I don’t understand this, perhaps someone can enlighten.
When a business makes a mistake and that costs it in terms of lost customers and reputation, that business and its owner understands that it must carry that self-imposed burden and deal with it alone with no expectation that the owners neighbour or anyone else should step in and pay to right the mistake. After all, the neighbour has not shared in any previous profits.
But Fonterra, a private company, after ballsing up its botulism scare left right and centre, is getting taxpayer funding to help correct their self-imposed disaster. A government fund of $2,000,000 has been set up, from which dairy businesses can do such things as get the taxpayer to pay their travel costs to those customers, among other things.
How does this fit? How does this work? Can any business apply for such assistance when they balls things up? Or is it only certain ones?
Sounds like more welfare to me. Bludging off the taxpayer. Just like the NZX which after several decades still stutters along wimpering for the taxpayer to support their privately owned business…
Perhaps Wayne, who comments on here from time to time and posters seem to know who is (is it publicly known, his identity?), would like to explain. Come in Wayne…
and then you know what….. I turns the next page of te morning paper and what is the headline? Fonterra expanding into China expecting to farm up to 15,000 cows….
For fucking fucks sake – what a pile cowshit this government is
God you guys a getting ripped off in NZ – I live in the Middle East & I pay the equivalent of NZ$3.20 for 2 litres of fresh milk – all imported. None of my Arab colleagues can understand why New Zealander’s pay international prices for a product they make domestically – we sure as hell don’t pay international prices for petroleum here (we pay about 30 cents a litre – and the locals think that is expensive!)
Earlier on in the week on the radio I heard that an 11 year old won a NZ science prize for proving that the triple layer plastic milk bottle does not keep milk as fresh as the regular plastic milk bottle. I will try and find a link.
Apparently one benefit of the triple layer plastic is that it prevents light from destroying the nutrient content. I would like to know by how much?
I suppose if you can afford the more expensive container, any waste is not an issue.
Part of the problem is that regulation is required as the supermarket mark up is a rip off. Watch the cost of anything else with dairy in it rise.
Setting up dairy, kiwifruit in other countries is seen as an export – exporting our expertise, our intellectual property, experience. Whether its exxing out some of our interests in the short or long term well I don’t know if that has been examined.
With the difficulty of keeping quality control over our own stuff, and the harm that we have caused to the respect for our standards, perhaps it would be a good idea to make money from helping countries get established in the market, and then sell out our interests there, and wait for them to screw up. In the meantime we concentrate on making quality stuff, and have policies of honesty and fast response to any problems and have unceasing controls and inspections enforced by the government, as business cannot be relied upon not to slide if its solely responsible for itself.
And that leads to a news item from this morning. The horrific fuel train explosion in Canada was caused by inadequate measures by the transport company, but the results were ramped up because it was carrying more flammable fuel than the oil it was allowed to transport.
And the likelihood of government controlling complacent, wealthy, cost-cutting, safety and regulation lax businesses – well the oil spill in the Northern Hemisphere, was it the Exonn or similar, came about after safety measures had not been followed, government controls and officials had been softened up after ‘capture’ by the business, and all along the safety evaluation of the oil gathering and transporting led to an expectation of some event in a 25 year time frame. This then was made more likely to occur by the lax safety standards adopted.
(Probably Fukushima was similar.)
Yes, Boadicea – wouldn’t you think the Labour caucus – especially the ABCs – have the message by now that Rogernomics didn’t work and new thinking on economic development is needed?
But No – they’re still tied to that old drum ….. Mr Rogernomics telling them “the two main contenders, Mr Cunliffe and Mr Robertson, have had been advancing policy “that would set New Zealand up to become another Spain or Greece.”
Ironical, eh ?. Following the Rogernomics track has set NZ up to become “another Spain or Greece”.
And it will be more than disappointing if the current Labour caucus cannot see that.
The trouble was a conventional socialist paniced and called for a cup of tea …. we will never know where Sir Roger was taking us … that is a hard pill for you folk to swallow I know.
Even the Herald now gives Cunliffe 12 first preference caucus votes (Audrey Young today). With 60% of both the unions and the members he will be the leader. Too easy!
So wrong in so many ways. What the fuck were they thinking?
There’s enormous scope for industrial espionage as the Israeli military/industrial complex commercialises its opportunities.
Here’s an example:
On the day Raphael Ouzan finished five years of service in an elite intelligence unit, he decided to start his own company. The night after his release from the IDF he met with a good friend, Yaron Samid, and together they resolved to build their own startup.
In the first days they had only five employeesâtwo from the same intelligence unit as Ouzan. Last year their companyâBillGuardâraised 3 million dollars in funding and won second place in the startup competition Techcrunch Disrupt.
BillGuard is, essentially, antivirus for your credit card. The software scans credit card transactions and finds technical errors or fraudulent deals. This is accomplished with a unique algorithm which scans forums, social networks and websites, and analyzes transactions for âsuspiciousâ behavior.
Whatâs the link between credit card protection and the IDF? Raphael Ouzan, now BillGuardâs CTO explains:
âI learned a lot about this type of work from my military service . . .
Reframing the economy – The new economics foundation writes about the differences between the austerity framing and a new story the shows a difference side of the economic policies of austerity and the type of society that we want to progress.
when a frame is strongly held we tend to ignore facts that do not fit with it. The austerity story is a powerful narrative that is embedded in public consciousness. It cannot be challenged with facts. Only with new frames and a different story about the economy can it be dislodged…
To win, they will need to do more than find their frames, they will need to be more coordinated, responsive to public opinion and find more credible messengers.
Amirite NZ has built a boat industry up from $120 million a year to over $2billion a year.
On the back of our sucess in the Americas cup!
Leading edge world beating technology has been developed + the publicity NZ gets from the cup.
Even in the bottom of the south island many boat building companies have hugely benefited .Companies that were employing a couple of employees are now employing well paid engineers welders etc,
Formerly these companies were making cheap aluminiun tinnies runabouts and dingies they are now making large ocean going high end cruisers at $150,000+
Before $1200 dingies.
These are exactly the value added exports we need in this country.
If we don,t keep supporting and investing in this industry we will fall behind and china will take all these high paying jobs.
The cost at less than $8 million per year is a fraction of what farming and other industries receive from govt!
You can only invest in industry from your profits.NZ is always constrained by the value of its currency which is subject to the gamblers perception ie a higher official interest rate.
Wheelers statement had an immediate effect,reducing the profits for exporters in the upcoming export season.
Who gives a stuff about boat builders when we cannot even construct moderate price houses.
When we can house, feed, educate, and provide good health care for all New Zeal;anders then we can start worrying about building rich men’s toys
Ron We need skilled people making physical things for everybody – making things, yachts, boats, railway carriages, steel workers etc. Also needed is regular work for builders, not on-off cycles of boom and depressed demand, and real assistance to the building community from a real hard-working government agency.
It would have model plans that used good and modest priced materials with acceptable building methods. Some might use some steel and wood. They would inform on whether boron treated studs and joists would be better than untreated. It would be in plain language so that interested people could get leaflets and read reports on line. If we had had a working agency like this it would have put a stop to the building of housing that was proving to be unsatisfactory and even dangerous, overseas.
Most of our poor leaky housing would never have happened if BRANZ or whatever it was called was working well for our benefit. When we are decrying the housing deficit, don’t forget the setback the leaky, fungussy homes caused and the heartache and physical sickness as well as the mental stress for people involved in the losses.
I hope we will never get to the stage where we become so angry that violence and retaliation break out against the perpetrators of these predatory shonky financial and political schemes.
There is only so much that people can put up with – too much and the chickens will come home to roost.
(expressed in print as early as 1390, when Geoffrey Chaucer used it in The Parson’s Tale: And ofte tyme swich cursynge wrongfully retorneth agayn to hym that curseth, as a bryd that retorneth agayn to his owene nest.)
Ron This is a good way to take money back off rich people.
Oracle paid NZ boat builders to build their boats because we had the best technology and skill in the world.
we will never be a bulk mass producer like China Indonesia or any large industrialized country ever again we can only succeed in niche markets.
Its not just rich mans toys we make huge numbers of small boats as well.
This is one area in manufacturing where we are leading the world!
We can construct cheap housing its just that existing monopolies have the govt in their back pocket !
Education world leading software is being developed in NZ by Taylor made for television, apps for smart phones and then the on board software for Team New Zealand Aotearoa designed and developed in Good old NZ!
Larry Ellison (oracle yes Oracle) World leading software designer and supplier is getting beaten by some very smart high paid by NZ standards home grown Kiwi software designers that will make software designers sit up and take Notice the world over that has got to be good for NZ!
Reality check needed Ron in fact its been nearly seven years since the Labour Govt put up the $36 million for Team NZ thats less than $4 million a year.
How much did the country put up for the world cup for a negative return, nearly $1 billion dollars which local councils are still in debt up to their eyeballs from and have caused a lot of job losses because councils have had to sack staff to pay for under used stadiums while the Americas cup has turned a $120 million a year boat industry into a $2 billion a year boat industry employing 100,s if not thousands of full time workers!
If I had my way I would have put that rugby money into the boat industry at least we would have some return for our investment .Instead we have a bunch of empty stadiums and the loan shark big Aussie bankers Are smiling!
NZ Defence has been found to be just a tad careless in training its workers, apparently on the basis that because they are going into dangerous theatres of whatever, they need to be toughened and man-up to danger, before they are properly trained and instructed to deal with such dangers in a manful and knowledgable manner. Man what a bunch of clods and impractical managers in Defence. The authoritarian power with absolute power to ignore morality and fair behaviour and respect for the troops and their welfare is on the way to losing his, or her, humanity.
Not just training, but the basic activities of equipment and maintenance. I’m thinking of the poor guy who fucking drowned because his life vest wouldn’t inflate.
For a while back there the NZRAF had more “Wing Commanders” on the payroll than actual physical wings flyable in the fleet. Don’t know if it’s still the case.
Now I don’t have permission to edit with 5 minutes left to go. I was going to express my thinking better but you’ll just have to unscramble the code that attempts to convey the message! /sarc
Perhaps those wing commanders spent their spare time, instead of ensuring proper training and usage standards be met to prevent loss of human capacity and expensive capital equipment, developing the game Icarus. It sounds interesting and maybe challenging for a grounded sky pilot.
(Itching to dive-bomb a rival guildâs castle from dragon-back? It will be possible in the upcoming fantasy game Icarus Online.) http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/Icarus-Online/
(Icarus, son of Daedalus who dared to fly too near the sun on wings of feathers and wax. Daedalus had been imprisoned by King Minos of Crete within the walls of his …)
Encyclopedia of Greek Mythology
So what is the rate of accidental deaths for members of the NZDF v comparable civilian occupations? Do you know or is this just a rant based on ignorance and perception?
chris73
Do your own work if you are interested in gaining the information. But then if you were you would have some stored in your own mind and would have an idea of what I was referring to. Trouble with you RWNJs is that you are information beneficiaries too lazy to do your own amassing of stats and background.
Firemen, truckies, carpenters, mechanics, storemen, administraters, doctors, nurses, medics, teachers, pilots, cooks, stewards, plumbers, gym instructors, dentists, pet ops, move ops, divers, psychatrists, builders and of course after the winds the guys were out with chainsaws but thats not a core function…
Theres probably more but thats enough to go on for now…
Soldier first and trade second but that wasn’t the question was it, the question was: “what civilian occupations are comparable to NZDF functions?”
Now while I am pretty damn awesome I do have to admit that reading peoples minds isn’t one of my particular talents so if you want me to answer a question make sure you phrase the question properly
The forestry Industry makes the defense force look good who needs enemies when we are more dangerous with self inflicted losses even in Afghanistan Key Turned down amoured vehicles and refused to use light amoured vehicles because they were to expensive to take to that theater of war!
nationals cost cutting at work again down grading our armed services while Poncekey takes all the limelight for being the US,s lapdog is criminal negligence.
National can.t help themselves cutting forrestry inspection from 1,000 down to 220 a year has lead to a massive increase in deaths negligence the minister Joyce should be put on trial for manslaughter!
Two nations were influenced by our thinkers and example:
Finland and Chile. Finland learned its lessons from John Dewey. Its
schools are child-centered. It prizes the arts and physical
education. It has no standardized testing. Its schools are noted
for both excellence and equity. It is a top performer on
international tests. Chile learned its lessons from Milton
Friedman. It has vouchers and testing. Its schools are highly
segregated by social class. The quality of education is highly
dependent on family income. Students in Chile are rioting to demand
free public education. No one considers Chile a model. Which
direction are we going? Why? Whose ideas are dominant
today?
Yep. A side tangential issue to that touches on some comments on this site lately about the loyalty of the armed forces and who they actually belong to and act for.
As is shown by the Chile coup, the Fiji coups, and many other examples, armed forces do not belong to the people and neither are they loyal to the people, nor even the government. They act for and belong to others. They do what they are ordered to – such as bomb and kill civilians and others living in their own country (Egypt), murder politicians (Chile), act for the Crown (British Crown) to protect the Crown (reason for ignoring Lange in first Fiji coup)
Militaries are for these purposes, which are quite contrary to the popular understanding of the wider public who assume that they are on “our” side. Especially in NZ where, you know, nothing like that ever happens, couldn’t, nah, that happens overseas….
Some posters have highlighted these realities recently and it has left a chill in the air ……….
Here is an example of setting yourself up for problems. Relying too heavily on man-made things for your business when you operate in a non-man-made environment.
Rely on power for your dairy shed – what happens when the power goes out?
Rely on external water supply for your grass – what happens when the external water supply dries up?
Rely on mechanical means to feed the animals – what happens when nature tips it upside down?
Too much reliance on non-natural items. Too intensive. Too clever for our own good, methinks
One other too – Canterbury used to have large hedges planted all over to protect from the wind and stop the earth being blown away (this was learned from when the land was stripped and early weather blew the dirt away). When these hedges began being flattened about 15 years ago many old-timers said strongly that they would rue the day. The winds would return and wreak havoc they said. And looky at that – the winds came screaming down through the mountains and instead of screeching across at the height of 10m hedges it screeched across at the height of 1cm blades of grass.
I have too many digs at farmers and this is not intended as another. It is a dig at humanwomankind and its tendency to always forget the lessons of the past. Those who do not learn from the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them. Voila.
The problem is that they listened to the anti global warming sorces and didn’t buy generators to run even just one machine to relieve the suffering of their animals. Personally I have changed to all electricity but I have not sold my gas .. that is in reserve for when the power fails …. if a townie with just himself to think about can do it why not the farmer with hundreds of stock their responsibility.
Yep – vto – we were sitting there watching the TV news about all the mangled irrigation pipes wondering why the heck they had’nt laid them down, dismantled them or done something else to protect them when they had plenty of warning those high winds were coming. And maybe those irrigation contraptions could be replaced with sprinkler pipes laid in the ground ?
And now you’re talking about the removal of the shelter hedges. Hadn’t realised that had happened. Why did the dairy farmers or whoever think they were there in the first place – as decoration ? Farmers don’t do decoration.
Amazing lack of thought on the part of whoever is in charge of the dairy farms in Canterbury.
One more time in the ghetto, yes, yet another comment on the question: Does raising the minimum wage lead to more unemployment, the answer so far from what i have posted has been a resounding and emphatic NO,
This link is pretty looo-ong and may have your eyeballs sliding out of their socket and off down your cheeks if you try and read it all at once, it does tho present the argument from both sides, a couple of salient points when we consider what is the American experience and how the template is more or less a mirror of our own,
Paul Krugman: ”The current level of the minimum wage is very low by any reasonable standard”.
In a New York Time op-ed piece Noble Prize winning economist Paul Krugman argued that raising the minimum wage was both good politics and sound policy. Moreover, He argued in favor of increasing the Federal baseline to keep up with inflation,
”For about four decades increases in the minimum wage have consistently fallen behind inflation, so that in real terms the minimum wage is substantially lower than it was in the 1960’s, meanwhile, worker productivity has doubled”, (New York Times 2/17/13).
Starts to make the USA sound like a small country located in the South Pacific Ocean doesn’t it, and then there is this:
”If the minimum wage reflected worker productivity it would be nearly $22 per hour”.
Citing a study done by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, the Huffington Post explained that the current minimum wage lags far behind what it should after accounting for productivity increases,
”The minimum wage should have reached $21.72 an hour in 2012 if it kept up with increases in worker productivity according to a March study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research”,
”While advancements in technology have increased the amount of goods and services that can be produced in a set amount of time wages have remained relatively flat the study point out”, (the Huffington Post 2/13/13).
Not here in little old Noo Zealand tho right, the robber barons wouldn’t whip us into productivity increases while not passing on a fair share of such increases as wage rises, or would they???,
This would tend to suggest that the US experience of the Neoliberal experiment matches our own,
”Out-put growth in the measured sectors averaged 2.6% per annum from 1978 to 2007, the main driver of this out-put growth was labour productivity of +2.0% per annum”.
The studies are nice but also irrelevant to our specific conditions, we can get the economic and social outcomes we want in NZ via innovative fiscal means.
The Greens are questioning some of the NACTs innovative means of pulling money Out of the economy with a little pokie game, a devilish device. Have a go at their fruit loop machine and try for a thinking MP to cross the House. https://www.greens.org.nz/skycity#1
The most interesting and thoughtful article by Krugman was quite recentl;y where he wrote about the wonk factor and related it to the Republicans which I don’t particularly dis-agree with … they are a festering sore on American politics …. HOWEVER when I come to The Standard I see evidence of a similar problem.
Wonk Factor = a habit of only reading sources that you agree with.
I wonder if I suffer from it too since I only read Krugman becuase I agree with him and cannot be bothered with the RW crap.
PS. I never considered Sir Roger RW, that was the journalists and Alliance idiots bellyacheing.
jcuknz
Are you into studying the cosmos. Because you don’t seem to know much about what is going on down and around here on little ole NZ. Sir Roger not RW? That joke won’t fly.
Here’s a jolly little poem by AA Milne just right for Sir Roger…It may seem silly, but not very. Bad Sir Brian Botany
Sir Brian had a battleaxe with great big knobs on;
He went among the villagers and blipped them on the head.
On Wednesday and on Saturday, but mostly on the latter day,
He called at all the cottages, and this what he said:
I am Sir Brian, as bold as a lion –
Take that! – and that! – and that!
Sir Brian woke one morning, and he couldn’t find his battleaxe:
He walked into the village in his second pair of boots.
He had gone a hundred paces, when the street was full of faces,
And the villagers were round him with ironical salutes…
Sir Brian went a journey, and he found a lot of duck-weed:
They pulled him out and dried him, and they blipped him on the head.
They took him by the breeches, and they hurled him into ditches,
And they pushed him under waterfalls, and this is what they said:
You are Sir Brian, as bold as a lion –
Sir Brian, the lion, good-bye!
And now he goes about the village as B.Botany, Esquire.
I am Sir Brian? Oh no!
I am Sir Brian? Who’s he?
I haven’t got any title, I’m Botany –
Plain Mr Botany (B).
I considered him to be seriously unwise and in way too much of a hurry. The over-regulated state with a habit of hiding unemployment in the farming sector, forestry, the post office, railways, etc was never going to survive because it simply wasn’t economic. Nor was the tariff system that resulted in the first corporate I worked with having a larger lobby group in Wellington protecting the tariffs than their head office and sales force combined.
Problem was that it’d gotten to the point of collapse as the NZLP took power and literally found that they couldn’t pay for it any more. Inflation was already out of control so they couldn’t print their way out. That allowed border-line hysterics like Douglas, Prebble, Moore, etc way way too much power to make completely bad through to simply shoddy deals. Problem was that the Labour MPs including the backboners were so used to only have 3 years that they tried to do everything in 3 years – and it made the economic reforms completely desperate and dangerous. It takes time to change economic systems safely.
Nett result of doing sudden change like that was that we wound up with a rump of people with few skills in the wrong parts of the country who went on unemployment for far too long. Go to somewhere like Rotorua or the old tariff factories and you can see the generational damage that fell out of that. National unfortunately usually come around just often enough to kill those regional towns whenever they start getting better off.
It also made it freaking hard to get capital for anything productive in this country for decades after the ’87 crash when the ponzi cowboys tainted the finance markets and killed all of the pre-existing capital outlets.
Of course if Muldoon hadn’t been such a diehard conservative screwing the pooch in the decade before trying to prevent change, then it’d have been a whole lot easier.
That’s really good summary of post-Muldoon lprent.. It is understandable the way you explain it. Muldoon may have been the right man for the job for a while, but after two terms leaders need to be put out to grass, otherwise they get stuck in the dried cow pats and have to be prised up. I also think that the terms should be for four years. You refer to three and it does seem that it is just too hard to plan, implement and monitor results within that time. Hence the shonky legislation we get.
Muldoon right to the finish sang the song ”I did it my way’ and wanted to take It with him when he went. Lange said that before Muldoon officially handed over the keys to the hope-chest we had a capital flight so bad that Labour had to call up all the diplomats overseas and sequester their credit card balances.
What upset me was the flamboyant way Douglas et al closed down businesses which were really operating, even with some assistance, and then they replaced them with slogans which weren’t as useful at the supermarket. First pain, then gain for instance. Unions bad, business sanctified. Tariffs and subsidies gone altogether. Nudity was de rigueur to all trade talks so that it was plain to all that we didn’t carry any concealed weaponry, even dicks. New business was going to spring up, vigorous from all this fertiliser. But in fact, if it did it tended to be shopworn old business recycled, carrying out previous government activities.
And the new floating exchange rate and foreign ownership seem to have creamed off
financial successes with keen assistance from inflated financial speculators, inflated property speculators, inflated importers, and the naivety of us all. We have reacted similarly to the people of Albania when stripped of the restraints of communism and exposed to sharp teeth of capitalism. Where they were fleeced by ponzi schemes and fulsome promises from money sharks. Who was that sneaking round the corner – Mac the Knife! Our theme song.
The problem with increasing the minimum wage is that all wages would rise accordingly and this would promote inflation … which as a superanuient relying on an annual re-adjustment is likelly rather tough on me …. however Krugman also pointed out that inflation makes it easier for a country to retire its debt which is a good thing instead of the RW going on about living within your means like a household. But a country is not a household and if you stiffle the ecconomy with austerity measures it is going to take a hell of a long time to get out of the poo. In this respect I think the National Governmeent over the past five years has steered a good course between the camps … austerity v. stimulous.
So I think many writers here are living with ideological blinkers which say “left good – right bad” when it is not a clear cut black and white situation.
”All wages would rise accordingly”, not necessarily and really only at the behest of employers, and what you say would insinuate that there is plenty of fat on the employers bulk to be able to raise all wages…
jacknuts even treasury disagrees with you they said at the last election that raising the minimum wage would not lower employment or increase inflation in this economic climate!
In the 1930’s countries that increased their minimum wage came out of recession much faster than the countries which didn’t!
It would be an idea to do some research on the history of economics before you start your rant on chicago school propaganda.
Just repeat the mantra of chicago school of colonial extractive economics there is no other way there is no other way thats chicago school of cultonomics!
Mediocrity Watch: JORDAN WILLIAMS The Panel, Radio NZ National, Thursday 12 September 2013
Jim Mora, Jordan Williams, Scott York
Following the absurdly substandard, dishonest performance by Professor Robert Patman on yesterday’s show, longtime sufferers no doubt thought it unlikely that The Panel could sink any lower. After all, who could possibly be more dishonest than Patman, or Garth “Gaga” George, or Nevil “Breivik” Gibson, or Christine (Spankin’) Rankin, or Dr Michael Bassett? Well, step forward Jordan Williams, right-wing agitator, lawyer and junior colleague of that preposterously pretentious Panel pontificator, Stephen Franks. Presumably the producers formulated a cunning plan that Williams would act as a counterweight to the sensible and well informed Scott York. Bad idea. Very, very bad idea. As listeners no doubt picked up, Jordan Williams knows fuck-all about anything, but doesn’t let that stop him from engaging in highly incendiary political rhetoric. It doesn’t however, make the show one whit more interestingâŠ.
JIM MORA:[brightly]Syria, gentlemen. What do you think? SCOTT YORK: Obama has got himself in a hole. He’s still using belligerent language, but that won’t achieve his goals. Bombing Syria would stir up a hornet’s nest. JORDAN WILLIAMS:[quietly and deliberately, to indicate thoughtfulness] The line should never have been drawn. The real problem is Iran. JIM MORA: Do you think it’s do-able, extracting the chemical weapons out of Syria?
Scott York says something vaguely sensible and non-controversial. Jordan Williams, on the other hand, sees this as a teaching moment; only problem is he doesn’t know enough about the middle east or about American history to teach anybody anything. Embarrassingly, he attempts to draw a parallel between Obama and earlier U.S. presidents. He blithers about how the Soviets “treated Roosevelt and Kennedy with contempt”, but not Eisenhower—“because they knew he wasn’t going to mess about.” This is a remarkably foolish, vague and uneducated statement, even by the dismal standards, or lack of standards, at Radio NZ National. Williams clearly knows nothing about Eisenhower, or the Cuban “missile crisis”, and has probably read not a single book about either. As usual, however, his blithely ignorant comments go unchallenged by either Mora or the ostensibly liberal York.
SOAPBOX
Scott York makes some interesting observations about the Labour leadership contest.
Jordan Williams has a spray at Grant Robertson—“my good friend”— for suggesting rent controls in Christchurch. “We have a far further left Labour Party than we realized,” he foams. “Capping rents seems like a recipe for disaster.” This goads the abnormally mild and tolerant Scott York into actually saying something that might upset someone: he points out that the market has clearly failed. Mora, uncomfortable, agrees with York, and Williams starts to make a lame and incoherent rejoinder before being saved by the bell. It’s five o’clock, and the imperative of the News means that another right wing chatterbox gets away without having to defend his half-baked views.
Nice summary, Moz. I came in late and only heard the Chch discussion, but ‘saved by the bell’ indeed. 5 more minutes and Scott Yorke would have had the odious and dull witted Williams on the canvas. For the benefit of readers, Williams was saying the rent caps proposed by Grant Robertson would mean landlords would have less incentive to build properties. That might be true, but the answer is obvious; ignore the private sector and build communal housing in partnership with the Council. It is the People’s Republic of Chch after all.
Yes being able to rack-rent people for what are essentially wrecked houses will be sure to have the rack-renters falling all over each other to build 1000’s of rentals so that people will pay far less rent,
The Landlords are all laughing up their sleeves why would they introduce more rental stock when they are ‘creaming it’ renting out the wrecks,
i gave Grant Robertson a + for after having a good look at the situation down there saying Government edict should set the rents where double garages are now considered luxury accommodation…
The Green Party has decided to contest the Christchurch East by-election that will be held in November as a result of sitting MP Lianne Dalzielâs decision to run for Mayor in the Christchurch local body elections.
Nominations for the seat open today and close 5pm Tuesday 17 September. A candidate selection meeting will be held in the electorate on Saturday 28 September (time and venue to be confirmed). The results of the meeting will be publicly announced by the end of that weekend.
Prospective candidates must have their applications processed and accepted in accordance with the Partyâs candidate selection rules to be eligible for nomination. Please contact george@greens.org.nz for more information.
Press Release doesn’t appear to be online yet.
Press Release: 12 September 2013
Green Party to contest Christchurch East by-election
The Green Party has confirmed it will contest the Christchurch East by-election and opened nominations today.
The by-election will be held in November following the expected resignation of sitting Labour MP Lianne Dalziel who intends to run for Christchurch Mayor.
âThe Green Party is keenly aware of the issues that people in Christchurch East face and we relish an opportunity to put those concerns under the public spotlight,â Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today.
âThe people of Christchurch East deserve a strong Green candidate to connect with and speak out on education and housing and other key issues they face.â
Green Party Co-convener Georgina Morrison said nominations will close at 5pm next Tuesday. A candidate selection meeting will be held in the electorate on Saturday, September 28, with details to be confirmed. The results of the meeting will be publicly announced by the end of that weekend.
Prospective candidates must have their applications processed and accepted in accordance with the Partyâs candidate selection rules to be eligible for nomination.
Why oh why cannot the left wing groups get their act together. Having two left of centre parties contesting the seat could let National take the seat. There is little point in both Labour and Greens both contesting except to make it easier for National to win
Totally – Labour should step aside and let the Greens run the only Left candidate – Mojo Mathers should stand again – she will be an excellent MP for Christchurch East.
Oh wait – perhaps that isn’t what you had in mind? đŻ
Perhaps National can put up a candidate of Aaron Gilmore’s quality again.
I would have no problem with a green candidate if that was what the two parties agreed. I just don’t want to see two similar parties dividing the left vote.
The only people that think it is ok to do that appear to be National
I can’t see a reason why the Greens shouldn’t put up a candidate – it is a fully-fledged independent party after all.
I think you have to trust people to vote strategically. They’ve managed it in previous elections and there’s no reason to expect them to split the vote this time.
Gower showing that he still doesn’t understand how preferential voting works:
After three weeks of street-fighting, Mr Jones is still likely to come third in this race. But he’s a likely kingmaker for the other two, and can expect a senior role.
– They felt that the election was a foregone conclusion, thanks to many polls pointing to a National win.
– They did not trust politicians.
– They had other commitments on the day.
Most people who decided not to vote, made that decision on the day.
My thoughts about an extra rise in inflation is that employers would raise prices to cover wage rises but I know from my personal experience over the years that the more dollars you have the greater is the persons discretion in what they spend on. My only reservation is the stubborn antipathy to organising a system of adjusting pensions more frequently than annually. Governments have mini budgets so likewise they could have six month budgets which would help somewhat instead of annual events.
My views come from my experience and I do not see any need to study the egg heads of whatever perswasion
Rob MacCullough writes –Â Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu â often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the governmentâs readiness to make urgent changes to âthe resource management systemâ through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes donât go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a âmedia summitâ to discuss âthe state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalismâ. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes –Â This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
 Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for âfast trackâ consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill â currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes-Â The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you arenât wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said âSince we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
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, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund â When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayersâ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund â and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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 TaupĆ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the TaupĆ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. âAnticipation for the ITM TaupĆ 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 ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singaporeâs 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 counterpartâs almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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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 AwekĆtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
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 ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer âyesâ to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if theyâre experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey caught the headlines yesterday, courtesy of a blistering speech condemning the latest GST carve-up. New South Wales, he claimed, would be A$11.9 billion worse off over the ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Kokoda Station, Northern province, at the start of his state visit to Papua New Guinea. Both Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape will meet with the locals and the Northern Provincial government before they begin their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra Shutterstock An important principle was invoked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week in defence of the governmentâs Future Made in Australia industry ...
A poll last August found that just 16% of New Zealanders oppose bringing back the âThree Strikesâ law. The nationwide poll of 1,000 New Zealanders was commissioned by Family First NZ and carried out by Curia Market Research. ...
The solo show from Ana Scotney is both sprawling and intimate, and a must-see, writes Mad Chapman. In the opening moments of Scattergun: After the Death of RĆ«aumoko, writer and performer Ana Scotney lays out the groundwork, literally. Silently moving around the square stage, Scotney is not so much dancing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Burridge, Professor of Linguistics, Monash University Who makes the words? Why are trees called trees and why are shoes called shoes and who makes the names? – Elliot, age 5, Eltham, Victoria Good question Elliot! Letâs start with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne at amRawpixel.com/Shutterstock Roles of health professionals are still unfortunately often stuck in the past. That is, before the ...
COMMENTARY:By Malcolm Evans Last weekâs leaked New York Times staff directive, as to what words can and cannot be used to describe the carnage Israel is raining on Palestinians, is proof positive, since those reports are published verbatim here in New Zealand, that our understanding of the conflict is ...
In the case of New Zealand, the results confirm that there is no popular support for the vicious austerity program being imposed by the National Party-led government, which is backed in all fundamental respects by the opposition Labour Party. ...
The âVampireâ singer has never visited our part of the world, but that might all be about to change. We assess the evidence.Olivia Rodrigoâs Guts World Tour is pulling in massive crowds as it whips around the US and Europe, even helping to catapult regular supporting act Chappell Roan ...
Testing of drinking water in rural Canterbury over the weekend by Greenpeace revealed that several public town supplies were reaching levels of nitrate above 5 mg/L - the threshold which a growing body of scientific evidence has linked to increased ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rohan Fisher, Information Technology for Development Researcher, Charles Darwin University It may come as a surprise to hear 2023 was Australiaâs biggest bushfire season in more than a decade. Fires burned across an area eight times as big as the 2019â20 Black ...
Responding to the Governmentâs announcement of changes to resource management laws, Taxpayersâ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, said: âThese changes are a step in the right direction in terms of removing ideological and unworkable ...
More than two years after the Human Rights Council called for the establishment of a national human rights commission, such a body has yet to be formed. ...
Comment:An emergency management system with wide variations in performance, significant capability gaps, funding shortfalls and above all a setup that is not meeting the needs of New Zealanders at times of crisis. The Governmentâs inquiry into the response to Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events in the North ...
Welcome to the whirring wonders of one brain trying to align its actions with its beliefs within a system it thinks is evil. My brain has been spiralling in a woke conundrum ever since I found out a bookshop Iâve never been to was shutting down. Good Books, a bookshop ...
We repeat our call for criminal justice policy to be based on evidence, something the three strikes regime neglects to recognise â with no evidence that it either reduces crime or assists with rehabilitation. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara With only four more seats in the 50-member Parliament yet to be officially declared, there is no outright winner in the Solomon Islands elections. As of Monday, the two largest blocs in the winnerâs circle, independents and the incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh ...
Two/fiftyseven is a multi-purpose space hidden in the heart of Wellington that is paving a way for sustainable building and responsible landlording in Aotearoa and beyond.By 2060 the world is predicted to double its entire building stock, which equates to building an entire New York City every 34 days, ...
Popstars wasnât just a reality television revolution, it was also a huge moment for Y2K fashion.Itâs 25 years since girl group TrueBliss was formed on New Zealand national television, breaking new ground for both the reality television industry and the shiny clothing industry. With the first episode on NZ ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Pepping, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology, Griffith University Marvin / Shutterstock Are all single people insecure? When we think about people who have been single for a long time, we may assume itâs because single people have insecurities that make ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Geary, Lecturer in Quantitative Ecology & Biodiversity Conservation, The University of Melbourne Trismegist san, Shutterstock Landscapes that have escaped fire for decades or centuries tend to harbour vital structures for wildlife, such as tree hollows and large logs. But these ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Gladstone-Gallagher, Lecturer in Marine Science, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Shutterstock/S Curtis Why are we crossing ecological boundaries that affect Earthâs fundamental life-supporting capacity? Is it because we donât have enough information about how ecosystems respond to change? Or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Crocker, PhD Student in Economics, Deakin University Hereâs something for the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia to ponder as it meets next month to set interest rates. It has pushed up rates on 13 occasions since it began its ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a charity director outlines how sheâs saving for retirement and buying secondhand. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Female Age: 45 Ethnicity: PÄkehÄ Role: Charity director, mum of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie Yates, Research Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Many 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 last year. Now a ...
Itâs been called a failed experiment and a judicial straightjacket but the government says the revised three strikes law will be a more workable regime, 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. Three ...
New Zealandâs Palestinian community and Palestinian Youth Aotearoa are voicing alarm and disappointment with the lack of factual rigour present during the Israeli Ambassadorâs appearance as a guest on TVNZâs Q+A With Jack Tame Sunday (21/04). ...
Both ACT leader David Seymour, who played a key role in drawing up the assisted dying law, and hospice leaders say it's time the legislation was changed. ...
Public submissions on proposed gang control laws are being heard today. Rising gang membership has been cited as rationale for a crackdown â but what do we actually know about how many people belong to gangs in New Zealand?Whatâs all this then?A rise in the number of gang ...
Climate activists are setting their sights on an unpopular target, and hoping to bring lots of the public with them. Itâs hard to miss the Majestic Princess: the enormous cruise ship, docked at Aucklandâs Princeâs Wharf, looms over the nearby buildings. The ship, which can fit nearly 6,000 people, ...
[Bunji: We’ve been approving approving your comments, but I notice you’ve actually meant to be banned until 4 October]
I don’t understand this, perhaps someone can enlighten.
When a business makes a mistake and that costs it in terms of lost customers and reputation, that business and its owner understands that it must carry that self-imposed burden and deal with it alone with no expectation that the owners neighbour or anyone else should step in and pay to right the mistake. After all, the neighbour has not shared in any previous profits.
But Fonterra, a private company, after ballsing up its botulism scare left right and centre, is getting taxpayer funding to help correct their self-imposed disaster. A government fund of $2,000,000 has been set up, from which dairy businesses can do such things as get the taxpayer to pay their travel costs to those customers, among other things.
How does this fit? How does this work? Can any business apply for such assistance when they balls things up? Or is it only certain ones?
Sounds like more welfare to me. Bludging off the taxpayer. Just like the NZX which after several decades still stutters along wimpering for the taxpayer to support their privately owned business…
Perhaps Wayne, who comments on here from time to time and posters seem to know who is (is it publicly known, his identity?), would like to explain. Come in Wayne…
and then you know what….. I turns the next page of te morning paper and what is the headline? Fonterra expanding into China expecting to farm up to 15,000 cows….
For fucking fucks sake – what a pile cowshit this government is
And yesterday the cheapest 2 litre bottle of milk went up 30 cents to $3.30 in Glenview New World and 39 cents to $3.39 at Clarence St Pak n Save.
Well (ahem) you must understand there are a lot of (cough) extra costs in administrating all this free money…
God you guys a getting ripped off in NZ – I live in the Middle East & I pay the equivalent of NZ$3.20 for 2 litres of fresh milk – all imported. None of my Arab colleagues can understand why New Zealander’s pay international prices for a product they make domestically – we sure as hell don’t pay international prices for petroleum here (we pay about 30 cents a litre – and the locals think that is expensive!)
Earlier on in the week on the radio I heard that an 11 year old won a NZ science prize for proving that the triple layer plastic milk bottle does not keep milk as fresh as the regular plastic milk bottle. I will try and find a link.
Apparently one benefit of the triple layer plastic is that it prevents light from destroying the nutrient content. I would like to know by how much?
I suppose if you can afford the more expensive container, any waste is not an issue.
Part of the problem is that regulation is required as the supermarket mark up is a rip off. Watch the cost of anything else with dairy in it rise.
That’s only one 11 year old’s opinion. Key can find another 11 year old who will say the opposite.
I cannot find the link. I will keep looking.
Even at intermediate when marking a science project it has to have a proven hypothesis.
I couldn’t find the Herald link but this is the same story.
http://whoar.co.nz/2013/fonterra-bottles-fail-boys-acid-test/
Thankyou for supplying a link, it was appreciated.
Due to the variables e.g. possible contamination during testing, retesting is required. No doubt divided opinion at this stage.
“… during acid testing when the milk was left outside – milk in the triple layer bottle degraded faster.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11122005
Setting up dairy, kiwifruit in other countries is seen as an export – exporting our expertise, our intellectual property, experience. Whether its exxing out some of our interests in the short or long term well I don’t know if that has been examined.
With the difficulty of keeping quality control over our own stuff, and the harm that we have caused to the respect for our standards, perhaps it would be a good idea to make money from helping countries get established in the market, and then sell out our interests there, and wait for them to screw up. In the meantime we concentrate on making quality stuff, and have policies of honesty and fast response to any problems and have unceasing controls and inspections enforced by the government, as business cannot be relied upon not to slide if its solely responsible for itself.
And that leads to a news item from this morning. The horrific fuel train explosion in Canada was caused by inadequate measures by the transport company, but the results were ramped up because it was carrying more flammable fuel than the oil it was allowed to transport.
And the likelihood of government controlling complacent, wealthy, cost-cutting, safety and regulation lax businesses – well the oil spill in the Northern Hemisphere, was it the Exonn or similar, came about after safety measures had not been followed, government controls and officials had been softened up after ‘capture’ by the business, and all along the safety evaluation of the oil gathering and transporting led to an expectation of some event in a 25 year time frame. This then was made more likely to occur by the lax safety standards adopted.
(Probably Fukushima was similar.)
My comment has been waiting in moderation now for 40 mins. I think using the term exxing might have scrambled the screen’s dictionary.
[Bunji: no idea why it was in moderation, but guess no-one was looking at the queue. Approved now]
Thanks Bunji
Audrey Young quotes Roger Douglas’ view on the leadership….as if they are relevant!!
And she believes the Annette King’s return from holidays overseas will bolster Robertson’s chances. Yeah, Annette is the one to pick winning leaders!
Yes, Boadicea – wouldn’t you think the Labour caucus – especially the ABCs – have the message by now that Rogernomics didn’t work and new thinking on economic development is needed?
But No – they’re still tied to that old drum ….. Mr Rogernomics telling them “the two main contenders, Mr Cunliffe and Mr Robertson, have had been advancing policy “that would set New Zealand up to become another Spain or Greece.”
Ironical, eh ?. Following the Rogernomics track has set NZ up to become “another Spain or Greece”.
And it will be more than disappointing if the current Labour caucus cannot see that.
Roger Douglas? – he’s still around! The land of the living dead.
You call that living? Today, I dribbled this much đ
The trouble was a conventional socialist paniced and called for a cup of tea …. we will never know where Sir Roger was taking us … that is a hard pill for you folk to swallow I know.
Halfway to hell was far enough, thanks.
CV
+2
lol
I think we were heading towards “a secret enclave known as Galts Gulch”….
Even the Herald now gives Cunliffe 12 first preference caucus votes (Audrey Young today). With 60% of both the unions and the members he will be the leader. Too easy!
Mallard, on a junket in San Fran, promises further taxpayers’ funding for EMIRATES Team NZ if they win the America’s Cup.
Nothing’s changed.
Maybe if we are lucky he will see the writing on the wall and stay there.
don’t they need some more ballast for the boat..?
..for once..he could be a bit useful..
..which would make a change..eh..?..
..phillip ure..
I actually HOPE that Cunliffe sacks him ( Mallard)…… and the rest of the ABC group who want to stay to their neo liberal sellout path.
I’m heartily sick of hearing from worn out scabs and turncoats like Douglas and Prebble.
Typical of the proliteriate, nothing but oudated terms … pity Labour has nothing better
The latest Greenwald information shows that NSA is sending raw data to Israel. Read (c) of the memorandum for reference to NZ. Are we collecting any of this information at Waihopai? Do our MPs know?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/sep/11/nsa-israel-intelligence-memorandum-understanding-document
So wrong in so many ways. What the fuck were they thinking?
There’s enormous scope for industrial espionage as the Israeli military/industrial complex commercialises its opportunities.
Here’s an example:
On the day Raphael Ouzan finished five years of service in an elite intelligence unit, he decided to start his own company. The night after his release from the IDF he met with a good friend, Yaron Samid, and together they resolved to build their own startup.
In the first days they had only five employeesâtwo from the same intelligence unit as Ouzan. Last year their companyâBillGuardâraised 3 million dollars in funding and won second place in the startup competition Techcrunch Disrupt.
BillGuard is, essentially, antivirus for your credit card. The software scans credit card transactions and finds technical errors or fraudulent deals. This is accomplished with a unique algorithm which scans forums, social networks and websites, and analyzes transactions for âsuspiciousâ behavior.
Whatâs the link between credit card protection and the IDF? Raphael Ouzan, now BillGuardâs CTO explains:
âI learned a lot about this type of work from my military service . . .
http://www.idfblog.com/2012/04/02/start-up-army-idf-israels-hi-tech-industry/
Reframing the economy – The new economics foundation writes about the differences between the austerity framing and a new story the shows a difference side of the economic policies of austerity and the type of society that we want to progress.
New iPhone 5S with fingerprint sensor is a neat way to add your fingerprint to the NSAs Databases.
Android based phones have been doing it for ages…
Interesting. I have a top of the line HTC and it doesn’t. I wasn’t aware that the Galaxy S III, IV did either.
hmm… neither does mine. Where did you get that news Roflcopter?
For sure this happens esp when you have a Govt who introduced YOUTH rates……
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/9152629/Can-t-get-work-can-t-afford-to-retire
Amirite NZ has built a boat industry up from $120 million a year to over $2billion a year.
On the back of our sucess in the Americas cup!
Leading edge world beating technology has been developed + the publicity NZ gets from the cup.
Even in the bottom of the south island many boat building companies have hugely benefited .Companies that were employing a couple of employees are now employing well paid engineers welders etc,
Formerly these companies were making cheap aluminiun tinnies runabouts and dingies they are now making large ocean going high end cruisers at $150,000+
Before $1200 dingies.
These are exactly the value added exports we need in this country.
If we don,t keep supporting and investing in this industry we will fall behind and china will take all these high paying jobs.
The cost at less than $8 million per year is a fraction of what farming and other industries receive from govt!
You can only invest in industry from your profits.NZ is always constrained by the value of its currency which is subject to the gamblers perception ie a higher official interest rate.
Wheelers statement had an immediate effect,reducing the profits for exporters in the upcoming export season.
http://freeserv.dukascopy.com:8080/ChartServer/chart?stock_id=1034&interval=60&points_number=400&view_type=line&width=400&height=250&show_labels=true&osc_type=-1&rfi=false&osc_height=100&p1=2&p2=3&p3=7&c=4113324
So you agree that (generally) underpaid work forces should produce luxury goods for wealthy foreigners to consume?
How’s about value added ‘everyday’ products that workers (foreign or domestic) can afford?
Who gives a stuff about boat builders when we cannot even construct moderate price houses.
When we can house, feed, educate, and provide good health care for all New Zeal;anders then we can start worrying about building rich men’s toys
Ron We need skilled people making physical things for everybody – making things, yachts, boats, railway carriages, steel workers etc. Also needed is regular work for builders, not on-off cycles of boom and depressed demand, and real assistance to the building community from a real hard-working government agency.
It would have model plans that used good and modest priced materials with acceptable building methods. Some might use some steel and wood. They would inform on whether boron treated studs and joists would be better than untreated. It would be in plain language so that interested people could get leaflets and read reports on line. If we had had a working agency like this it would have put a stop to the building of housing that was proving to be unsatisfactory and even dangerous, overseas.
Most of our poor leaky housing would never have happened if BRANZ or whatever it was called was working well for our benefit. When we are decrying the housing deficit, don’t forget the setback the leaky, fungussy homes caused and the heartache and physical sickness as well as the mental stress for people involved in the losses.
I hope we will never get to the stage where we become so angry that violence and retaliation break out against the perpetrators of these predatory shonky financial and political schemes.
There is only so much that people can put up with – too much and the chickens will come home to roost.
(expressed in print as early as 1390, when Geoffrey Chaucer used it in The Parson’s Tale:
And ofte tyme swich cursynge wrongfully retorneth agayn to hym that curseth, as a bryd that retorneth agayn to his owene nest.)
Ron This is a good way to take money back off rich people.
Oracle paid NZ boat builders to build their boats because we had the best technology and skill in the world.
we will never be a bulk mass producer like China Indonesia or any large industrialized country ever again we can only succeed in niche markets.
Its not just rich mans toys we make huge numbers of small boats as well.
This is one area in manufacturing where we are leading the world!
We can construct cheap housing its just that existing monopolies have the govt in their back pocket !
Education world leading software is being developed in NZ by Taylor made for television, apps for smart phones and then the on board software for Team New Zealand Aotearoa designed and developed in Good old NZ!
Larry Ellison (oracle yes Oracle) World leading software designer and supplier is getting beaten by some very smart high paid by NZ standards home grown Kiwi software designers that will make software designers sit up and take Notice the world over that has got to be good for NZ!
Reality check needed Ron in fact its been nearly seven years since the Labour Govt put up the $36 million for Team NZ thats less than $4 million a year.
How much did the country put up for the world cup for a negative return, nearly $1 billion dollars which local councils are still in debt up to their eyeballs from and have caused a lot of job losses because councils have had to sack staff to pay for under used stadiums while the Americas cup has turned a $120 million a year boat industry into a $2 billion a year boat industry employing 100,s if not thousands of full time workers!
If I had my way I would have put that rugby money into the boat industry at least we would have some return for our investment .Instead we have a bunch of empty stadiums and the loan shark big Aussie bankers Are smiling!
NZ Defence has been found to be just a tad careless in training its workers, apparently on the basis that because they are going into dangerous theatres of whatever, they need to be toughened and man-up to danger, before they are properly trained and instructed to deal with such dangers in a manful and knowledgable manner. Man what a bunch of clods and impractical managers in Defence. The authoritarian power with absolute power to ignore morality and fair behaviour and respect for the troops and their welfare is on the way to losing his, or her, humanity.
Not just training, but the basic activities of equipment and maintenance. I’m thinking of the poor guy who fucking drowned because his life vest wouldn’t inflate.
For a while back there the NZRAF had more “Wing Commanders” on the payroll than actual physical wings flyable in the fleet. Don’t know if it’s still the case.
Now I don’t have permission to edit with 5 minutes left to go. I was going to express my thinking better but you’ll just have to unscramble the code that attempts to convey the message! /sarc
Perhaps those wing commanders spent their spare time, instead of ensuring proper training and usage standards be met to prevent loss of human capacity and expensive capital equipment, developing the game Icarus. It sounds interesting and maybe challenging for a grounded sky pilot.
(Itching to dive-bomb a rival guildâs castle from dragon-back? It will be possible in the upcoming fantasy game Icarus Online.) http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/Icarus-Online/
(Icarus, son of Daedalus who dared to fly too near the sun on wings of feathers and wax. Daedalus had been imprisoned by King Minos of Crete within the walls of his …)
Encyclopedia of Greek Mythology
odd. Notes it down.
So what is the rate of accidental deaths for members of the NZDF v comparable civilian occupations? Do you know or is this just a rant based on ignorance and perception?
chris73
Do your own work if you are interested in gaining the information. But then if you were you would have some stored in your own mind and would have an idea of what I was referring to. Trouble with you RWNJs is that you are information beneficiaries too lazy to do your own amassing of stats and background.
In other words you don’t know so you’re making it up
What civilian occupations are comparable to NZDF functions?
Off the top of my head:
Firemen, truckies, carpenters, mechanics, storemen, administraters, doctors, nurses, medics, teachers, pilots, cooks, stewards, plumbers, gym instructors, dentists, pet ops, move ops, divers, psychatrists, builders and of course after the winds the guys were out with chainsaws but thats not a core function…
Theres probably more but thats enough to go on for now…
But there’s one overall function of NZDF that is in none of those trades. The clue is in the name.
Unless stewards routinely have light machine guns to carry around, of course.
They have accountants in the NZDF, therefore the NZDF are just like KPMG!!! And look, 4 letters as well, that’s not just coincidence!!!
Soldier first and trade second but that wasn’t the question was it, the question was: “what civilian occupations are comparable to NZDF functions?”
Now while I am pretty damn awesome I do have to admit that reading peoples minds isn’t one of my particular talents so if you want me to answer a question make sure you phrase the question properly
The forestry Industry makes the defense force look good who needs enemies when we are more dangerous with self inflicted losses even in Afghanistan Key Turned down amoured vehicles and refused to use light amoured vehicles because they were to expensive to take to that theater of war!
nationals cost cutting at work again down grading our armed services while Poncekey takes all the limelight for being the US,s lapdog is criminal negligence.
National can.t help themselves cutting forrestry inspection from 1,000 down to 220 a year has lead to a massive increase in deaths negligence the minister Joyce should be put on trial for manslaughter!
I’m guessing you’ve had a few drinks?
It seems as if the GCSB is the only government department that will listen to you.
over and out.
Key is the only person in NZ who will know if the GCSB has listened in on him.
6 months from now he’ll be so desperate to have anyone listen to him that he’ll be sending them a special request đ
Lol
The other 9/11.
http://www.democracynow.org/topics/1973_chilean_coup
edit: snap xtasy.
WRT things Chilean:
Two nations were influenced by our thinkers and example:
Finland and Chile. Finland learned its lessons from John Dewey. Its
schools are child-centered. It prizes the arts and physical
education. It has no standardized testing. Its schools are noted
for both excellence and equity. It is a top performer on
international tests. Chile learned its lessons from Milton
Friedman. It has vouchers and testing. Its schools are highly
segregated by social class. The quality of education is highly
dependent on family income. Students in Chile are rioting to demand
free public education. No one considers Chile a model. Which
direction are we going? Why? Whose ideas are dominant
today?
http://dianeravitch.net/2013/09/08/the-two-nations-that-learned-from-us/
Yep. A side tangential issue to that touches on some comments on this site lately about the loyalty of the armed forces and who they actually belong to and act for.
As is shown by the Chile coup, the Fiji coups, and many other examples, armed forces do not belong to the people and neither are they loyal to the people, nor even the government. They act for and belong to others. They do what they are ordered to – such as bomb and kill civilians and others living in their own country (Egypt), murder politicians (Chile), act for the Crown (British Crown) to protect the Crown (reason for ignoring Lange in first Fiji coup)
Militaries are for these purposes, which are quite contrary to the popular understanding of the wider public who assume that they are on “our” side. Especially in NZ where, you know, nothing like that ever happens, couldn’t, nah, that happens overseas….
Some posters have highlighted these realities recently and it has left a chill in the air ……….
be very afraid of all militaries
Thank You for posting these links joe90. Will make some time to watch, read and absorb.
Red-Green, my first upload for a while.
I’m guessing it’s the DC effect and lots of coffee. đ
https://soundcloud.com/theal1en/red-green or via my widget affected site http://www.al1en.org
Here is an example of setting yourself up for problems. Relying too heavily on man-made things for your business when you operate in a non-man-made environment.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/agribusiness/9156195/Storm-damages-over-800-Canterbury-irrigators
Rely on power for your dairy shed – what happens when the power goes out?
Rely on external water supply for your grass – what happens when the external water supply dries up?
Rely on mechanical means to feed the animals – what happens when nature tips it upside down?
Too much reliance on non-natural items. Too intensive. Too clever for our own good, methinks
One other too – Canterbury used to have large hedges planted all over to protect from the wind and stop the earth being blown away (this was learned from when the land was stripped and early weather blew the dirt away). When these hedges began being flattened about 15 years ago many old-timers said strongly that they would rue the day. The winds would return and wreak havoc they said. And looky at that – the winds came screaming down through the mountains and instead of screeching across at the height of 10m hedges it screeched across at the height of 1cm blades of grass.
I have too many digs at farmers and this is not intended as another. It is a dig at humanwomankind and its tendency to always forget the lessons of the past. Those who do not learn from the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them. Voila.
vto
Good points.
Correct. You point to an economy predicated on fragility.
The problem is that they listened to the anti global warming sorces and didn’t buy generators to run even just one machine to relieve the suffering of their animals. Personally I have changed to all electricity but I have not sold my gas .. that is in reserve for when the power fails …. if a townie with just himself to think about can do it why not the farmer with hundreds of stock their responsibility.
Yep – vto – we were sitting there watching the TV news about all the mangled irrigation pipes wondering why the heck they had’nt laid them down, dismantled them or done something else to protect them when they had plenty of warning those high winds were coming. And maybe those irrigation contraptions could be replaced with sprinkler pipes laid in the ground ?
And now you’re talking about the removal of the shelter hedges. Hadn’t realised that had happened. Why did the dairy farmers or whoever think they were there in the first place – as decoration ? Farmers don’t do decoration.
Amazing lack of thought on the part of whoever is in charge of the dairy farms in Canterbury.
That’s what K-line is for.
One more time in the ghetto, yes, yet another comment on the question: Does raising the minimum wage lead to more unemployment, the answer so far from what i have posted has been a resounding and emphatic NO,
This link is pretty looo-ong and may have your eyeballs sliding out of their socket and off down your cheeks if you try and read it all at once, it does tho present the argument from both sides, a couple of salient points when we consider what is the American experience and how the template is more or less a mirror of our own,
Paul Krugman: ”The current level of the minimum wage is very low by any reasonable standard”.
In a New York Time op-ed piece Noble Prize winning economist Paul Krugman argued that raising the minimum wage was both good politics and sound policy. Moreover, He argued in favor of increasing the Federal baseline to keep up with inflation,
”For about four decades increases in the minimum wage have consistently fallen behind inflation, so that in real terms the minimum wage is substantially lower than it was in the 1960’s, meanwhile, worker productivity has doubled”, (New York Times 2/17/13).
Starts to make the USA sound like a small country located in the South Pacific Ocean doesn’t it, and then there is this:
”If the minimum wage reflected worker productivity it would be nearly $22 per hour”.
Citing a study done by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, the Huffington Post explained that the current minimum wage lags far behind what it should after accounting for productivity increases,
”The minimum wage should have reached $21.72 an hour in 2012 if it kept up with increases in worker productivity according to a March study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research”,
”While advancements in technology have increased the amount of goods and services that can be produced in a set amount of time wages have remained relatively flat the study point out”, (the Huffington Post 2/13/13).
Not here in little old Noo Zealand tho right, the robber barons wouldn’t whip us into productivity increases while not passing on a fair share of such increases as wage rises, or would they???,
http://www.mediamatters.org/research/2013/07/24/right-wing…mini/195026
This would tend to suggest that the US experience of the Neoliberal experiment matches our own,
”Out-put growth in the measured sectors averaged 2.6% per annum from 1978 to 2007, the main driver of this out-put growth was labour productivity of +2.0% per annum”.
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/research-policy/tprp/08-02/05.htm
The studies are nice but also irrelevant to our specific conditions, we can get the economic and social outcomes we want in NZ via innovative fiscal means.
Yes i am sure the Treasury info is irrelevant to you, please expand upon these innovative fiscal means…
get more cash into the economy and keep it there and circulating. Nothing magic.
The Greens are questioning some of the NACTs innovative means of pulling money Out of the economy with a little pokie game, a devilish device. Have a go at their fruit loop machine and try for a thinking MP to cross the House.
https://www.greens.org.nz/skycity#1
The most interesting and thoughtful article by Krugman was quite recentl;y where he wrote about the wonk factor and related it to the Republicans which I don’t particularly dis-agree with … they are a festering sore on American politics …. HOWEVER when I come to The Standard I see evidence of a similar problem.
Wonk Factor = a habit of only reading sources that you agree with.
I wonder if I suffer from it too since I only read Krugman becuase I agree with him and cannot be bothered with the RW crap.
PS. I never considered Sir Roger RW, that was the journalists and Alliance idiots bellyacheing.
The Standard is a left wing site in case you havn’t noticed, given that, i am hardly going to give oxygen to the rights politico/economic agenda,
They have the mainstream media happily doing that for them…
jcuknz
Are you into studying the cosmos. Because you don’t seem to know much about what is going on down and around here on little ole NZ. Sir Roger not RW? That joke won’t fly.
Here’s a jolly little poem by AA Milne just right for Sir Roger…It may seem silly, but not very.
Bad Sir Brian Botany
Sir Brian had a battleaxe with great big knobs on;
He went among the villagers and blipped them on the head.
On Wednesday and on Saturday, but mostly on the latter day,
He called at all the cottages, and this what he said:
I am Sir Brian, as bold as a lion –
Take that! – and that! – and that!
Sir Brian woke one morning, and he couldn’t find his battleaxe:
He walked into the village in his second pair of boots.
He had gone a hundred paces, when the street was full of faces,
And the villagers were round him with ironical salutes…
Sir Brian went a journey, and he found a lot of duck-weed:
They pulled him out and dried him, and they blipped him on the head.
They took him by the breeches, and they hurled him into ditches,
And they pushed him under waterfalls, and this is what they said:
You are Sir Brian, as bold as a lion –
Sir Brian, the lion, good-bye!
And now he goes about the village as B.Botany, Esquire.
I am Sir Brian? Oh no!
I am Sir Brian? Who’s he?
I haven’t got any title, I’m Botany –
Plain Mr Botany (B).
I considered him to be seriously unwise and in way too much of a hurry. The over-regulated state with a habit of hiding unemployment in the farming sector, forestry, the post office, railways, etc was never going to survive because it simply wasn’t economic. Nor was the tariff system that resulted in the first corporate I worked with having a larger lobby group in Wellington protecting the tariffs than their head office and sales force combined.
Problem was that it’d gotten to the point of collapse as the NZLP took power and literally found that they couldn’t pay for it any more. Inflation was already out of control so they couldn’t print their way out. That allowed border-line hysterics like Douglas, Prebble, Moore, etc way way too much power to make completely bad through to simply shoddy deals. Problem was that the Labour MPs including the backboners were so used to only have 3 years that they tried to do everything in 3 years – and it made the economic reforms completely desperate and dangerous. It takes time to change economic systems safely.
Nett result of doing sudden change like that was that we wound up with a rump of people with few skills in the wrong parts of the country who went on unemployment for far too long. Go to somewhere like Rotorua or the old tariff factories and you can see the generational damage that fell out of that. National unfortunately usually come around just often enough to kill those regional towns whenever they start getting better off.
It also made it freaking hard to get capital for anything productive in this country for decades after the ’87 crash when the ponzi cowboys tainted the finance markets and killed all of the pre-existing capital outlets.
Of course if Muldoon hadn’t been such a diehard conservative screwing the pooch in the decade before trying to prevent change, then it’d have been a whole lot easier.
That’s really good summary of post-Muldoon lprent.. It is understandable the way you explain it. Muldoon may have been the right man for the job for a while, but after two terms leaders need to be put out to grass, otherwise they get stuck in the dried cow pats and have to be prised up. I also think that the terms should be for four years. You refer to three and it does seem that it is just too hard to plan, implement and monitor results within that time. Hence the shonky legislation we get.
Muldoon right to the finish sang the song ”I did it my way’ and wanted to take It with him when he went. Lange said that before Muldoon officially handed over the keys to the hope-chest we had a capital flight so bad that Labour had to call up all the diplomats overseas and sequester their credit card balances.
What upset me was the flamboyant way Douglas et al closed down businesses which were really operating, even with some assistance, and then they replaced them with slogans which weren’t as useful at the supermarket. First pain, then gain for instance. Unions bad, business sanctified. Tariffs and subsidies gone altogether. Nudity was de rigueur to all trade talks so that it was plain to all that we didn’t carry any concealed weaponry, even dicks. New business was going to spring up, vigorous from all this fertiliser. But in fact, if it did it tended to be shopworn old business recycled, carrying out previous government activities.
And the new floating exchange rate and foreign ownership seem to have creamed off
financial successes with keen assistance from inflated financial speculators, inflated property speculators, inflated importers, and the naivety of us all. We have reacted similarly to the people of Albania when stripped of the restraints of communism and exposed to sharp teeth of capitalism. Where they were fleeced by ponzi schemes and fulsome promises from money sharks. Who was that sneaking round the corner – Mac the Knife! Our theme song.
Time for We Got Talent and let’s get a new song!
The problem with increasing the minimum wage is that all wages would rise accordingly and this would promote inflation … which as a superanuient relying on an annual re-adjustment is likelly rather tough on me …. however Krugman also pointed out that inflation makes it easier for a country to retire its debt which is a good thing instead of the RW going on about living within your means like a household. But a country is not a household and if you stiffle the ecconomy with austerity measures it is going to take a hell of a long time to get out of the poo. In this respect I think the National Governmeent over the past five years has steered a good course between the camps … austerity v. stimulous.
So I think many writers here are living with ideological blinkers which say “left good – right bad” when it is not a clear cut black and white situation.
Income for the top 10% have been skyrocketing just fine without inflation.
The inflation thing is just a myth. Under Helen Clark the minimum wage went from about $8 to about $12 and inflation was fucking low.
More of the economy in wages and less in profit is a good thing.
Reducing private taxation (profit) and giving people more return for their labour should be supported.
I can’t see how people can argue for reduced public taxation without also arguing for reduced private taxation.
Profit is a tax on the cost of production.
+1
Why should all wages rise accordingly?
The gap between the top and bottom earners has been growing rapidly wider over the years, it can just gradually narrow over the years.
”All wages would rise accordingly”, not necessarily and really only at the behest of employers, and what you say would insinuate that there is plenty of fat on the employers bulk to be able to raise all wages…
jacknuts even treasury disagrees with you they said at the last election that raising the minimum wage would not lower employment or increase inflation in this economic climate!
In the 1930’s countries that increased their minimum wage came out of recession much faster than the countries which didn’t!
It would be an idea to do some research on the history of economics before you start your rant on chicago school propaganda.
Just repeat the mantra of chicago school of colonial extractive economics there is no other way there is no other way thats chicago school of cultonomics!
Mediocrity Watch: JORDAN WILLIAMS
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Thursday 12 September 2013
Jim Mora, Jordan Williams, Scott York
Following the absurdly substandard, dishonest performance by Professor Robert Patman on yesterday’s show, longtime sufferers no doubt thought it unlikely that The Panel could sink any lower. After all, who could possibly be more dishonest than Patman, or Garth “Gaga” George, or Nevil “Breivik” Gibson, or Christine (Spankin’) Rankin, or Dr Michael Bassett? Well, step forward Jordan Williams, right-wing agitator, lawyer and junior colleague of that preposterously pretentious Panel pontificator, Stephen Franks. Presumably the producers formulated a cunning plan that Williams would act as a counterweight to the sensible and well informed Scott York. Bad idea. Very, very bad idea. As listeners no doubt picked up, Jordan Williams knows fuck-all about anything, but doesn’t let that stop him from engaging in highly incendiary political rhetoric. It doesn’t however, make the show one whit more interestingâŠ.
JIM MORA: [brightly]Syria, gentlemen. What do you think?
SCOTT YORK: Obama has got himself in a hole. He’s still using belligerent language, but that won’t achieve his goals. Bombing Syria would stir up a hornet’s nest.
JORDAN WILLIAMS: [quietly and deliberately, to indicate thoughtfulness] The line should never have been drawn. The real problem is Iran.
JIM MORA: Do you think it’s do-able, extracting the chemical weapons out of Syria?
Scott York says something vaguely sensible and non-controversial. Jordan Williams, on the other hand, sees this as a teaching moment; only problem is he doesn’t know enough about the middle east or about American history to teach anybody anything. Embarrassingly, he attempts to draw a parallel between Obama and earlier U.S. presidents. He blithers about how the Soviets “treated Roosevelt and Kennedy with contempt”, but not Eisenhower—“because they knew he wasn’t going to mess about.” This is a remarkably foolish, vague and uneducated statement, even by the dismal standards, or lack of standards, at Radio NZ National. Williams clearly knows nothing about Eisenhower, or the Cuban “missile crisis”, and has probably read not a single book about either. As usual, however, his blithely ignorant comments go unchallenged by either Mora or the ostensibly liberal York.
SOAPBOX
Scott York makes some interesting observations about the Labour leadership contest.
Jordan Williams has a spray at Grant Robertson—“my good friend”— for suggesting rent controls in Christchurch. “We have a far further left Labour Party than we realized,” he foams. “Capping rents seems like a recipe for disaster.” This goads the abnormally mild and tolerant Scott York into actually saying something that might upset someone: he points out that the market has clearly failed. Mora, uncomfortable, agrees with York, and Williams starts to make a lame and incoherent rejoinder before being saved by the bell. It’s five o’clock, and the imperative of the News means that another right wing chatterbox gets away without having to defend his half-baked views.
Nice summary, Moz. I came in late and only heard the Chch discussion, but ‘saved by the bell’ indeed. 5 more minutes and Scott Yorke would have had the odious and dull witted Williams on the canvas. For the benefit of readers, Williams was saying the rent caps proposed by Grant Robertson would mean landlords would have less incentive to build properties. That might be true, but the answer is obvious; ignore the private sector and build communal housing in partnership with the Council. It is the People’s Republic of Chch after all.
Yes being able to rack-rent people for what are essentially wrecked houses will be sure to have the rack-renters falling all over each other to build 1000’s of rentals so that people will pay far less rent,
The Landlords are all laughing up their sleeves why would they introduce more rental stock when they are ‘creaming it’ renting out the wrecks,
i gave Grant Robertson a + for after having a good look at the situation down there saying Government edict should set the rents where double garages are now considered luxury accommodation…
Scott YORKE. Of course! A while ago, you got me for carelessly mis-spelling Mai Chen’s name. This is yet another point for you, my friend.
Just the other day that terrifying force of nature Queen of Thorns got me for writing Grant Robinson instead of Robertson.
One more slip and Mr Prent will no doubt slap another month-long ban on me….
[lprent: I don’t do it for typos. I’d have to ban myself. ]
You deserve a medal for listening to Mora’s programme.
I do it for you, Paul, and everybody else out there too busy and too intelligent to listen to such crap.
@ Morrissey….I really appreciate your analysis and commentary….on Mora’s programme and Crump’s evening radio.
I appreciate the kind words, Chooky.
Heh. đ
Press Release doesn’t appear to be online yet.
Why oh why cannot the left wing groups get their act together. Having two left of centre parties contesting the seat could let National take the seat. There is little point in both Labour and Greens both contesting except to make it easier for National to win
Totally – Labour should step aside and let the Greens run the only Left candidate – Mojo Mathers should stand again – she will be an excellent MP for Christchurch East.
Oh wait – perhaps that isn’t what you had in mind? đŻ
Perhaps National can put up a candidate of Aaron Gilmore’s quality again.
I would have no problem with a green candidate if that was what the two parties agreed. I just don’t want to see two similar parties dividing the left vote.
The only people that think it is ok to do that appear to be National
Why should either party step aside? They are different political parties, not two parties in coalition.
To prevent a vote split which lets National through the middle to take the seat.
I can’t see a reason why the Greens shouldn’t put up a candidate – it is a fully-fledged independent party after all.
I think you have to trust people to vote strategically. They’ve managed it in previous elections and there’s no reason to expect them to split the vote this time.
Waitakere and Paula Bennett recommends your concept.
Hmm yeah, forgot about that one. Damn!
Labour will need to be a bit more appealing this time then.
basically, unless the Left get seriously hungry enough to win, and to do what it takes to win, they’re not going to make it.
GregJ
All of National’s candidates are of Aaron Gilmore quality; it’s just that some are better at concealing it.
Are you familiar with the concept of MMP? It might help.
by-election is a FPP race.
true dat.
Gower showing that he still doesn’t understand how preferential voting works:
After three weeks of street-fighting, Mr Jones is still likely to come third in this race. But he’s a likely kingmaker for the other two, and can expect a senior role.
Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/Voters-dont-think-Jones-has-changed/tabid/1607/articleID/312976/Default.aspx#ixzz2egDoC4Km
“street-fighting” ?
Lol. What is Gower smoking?
Why NZers did not vote
– They felt that the election was a foregone conclusion, thanks to many polls pointing to a National win.
– They did not trust politicians.
– They had other commitments on the day.
Most people who decided not to vote, made that decision on the day.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/election-2011/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503012&objectid=10801848
My thoughts about an extra rise in inflation is that employers would raise prices to cover wage rises but I know from my personal experience over the years that the more dollars you have the greater is the persons discretion in what they spend on. My only reservation is the stubborn antipathy to organising a system of adjusting pensions more frequently than annually. Governments have mini budgets so likewise they could have six month budgets which would help somewhat instead of annual events.
My views come from my experience and I do not see any need to study the egg heads of whatever perswasion