lights will go out: As soon as the government starts up a single market, our generators will not be motivated by simple supply and demand. No. They will be motivated by Sir Robert Muldoon, God rest his soul. We all remember what happened with Pharmac – no we have no drugs to treat ‘flu’ outbreaks when they happen.
5. We all lose as taxpayers: the Government owns quite a lot of power generation, so any drop in revenue will mean less government money. And if we continue to sell these power generating companies, revenues will drop even further, so we shouldn’t sell them either. Um… ignore that last bit.
6. Businesses shut, jobs gone: Both the Labour and the Greens are promising more business and more jobs. There is no way businesses will hire more people if their overheads are falling. It’s just not logical. If I owned a business and I had more money and the economy was growing because people had more money because they were paying more for power, the last thing I would be doing is thinking about hiring more people.
7. What about the planet? The Labour and the Greens have said for years we should be paying higher prices for power because of oil or the greenhouse or something. I wasn’t really listening. If they really want to stop global warming then they should let power companies charge heaps for their product. I’m no scientist, but surely if people don’t turn their heaters on because they can’t afford power, the earth will not be as warm.
8. We have choice and competition: There are over 4 million people in New Zealand. We are all able to switch power companies any time we want. I remember Meridian came knocking at my door with a better deal. We changed. The next day Mercury Energy turned up with an even sweeter deal. We changed again. The next day Genesis turned up with an amazing deal AND a meat pack. Again we changed. This is a free country. I can do whatever I want. I’m sure the power companies are sending people out into the poorer suburbs of Auckland and Wellington to get better deals like this.
9. Shearer-Norman power: The power market is one of the easiest to enter. The Labour and the Greens claim companies are making “super-profits”. If that were the case, they could set up their own power company and fund their election campaign – and lower power prices for everyone. It’s just like charter schools: a school is quite easy to set up because kids are everywhere. All you need is a building, a reem of paper and some HB pencils to provide a quality, unregistered, unmonitored education for those kids. I’m not really sure where I’m going with this, but there is a link there, believe you me. And it will be bad.
10. It’s cheaper to hand out money: The Greens and the Labour would be better to hand out money to help poor families pay for power. While they’re at it why don’t they hand out money for everything the poor can’t afford. Housing, food, school, healthcare. Talk about fence at the top of a cliff. In the last 30 years New Zealand has had a proud tradition of putting the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. Why should we stop now.
Yes they should just call Hides column a party political statement on behalf of the government, nice summary boonman saves me wading through his biased dribble.
The man who sold out auckland has as much credibility as arrogant Gilmore.
Is there a pejorative tone in this NZ Herald article about the experienced Auckland lawyer involved in a large number of Christchurch earthquake court claims ?
I detect such a tone frankly.
If I’m not wrong what’s that all about I wonder ? Concern for the interests of established Christchurch law firms ? Or the insurance companies perhaps ? Concern expressed, by way of pejorative rather than direct statement, in the MSM. Who is being served here or is this just some rubbish pumped out by some cub reporter ?
Seems the man did a not too bad job for his clients in a recent well publicised case. Certainly his clients appear to be reasonably satisfied.
My guess is that he’s upsetting the Chch legal establishment, who would no doubt be in cahoots with the insurance companies and the businesses that are doing well out of the reconstruction. It was weird, because it seems like he’s doing a reasonable job.
There is no council or state owned land that the private sector does not want
QFT
And this government is giving it to them taking us back to the days of feudalism. We’ll end up a society with land barons and serfs – just as National intend and their rich mates want.
Why not go the whole hog and transfer public hospitals as well to private charities. Just as they were in the 19th Century.
There is a reason why social provision was taken out of the hands of private charities.
Do you want a church as your landlord?
How about some rich Remuera dowager?
Do we want rich donors to again decide who are the “deserving poor”?
Will you have to be a “Good Christian”? Will you have to make ‘The Pledge” to get your family off the street?
And haven’t the major private charities and churches got huge property portfolios already?
No doubt humiliating those less well off will bring a warm glow to the hearts of the toffs.
And when these private charities decide to, in turn, divest themselves of their private property, as they see fit, or “because the need is greater somewhere else”. Then we will truely be back in the 19th Century, with mass homelessness and begging urchins on the streets. Giving these private charities even greater opportunities for the rich to publicly display their philanthropy. How else will they be able to keep on receiving their knighthoods and royal investitures, but by grandiose public displays of their largesse. Given to the suitably grateful deserving poor. And not those terrible Chartists or other ingrates who dare to question why they have been reduced to beggars for a place to live.
“And when these private charities decide to, in turn, divest themselves of their private property………”
It’s a two stager: (1) Off to the private charities, and when they can’t afford upkeep and maintenance (which is fully anticipated of course), (2) Off to private money which will “manage” without a hint of charity (which is fully anticipated of course).
Result: no more social housing. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer.
As planned ? “God, I don’t know (despairingly).” Eventually we’re going to need a “Spring”.
They gave a massive tax cut to the rich of this country, then turned around to the rest of the country and said we have no money. We need to sell our assets to get some money. And who could afford to buy those assets…the rich.
If there is one story that should be at the front of every opposition election campaign in 2014, it is this.
The only New Zealanders this government gives a damn about is the 2.5 %.
Look at what they have done, not what they say.
A ‘must read article’ by Tracy Watkins on Stuff this morning in light of the proposed changes to the GCSB Act
An American expert who came to New Zealand to write a report on border security claims he was subject to heavy-handed tactics by intelligence agencies that seemed determined to shut him down.
….
In an extraordinary series of allegations, he says he was threatened with an investigation by the Security Intelligence Service, locked out of his office at NZ Customs, had his computer hard drive and research materials seized while colleagues reported his rubbish bins being searched – he believes by the SIS.
Lebamoff was at one stage so concerned by the reaction of New Zealand authorities to his border security report he says he feared being stopped as he tried to leave the country.
In an even more bizarre twist, he says he was warned off by the director of New Zealand’s Intelligence Co-ordination Group, Roy Ferguson, who is based in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC).
Adding weight to Lebamoff’s claims, Ferguson does not dispute the meeting and acknowledges he became involved as a matter of national security. He also confirms that a representative of the US Embassy was at the meeting. The embassy has refused comment.
It all adds up to what seems like an extraordinary over-reaction to a report that largely concluded the major threat to New Zealand’s borders was not terrorism but a biosecurity breach. ….
Seems like his report is not what senior officials wanted to hear.
Seems like senior officials wanted to start a hackneyed old “terrorism drumbeat” up in order to justify some of the changes we tot he GCSB etc are now seeing.
I suspect that we will see more about this, in view of his refusal to sign a Deed agreeing not to publish his report. Dotcom’s lawyers may well be interested in the report …..
Lebamoff says after being summoned to the meeting at a building in Wellington’s Pipitea St he was given a lecture on the importance of the New Zealand-US relationship.
“He [Ferguson] said he didn’t want to damage that; there were things in my report that could potentially damage that. I had no idea what he was talking about. He gave me no specifics.”
Tony Ryall on q&a finished his interview by using a rugby analogy that National were “ankle tapped” by Labour/Greens. I thinked he cocked up and was meant to say that National were “Head high tackled” but got his rugby analogies mixed up, nothing wrong with an “ankle tap” Tony. Thinking about it, “Ankle tap” perfectly sums up what the Greens/Labour did, now they need to come over the top and clean the bastards out.
I suspect Mr Ryall’s error has something to do with the fact that his interest in rugby is with what lies below, rather than above, a rugby players belt…
Shoes, I mean, of course. Mr Ryall’s well known as a clothes horse.
Ryall trying to talk about rugby reflects quite appropriately National trying to have something to say about Labour-Greens policy.
If media do not get Gilmore’s personal stuff to run this week, maybe someone can deflect it to Ryall knowing something more personal than having his ankle tapped. About time that came out.
I’m sure all that dirt is useful for keeping Ryall in line. But if he should ever find himself on someone’s wrong side them I imagine a whole bunch of stuff could come tumbling out.
Saarbo, Ryall must’ve had a briefing from that noted front row forward Boss Hogg Bennett because he did allude to the head-high earlier in the interview.
Maybe the erroneous mention of the ankle-tap came from a movement commonly seen in traditional dance performed by strikingly muscular Polynesian men.
Tigger at 8.1 ………Tigger Tigger Tigger !
Bad Boy ! Tony Ryall’s dress sense is impeccable. Take for example the boldly checked table-cloth business shirts underneath the perennial barristerial pinstripes. This riot of colour and clash fabulously finished off with dots or paisley in madly eyecatching half/full windsor knotted ties.
One can see the hand of Gok Wan in there somewhere, or maybe not.
After 1989 (1991?) at the beginning of Tomorrows Schools, School Publications very nearly were abolished by the then new National Government. The School Journals are unique to NZ and for one thing provide “books” to kids who have no books at home. They are brilliant and if they went out of business to satisfy a business market model there will be some very angry children, parents and teachers!
yeah, I wonder what happens locally with procurement, oh, that’s right đ (only a matter of time Colonel, only a matter of time; and with cabbages and caulis only $1.98 (untrimmed) on the weekends at the big yellow store, less physical gardening to do!)
now, where was that anglo-saxon parchment of Chris’s…
Even European manufacturers are reluctant to get behind EU investigations into Huawei and ZTE subsidies for fear of being shut out of the China market, so Huawei has a double-whammy market advantage that could never be emulated in NZ.
I have no idea how this would be anything but deflating to an NZ business with global ambitions.
When and how the US will become involved in Syria is becoming clearer.
One thing is for sure. It will not be for humanitarian reasons to halt the killings. Or liberate the Syrian people.
It will be to attack those they see as their political enemies. At the top of the US hit list is not the murderous Bashar Assad but one of the rebel forces Al Nusra. A far from homogeneous Islamic liberation movement which makes up part of the united front against Assad.
The commander – a moderate Sunni and an influential rebel leader from Damascus who said he has met intelligence operatives from Western and Arab states – said the US officials were especially keen to obtain information about the identities of Al Nusra insurgents and the locations of their bases.
Then, by the rebel commander’s account, the discussion took an unexpected turn.
The Americans began discussing the possibility of drone strikes on Al Nusra camps inside Syria and tried to enlist the rebels to fight their fellow insurgents.
“The US intelligence officer said, ‘We can train 30 of your fighters a month, and we want you to fight Al Nusra’,” the rebel commander recalled.
Opposition forces should be uniting against Mr Al Assad’s more powerful and better-equipped army, not waging war among themselves, the rebel commander replied. The response from a senior US intelligence officer was blunt.
“I’m not going to lie to you. We’d prefer you fight Al Nusra now, and then fight Assad’s army. You should kill these Nusra people. We’ll do it if you don’t,” the rebel leader quoted the officer as saying.
It looks likely, that if the rebels are seen to be close to defeating the Assad regime, and the end of the civil warn is drawing near to a close. The US and their well paid and supported agents (probably repackaged unemployed Assad loyalists) will act to extend and prolong the blood letting by exploiting the sectarian differences among the rebels.
What are the Syrian people to do in such circumstances?
They will have no choice but to declare, “We are all Al Nusra” and “An attack on one, is an attack on all”.
Only by keeping the united front whole, have the Syrians any real chance of a lasting peace.
The rebel commander who described meeting US intelligence officers in Jordan said he had refused to give them any information about Al Nusra.
Although not a supporter of Al Qaeda’s ideology, he said the Americans were being too clumsy and would only undermine the revolt against Mr Al Assad.
“There are three strands of Al Nusra – the minority are serious Al Qaeda people, some are just in for the glamor of fighting jihad and the majority are ordinary Syrians who just want to save their country,” he said.
Since that meeting the rebel commander has not bothered to talk to Western or Arab intelligence agencies, despite what he described as frequent invitations for more talks. Rather than wait for foreign governments to supply weapons, his group has imported their own advanced explosives and begun manufacturing their own munitions.
“They [foreign governments] are not fighting for the same things as us,” he said. “Syrians are fighting for our freedom, while they just want us to bleed to death fighting each other.”
It looks likely, that if the rebels are seen to be close to defeating the Assad regime, and the end of the civil warn is drawing near to a close. The US and their well paid and supported agents (probably repackaged unemployed Assad loyalists) will act to extend and prolong the blood letting by exploiting the sectarian differences among the rebels.
What are the Syrian people to do in such circumstances?
They will have no choice but to declare, âWe are all Al Nusraâ and âAn attack on one, is an attack on allâ.
Jenny, Syria is a lot more complicated than you make it out to be. Who are the “Syrian people” you are talking about here? The country is riven along multiple faultlines, see this article here for a quick breakdown of them :
The simple fact is that there is a civil war being fought, based on sectarian divisions within Syria. Supporters of the carious sects are aiding their allies. The west doesn’t have any natural allies in terms of those sectarian differences, and that is why it has largely stayed out of it.
The west does however have perceived interests in the war. the Assad regime has large stockpiles of weaponry. Whatever happens, something will happen to those weapons and that’s largely what the west is concerned about. The FSA is not lilly white. The West is under no moral obligation to help them. It’s a civil war. Their war.
Intervening in a civil war, where you don’t have any real ties to the place is a fraught business. The intentions of the Sunni majority are not clear. They themselves are in fact divided. They are in fact linked to Iraqi Sunni groups. This is not surprising due to the fact of tribal and family links.
On the other side you’ve got Hezbollah openly saying that they will be defenders of the Golan. There are multiple angles to this. Firstly they are supporting the regime in Syria for the Shia sectarian reason. Secondly, a sunni regime in Syria would be less likely to allow Iranian arms to travel to lebanon on their roads, Thirdly the support they give now will pay dividends should the Assad regime fall. Hezbollah can move a ‘franchise, if you like, into Syria to be the defenders of Syrian Shia in the same way they are in Lebanon. And Syrian Shia are going to need defenders from any new Sunni led regime.
So when you say “the syrian people” who are you talking about, and who are you excluding?
Hurry Hurry selling fast NZ to the highest bidder dont worry about a democratic govt or international governance capitalism is king .You to can own a country just ring KEY BROKERAGE @FORMERNZ GOVT
Wait theres more we will throw in the Southern Basin Oil reserves plus all the mining you want
No elections to worry about just come on in with your nuclear power and WHY
Hamilton is far to wealthy, it simple needs loud cars droning continuously driving around the city center to drive retial customers away, why council does not do anything about them???
I am glad the prat has gone and the smokescreen has lifted, to show more worrying concerns like the GCSB bill. THAT is what we should now concern ourselves over, not some low life arrogant rightwing shit.
I’ve been listening to Radionz Te Ahi Kaa on at 6.06 pm Sundays. I recommend this to keep in touch with the positives and advances and successes of Maori which we don’t tend to hear or read about otherwise because they don’t get featured.
Maori have been contending with the Government again with Jokeyhen saying that bandwidth for 4G is not a taonga. Of course it is vital for Maori in this technological age but gummint seem to always want to give them the old car down the back yard that needs fixing as their idea to help Maori get with it in the IT age.
They were mentioning Maori they didn’t get television until they went to the Privy Council. Each time they have come up against gummint intransigence in Court they have won. And it has been stated that these tech systems are taonga. But still National and right wing Labour have a bigoted, prejudiced attitude that doesn’t want to see Maori advance.
And apparently Telecom and Vodafone have ‘special advisors’ in Mobie that understand and probably facilitate their interests but 2 Degrees, no.
Of course keeping up with Maori news is made easy if you listen on Radionz throughout the day to Te Manu Korihi –
‘Providing news on MÄori issues, Te Manu Korihi features four times each weekday, in Radio New Zealand National’s leading news programmes Morning Report (6.27am and 8.45am) and Checkpoint (5.45pm and 6.45pm).’
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Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that âNew Zealandâs economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerfulâ. They also believe that âNew Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerfulâ. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
âYou talking about me?âThe neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hallâs âGlide Timeâ caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Our two-tiered system for veteransâ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veteransâ affairs spokesperson Greg OâConnor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxonâs management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last yearâs severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labourâs environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our countryâs 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 Governmentâs Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a âget out of jail freeâ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealandâs good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National governmentâs 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 TÄmaki 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 Governmentâs democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Governmentâs 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 thatâs great for the planet and great for consumers after her memberâs 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 countryâs books after Teanau Tuionoâs membersâ 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 memberâs bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Todayâs 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 Governmentâs newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealandâs 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. ...
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. âOur 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 Zealandâs hydrogen future, with the opening of the countryâs first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. âI 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 Zealandâs own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealandâs energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. âThe report shows that New Zealandâs emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,â Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where heâll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Governmentâs work to restore law and order. âAttending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealandâs human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the worldâs largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. âThe reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealandâs wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin  NgÄ mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho  Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.  I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. âOur Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealandâs overseas missions.  âOur diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealandâs interests around the world,â Mr Peters says.  âI am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. Â âOver 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. âIt is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. âOur coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
âChina remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,â Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. âRecently 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 Teachersâ 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.  âThe 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. âScience, 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 todayâs 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. âThe Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in TaupĹ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the TaupĹ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. âAnticipation for the ITM TaupĹ 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. âThe 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. âThis project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sectorâs productivity,â Mr Jones says. âThe project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Governmentâs plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. âBenefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Governmentâs commitment to doubling New Zealandâs 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 Zealandâs 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. âOur 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. âNew 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 Governmentâs intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. âThe introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Todayâs 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 Governmentâs plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. âInflation 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 sectorâs role in the export-led recovery of the economy. âI 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 Governmentâs support for the revitalisation the sector.  "New Zealandâs 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. âThe 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. âMy meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
âNever again - No AUKUSâ was the message of the wreath laid at this morningâs national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now sheâs very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice â both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high schoolâs head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble. Â Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhireâs 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.  My World War I Poem  Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging.  Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihanâs gorgeous and sad debut KĹhine, Noelle McCarthyâs memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend NgÄhuia te ...
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Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australiaâs University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourneâs Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australiaâs inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and itâs now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this weekâs Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealandâs coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Leeâs spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammageâs Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australiaâs forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmersâs third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief â beyond the tax cuts â although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Leeâs recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmannâs defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Leeâs âforensicâ and ânuancedâ application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Itâs one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayersâ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of âsix decades of treacheryâ over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazineâs 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish Iâd writtenIf I wish Iâd written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
âThree Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.â ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunalâs report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallaceâs debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that heâs always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe itâs something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. Sheâs ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whÄnau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says âoutlook not greatâ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, itâs not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The âfinancial sustainability targetâ, which was âallocatedâ to Waitaha, is consistent with whatâs happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous governmentâs affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: Whatâs KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertsonâs valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didnât know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race heâd dreamed ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 24 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist NgÄhuia te AwekĹtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
Taiwanâs semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules â and costs â that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. Itâs not as if we havenât done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didnât say: âOh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.â No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
NEWSMAKERS:By Vijay Narayan, news director of FijiVillage Blessed to be part of the University of Fiji (UniFiji) faculty to continue to teach and mentor those who want to join our noble profession, and to stand for truth and justice for the people of the country. I was privileged to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarcticaâs glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
Hi everyone. Rodney Hide speaking and it’s great to be me. I just wanted to let you know a bit about the Labour-Green power plan. Here are 10 reasons why it is just plain wrong, you know, like I was when I rorted the taxpayer out of heaps of perk-based cash.
1. Electricity prices are working: The Labour and the Greens say the market isn’t working, but it is. Prices are only rising as much as they should. The market is working completely correctly because when I switch the light on my lights go. That’s the market working.
2. Electricity prices are fair and reasonable: You know, generators hardly pay anything to make hydropower, but it’s no longer sufficient to cover demand. And remember, if we all turn on the lights at the same time, and make toast, and put on our electric blankets, that increases demand. And simple economics suggest that I should be able to make more money out of the situation because I’m a MRP shareholder, if I was.
3. Quick! Turn up the swimming pool: Poor people don’t have swimming pools so they don’t use as much power as people who live in Ilam or Orakei. Rich people have bigger houses too. And other houses. All the savings will go to the rich people. That’s just stupid. We’d rather have tax cuts. But then again, some of us don’t really pay much tax anyway so $6 a week is like a large flat white, or something. Poor people won’t get as much of a saving so we shouldn’t do it.
4. The lights will go out: As soon as the government starts up a single market, our generators will not be motivated by simple supply and demand. No. They will be motivated by Sir Robert Muldoon, God rest his soul. We all remember what happened with Pharmac – no we have no drugs to treat ‘flu’ outbreaks when they happen.
5. We all lose as taxpayers: the Government owns quite a lot of power generation, so any drop in revenue will mean less government money. And if we continue to sell these power generating companies, revenues will drop even further, so we shouldn’t sell them either. Um… ignore that last bit.
6. Businesses shut, jobs gone: Both the Labour and the Greens are promising more business and more jobs. There is no way businesses will hire more people if their overheads are falling. It’s just not logical. If I owned a business and I had more money and the economy was growing because people had more money because they were paying more for power, the last thing I would be doing is thinking about hiring more people.
7. What about the planet? The Labour and the Greens have said for years we should be paying higher prices for power because of oil or the greenhouse or something. I wasn’t really listening. If they really want to stop global warming then they should let power companies charge heaps for their product. I’m no scientist, but surely if people don’t turn their heaters on because they can’t afford power, the earth will not be as warm.
8. We have choice and competition: There are over 4 million people in New Zealand. We are all able to switch power companies any time we want. I remember Meridian came knocking at my door with a better deal. We changed. The next day Mercury Energy turned up with an even sweeter deal. We changed again. The next day Genesis turned up with an amazing deal AND a meat pack. Again we changed. This is a free country. I can do whatever I want. I’m sure the power companies are sending people out into the poorer suburbs of Auckland and Wellington to get better deals like this.
9. Shearer-Norman power: The power market is one of the easiest to enter. The Labour and the Greens claim companies are making “super-profits”. If that were the case, they could set up their own power company and fund their election campaign – and lower power prices for everyone. It’s just like charter schools: a school is quite easy to set up because kids are everywhere. All you need is a building, a reem of paper and some HB pencils to provide a quality, unregistered, unmonitored education for those kids. I’m not really sure where I’m going with this, but there is a link there, believe you me. And it will be bad.
10. It’s cheaper to hand out money: The Greens and the Labour would be better to hand out money to help poor families pay for power. While they’re at it why don’t they hand out money for everything the poor can’t afford. Housing, food, school, healthcare. Talk about fence at the top of a cliff. In the last 30 years New Zealand has had a proud tradition of putting the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. Why should we stop now.
In summary, Greens/Labour bad… m-kay.
Yes they should just call Hides column a party political statement on behalf of the government, nice summary boonman saves me wading through his biased dribble.
The man who sold out auckland has as much credibility as arrogant Gilmore.
This deserves a stand-alone post somewhere. Suggest you spell the name ‘Rortney’ to avoid any doubt about identity đ
Love It,
“Feel the rhythm with your hands
or (Steal the rhythm while you can)
All my friends are Indians
(All my friends are brown and red)
Come on while I get off
Come together with your hands.”
Is there a pejorative tone in this NZ Herald article about the experienced Auckland lawyer involved in a large number of Christchurch earthquake court claims ?
I detect such a tone frankly.
If I’m not wrong what’s that all about I wonder ? Concern for the interests of established Christchurch law firms ? Or the insurance companies perhaps ? Concern expressed, by way of pejorative rather than direct statement, in the MSM. Who is being served here or is this just some rubbish pumped out by some cub reporter ?
Seems the man did a not too bad job for his clients in a recent well publicised case. Certainly his clients appear to be reasonably satisfied.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10883016
My guess is that he’s upsetting the Chch legal establishment, who would no doubt be in cahoots with the insurance companies and the businesses that are doing well out of the reconstruction. It was weird, because it seems like he’s doing a reasonable job.
More land grabbing on the way.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8662181/Govt-plans-to-ditch-Housing-NZ-properties
And of course there s always big profits to be made
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/8659998/High-country-farmer-subdivision-profits-released
There is no council or state owned land that the private sector does not want – well until it needs cleaning up.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/3592589/Abandoned-mine-cleanup-cost-put-at-17-4m
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/6615348/11-6m-not-enough-to-clean-up-NZs-most-polluted-lake
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/7248856/Water-clean-up-a-challenge-for-farming
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/519213/Govt-gives-1-5m-to-Patea-contamination-clean-up
QFT
And this government is giving it to them taking us back to the days of feudalism. We’ll end up a society with land barons and serfs – just as National intend and their rich mates want.
The end of state housing.
Is this a privatisation to far?
A National government plan to transfer state houses to private charities has been revealed.
Govt plans to ditch Housing NZ properties
(transferred to charities as outlined by Housing Minister Nick Smith)
Why not go the whole hog and transfer public hospitals as well to private charities. Just as they were in the 19th Century.
There is a reason why social provision was taken out of the hands of private charities.
Do you want a church as your landlord?
How about some rich Remuera dowager?
Do we want rich donors to again decide who are the “deserving poor”?
Will you have to be a “Good Christian”? Will you have to make ‘The Pledge” to get your family off the street?
And haven’t the major private charities and churches got huge property portfolios already?
No doubt humiliating those less well off will bring a warm glow to the hearts of the toffs.
And when these private charities decide to, in turn, divest themselves of their private property, as they see fit, or “because the need is greater somewhere else”. Then we will truely be back in the 19th Century, with mass homelessness and begging urchins on the streets. Giving these private charities even greater opportunities for the rich to publicly display their philanthropy. How else will they be able to keep on receiving their knighthoods and royal investitures, but by grandiose public displays of their largesse. Given to the suitably grateful deserving poor. And not those terrible Chartists or other ingrates who dare to question why they have been reduced to beggars for a place to live.
and it is one more Policy with no mandate
It’s all in your final paragraph Jenny:
“And when these private charities decide to, in turn, divest themselves of their private property………”
It’s a two stager: (1) Off to the private charities, and when they can’t afford upkeep and maintenance (which is fully anticipated of course), (2) Off to private money which will “manage” without a hint of charity (which is fully anticipated of course).
Result: no more social housing. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer.
As planned ? “God, I don’t know (despairingly).” Eventually we’re going to need a “Spring”.
There’s a special post on this topic just opened.
This government has no shame.
They gave a massive tax cut to the rich of this country, then turned around to the rest of the country and said we have no money. We need to sell our assets to get some money. And who could afford to buy those assets…the rich.
If there is one story that should be at the front of every opposition election campaign in 2014, it is this.
The only New Zealanders this government gives a damn about is the 2.5 %.
Look at what they have done, not what they say.
Just in case you may have missed this, Shane Jones in Parliament. Telling it how it is and in good old fashioned layman’s language
http://blog.labour.org.nz/2013/05/09/shane-jones-on-nz-power-and-labours-purpose/
A ‘must read article’ by Tracy Watkins on Stuff this morning in light of the proposed changes to the GCSB Act
An American expert who came to New Zealand to write a report on border security claims he was subject to heavy-handed tactics by intelligence agencies that seemed determined to shut him down.
….
In an extraordinary series of allegations, he says he was threatened with an investigation by the Security Intelligence Service, locked out of his office at NZ Customs, had his computer hard drive and research materials seized while colleagues reported his rubbish bins being searched – he believes by the SIS.
Lebamoff was at one stage so concerned by the reaction of New Zealand authorities to his border security report he says he feared being stopped as he tried to leave the country.
In an even more bizarre twist, he says he was warned off by the director of New Zealand’s Intelligence Co-ordination Group, Roy Ferguson, who is based in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC).
Adding weight to Lebamoff’s claims, Ferguson does not dispute the meeting and acknowledges he became involved as a matter of national security. He also confirms that a representative of the US Embassy was at the meeting. The embassy has refused comment.
It all adds up to what seems like an extraordinary over-reaction to a report that largely concluded the major threat to New Zealand’s borders was not terrorism but a biosecurity breach. ….
Full article is here
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8624285/US-scholar-embroiled-in-NZ-security-row
Seems like his report is not what senior officials wanted to hear.
Seems like senior officials wanted to start a hackneyed old “terrorism drumbeat” up in order to justify some of the changes we tot he GCSB etc are now seeing.
I agree.
I suspect that we will see more about this, in view of his refusal to sign a Deed agreeing not to publish his report. Dotcom’s lawyers may well be interested in the report …..
looking forward, seen this Pan overview Pt.III? Bogard optimism my friends.
from the disciple Jesus loved.
Lebamoff says after being summoned to the meeting at a building in Wellington’s Pipitea St he was given a lecture on the importance of the New Zealand-US relationship.
“He [Ferguson] said he didn’t want to damage that; there were things in my report that could potentially damage that. I had no idea what he was talking about. He gave me no specifics.”
More mayhem on the roads what a waste.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10883071
Tony Ryall on q&a finished his interview by using a rugby analogy that National were “ankle tapped” by Labour/Greens. I thinked he cocked up and was meant to say that National were “Head high tackled” but got his rugby analogies mixed up, nothing wrong with an “ankle tap” Tony. Thinking about it, “Ankle tap” perfectly sums up what the Greens/Labour did, now they need to come over the top and clean the bastards out.
I suspect Mr Ryall’s error has something to do with the fact that his interest in rugby is with what lies below, rather than above, a rugby players belt…
Shoes, I mean, of course. Mr Ryall’s well known as a clothes horse.
more like a lying nag
Ryall trying to talk about rugby reflects quite appropriately National trying to have something to say about Labour-Greens policy.
If media do not get Gilmore’s personal stuff to run this week, maybe someone can deflect it to Ryall knowing something more personal than having his ankle tapped. About time that came out.
I’m sure all that dirt is useful for keeping Ryall in line. But if he should ever find himself on someone’s wrong side them I imagine a whole bunch of stuff could come tumbling out.
đ exactery! In another life he’d be measuring inside legs (for the purpose of sartorial elegance of course).
looking for gherkins to pull the plug on, or gooseberries to dine for.
Saarbo, Ryall must’ve had a briefing from that noted front row forward Boss Hogg Bennett because he did allude to the head-high earlier in the interview.
Maybe the erroneous mention of the ankle-tap came from a movement commonly seen in traditional dance performed by strikingly muscular Polynesian men.
Tigger at 8.1 ………Tigger Tigger Tigger !
Bad Boy ! Tony Ryall’s dress sense is impeccable. Take for example the boldly checked table-cloth business shirts underneath the perennial barristerial pinstripes. This riot of colour and clash fabulously finished off with dots or paisley in madly eyecatching half/full windsor knotted ties.
One can see the hand of Gok Wan in there somewhere, or maybe not.
Remember School Journals along with other ministry published material when you were at school. Well this is what the govt is doing to them.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1305/S00109/government-urged-to-save-the-school-journal-and-learning-media.htm
There was also a discussion on this on RNZ National’s Nine to Noon programme last Wednesday morning, which can be heard here
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2554342/uncertain-future-for-soes.asx
yet, the article about “Deer Hunting with Jesus” that mac 1 linked to laments lossed opportunities to read. He wept.
After 1989 (1991?) at the beginning of Tomorrows Schools, School Publications very nearly were abolished by the then new National Government. The School Journals are unique to NZ and for one thing provide “books” to kids who have no books at home. They are brilliant and if they went out of business to satisfy a business market model there will be some very angry children, parents and teachers!
They are brilliant and if they went out of business to satisfy a business market model there will be some very angry children, parents and teachers!
None of that matters to “market” cultists and dogmatists like Messrs Joyce, Key and English.
Just…God.
http://www.testosteronepit.com/home/2013/5/9/when-flight-safety-gets-outsourced-to-china.html
Heh, China can show us the “Way”
One point Oram failed to really emphasise is that Huawei has had massive government support, financial backing and contracts every step of the way.
yeah, I wonder what happens locally with procurement, oh, that’s right đ (only a matter of time Colonel, only a matter of time; and with cabbages and caulis only $1.98 (untrimmed) on the weekends at the big yellow store, less physical gardening to do!)
now, where was that anglo-saxon parchment of Chris’s…
Even European manufacturers are reluctant to get behind EU investigations into Huawei and ZTE subsidies for fear of being shut out of the China market, so Huawei has a double-whammy market advantage that could never be emulated in NZ.
I have no idea how this would be anything but deflating to an NZ business with global ambitions.
however, Shoplifters (and staff) thefts Soar : UNITE đ
When and how the US will become involved in Syria is becoming clearer.
One thing is for sure. It will not be for humanitarian reasons to halt the killings. Or liberate the Syrian people.
It will be to attack those they see as their political enemies. At the top of the US hit list is not the murderous Bashar Assad but one of the rebel forces Al Nusra. A far from homogeneous Islamic liberation movement which makes up part of the united front against Assad.
http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/americas-hidden-agenda-in-syrias-war#full
It looks likely, that if the rebels are seen to be close to defeating the Assad regime, and the end of the civil warn is drawing near to a close. The US and their well paid and supported agents (probably repackaged unemployed Assad loyalists) will act to extend and prolong the blood letting by exploiting the sectarian differences among the rebels.
What are the Syrian people to do in such circumstances?
They will have no choice but to declare, “We are all Al Nusra” and “An attack on one, is an attack on all”.
Only by keeping the united front whole, have the Syrians any real chance of a lasting peace.
I’m convinced.
Jenny, Syria is a lot more complicated than you make it out to be. Who are the “Syrian people” you are talking about here? The country is riven along multiple faultlines, see this article here for a quick breakdown of them :
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Columnist/2013/Apr-17/213992-syrias-six-simultaneous-conflicts.ashx#axzz2RyicrYMY
And this one:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/in-syrias-war-the-lines-that-matter-arent-red/2013/05/09/b29ac688-b808-11e2-92f3-f291801936b8_story.html
The simple fact is that there is a civil war being fought, based on sectarian divisions within Syria. Supporters of the carious sects are aiding their allies. The west doesn’t have any natural allies in terms of those sectarian differences, and that is why it has largely stayed out of it.
The west does however have perceived interests in the war. the Assad regime has large stockpiles of weaponry. Whatever happens, something will happen to those weapons and that’s largely what the west is concerned about. The FSA is not lilly white. The West is under no moral obligation to help them. It’s a civil war. Their war.
Intervening in a civil war, where you don’t have any real ties to the place is a fraught business. The intentions of the Sunni majority are not clear. They themselves are in fact divided. They are in fact linked to Iraqi Sunni groups. This is not surprising due to the fact of tribal and family links.
On the other side you’ve got Hezbollah openly saying that they will be defenders of the Golan. There are multiple angles to this. Firstly they are supporting the regime in Syria for the Shia sectarian reason. Secondly, a sunni regime in Syria would be less likely to allow Iranian arms to travel to lebanon on their roads, Thirdly the support they give now will pay dividends should the Assad regime fall. Hezbollah can move a ‘franchise, if you like, into Syria to be the defenders of Syrian Shia in the same way they are in Lebanon. And Syrian Shia are going to need defenders from any new Sunni led regime.
So when you say “the syrian people” who are you talking about, and who are you excluding?
Re-Syria, some twitter accounts to follow.
https://twitter.com/michaeldweiss
https://twitter.com/AcrossTheBay
https://twitter.com/Brown_Moses
Cheers.
Try these guys too:
https://twitter.com/pdanahar
https://twitter.com/RamiKhouri
https://twitter.com/Matt_VanDyke
Scottish comedian, Frankie Boyle, on the Keiser Report (2nd half of vid):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJtP-iXQsvA
# geoff
To set you tube start times.
http://youtubetime.com/
The Frankie Boyle segment starting at 11m.25s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJtP-iXQsvA&t=11m25s
Good to know, thanks joe90!
Brilliant—and blacklisted by State television.
Hurry Hurry selling fast NZ to the highest bidder dont worry about a democratic govt or international governance capitalism is king .You to can own a country just ring KEY BROKERAGE @FORMERNZ GOVT
Wait theres more we will throw in the Southern Basin Oil reserves plus all the mining you want
No elections to worry about just come on in with your nuclear power and WHY
Thats about it now
PS Bring your Army just to be safe
Hamilton is far to wealthy, it simple needs loud cars droning continuously driving around the city center to drive retial customers away, why council does not do anything about them???
“…undeserved further stress”.
Even in disgrace he equivocates. A perfect expression of everything the National Party represents.
Yep Gilmore has resigned. Taken out by his own team…
A pity. I hoped that he would stay on as a continuing embarrassment.
I am glad the prat has gone and the smokescreen has lifted, to show more worrying concerns like the GCSB bill. THAT is what we should now concern ourselves over, not some low life arrogant rightwing shit.
+1
I’ve been listening to Radionz Te Ahi Kaa on at 6.06 pm Sundays. I recommend this to keep in touch with the positives and advances and successes of Maori which we don’t tend to hear or read about otherwise because they don’t get featured.
Maori have been contending with the Government again with Jokeyhen saying that bandwidth for 4G is not a taonga. Of course it is vital for Maori in this technological age but gummint seem to always want to give them the old car down the back yard that needs fixing as their idea to help Maori get with it in the IT age.
They were mentioning Maori they didn’t get television until they went to the Privy Council. Each time they have come up against gummint intransigence in Court they have won. And it has been stated that these tech systems are taonga. But still National and right wing Labour have a bigoted, prejudiced attitude that doesn’t want to see Maori advance.
And apparently Telecom and Vodafone have ‘special advisors’ in Mobie that understand and probably facilitate their interests but 2 Degrees, no.
Of course keeping up with Maori news is made easy if you listen on Radionz throughout the day to Te Manu Korihi –
‘Providing news on MÄori issues, Te Manu Korihi features four times each weekday, in Radio New Zealand National’s leading news programmes Morning Report (6.27am and 8.45am) and Checkpoint (5.45pm and 6.45pm).’
test
having trouble with the cloud
Eliot Higgins does police misconduct too.
http://brown-moses.blogspot.co.nz/2013/05/hackgate-ipcc-and-surreys-collective.html