A round of applause to the Wellington City Council for being No1 in agreeing that all it’s employees will be paid the ‘Living Wage’,(the monies for this coming from freezing the salaries of those higher up in the food chain),
And, a large f**k you to the spokesperson from the Wellington Chanber of Commerce for ‘whining’ about the above vote…
“The “living wage” idea is based on a two-adult, two-child family, yet analysis shows that people in this situation make up only 6 per cent of families earning less than $18.40 an hour. Almost 80 per cent of those earning less than $18.40 are people without children, including young people and students.”
Confused, you guessed wrong,(as usual), a Wellington resident i am and have been most of my life,
So, it’s alright in your mind,(admittedly said mind from here has the appearance of suffering an as yet to be diagnosed disease),for the hierarchy of management at the Wellington City Council to be paid amounts up to $500,000+ annually,a fact i have yet to see you or any of the other ‘Wing-Nuts’ who appear on the Standard kick your afflicted little minds into whine mode over, but,should those who earn the least gain a pay rise that is adjudged to be the minimum a worker should expect to be able to ensure for Her/Himself and any family a ‘normal’ standard of living you choose to whine as if you are to pay the monies yourself,
The Wellington City Council have said that rates will not rise as a result of their applaudable vote FOR the ‘Living Wage’, the intention is to freeze the wages of those higher up the ‘food chain’ of council salaries,
As I recall, the living wage regarding two parent and two kid families involved the other parent working half-time at the living wage, and working for families and other WINZ top-ups.
We could, of course reduce rates by cutting the overly generous pay of the non-working management, or reducing the administrative staff on over 100k a year.
A couple of good secretaries, on 60k, would do the job just as well.
Even more fat at the top to cut in Auckland. How many “Managers” do POAL, and other CCO’s, have, Again!
Yes KJT, what i suggested yesterday was that the Wellington City Council cut the CEO’s role into 2 positions each paying 200 grand a year, that would have been a saving of $100,000+,
i have not as yet done the research necessary to ascertain just how ‘fat’ the management of Wellington City’s Council actually is but cutting all the $200,000+ plus roles into 2 distinct jobs with 100,000 dollar annual salaries i would suggest would save the Council a reasonable pile of coin,
Of course such a template applied to the ‘bloated’ uckland Cit Council would result in millions saved, not only would Council direct employees be able to be afforded the ‘Living Wage’ but this could then be extended to contracted council workers…
The second part of this reform should be setting the maximum future salary cap at say $150000 or 6 times the minimum wage. No new hires can be paid more than this and current hires are wound back at x% per annum if the contract allows. Only exceptions to the cap are for exceptional technical requirements not general management hires sen tot the council on a case by case basis.. That’ll fix the budget.
So why shouldn’t childless people, young people and students get an increase? Last time I looked they were people too and voting members of society. I don’t see why they have to be paid SFA.
Yes, well done to the council!! It’s been on the cards for a bit now and was looking positive so it’s excellent that the vote followed through for the workers.
The woman (surname Bleakley?) from the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, last night on 3news came up with the silliest response. This isn’t a quote but it was something along the lines of “now they won’t get working for families or any other government subsidies” What? So, er, you right wing types actually want the government, via the taxpayer funding under paid workers – I thought you hated people getting any kind of assistance?! Oh wait, you want low wages and no assistance
i heard phil oreilly ceo of ‘business nz’ say that on the radio, justifying low pay rates in nz for workers because the govt tops anyone up, & i thought ‘wtf? i thought you guys hated govt assistance.’
I think that the Council should extend this idea to the people who actually have to pay for it.
Every ratepayer who has an income that is less than the “Living wage” should be exempt from rates.
Why should people living on the pension, which is much, much less than the “Living wage” have to pay more in rates so that some of the councillors can get the warm fuzzies by handing out other people’s money?
Another thing that the Council should be required to explain is exactly who received the $20,000 worth of presents dished out instead of Christmas decorations for the city. Did any of the dosh go to friends or relatives of Councillors or Council staff? Who might have been told about this ahead of time? Will the Council publish a list of the recipients?
Every person, employed by the Council is to get a minimum rate of $18.40 /hour. At 2,000 hours per year that is $36,800/year n’est ce pas?
A single person living alone, as a very large number do, is only entitled to a community services card if their income is less than $26,554/year. Thus no rates relief for someone on more than $10,000/year LESS than the “living wage”. Not much help is it?
What is this shit Alwyn, deliberate lies or simply a stupid mistake on your part, people with community service cards which as far as i know includes pensioners can and do apply for rates relief and are granted such…
Read what I said for God’s sake.
We are being told that the $18.40/hr, or as I work it out $36,800/year is the minimum anyone can live on.
I am suggesting that you shouldn’t have to pay rates if you get less than that as you presumably don’t have enough to live on.
DV said you can get rates relief if you have a community services card., which is true.
However, and which bit of this did you not understand and which do you think is a “deliberate lie or a stupid mistake”. I pointed out that the MAXIMUM income to get a CSC is $26,554/year. For your presumably inumerate mind that is much LESS than the supposed “Living wage”. You may also note that at no point did I nominate that pensioners couldn’t get the card. I am merely pointing out that its availability goes long before reaching the level of the “Living wage”
The Council have already announced a rates increase of 2.5% next year which is more than the rate of inflation. And if you believe there won’t be demands for relativity increases for people currently on a bit more than the “Living wage” you are, I am sorry to say dreaming.
I have just noticed this comment.
Do you have a reference for the 3% figure?
I haven’t seen anything that high. The Reserve Bank, for example are predicting an annual rate of 1.5% at end 2014 and 2.2% end 2015.
Teasury are predicting a non-tradeables figure of about 3% but a CPI figure of around 2%
Every ratepayer who has an income that is less than the “Living wage” should be exempt from rates.
Why should people living on the pension …… have to pay more in rates someone
alwyn, do you really know how rates work. Do you own a house & pay rates? If you are on a low income or pension, & pay rates, you need advice today.
DV has mentioned the rebates on the community card which I am unsure of the details he refer to. But since 1973 there has been the The Rates Rebate Act 1973 which covers a number of Labour and Nats government. How its work (I think) is that the rates rebate given by the council under this scheme to low incomes earner/pensioners etc is recovered from the government so not to impact on the council’s budget.
Go to the WCC or Internal Affairs site rather than just guessing what happens. It just devalues your comment.
The cutoff for that scheme, without dependents is $23,870/year. The rates rebate amount is up to $595.
$23,870/year is a lot less than the “Living wage isn’t it? And yes I did know about it and wasn’t just guessing as you appear to be doing.
Do you really want me to always anticipate every wrong thing that people might bring up and explain it in the original comment?I would have to post fifty page comments then.
Yes I did know about it. The reason I knew was that I had to see whether my mother qualified for it and then later whether another of my family was covered.
So, in spite of your disbelief, I did know about it and I knew the cutoff was well below the “Living wage”.
I did look it up to get the exact current rate but I did know it wasn’t very much.
Why should people living on the pension, which is much, much less than the “Living wage” have to pay more in rates so that some of the councillors can get the warm fuzzies by handing out other people’s money?
I got a better question: Why is it that some people think that they can get labour for less than it costs to supply it?
Interestingly enough, seemingly all these people who believe this vote for either National or Act and whinge about paying rates especially when it comes to paying people for their labour.
I really don’t know how you can define what is meant by “get labour for less than it costs to supply it”. What on earth is “the cost of supplying labour”? I have no trouble with a concept like the value of the output of labour. I have no trouble with the concept of the cost of living a decent life.
However the idea that some single rate, which is what the “Living wage” is supposed to be, is in some way “the cost of supplying labour” doesn’t make any sense.
I much prefer to focus on two different things.
The first is what does a worker produce and what therefore is the value of that work and what they should be paid.
The second is what does it cost that person, and any dependents they have, to live at an acceptable standard of living. If this second figure is less than the first it should be made up by a benefit system which is what we currently have. WFF etc is the way to look after that.
But what do you mean by “The full costs of the labour they use”?
If by that you mean what it costs for that person to live a decent life it must vary with that person’s circumstances. For example the income required by a single person living with their parents is obviously a lot less than that for a man with spouse and 10 kids.
I remember some years ago that the Government, and I don’t know whether it was a Labour or a National one, said that intellectually handicapped people in sheltered workshops had to be paid the full minimum wage. The mother of one such man was interviewed in the paper. She was appalled because, as she said, her son’s work was only worth a couple of dollars an hour. If the workshop had to pay him the minimum wage they couldn’t afford him. He was apparently proud that he could go out to work and earn something and it gave him something to do and a place to get out of his home. Now he was going to be stuck there.
That is an extreme case I know but it is a real example of the sort of person, and business, you appear to regard as a free-loader
ut what do you mean by “The full costs of the labour they use”?
Interesting question since you seem to know exactly what it means:The second is what does it cost that person, and any dependents they have, to live at an acceptable standard of living.
Personally, I prefer a Universal Income but that will require massive increases in taxes. IMO, we would most likely will be seeing the return of the 66% bracket to support that. Other rebalancing would also be needed such as dropping CEO salaries from the million dollar range to something far more realistic – say about $100k.
The living standard is either supported by directly by the business or indirectly through subsidies and the subsidies are paid for through taxes. The problem is that the RWNJs will immediately say that taxes have to be cut showing their propensity for wanting something but not wanting pay for it.
Good luck getting that through any parliament, at least the limit of $100k. If they tried to do that I would think that MPs would have to have it as an upper limit as well which would halve their incomes. As they say, ever seen a turkey vote for an early christmas.
Interestingly the bete-noires of the left, Milton Friedman and Richard Nixon, were both exponents of the Universal Income proposal.
If they tried to do that I would think that MPs would have to have it as an upper limit as well which would halve their incomes. As they say, ever seen a turkey vote for an early christmas.
How much we pay our servants should be up to us, not the parliamentarians or even some supposedly independent bunch.
Interestingly the bete-noires of the left, Milton Friedman and Richard Nixon, were both exponents of the Universal Income proposal.
Yes to bits 1 and 2.
When I was much younger MPs were paid a great deal less generously. I understand that an MPs salary was about equivalent to a head of department level secondary school teacher. Now it is about three times that figure.
I just threw the comment about MF and RN as an aside when you said you approved of the Universal Income idea.
I thought you might have been interested, if you didn’t already know it, that approval of the idea goes right across the political spectrum
When I was much younger MPs were paid a great deal less generously.
They were but the increase came in with the neo-liberal policy settings back in the 1980s IIRC. It was argued that they should be paid similar rates to what was in the private sector. Of course, back then even the private sector didn’t pay all that well and so what we got was what the private sector was paying in places like the US and the UK.
AFAIK, only The Alliance has policy that takes MPs salaries back to what they were and they apply it to all MPs. Being a minister or prime minister doesn’t get you any more.
I thought you might have been interested, if you didn’t already know it, that approval of the idea goes right across the political spectrum
I knew about it I also know that they don’t support my idea of an UI. Their versions tend to be significantly less than what I want because they think that tax should be set at 25% to 30% rather than set to what’s needed. In other words, it won’t be any better than the present UB. I believe it should be high enough to supply enough for people to be entrepreneurial with it.
IIRC, Roger Douglass’s version of it was so cumbersome as to be nearly unworkable. He really doesn’t seem to understand the concept of Universal.
Pensioners, who pay rates, would most likely be living mortgage free – own their property outright. So how do you compare a “living wage” for a person who doesn’t own a home, and is most likely paying rent at market prices, with the income of a property owning pensioner?
Why don’t you expand your comment to what it really means karol.
How can you have a single “Living wage” that is applied to everyone, whether it is a single person living with his parents or a couple with 6 children, when their circumstances are entirely different. The problem with the “Living wage” is that it doesn’t recognise that.
You are making my point for me. Pay the wage that the person is worth and worry about additional income requirements via a targeted benefit system.
I agree Karol .I would think that there is a large percentage of elderly people who like me managed to buy our modest home only because of the “State Advance Loan Scheme.I certainly hope that the next Labour Government will bring in similar scheme in for our young people. However what does make some rates expensive for people living on the pension only is the valuation of the building. So what happens is that some rich ‘P’ builds a flash house near the workers modest home and the value goes up and consequently the rates rise.
What I believe ,is that if someone has paid rates on the same house in the same area then there comes a time when that person is declared rate free .For example I have paid high rates on my home that is modest but in a very desirable area for nearly 50 years with no increase in the service .in fact less and less over the years. Have I not paid enough?
Have you not heard of the cost of living Alwyn, have you not noticed that the slaves today are not kept in a compound and fed by the slave masters and must manage their existence upon the wages given…
There are, I am sure, a lot of single pensioners (probably widows or widowers) for whom nearly all their income is National superannuation. A lot of them do own their homes.
It it a bit out of date but I am aware of a Retirement Commission study in 2008 that found, for people over 65, that 74.3% of them had New Zealand Superannuation as their main form of income and that, on average it was 83.1% of their income.
That is a very large number of people. http://www.cflri.org.nz/sites/default/files/docs/RI-Review-BP-Retirement-Income-History-2008.pdf
The table is on page 25. I doubt that the numbers have changed that much since then.
Thank-you. But the pages 23+ show the over 65s have the least problems with income over all age groups.
The 2004 Survey of Living Standards undertaken by the Ministry of Social Development showed that in that year the age group 65-plus was the least likely age group to be experiencing any form of economic hardship.
[..]
The favourable living standards situation position of those aged 65-plus was not a result of particularly high average cash incomes. In fact both the 2003-04 and 2006-07 Household Economic Surveys showed that most older people were in the lower middle income deciles. A little more than 20 per cent of older households had above average incomes.
[…]
The low levels of hardship experienced by older people despite most having only modest cash incomes also reflected a range of other factors which do not show up in cash income statistics.
• The 65-plus age group living in households were mainly homeowners with their mortgage paid off. Consequently, housing costs for most of the age group were low.
• Very few still had to support dependent children.
• The fully retired group no longer had work-related expenses.
• Most had some cash savings or investment assets, and few had significant debts
The decile stats for income show that less than 7% of pensioners are in the bottom two deciles re-percentage share of incomes. And my guess would be those would be the ones living in rental accommodation.
Yes, that is true.
In my opinion a retired married couple, who own their home without a mortgage, and who are in good health and able to do such things a the gardening,have as good a standard of living from New Zealand Super as does a couple with twice the income and 1 or 2 children who is trying to buy a home. For many indeed they “have never had it so good” in Harold MacMillan’s immortal words. Saying so doesn’t make me popular with retired people in that situation though I must add.
The point is however that the required income differs enormously with one’s circumstances. Saying that we should pay everyone a “Living wage” based on circumstances that apparently apply to only 6% of the population doesn’t make any sense. Let us pay people what they are worth in the job and if there is an income shortfall, which will vary with their cicumstances, make it up with targeted benefits.
In terms of your comment above that “The living wage applies to those in the workforce” I would have to say. Why does it therefore have to be worked out, not on what it costs to work, but on what it costs a couple with two children to support to get by? That, except for such costs as business apparel, travel costs to work and so on is the same whether a person is working or not. That is catered for by the in work tax rebate, or whatever it is called, that people who are actually working get. If we only pay the “Living wage” to those in the workforce is it not only reasonable to pay this rebate to those who work and say that people who want to extend it to beneficiaries are wrong?
The different income depending on circumstances is covered by WFF and so on. You appear to be quite accepting that Retired people should get less than the “Working wage”. Why are you not happy that people who don’t have any particular costs, 20 year old living at their parents home say, should also get less than the “Working wage”, and that so should anybody else whose work isn’t actually worth that much and that their additional costs be provided by targetted benefits?
I suppose a summary of my views is that if the idea of the “Living wage” makes sense so does a rates rebate to anyone on less than that figure. If the “Living wage” idea is crazy then the rates question can also be reconsidered.
ahh, the cost of “work-related” expenses;
-generally, the ownership and maintenance of a vehicle, or PT costs
-meal/s provision
-attire
-certification, registrations if required
-child-care
-time management that prioritises work attendance before family / relationships (yes, those that are employed are doing more).
-indemnities if required
-and just an observation, the addictions acquired to facilitate performance; caffeine, nicotine, analgesics
-professional support fees.
Seems to be a central rort to the entire “work will set you free” agenda; People are fortunate if they can retire with a mortgage-free home as a minimum to show for a life ‘down mill’.
Yeah, that’s about right. although I don’t know what price you could put on that “Time Management” bit.
It is the fact that these costs exist that make me favour the tax rebate ( and I don’t know exactly how it works) for people who are actually working. It shouldn’t apply to beneficiaries because they don’t have these costs
I sometimes think that we should have a deduction of, say $2 for each hour you worked, from your taxable income. That would reflect the cost of having a job. Something like that anyway although I don’t no what the rate should be or how you could operate it.
There is some sort of rental supplement available I believe, if your income is low enough. I am in favour of those sorts of benefits rather than lumbering an ill-targetted “Living wage” on employers.
phillip u
Are they made by Icebreaker, merino? Next thing there will be a mention that yes they are merino by Icebreaker as so many viewers have asked this question. Moi! And I’m not a viewer
by the way. Your anecdote is one of the reasons.
Incidentally Icebreaker is a major NZ brand. I think made in China. Capiche.
phillip u
Leave Morrisey to monitor the media. I feel he has thicker skin than you. Your settings are finer and more sensitive! Don’t watch, please – you’ll end up getting the speed wobbles and spin off into a shrinking vortex.
And I think not washing your knickers for a week is bound to be unsanitary. I think this must affect our international reputation for hygiene standards. Take him off the air, and open the windows to refresh.
And reading Mandela’s book by a jonolist. Brings out the now Pavlovian reaction in me about the gorilla who can read Nietzsche but can’t understand it.
Weren’t there some Spanish athletes who faked disabilities to get to the World Games for disabled people? It’s all a big joke to those with shallow minds. It’s those psychopaths again.
…social predators who charm, manipulate and ruthlessly plow their way through life … Completely lacking in conscience and feeling for others, they selfishly take what they want and do as they please, violating social norms and expectations without the slightest sense of guilt or regret.
Yes the secret service was too busy shagging tail to check out this guy! They had their crack detail just off their assignment guarding Obama in Colombia!
Its fraud. Worse, treason. The guy unfortunately sums up for me why so much of Africa is corrupt. Individuals who ignore their common interest, due to decades of neo-liberal press, and take with impunity. I mean look at Russia, any sensible nation uses its leadership churn to evolve and adapt to the demands on it as a nation. Its not just Africa that is corrupted, thirty years of stupid.
Folks, can I ask a question of you? Can anyone suggest how to go about making a complaint to the Health and Disability Commission and whether I’d be within my rights to do so. Or should I take my concerns to Citizen’s Advice Bureau first?
I’ll try to be brief
Exactly two years ago to the day I had an injury on my left foot. Went to physio. Unsuccessful treatments for two months. Referred to a sports medicine Dr who was more interested in the AB’s than my foot (although he isn’t my problem) He then referred me to a surgeon who then announced that no xray, ultrasound or MRI showed any bone damage so nothing much we can do and don’t know what’s wrong. Advice, just get ultrasound guided steroids injected into the area of pain every so often. They have been about 20% effective. Requested my GP refer me to a pain specialist last month. Have seen the pain specialist who gave me a diagnosis (nothing to do with bone, but to do with nerve damage) Completely different treatment planned. In the meantime I’ve had two years of pain, limited mobility and loss of enjoyment of doing things like going for walks.
Is there any point in raising this issue with the H&D Commission?. My main issue is that the medical practitioners gave up, didn’t refer me further and I have have missed out on a diagnosis and appropriate treatment for two years
(Sorry, TS isn’t an agony column, and that wasn’t brief – I do know however there are some smart minds here, some of who may be familiar with advocacy in regard to medical matters.
Rosie
Your anecdote is useful to people interested in our help systems such as health, which we imagine are functioning well with all the money that goes into them. Apart from being concerned about you, it gives a view into the workings of the health of the administration. Which can develop various faults, viruses, blockage and degeneration. So a certain amount of feedback from citizens is very healthy. And hopefully, I think there will be someone Who Knows.
Hi Rosie,
I’ve had some experience with H&D complaints.
I think this one would go nowhere. Sorry.
I’m assuming ACC was involved? Maybe request your records, though you may be distressed to find perjorative inferences. I hope you don’t. A complaint with ACC would also be unlikely to go anywhere, unless you find active interference from non-medical personnel. Even then, I believe a letter of apology is the best you could expect, though in serious cases, ACC has been known to make ex-gratia payments.
Hope this helps, and I hope you are finally finding some relief – chronic pain is so debilitating and uses up so many spoons!
Thank you both Warbly (sorry chronic bad habit of nicknaming folks, tell me if its annoying) and just saying.
Yes ACC has been involved at every point so far. However, I’ve yet to receive a letter of acceptance re the last appointment which was for the pain specialist – that would be costing $275 if I had to pay. (I don’t have $275)
To be honest the MOST I expect would be a letter of apology. What I would like to see is the previous practitioners involved be informed of the correct diagnosis and treatment and to know that they have caused a major inconvenience to their patient by giving up and not referring on
“To be honest the MOST I expect would be a letter of apology. What I would like to see is the previous practitioners involved be informed of the correct diagnosis and treatment and to know that they have caused a major inconvenience to their patient by giving up and not referring on”
Actually I think this sounds feasible. The Commissioner won’t get involved, but you can get support from the HDC advocates in a kind of mediation process. You can use the HD Act code of rights, to back up what you say to the practitioners. However you need to be aware that you may not get an apology, or may get a Clayton’s apology. Also even with an apology and a result in terms of previous practitioners being notified of the problem, you may still not feel satisfied. Much of that depends on how you approach the thing, and the integrity of the practioners.
Might be worth talking it through with an advocate to see what the options are.
Thank you weka. What you’ve said makes sense to me. I now have a copy of the H & D Code for service. A quick glance would indicate failure on the practitioners behalf. (section 10, right to complain) You’re right, I think seeking an advocate is wise
As it happens, I also have a new injury on the other foot that I couldn’t seek help for because I couldn’t afford the part payment that ACC no longer funds and subsequently have worsened the situation by not getting it seen to immediately. Secondly, that was an incorrect diagnosis and on top of the wait to get it seen to, the exercises I was given has damaged the achilles more. My sense of anger and distrust has just compounded! And this isn’t even the first time it’s happened. A prolapsed disc was incorrectly diagnosed for months back in 2007!!!
I’m not alone in receiving improper treatments and incorrect diagnoses, you hear the stories all the time. There are 2 cases in mind at this point in time, a one a family member, one a friend who have more cause than me to complain. One was botched surgery and the other was incorrect treatment that lead to permanent damage that now requires surgery.
Thanks again for your advice – that’s really helpful 🙂
I hear these stories all the time too Rosie, and have some of my own. Take some time to get a good strategy together, and make sure that in each step of the process you are not being disempowered and feel ok about what you are doing. Good luck! and let us know how you get on.
From the “No need for ordinary folk to be paranoid”–yeah right– file:
Three things that make tracking you by the authorities easier, obvious you think?
• using and carrying a smart phone
• operating a motor vehicle
• regularly using plastic cards/online transactions
Thanks for referring people to that link provided by NRT on how metadata can be used to profile people and track their movements etc.
I saw it yesterday and was going to post it here but it was on a long To Do List.
That link is an excellent example of why the collection of metadata is important – and highly disturbing. I highly recommend people take a few minutes to look at that link.
he he, personal MO- no smart phone, no car and one withdrawal from (usually the same) ATM a week. KISS.
However, on the present rates, it is difficult making that one withdrawal support me for the entire week. Oh well, sigh.
A misture of the Pitcarin Island syndrome, along with family culture, and deprivation. Probably happening in NZ now or will become noticeable if we go on as we are.
The John Banks Trophy for DUM QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Award No. 5: JOHN BANKS
(for week ending 14/12/2013)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“I’m not buckled, I’m not bent—”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
—-Epsom M.P. John Banks (ACT), who will stand trial for electoral fraud next year, speaking in Parliament yesterday, Wednesday 11 December 2013. At this point, Banks was unable to proceed for some time, due to the House being filled with uproarious gales of scornful laughter, hoots of derision, and slow hand-clapping. No laughter from his National Support Party comrades, however; they just turned ashen with mortification and embarrassment.
No 1 still stands the test of time! I’m told that surprise sex’s Julian Assange has lost all his hair, lives on raw fish and mutters ‘the precious, the precious’ to himself in his dank, sunless underground lair. But that may just be another dum (sic) quote.
It is another dum quote, my friend. You’re repeating the denigrating portrait of him that’s peddled in that disastrous government-approved hatchet job that “starred” Benedict Blunderpatch. I note that it’s already tanked at the box office: Americans may be bombarded with black propaganda daily, but only an ideologically motivated minority is buying into it.
One thing we can be sure of: this dog is one that not only Blunderpatch but none of the other principals suckered into appearing in it will ever boast about.
Well, it may be a crap film, but I suspect the reason it tanked is the subject matter. Nobody gives a flying one about Assange anymore and Snowden is far sexier these days (I mean that in a media friendly, safe, non rapey way).
Well, it may be a crap film,
Good. One honest statement to start off your post. Sadly, it’s all downhill from there…
…. but I suspect the reason it tanked is the subject matter.
You don’t suspect that at all. You know as well as I do that the American people, who are NOT as docile as Fox News, Hollywood and the White House assume they are, don’t like fiction posing as fact. And they can sniff out a government harassment campaign perfectly well.
Nobody gives a flying one about Assange anymore….
Another lie. If nobody “gives a flying one” about the world’s most celebrated dissident, why is one rogue state, plus a few vassals, hounding him?
…. and Snowden is far sexier these days (I mean that in a media friendly, safe,
You’ve even bought into the White House’s talking point about his “stripper girlfriend”. You are without doubt a Kool Aid drinker standing out above all the other Kool Aid drinkers.
…non rapey way).
Good man! You keep telling those lies! First have another swig of Kool Aid, though: it’s a mighty hot day down there in Jonest–, errr, Hurricanes country.
Well, if you want to come on all Fisky, I should point out that you misapplied ‘honest’ in your first para. I used the word ‘may’ which is not a statement of a definitive position. That’s because I haven’t seen it, but was relying on the reviews of others.
Point two is incorrect. I genuinely think it tanked because St Julian is of no interest to the cinema going public and he’s damaged goods to those with an interest in politics. Personally, I thought the film was going to be a hagiography of the sainted one, so avoided it for that reason, but I’m pleased to hear from you that it’s more truthful than I suspected.
Point 3 is incorrect. Nobody is hounding him. He has chosen to jail himself, which is pretty karmic in the circs.
Point 4 is incorrect. I’ve never heard about the girlfriend ( I assume it’s Snowden you’re talking about, not Assange?). As I said, I meant sexier in the sense that he is currently relevant. Assange is yesterdays news. Did you know he’s been self imprisoned for 3 years as of last week? Didn’t make the papers, because no one cares.
Point five is probably incorrect too, but as it makes no sense, except to you, I’ll ignore it.
“Nobody is hounding him. He has chosen to jail himself…”
That is a chilling statement. Your ideological zeal is quite phenomenal. You really missed your place in history: you would have been the perfect Red Guard forty-five years ago.
“… [Departmental lawyer] Zarifeh said the Department of Labour faced “substantial problems” in its case against Whittall, who has maintained his innocence and had earlier entered not guilty pleas.”
Oh, that is so pathetic. On the upside, the next government can always reopen the case or maybe make it the first one taken under the possible corporate manslaughter law change.
I wonder whose money it was/will be.
“Mr Whittall has proposed that a voluntary payment be made on behalf of the directors and officers of Pike River Coal Ltd (in receivership) at the time of the explosions to the families of the 29 men who died and the two survivors.
It means $110,000 will be given to each of the families and survivors – totalling $3.41m.
Mr Whittall’s lawyer Stuart Grieve QC today said a bank cheque has been given to the court and asked for Judge Jane Farish to make sure the money was available by Christmas.”
And: “Judge Farish said she heard that the charges would be dropped only two days ago.She told the court that the likelihood of a prosecution in this case was “extremely low” and that it may never have even reached trial, given all of the pre-trial arguments that would have been required. The decision not to prosecute was taken at “a very high level”, she said. ”
The ‘Sickest’ piece of Justice ever meted out my life-time by the New Zealand Court system, blood money paid in lieu of prosecuting the architect and person more or less with the sole responsibility for the actual construction and running of the Pike River mine…
“Infinito Gold is threatening a $1 billion lawsuit against Costa Rica for rejecting a toxic, open-pit gold mine after massive protests from local citizens.”
Three years of observations by ESA’s CryoSat satellite show that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is losing over 150 cubic kilometres of ice each year – considerably more than when last surveyed.
It’s official: East Antarctica is pushing West Antarctica around.
Now that West Antarctica is losing weight–that is, billions of tons of ice per year–its softer mantle rock is being nudged westward by the harder mantle beneath East Antarctica.
The discovery comes from researchers led by The Ohio State University, who have recorded GPS measurements that show West Antarctic bedrock is being pushed sideways at rates up to about twelve millimeters–about half an inch–per year. This movement is important for understanding current ice loss on the continent, and predicting future ice loss.
Impostor angers many at Madiba funeral
11 December 2013
There has been widespread anger after a shameless impostor perpetrated an outrageous display of fakery at the funeral service for Nelson Mandela.
Comments included: “He was moving his hands around, but there was no meaning”; “What happened at the memorial service is truly a disgraceful thing to see”; “Disgusting”; “Shameful hypocrisy” and “It should not happen at all.”
Mr Key’s office said Mr Ede took the photos in a personal capacity.
A spokeswoman said: “It is our understanding Mr Ede took pictures of the aftermath of the press gallery function and sent them to a blogger. Mr Ede did this off his own bat.”
She added: “In terms of the function, a number of staff from the Prime Minister’s office attended and enjoyed themselves and we appreciate the media putting on such a good function.”
Mr Goff said: “It shows that there is underlying network of people who get Whaleoil to do their dirty work for them.
“And that network goes as high as the Prime Minister’s office.”
Press gallery chair and Herald deputy political editor Claire Trevett said: “It seems a bizarre thing to do, especially because the photos do not show anything particularly startling about the after-effects of a party of 600 people.
“It does make me wonder what other contributions Mr Ede might have made, as well as whether this is sanctioned by the Prime Minister in any way.
Indeed. A PM communications person takes photographs on parliament property and communicates them to a partisan blogger on a weekday morning, but there is a clear delineation between his personal and professional roles /sarc 🙂
It does make me wonder what other contributions Mr Ede might have made
The “wondering” press gallery. If only there were regular opportunities for the journalists to ask instead of wondering! If only Key and Ede were easily accessible … say, working in the same building as the media? If only they had heard the name ‘Jason Ede’, years ago.
But oh well, it’s Christmas, we’ll never know. Pass the bottle, John!
Ede, who has not returned a request for comment, had previously been accused of being a source for Whale Oil, but this had never been confirmed.
A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister’s Office ignored questions about whether it was appropriate for an adviser to the prime minister to be supplying such information to the blog. She confirmed Ede was the photographer.
“It is our understanding Mr Ede took pictures of the aftermath of the press gallery function and sent them to a blogger,” she said.
“Mr Ede did this off his own bat.
“In terms of the function, a number of staff from the Prime Minister’s Office attended and enjoyed themselves and we appreciate the media putting on such a good function.”
When asked by Fairfax Media in October about Ede’s relationship with Whale Oil, the spokeswoman said Ede was a senior adviser in the National leader’s office. He provided communication advice and support to the prime minister and to National Party MPs, including in the area of social media and other media.
“Jason works a lot in the area of social media and that includes getting out National’s message to a range of bloggers and other social media sites.”
Parliamentary press gallery chairwoman Claire Trevett said Ede was seen this morning by two witnesses. He had crouched among the butts taking photos with his phone.
Anyone who doubts the direct link between John Key’s office and WhaleOil really must click on the link Pascal’s Bookie provides.
Now all we need is for some of the journos in that twitter thread to turn down their free Xmas wine from Key, and start holding him to account instead. Well, I can dream.
Righto. The name is McCully. He bit the hand that feeds him. The owners of the hand bit him back. And they bit Rennie too. In the bum. For much the same reason. And then Rebstock bit McCully and Key and Rennie in the wallet. It’s a jungle out there.
“no definitive evidence” after expending half a mil. MFAT experience contracted out, to consultants; How’s that working out for our biggest markets…oh, wait…
“Actions of some MFAT employees in supplying information and personal views directly to Ministers, to the Labour Party Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Trade, to officials and former public servants outside MFAT and to the media fuelled the political debate. This directly undermined MFAT’s ability to provide Ministers with robust, unbiased advice once the Secretary had consulted and considered the views of staff at MFAT.”
“Prior to the change programme, MFAT had been regarded as an agency that could be trusted with government information. This trust, locally and internationally, is critically important given the role that MFAT undertakes on behalf of the Government and all New Zealanders.”
“The leaks of documents that had been prepared by MFAT staff detrimentally affected MFAT’s reputation as a trustworthy organisation, thereby damaging New Zealand’s interests and the Government’s trust and confidence in MFAT.”
Well done to the labour party for pulling this off, they managed to get away with damaging NZs reputation for political gain (and got away with it so fair play to them)
+1. Except McCully did the damage to NZ’s reputation for no gain. The last thing anyone should do is appoint someone who always looks untidy to the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Mr Blackman arrived in Auckland at 5.30am on a flight from Heathrow, travelling through San Francisco.
He declared loose-leaf tea he was carrying he came through Customs and believed it was responsible for the extensive bag search to which he was subjected.
“He said ‘we’re not worried about the tea’.” The official then returned to going through the bag, pulling out electronic equipment as he did so. “We’re going to have to detain this,” Mr Blackman said he was told. “We’re going to have to send this to a forensic investigator.”
When Mr Blackman pulled a phone out of his pocket, the official also took that, refusing permission for him to call his parents who were waiting in the arrival lounge.
Mr Blackman was also told to provide passwords for the equipment. “That is a real invasion of privacy.” One of the phones had no password but required a design to be traced on the screen. The official was unconcerned and said the forensic team would defeat security to access the device.
Mr Blackman asked why the items were being confiscated and the official refused to say – or to say how long the items would be kept.
Brit Shopkeeper was quizzed for eight HOURS by police – and had his computer seized and his DNA swabbed – after cracking ‘bad taste’ Nelson Mandela jokes on the internet.
Something like he decided to call his computer Mandela because it took so long to shut down.
Not very good but about par for a guy who owns a sandwick shop – bit short of a full picnic.
Has anyone got a comment on an idea I had of having a local peace corps approach. Having people go round the country doing useful things for others for bed and board. Better than sitting at home and being pressured into a gang. See the country and work, and feel positive about life
sort of thing. Here’s the link – http://thestandard.org.nz/what-chance-is-there-of-a-bi-partisan-approach-to-child-poverty/#comment-742776
Also I thought about what Ian the employer of good work-keen overseas people said about NZ workers in his area being unreliable, and generally lacking in oomph.
“Behind the scenes the situation is, apparently, even worse. In spite of the fact that child poverty seems certain to become a major election issue for 2014, anti-poverty campaigners report extreme difficulty in persuading Labour MPs to embrace the policies required to eliminate it.”
“The ferocity with which the Old Guard responded to Cunliffe’s argument that Labour needs to undergo a radical ideological reorientation was instructive. It pointed to the presence of a powerful faction within Labour’s caucus that is absolutely determined to prevent the slightest deviation from the core elements of the 1984-1993 neoliberal “revolution”.
Needs to be a post on this issue.
How does the left deal with these turncoats?
What do you mean by “the left.” Do you mean for instance: the parliamentary left? The political economic left? The Labour Party membership? The socially liberal left?
Labour will lose the next election. Unless they pull out an Orewa moment (10th annivesary of “That Speech” coming up..) Cunliffe will struggle to get traction against a confident John Key who only needs to make a minimal effort with the populace to get them to like him. I will expect a full on attack campaign of scaremongering, about 70’s union bosses and anti-car green hippies who want to ruin this country, with Labour stuggling with a wishy-washy centre approach.
A national party victory, will, of course, have ramifications for the country, especially those that use the rump welfare state (superannuation and health care), as well as vulerable, low paid workers, and those in the welfare system, as we see an escalation of the downward pressure on incomes and living standards as a consequence.
New Zealand will pretty much be a sweatshop economy by 2020, with workers having to sleep in their cars as wages fail to keep up with rents.
I think it’ll be a vicious campaign, but the result is far from a done deal for the tories – if anything I reckon that labgrn have a slight advantage even now.
I would like to know what people have against paying council workers higher wages. You know, the people that process building consents, help you when you want to burrow a book from the libaray, put up with people’s abuse when they go and deal with dangerous dogs, ensure the water keeps flowing, keeps the green spaces mowed and the sports feilds ship-shape. They do all the stuff that keeps a city functioning, and they deserve a decent wage for it.
I actually believe all the kerfuffle about rates is just about rich people having to pay for things that poor people use (like parks, libararies, council housing, etc).
You maybe misinterpreted Paul’s meaning millsy. I think he’s agreeing with you, and saying that the wealthy who moan about rates want to have all the services but not pay for them.
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More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
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. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara Solomon Islands’ incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has been re-elected in the East Choiseul constituency. It is the opening move in the political chess match to form the country’s next government. Returning officer Christopher Makoni made the declaration late last night after ...
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
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 iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
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Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
“I just tell them I don’t remember”
“What? But it was apartheid John”
“Hahaha yeah I know! So then I say ‘Oh but it was so long ago’! Hahahahahaha!”
“Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!”
http://static0.nydailynews.com/imageserve/b1981267d824013d553e767f025ca909/1200x.jpg
Should be a caption contest on that one..
Will do.
the national party..
..consistent in their consistency of being on the wrong side of history..
..from the vietnam war-crimes..thru to the ‘drill baby drill!’/’wot climate-crisis?’ of today..
..and via ‘the terrorist’..nelson mandela..
..the national party..always getting it so so ‘wrong’..
..phillip ure..
example of ‘wrong’..
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/if-our-politicians-were-brave-enough-or-even-simply-rational-they-would-follow-uruguays-lead-and-legalise-cannabis-8998461.html
“..For the criminal underworld –
– the ‘war on drugs’ –
– is an extraordinary money-spinner.
It’s a policy that would be a hammer blow to criminal gangs.
It would stop criminalising non-violent people – drastically undermine racist policing –
– be good for people’s health and it would save lives.
But while a mainstream British politician is more likely to have smoked cannabis – than to propose its legalisation –
– the courageous Uruguayan government has done just that..”
phillip ure..
(cont..)
Xox
More Beggars/homeless in Wellington streets. More state beneficiaries in the beehive…
A round of applause to the Wellington City Council for being No1 in agreeing that all it’s employees will be paid the ‘Living Wage’,(the monies for this coming from freezing the salaries of those higher up in the food chain),
And, a large f**k you to the spokesperson from the Wellington Chanber of Commerce for ‘whining’ about the above vote…
It’s easy to spend other peoples money. I bet you look forward to rate increases, or let me guess, you don’t live in Wellington?
Clear as day why this is flawed: http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/advice-shows-%E2%80%9Cliving-wage%E2%80%9D-would-not-work
And this is key
“The “living wage” idea is based on a two-adult, two-child family, yet analysis shows that people in this situation make up only 6 per cent of families earning less than $18.40 an hour. Almost 80 per cent of those earning less than $18.40 are people without children, including young people and students.”
Confused, you guessed wrong,(as usual), a Wellington resident i am and have been most of my life,
So, it’s alright in your mind,(admittedly said mind from here has the appearance of suffering an as yet to be diagnosed disease),for the hierarchy of management at the Wellington City Council to be paid amounts up to $500,000+ annually,a fact i have yet to see you or any of the other ‘Wing-Nuts’ who appear on the Standard kick your afflicted little minds into whine mode over, but,should those who earn the least gain a pay rise that is adjudged to be the minimum a worker should expect to be able to ensure for Her/Himself and any family a ‘normal’ standard of living you choose to whine as if you are to pay the monies yourself,
The Wellington City Council have said that rates will not rise as a result of their applaudable vote FOR the ‘Living Wage’, the intention is to freeze the wages of those higher up the ‘food chain’ of council salaries,
To abbreviate the above, F**k off Noddy…
As I recall, the living wage regarding two parent and two kid families involved the other parent working half-time at the living wage, and working for families and other WINZ top-ups.
We could, of course reduce rates by cutting the overly generous pay of the non-working management, or reducing the administrative staff on over 100k a year.
A couple of good secretaries, on 60k, would do the job just as well.
Even more fat at the top to cut in Auckland. How many “Managers” do POAL, and other CCO’s, have, Again!
Yes KJT, what i suggested yesterday was that the Wellington City Council cut the CEO’s role into 2 positions each paying 200 grand a year, that would have been a saving of $100,000+,
i have not as yet done the research necessary to ascertain just how ‘fat’ the management of Wellington City’s Council actually is but cutting all the $200,000+ plus roles into 2 distinct jobs with 100,000 dollar annual salaries i would suggest would save the Council a reasonable pile of coin,
Of course such a template applied to the ‘bloated’ uckland Cit Council would result in millions saved, not only would Council direct employees be able to be afforded the ‘Living Wage’ but this could then be extended to contracted council workers…
The second part of this reform should be setting the maximum future salary cap at say $150000 or 6 times the minimum wage. No new hires can be paid more than this and current hires are wound back at x% per annum if the contract allows. Only exceptions to the cap are for exceptional technical requirements not general management hires sen tot the council on a case by case basis.. That’ll fix the budget.
So why shouldn’t childless people, young people and students get an increase? Last time I looked they were people too and voting members of society. I don’t see why they have to be paid SFA.
Yes, well done to the council!! It’s been on the cards for a bit now and was looking positive so it’s excellent that the vote followed through for the workers.
The woman (surname Bleakley?) from the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, last night on 3news came up with the silliest response. This isn’t a quote but it was something along the lines of “now they won’t get working for families or any other government subsidies” What? So, er, you right wing types actually want the government, via the taxpayer funding under paid workers – I thought you hated people getting any kind of assistance?! Oh wait, you want low wages and no assistance
i heard phil oreilly ceo of ‘business nz’ say that on the radio, justifying low pay rates in nz for workers because the govt tops anyone up, & i thought ‘wtf? i thought you guys hated govt assistance.’
@Idlegus
+1 yeah well said, clearly pointing out the two-faced illogic that our system is running on.
I think that the Council should extend this idea to the people who actually have to pay for it.
Every ratepayer who has an income that is less than the “Living wage” should be exempt from rates.
Why should people living on the pension, which is much, much less than the “Living wage” have to pay more in rates so that some of the councillors can get the warm fuzzies by handing out other people’s money?
Another thing that the Council should be required to explain is exactly who received the $20,000 worth of presents dished out instead of Christmas decorations for the city. Did any of the dosh go to friends or relatives of Councillors or Council staff? Who might have been told about this ahead of time? Will the Council publish a list of the recipients?
>>Every ratepayer who has an income that is less than the “Living wage” should be exempt from rates.
Already happens with a rebate if on community services card.
Every person, employed by the Council is to get a minimum rate of $18.40 /hour. At 2,000 hours per year that is $36,800/year n’est ce pas?
A single person living alone, as a very large number do, is only entitled to a community services card if their income is less than $26,554/year. Thus no rates relief for someone on more than $10,000/year LESS than the “living wage”. Not much help is it?
What is this shit Alwyn, deliberate lies or simply a stupid mistake on your part, people with community service cards which as far as i know includes pensioners can and do apply for rates relief and are granted such…
Read what I said for God’s sake.
We are being told that the $18.40/hr, or as I work it out $36,800/year is the minimum anyone can live on.
I am suggesting that you shouldn’t have to pay rates if you get less than that as you presumably don’t have enough to live on.
DV said you can get rates relief if you have a community services card., which is true.
However, and which bit of this did you not understand and which do you think is a “deliberate lie or a stupid mistake”. I pointed out that the MAXIMUM income to get a CSC is $26,554/year. For your presumably inumerate mind that is much LESS than the supposed “Living wage”. You may also note that at no point did I nominate that pensioners couldn’t get the card. I am merely pointing out that its availability goes long before reaching the level of the “Living wage”
Alwyn, read bad12’s comment at 4.1.1 above. Wgtnonians will not be paying more in rates.
It’s not so much about warm fuzzies, more about the practicalities of life for their workers.
The Council have already announced a rates increase of 2.5% next year which is more than the rate of inflation. And if you believe there won’t be demands for relativity increases for people currently on a bit more than the “Living wage” you are, I am sorry to say dreaming.
apparently inflation is likely to push towards the 3% next year (the costs component anyway).
I have just noticed this comment.
Do you have a reference for the 3% figure?
I haven’t seen anything that high. The Reserve Bank, for example are predicting an annual rate of 1.5% at end 2014 and 2.2% end 2015.
Teasury are predicting a non-tradeables figure of about 3% but a CPI figure of around 2%
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-11/rbnz-signals-2014-rate-increases-as-inflation-accelerates.html
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/forecasts/befu2013/012.htm
alwyn, do you really know how rates work. Do you own a house & pay rates? If you are on a low income or pension, & pay rates, you need advice today.
DV has mentioned the rebates on the community card which I am unsure of the details he refer to. But since 1973 there has been the The Rates Rebate Act 1973 which covers a number of Labour and Nats government. How its work (I think) is that the rates rebate given by the council under this scheme to low incomes earner/pensioners etc is recovered from the government so not to impact on the council’s budget.
Go to the WCC or Internal Affairs site rather than just guessing what happens. It just devalues your comment.
Pity. Slipped under the tory radar for so long, now they know it exists they will cut it…
The cutoff for that scheme, without dependents is $23,870/year. The rates rebate amount is up to $595.
$23,870/year is a lot less than the “Living wage isn’t it? And yes I did know about it and wasn’t just guessing as you appear to be doing.
You knew about it, but didn’t mention it till it was pointed out. Yeah, that sounds 100% dinkum. 🙄
Do you really want me to always anticipate every wrong thing that people might bring up and explain it in the original comment?I would have to post fifty page comments then.
Yes I did know about it. The reason I knew was that I had to see whether my mother qualified for it and then later whether another of my family was covered.
So, in spite of your disbelief, I did know about it and I knew the cutoff was well below the “Living wage”.
I did look it up to get the exact current rate but I did know it wasn’t very much.
I got a better question:
Why is it that some people think that they can get labour for less than it costs to supply it?
Interestingly enough, seemingly all these people who believe this vote for either National or Act and whinge about paying rates especially when it comes to paying people for their labour.
And claim they believe in, the “free market”.
I really don’t know how you can define what is meant by “get labour for less than it costs to supply it”. What on earth is “the cost of supplying labour”? I have no trouble with a concept like the value of the output of labour. I have no trouble with the concept of the cost of living a decent life.
However the idea that some single rate, which is what the “Living wage” is supposed to be, is in some way “the cost of supplying labour” doesn’t make any sense.
I much prefer to focus on two different things.
The first is what does a worker produce and what therefore is the value of that work and what they should be paid.
The second is what does it cost that person, and any dependents they have, to live at an acceptable standard of living. If this second figure is less than the first it should be made up by a benefit system which is what we currently have. WFF etc is the way to look after that.
Why should we subsidise businesses who cannot pay the costs of the resources they use, especially workers?
If they cannot pay the full costs of the labour they use then they are free loaders on the businesses and tax payers who do.
That is not even good capitalism.
Exactly KJT. That’s why that comment from thingo Bleakly from the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last night was so nuts.
But what do you mean by “The full costs of the labour they use”?
If by that you mean what it costs for that person to live a decent life it must vary with that person’s circumstances. For example the income required by a single person living with their parents is obviously a lot less than that for a man with spouse and 10 kids.
I remember some years ago that the Government, and I don’t know whether it was a Labour or a National one, said that intellectually handicapped people in sheltered workshops had to be paid the full minimum wage. The mother of one such man was interviewed in the paper. She was appalled because, as she said, her son’s work was only worth a couple of dollars an hour. If the workshop had to pay him the minimum wage they couldn’t afford him. He was apparently proud that he could go out to work and earn something and it gave him something to do and a place to get out of his home. Now he was going to be stuck there.
That is an extreme case I know but it is a real example of the sort of person, and business, you appear to regard as a free-loader
Interesting question since you seem to know exactly what it means: The second is what does it cost that person, and any dependents they have, to live at an acceptable standard of living.
Personally, I prefer a Universal Income but that will require massive increases in taxes. IMO, we would most likely will be seeing the return of the 66% bracket to support that. Other rebalancing would also be needed such as dropping CEO salaries from the million dollar range to something far more realistic – say about $100k.
The living standard is either supported by directly by the business or indirectly through subsidies and the subsidies are paid for through taxes. The problem is that the RWNJs will immediately say that taxes have to be cut showing their propensity for wanting something but not wanting pay for it.
Good luck getting that through any parliament, at least the limit of $100k. If they tried to do that I would think that MPs would have to have it as an upper limit as well which would halve their incomes. As they say, ever seen a turkey vote for an early christmas.
Interestingly the bete-noires of the left, Milton Friedman and Richard Nixon, were both exponents of the Universal Income proposal.
And you’ve immediately proved my point.
How much we pay our servants should be up to us, not the parliamentarians or even some supposedly independent bunch.
So?
Yes to bits 1 and 2.
When I was much younger MPs were paid a great deal less generously. I understand that an MPs salary was about equivalent to a head of department level secondary school teacher. Now it is about three times that figure.
I just threw the comment about MF and RN as an aside when you said you approved of the Universal Income idea.
I thought you might have been interested, if you didn’t already know it, that approval of the idea goes right across the political spectrum
They were but the increase came in with the neo-liberal policy settings back in the 1980s IIRC. It was argued that they should be paid similar rates to what was in the private sector. Of course, back then even the private sector didn’t pay all that well and so what we got was what the private sector was paying in places like the US and the UK.
AFAIK, only The Alliance has policy that takes MPs salaries back to what they were and they apply it to all MPs. Being a minister or prime minister doesn’t get you any more.
I knew about it I also know that they don’t support my idea of an UI. Their versions tend to be significantly less than what I want because they think that tax should be set at 25% to 30% rather than set to what’s needed. In other words, it won’t be any better than the present UB. I believe it should be high enough to supply enough for people to be entrepreneurial with it.
IIRC, Roger Douglass’s version of it was so cumbersome as to be nearly unworkable. He really doesn’t seem to understand the concept of Universal.
Pensioners, who pay rates, would most likely be living mortgage free – own their property outright. So how do you compare a “living wage” for a person who doesn’t own a home, and is most likely paying rent at market prices, with the income of a property owning pensioner?
Why don’t you expand your comment to what it really means karol.
How can you have a single “Living wage” that is applied to everyone, whether it is a single person living with his parents or a couple with 6 children, when their circumstances are entirely different. The problem with the “Living wage” is that it doesn’t recognise that.
You are making my point for me. Pay the wage that the person is worth and worry about additional income requirements via a targeted benefit system.
A “living wage” applies to people in the labour force. This doesn’t apply to retirees.
I agree Karol .I would think that there is a large percentage of elderly people who like me managed to buy our modest home only because of the “State Advance Loan Scheme.I certainly hope that the next Labour Government will bring in similar scheme in for our young people. However what does make some rates expensive for people living on the pension only is the valuation of the building. So what happens is that some rich ‘P’ builds a flash house near the workers modest home and the value goes up and consequently the rates rise.
What I believe ,is that if someone has paid rates on the same house in the same area then there comes a time when that person is declared rate free .For example I have paid high rates on my home that is modest but in a very desirable area for nearly 50 years with no increase in the service .in fact less and less over the years. Have I not paid enough?
Have you not heard of the cost of living Alwyn, have you not noticed that the slaves today are not kept in a compound and fed by the slave masters and must manage their existence upon the wages given…
As rate payers are property owners, how many would be earning less than a living wage?
There are, I am sure, a lot of single pensioners (probably widows or widowers) for whom nearly all their income is National superannuation. A lot of them do own their homes.
It it a bit out of date but I am aware of a Retirement Commission study in 2008 that found, for people over 65, that 74.3% of them had New Zealand Superannuation as their main form of income and that, on average it was 83.1% of their income.
That is a very large number of people.
http://www.cflri.org.nz/sites/default/files/docs/RI-Review-BP-Retirement-Income-History-2008.pdf
The table is on page 25. I doubt that the numbers have changed that much since then.
Thank-you. But the pages 23+ show the over 65s have the least problems with income over all age groups.
The decile stats for income show that less than 7% of pensioners are in the bottom two deciles re-percentage share of incomes. And my guess would be those would be the ones living in rental accommodation.
And the amounts of the elderly who are renting is increasing.
Yes, that is true.
In my opinion a retired married couple, who own their home without a mortgage, and who are in good health and able to do such things a the gardening,have as good a standard of living from New Zealand Super as does a couple with twice the income and 1 or 2 children who is trying to buy a home. For many indeed they “have never had it so good” in Harold MacMillan’s immortal words. Saying so doesn’t make me popular with retired people in that situation though I must add.
The point is however that the required income differs enormously with one’s circumstances. Saying that we should pay everyone a “Living wage” based on circumstances that apparently apply to only 6% of the population doesn’t make any sense. Let us pay people what they are worth in the job and if there is an income shortfall, which will vary with their cicumstances, make it up with targeted benefits.
In terms of your comment above that “The living wage applies to those in the workforce” I would have to say. Why does it therefore have to be worked out, not on what it costs to work, but on what it costs a couple with two children to support to get by? That, except for such costs as business apparel, travel costs to work and so on is the same whether a person is working or not. That is catered for by the in work tax rebate, or whatever it is called, that people who are actually working get. If we only pay the “Living wage” to those in the workforce is it not only reasonable to pay this rebate to those who work and say that people who want to extend it to beneficiaries are wrong?
The different income depending on circumstances is covered by WFF and so on. You appear to be quite accepting that Retired people should get less than the “Working wage”. Why are you not happy that people who don’t have any particular costs, 20 year old living at their parents home say, should also get less than the “Working wage”, and that so should anybody else whose work isn’t actually worth that much and that their additional costs be provided by targetted benefits?
I suppose a summary of my views is that if the idea of the “Living wage” makes sense so does a rates rebate to anyone on less than that figure. If the “Living wage” idea is crazy then the rates question can also be reconsidered.
a home that (unless property speculation was their game) has been paid for more than once to the bank, insured, rated and upkept.
ahh, the cost of “work-related” expenses;
-generally, the ownership and maintenance of a vehicle, or PT costs
-meal/s provision
-attire
-certification, registrations if required
-child-care
-time management that prioritises work attendance before family / relationships (yes, those that are employed are doing more).
-indemnities if required
-and just an observation, the addictions acquired to facilitate performance; caffeine, nicotine, analgesics
-professional support fees.
Seems to be a central rort to the entire “work will set you free” agenda; People are fortunate if they can retire with a mortgage-free home as a minimum to show for a life ‘down mill’.
Yeah, that’s about right. although I don’t know what price you could put on that “Time Management” bit.
It is the fact that these costs exist that make me favour the tax rebate ( and I don’t know exactly how it works) for people who are actually working. It shouldn’t apply to beneficiaries because they don’t have these costs
I sometimes think that we should have a deduction of, say $2 for each hour you worked, from your taxable income. That would reflect the cost of having a job. Something like that anyway although I don’t no what the rate should be or how you could operate it.
And the working renters who service property owners’ rate paying, through having some of it incorporated in their rents?
There is some sort of rental supplement available I believe, if your income is low enough. I am in favour of those sorts of benefits rather than lumbering an ill-targetted “Living wage” on employers.
things i don’t feel i needed to know:..an occaisonal-series..
..the tvone aged-news-reader/in-house reactionary peter williams..
..wears woolen underpants..
..and i just know..that whenever he pops up on screen again/in the future..
..that i will be thinking:..’he wears wollen underpants’..
..how about you..?
..will you think that now..?
..phillip ure..
I initially got a visual in my head of big ol saggy tighty whiteys except scratchier. But then I googled merino undies…
http://www.minus33.com/catalog/acadian-men-s-lightweight-boxer-brief/702AB
Not so bad really!
@ nz femme..
..sshh!!..don’t spoil it..!
phillip ure..
phillip u
Are they made by Icebreaker, merino? Next thing there will be a mention that yes they are merino by Icebreaker as so many viewers have asked this question. Moi! And I’m not a viewer
by the way. Your anecdote is one of the reasons.
Incidentally Icebreaker is a major NZ brand. I think made in China. Capiche.
@ greywarbler..
..we were also told he pays $50 a pair for them..
..and only has to change them once a week..
..whoar..!..eh..?..
(other/unanswered questions surge into/take over the mind:..does he sleep in them..?..or does he retrieve them from the floor each morning..?..)
..go on..!..mix up those images..!..i dare you..!
..and..see what gems/insights/nuggets-of-knowledge you are missing by ‘not being a viewer’…eh..?
..i’ll betcha you didn’t even know that one of the reasons to watch that bilge-effluent – is ‘cos the co-compere rawdon christie is nz’s ron burgandy…
..and he often has burgandy-moments..which are a both a delight and a hoot..
..this week he has been treating us/viewers by reading (adopting proper tones of solemnity/serious/po-face..)
..from nelson mandelas’ autobiography..
..they were brilliant ron-moments..
..then finishing..staring for a moment doe-eyed down the lens..
..and then chirping:..’and coming up next!..peter williams..and his wollen underpants..!’..
..ya hafta laff..!..eh..?
..sobbing uses up far too many tissues..
..phillip ure..
phillip u
Leave Morrisey to monitor the media. I feel he has thicker skin than you. Your settings are finer and more sensitive! Don’t watch, please – you’ll end up getting the speed wobbles and spin off into a shrinking vortex.
And I think not washing your knickers for a week is bound to be unsanitary. I think this must affect our international reputation for hygiene standards. Take him off the air, and open the windows to refresh.
And reading Mandela’s book by a jonolist. Brings out the now Pavlovian reaction in me about the gorilla who can read Nietzsche but can’t understand it.
do the fifty-buck-wear-for-a-week wollen-grunds suck all the grot away..?
..to an inner-chamber..?..(the science/physics of it all puzzles me..)
..does that inner-grot-chamber get a bit lumpy by the end of the week..?..
..can the casual observer note that the wearer must be at about day six..?..do they shift uncomfortably in their seats..?
..so many questions..
..that you don’t want to know the answers to..
..phillip ure..
“…..and only has to change them once a week..” Ewwww. That’s just….nasty. 🙁
Excuse me I’m eating my breakfast here
Reasons why I love football No 94: Rupert Murdoch’s favourite wank mag gets a serve from Cheltenham Town Ladies FC.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2013/dec/11/page-3-womensfootball
It’s almost unbelievable, this. Isn’t it? It’s no joke for those who are deaf, but frankly I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/africa/9507647/Hunt-is-on-for-fake-Mandela-signer
Weren’t there some Spanish athletes who faked disabilities to get to the World Games for disabled people? It’s all a big joke to those with shallow minds. It’s those psychopaths again.
…social predators who charm, manipulate and ruthlessly plow their way through life … Completely lacking in conscience and feeling for others, they selfishly take what they want and do as they please, violating social norms and expectations without the slightest sense of guilt or regret.
A gentleman named LARRY CURLY said it perfectly…
Yes the secret service was too busy shagging tail to check out this guy! They had their crack detail just off their assignment guarding Obama in Colombia!
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/deaf-interpreter-nelson-mandela-memorial-fake-officials-article-1.1544251#ixzz2nDYMI0QM
Its fraud. Worse, treason. The guy unfortunately sums up for me why so much of Africa is corrupt. Individuals who ignore their common interest, due to decades of neo-liberal press, and take with impunity. I mean look at Russia, any sensible nation uses its leadership churn to evolve and adapt to the demands on it as a nation. Its not just Africa that is corrupted, thirty years of stupid.
Folks, can I ask a question of you? Can anyone suggest how to go about making a complaint to the Health and Disability Commission and whether I’d be within my rights to do so. Or should I take my concerns to Citizen’s Advice Bureau first?
I’ll try to be brief
Exactly two years ago to the day I had an injury on my left foot. Went to physio. Unsuccessful treatments for two months. Referred to a sports medicine Dr who was more interested in the AB’s than my foot (although he isn’t my problem) He then referred me to a surgeon who then announced that no xray, ultrasound or MRI showed any bone damage so nothing much we can do and don’t know what’s wrong. Advice, just get ultrasound guided steroids injected into the area of pain every so often. They have been about 20% effective. Requested my GP refer me to a pain specialist last month. Have seen the pain specialist who gave me a diagnosis (nothing to do with bone, but to do with nerve damage) Completely different treatment planned. In the meantime I’ve had two years of pain, limited mobility and loss of enjoyment of doing things like going for walks.
Is there any point in raising this issue with the H&D Commission?. My main issue is that the medical practitioners gave up, didn’t refer me further and I have have missed out on a diagnosis and appropriate treatment for two years
(Sorry, TS isn’t an agony column, and that wasn’t brief – I do know however there are some smart minds here, some of who may be familiar with advocacy in regard to medical matters.
Rosie
Your anecdote is useful to people interested in our help systems such as health, which we imagine are functioning well with all the money that goes into them. Apart from being concerned about you, it gives a view into the workings of the health of the administration. Which can develop various faults, viruses, blockage and degeneration. So a certain amount of feedback from citizens is very healthy. And hopefully, I think there will be someone Who Knows.
Hi Rosie,
I’ve had some experience with H&D complaints.
I think this one would go nowhere. Sorry.
I’m assuming ACC was involved? Maybe request your records, though you may be distressed to find perjorative inferences. I hope you don’t. A complaint with ACC would also be unlikely to go anywhere, unless you find active interference from non-medical personnel. Even then, I believe a letter of apology is the best you could expect, though in serious cases, ACC has been known to make ex-gratia payments.
Hope this helps, and I hope you are finally finding some relief – chronic pain is so debilitating and uses up so many spoons!
Thank you both Warbly (sorry chronic bad habit of nicknaming folks, tell me if its annoying) and just saying.
Yes ACC has been involved at every point so far. However, I’ve yet to receive a letter of acceptance re the last appointment which was for the pain specialist – that would be costing $275 if I had to pay. (I don’t have $275)
To be honest the MOST I expect would be a letter of apology. What I would like to see is the previous practitioners involved be informed of the correct diagnosis and treatment and to know that they have caused a major inconvenience to their patient by giving up and not referring on
Thanks again 🙂
Rosie
You can call me what suits but as my Gran used to say – Don’t call me Late for Dinner.
“To be honest the MOST I expect would be a letter of apology. What I would like to see is the previous practitioners involved be informed of the correct diagnosis and treatment and to know that they have caused a major inconvenience to their patient by giving up and not referring on”
Actually I think this sounds feasible. The Commissioner won’t get involved, but you can get support from the HDC advocates in a kind of mediation process. You can use the HD Act code of rights, to back up what you say to the practitioners. However you need to be aware that you may not get an apology, or may get a Clayton’s apology. Also even with an apology and a result in terms of previous practitioners being notified of the problem, you may still not feel satisfied. Much of that depends on how you approach the thing, and the integrity of the practioners.
Might be worth talking it through with an advocate to see what the options are.
Thank you weka. What you’ve said makes sense to me. I now have a copy of the H & D Code for service. A quick glance would indicate failure on the practitioners behalf. (section 10, right to complain) You’re right, I think seeking an advocate is wise
As it happens, I also have a new injury on the other foot that I couldn’t seek help for because I couldn’t afford the part payment that ACC no longer funds and subsequently have worsened the situation by not getting it seen to immediately. Secondly, that was an incorrect diagnosis and on top of the wait to get it seen to, the exercises I was given has damaged the achilles more. My sense of anger and distrust has just compounded! And this isn’t even the first time it’s happened. A prolapsed disc was incorrectly diagnosed for months back in 2007!!!
I’m not alone in receiving improper treatments and incorrect diagnoses, you hear the stories all the time. There are 2 cases in mind at this point in time, a one a family member, one a friend who have more cause than me to complain. One was botched surgery and the other was incorrect treatment that lead to permanent damage that now requires surgery.
Thanks again for your advice – that’s really helpful 🙂
I hear these stories all the time too Rosie, and have some of my own. Take some time to get a good strategy together, and make sure that in each step of the process you are not being disempowered and feel ok about what you are doing. Good luck! and let us know how you get on.
From the “No need for ordinary folk to be paranoid”–yeah right– file:
Three things that make tracking you by the authorities easier, obvious you think?
• using and carrying a smart phone
• operating a motor vehicle
• regularly using plastic cards/online transactions
Thanks to No Right Turn blog for the link below which shows what the NSA is chillingly capable of using data mining and real time locating.
https://www.aclu.org/meet-jack-or-what-government-could-do-all-location-data
Tiger Mountaion @ 10.
Thanks for referring people to that link provided by NRT on how metadata can be used to profile people and track their movements etc.
I saw it yesterday and was going to post it here but it was on a long To Do List.
That link is an excellent example of why the collection of metadata is important – and highly disturbing. I highly recommend people take a few minutes to look at that link.
he he, personal MO- no smart phone, no car and one withdrawal from (usually the same) ATM a week. KISS.
However, on the present rates, it is difficult making that one withdrawal support me for the entire week. Oh well, sigh.
Seems they’re co-opting the humble cookie too.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2013/12/11/nsa-uses-cookies-to-locate-its-targets.html?
So when copper prices rebound and the NZ$ collapses, Chrous stocks will soar?
Police Bullying, of Their Own
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11170966
hijra acknowledged- gays to gaol, along with the bestial
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11170973
“Now squeal like a ‘roo Jed “
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11171359
(this is tragic, and not for queasy tummies).
A misture of the Pitcarin Island syndrome, along with family culture, and deprivation. Probably happening in NZ now or will become noticeable if we go on as we are.
Nope, it’s going on (see it out my window); limited opportunities and folk turn inwards.
The John Banks Trophy for DUM QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Award No. 5: JOHN BANKS
(for week ending 14/12/2013)
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“I’m not buckled, I’m not bent—”
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—-Epsom M.P. John Banks (ACT), who will stand trial for electoral fraud next year, speaking in Parliament yesterday, Wednesday 11 December 2013. At this point, Banks was unable to proceed for some time, due to the House being filled with uproarious gales of scornful laughter, hoots of derision, and slow hand-clapping. No laughter from his National Support Party comrades, however; they just turned ashen with mortification and embarrassment.
Check out these other Dum Quotes and relive the inanity!….
No. 4 Steve Hansen: “The French definitely turned up to play.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-23062013/#comment-652486
No. 3 Gosman: “At least the Creationist is logically consistent.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-02092012/#comment-516226
No. 2 Monique Watson: “Obama has an investigation into it.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-25082012/#comment-512970
No. 1 Te Reo Putake: “What is so special about Assange that Sweden should change its laws for him?”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-18082012/#comment-509480
No 1 still stands the test of time! I’m told that surprise sex’s Julian Assange has lost all his hair, lives on raw fish and mutters ‘the precious, the precious’ to himself in his dank, sunless underground lair. But that may just be another dum (sic) quote.
It is another dum quote, my friend. You’re repeating the denigrating portrait of him that’s peddled in that disastrous government-approved hatchet job that “starred” Benedict Blunderpatch. I note that it’s already tanked at the box office: Americans may be bombarded with black propaganda daily, but only an ideologically motivated minority is buying into it.
One thing we can be sure of: this dog is one that not only Blunderpatch but none of the other principals suckered into appearing in it will ever boast about.
Well, it may be a crap film, but I suspect the reason it tanked is the subject matter. Nobody gives a flying one about Assange anymore and Snowden is far sexier these days (I mean that in a media friendly, safe, non rapey way).
Snowden’s better looking, too.
Your analysis is as rigorous and as intelligent as it was two and a half years ago, when you were defending a different set of government liars….
http://thestandard.org.nz/continuing-nuke-crisis-in-japan/#comment-309036
🙄
Well, it may be a crap film,
Good. One honest statement to start off your post. Sadly, it’s all downhill from there…
…. but I suspect the reason it tanked is the subject matter.
You don’t suspect that at all. You know as well as I do that the American people, who are NOT as docile as Fox News, Hollywood and the White House assume they are, don’t like fiction posing as fact. And they can sniff out a government harassment campaign perfectly well.
Nobody gives a flying one about Assange anymore….
Another lie. If nobody “gives a flying one” about the world’s most celebrated dissident, why is one rogue state, plus a few vassals, hounding him?
…. and Snowden is far sexier these days (I mean that in a media friendly, safe,
You’ve even bought into the White House’s talking point about his “stripper girlfriend”. You are without doubt a Kool Aid drinker standing out above all the other Kool Aid drinkers.
…non rapey way).
Good man! You keep telling those lies! First have another swig of Kool Aid, though: it’s a mighty hot day down there in Jonest–, errr, Hurricanes country.
the ‘Suedehead’ youtube link Rosie provided is wonderful Morrissey.
Well, if you want to come on all Fisky, I should point out that you misapplied ‘honest’ in your first para. I used the word ‘may’ which is not a statement of a definitive position. That’s because I haven’t seen it, but was relying on the reviews of others.
Point two is incorrect. I genuinely think it tanked because St Julian is of no interest to the cinema going public and he’s damaged goods to those with an interest in politics. Personally, I thought the film was going to be a hagiography of the sainted one, so avoided it for that reason, but I’m pleased to hear from you that it’s more truthful than I suspected.
Point 3 is incorrect. Nobody is hounding him. He has chosen to jail himself, which is pretty karmic in the circs.
Point 4 is incorrect. I’ve never heard about the girlfriend ( I assume it’s Snowden you’re talking about, not Assange?). As I said, I meant sexier in the sense that he is currently relevant. Assange is yesterdays news. Did you know he’s been self imprisoned for 3 years as of last week? Didn’t make the papers, because no one cares.
Point five is probably incorrect too, but as it makes no sense, except to you, I’ll ignore it.
Every other point you made is 100% correct.
“Nobody is hounding him. He has chosen to jail himself…”
That is a chilling statement. Your ideological zeal is quite phenomenal. You really missed your place in history: you would have been the perfect Red Guard forty-five years ago.
no desire to see the film sorry, or the Apple one either. The Facebook one was revealing enough.
However, Now you see me…
banks has the air of a decaying possum on a country road..
..phillip ure..
All charges against former Pike River Coal chief executive Peter Whittall have been dropped.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9508594/Charges-dropped-against-former-Pike-boss
“… [Departmental lawyer] Zarifeh said the Department of Labour faced “substantial problems” in its case against Whittall, who has maintained his innocence and had earlier entered not guilty pleas.”
Shared culpability one of them?
Oh, that is so pathetic. On the upside, the next government can always reopen the case or maybe make it the first one taken under the possible corporate manslaughter law change.
I wonder whose money it was/will be.
“Mr Whittall has proposed that a voluntary payment be made on behalf of the directors and officers of Pike River Coal Ltd (in receivership) at the time of the explosions to the families of the 29 men who died and the two survivors.
It means $110,000 will be given to each of the families and survivors – totalling $3.41m.
Mr Whittall’s lawyer Stuart Grieve QC today said a bank cheque has been given to the court and asked for Judge Jane Farish to make sure the money was available by Christmas.”
And: “Judge Farish said she heard that the charges would be dropped only two days ago.She told the court that the likelihood of a prosecution in this case was “extremely low” and that it may never have even reached trial, given all of the pre-trial arguments that would have been required. The decision not to prosecute was taken at “a very high level”, she said. ”
Whose “very high level?”
The ‘Sickest’ piece of Justice ever meted out my life-time by the New Zealand Court system, blood money paid in lieu of prosecuting the architect and person more or less with the sole responsibility for the actual construction and running of the Pike River mine…
Francis : The ‘connected’ Pope
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/europe/news/article.cfm?l_id=7&objectid=11168960
Dotcom was probably spied on after his arrest…. but by whom?
Coming soon to New Zealand?
“Infinito Gold is threatening a $1 billion lawsuit against Costa Rica for rejecting a toxic, open-pit gold mine after massive protests from local citizens.”
Just seen that from SumOfUs:
http://act.sumofus.org/go/3150?t=1&akid=3110.989881.OoeJ3K
More to ignore.
Three years of observations by ESA’s CryoSat satellite show that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is losing over 150 cubic kilometres of ice each year – considerably more than when last surveyed.
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/CryoSat/Antarctica_s_ice_loss_on_the_rise
This too.
It’s official: East Antarctica is pushing West Antarctica around.
Now that West Antarctica is losing weight–that is, billions of tons of ice per year–its softer mantle rock is being nudged westward by the harder mantle beneath East Antarctica.
The discovery comes from researchers led by The Ohio State University, who have recorded GPS measurements that show West Antarctic bedrock is being pushed sideways at rates up to about twelve millimeters–about half an inch–per year. This movement is important for understanding current ice loss on the continent, and predicting future ice loss.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-12/osu-eai121113.php?
Impostor angers many at Madiba funeral
11 December 2013
There has been widespread anger after a shameless impostor perpetrated an outrageous display of fakery at the funeral service for Nelson Mandela.
Comments included: “He was moving his hands around, but there was no meaning”; “What happened at the memorial service is truly a disgraceful thing to see”; “Disgusting”; “Shameful hypocrisy” and “It should not happen at all.”
Here’s a photo of the fraudster, waving his arm in the air….
http://cdn1.independent.ie/world-news/article29829821.ece/ALTERNATES/h342/PANews_bfce2d94-f4ec-4d75-b069-6d5218eab9d2_I1.jpg
🙂 Very good.
Whaleoil connection to the ninth floor confirmed:
https://twitter.com/CTrevettNZH/status/410912984722984961
Very interesting. I have heard the name before but this time some pretty senior reporters are all pointing the finger at him.
What is his role in DPMC and what are his links to Slater’s site?
EDIT: and the Herald are onto it … http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11171491
And some interesting comments:
In a personal capacity on his personal iPhone which he pays for himself, no doubt.
Indeed. A PM communications person takes photographs on parliament property and communicates them to a partisan blogger on a weekday morning, but there is a clear delineation between his personal and professional roles /sarc 🙂
Patrick Gower tweets …
“John Key employs Jason Ede to crouch among rubbish take photos on I-Phone of Press Gallery party and give photos to a blogger.”
I could grow to like you, Paddy.
So could I, but only when he’s fired.
lolz
It does make me wonder what other contributions Mr Ede might have made
The “wondering” press gallery. If only there were regular opportunities for the journalists to ask instead of wondering! If only Key and Ede were easily accessible … say, working in the same building as the media? If only they had heard the name ‘Jason Ede’, years ago.
But oh well, it’s Christmas, we’ll never know. Pass the bottle, John!
Christmas Time, downunder- ‘ spin the bottle’. (and even Anne, Amy or Judith, the three prized hens, will become attractive).
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/9509926/PMs-adviser-takes-photos-for-WhaleOil
laugh.
Ede, who has not returned a request for comment, had previously been accused of being a source for Whale Oil, but this had never been confirmed.
A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister’s Office ignored questions about whether it was appropriate for an adviser to the prime minister to be supplying such information to the blog. She confirmed Ede was the photographer.
“It is our understanding Mr Ede took pictures of the aftermath of the press gallery function and sent them to a blogger,” she said.
“Mr Ede did this off his own bat.
“In terms of the function, a number of staff from the Prime Minister’s Office attended and enjoyed themselves and we appreciate the media putting on such a good function.”
When asked by Fairfax Media in October about Ede’s relationship with Whale Oil, the spokeswoman said Ede was a senior adviser in the National leader’s office. He provided communication advice and support to the prime minister and to National Party MPs, including in the area of social media and other media.
“Jason works a lot in the area of social media and that includes getting out National’s message to a range of bloggers and other social media sites.”
Parliamentary press gallery chairwoman Claire Trevett said Ede was seen this morning by two witnesses. He had crouched among the butts taking photos with his phone.
a Toad-in-the-hole in the wall.
Anyone who doubts the direct link between John Key’s office and WhaleOil really must click on the link Pascal’s Bookie provides.
Now all we need is for some of the journos in that twitter thread to turn down their free Xmas wine from Key, and start holding him to account instead. Well, I can dream.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9507062/Rebstock-report-singles-out-leaker
– Name and shame I say
Righto. The name is McCully. He bit the hand that feeds him. The owners of the hand bit him back. And they bit Rennie too. In the bum. For much the same reason. And then Rebstock bit McCully and Key and Rennie in the wallet. It’s a jungle out there.
“no definitive evidence” after expending half a mil. MFAT experience contracted out, to consultants; How’s that working out for our biggest markets…oh, wait…
“Actions of some MFAT employees in supplying information and personal views directly to Ministers, to the Labour Party Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Trade, to officials and former public servants outside MFAT and to the media fuelled the political debate. This directly undermined MFAT’s ability to provide Ministers with robust, unbiased advice once the Secretary had consulted and considered the views of staff at MFAT.”
“Prior to the change programme, MFAT had been regarded as an agency that could be trusted with government information. This trust, locally and internationally, is critically important given the role that MFAT undertakes on behalf of the Government and all New Zealanders.”
“The leaks of documents that had been prepared by MFAT staff detrimentally affected MFAT’s reputation as a trustworthy organisation, thereby damaging New Zealand’s interests and the Government’s trust and confidence in MFAT.”
Well done to the labour party for pulling this off, they managed to get away with damaging NZs reputation for political gain (and got away with it so fair play to them)
+1. Except McCully did the damage to NZ’s reputation for no gain. The last thing anyone should do is appoint someone who always looks untidy to the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs.
And the fuck is with this?:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11171475
Probably more to the story but at first glance its very dodgy
Well that ties in with something I picked up the other day from a link.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2520662/Neil-Phillips-quizzed-8-HOURS-police-Nelson-Mandela-Twitter-jokes.html
Brit Shopkeeper was quizzed for eight HOURS by police – and had his computer seized and his DNA swabbed – after cracking ‘bad taste’ Nelson Mandela jokes on the internet.
Something like he decided to call his computer Mandela because it took so long to shut down.
Not very good but about par for a guy who owns a sandwick shop – bit short of a full picnic.
spooky 😎
Has anyone got a comment on an idea I had of having a local peace corps approach. Having people go round the country doing useful things for others for bed and board. Better than sitting at home and being pressured into a gang. See the country and work, and feel positive about life
sort of thing. Here’s the link –
http://thestandard.org.nz/what-chance-is-there-of-a-bi-partisan-approach-to-child-poverty/#comment-742776
Also I thought about what Ian the employer of good work-keen overseas people said about NZ workers in his area being unreliable, and generally lacking in oomph.
I thought of anomie and put a bit from wikipedia explaining it and how it very likely can explain a lot of the NZ experience, and invite comment on this also.
http://thestandard.org.nz/what-chance-is-there-of-a-bi-partisan-approach-to-child-poverty/#comment-742752
More trubs for Shonkey and the lapdog Rebstock? How much more money are they gonna throw away to continue exposing McCully’s stupidity?
MFAT leak: ‘Person Y’ hits back
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11171532
For the benefit of Pukish Rogue, or Mr Kite there has been a show tonight.
Trotter writes a good article about the neoliberal dinosaurs in the Labour Party
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/12/12/a-sort-of-victory-is-labours-old-guard-undermining-cunliffes-lurch-to-the-left/
“Behind the scenes the situation is, apparently, even worse. In spite of the fact that child poverty seems certain to become a major election issue for 2014, anti-poverty campaigners report extreme difficulty in persuading Labour MPs to embrace the policies required to eliminate it.”
“The ferocity with which the Old Guard responded to Cunliffe’s argument that Labour needs to undergo a radical ideological reorientation was instructive. It pointed to the presence of a powerful faction within Labour’s caucus that is absolutely determined to prevent the slightest deviation from the core elements of the 1984-1993 neoliberal “revolution”.
Needs to be a post on this issue.
How does the left deal with these turncoats?
Reflects comments earlier today by some regulars. A good article indeed.
Please be more specific.
What do you mean by “the left.” Do you mean for instance: the parliamentary left? The political economic left? The Labour Party membership? The socially liberal left?
the ‘left right out’ 😀
It doesnt matter anyway.
Labour will lose the next election. Unless they pull out an Orewa moment (10th annivesary of “That Speech” coming up..) Cunliffe will struggle to get traction against a confident John Key who only needs to make a minimal effort with the populace to get them to like him. I will expect a full on attack campaign of scaremongering, about 70’s union bosses and anti-car green hippies who want to ruin this country, with Labour stuggling with a wishy-washy centre approach.
A national party victory, will, of course, have ramifications for the country, especially those that use the rump welfare state (superannuation and health care), as well as vulerable, low paid workers, and those in the welfare system, as we see an escalation of the downward pressure on incomes and living standards as a consequence.
New Zealand will pretty much be a sweatshop economy by 2020, with workers having to sleep in their cars as wages fail to keep up with rents.
I think it’ll be a vicious campaign, but the result is far from a done deal for the tories – if anything I reckon that labgrn have a slight advantage even now.
Very wise McFlock.
I would like to know what people have against paying council workers higher wages. You know, the people that process building consents, help you when you want to burrow a book from the libaray, put up with people’s abuse when they go and deal with dangerous dogs, ensure the water keeps flowing, keeps the green spaces mowed and the sports feilds ship-shape. They do all the stuff that keeps a city functioning, and they deserve a decent wage for it.
I actually believe all the kerfuffle about rates is just about rich people having to pay for things that poor people use (like parks, libararies, council housing, etc).
Sounds correct. Have it all, pay for nothing parasites.
So you want to get rid of libaries too?
An enemy of our libraries is an enemy of humanity.
You maybe misinterpreted Paul’s meaning millsy. I think he’s agreeing with you, and saying that the wealthy who moan about rates want to have all the services but not pay for them.
ae
as an aside, while TS can be an ‘eye-opener’, your wicked sense of humour can bring easing laughter lines of mirth.
Thanks 🙂 Frankly on some of the issues discussed here if I didn’t laugh, I’d cry.
I am agreeing with you Millsy