Tianjin is a port city, about three hours from beijing by car. It’s a megacity, with at least ten million people, although city population stats in china tend to be pretty wild guesses. wikipedia calls it at 15 mil. It’s one of four cities directly controlled from the central government.
Two seriously good pieces on Chinese disaster news management:
the latter one gives you an excellent ancient-historical backgrounder to the modern phenomenon of censorship.
quotable quote from the first link:
…the one thing unique that emerged from this disaster [2015 yangtse ship disaster] is the confirmation that disaster communication in this country has thoroughly morphed into a kind of grand “mood management” exercise which involves state control as well as the negotiation within the society itself. The fundamental questions that are being asked by those watching the unfolding of the tragedy are not “what happened” and “why did it happen”, but “how should people feel about it” and “when is the right time to feel about what.”
mind you some of this will bounce back on eqc and the government due to the way in which claims were handled by eqc (very poorly and miserly)
there has been loads of shoddy workmanship by the building sector in Christchurch. On top of that there is a tremendous market in as-is where-is buildings which are damaged, not repaired and now uninsureable. Being bought, slap of paint and out into the rental market…..
avoid pre-earthquake homes in Christchurch in the future
the cowboy builders were used by EQC and Fletchers to reduce the standard and their liability…it is deliberate and systemic and has been known about for years and the minister brushed it off….these repairs were carried out under consent exemption which means they were performed under producer statements issued by Fletchers EQR and the responsibility to meet code was theirs….the Minister is either complicit or negligent.
I see the Commonwealth Bank of Australia has just announced a $9 BIllion profit.
Austerity is certainly working for them.
As the banks are making these obscene profits, one thing The Double Dipping Dickhead from Dipton can do, is do away with the OBR (Open Bank Resolution). Obviously as the banks are making obscene profits, there is not the need to keep the legislation to bail them out by depositors, or the tax payer, just to fund their massive bonuses.
I think a simpler solution would be to forbid trading banks from borrowing money. The banks have gained undue power by leveraging their membership of the central bank system to gain access to funding they have no real right to.
As things stand the banks simply borrow more when they run out of cash reserves & want to make more loans. But they can only borrow because their membership of the RBNZ gives them a solid credit rating. No serious lender would lend so cheaply to them otherwise, a bank would just be another finance company without the RBNZ guarantees.
Admittance to RBNZ funding could be made conditional on members lending out only depositors funds. If banks want to be a finance company they can, they just can’t be an accredited trading bank at the same time. That would really cramp their style
Jeremy Corbyn proposes re-opening coal mines in South Wales. He wants to turn the clock back 40 years with this and a number of other policies. Sounds like a winning formula.
haha I was just thinking to myself, surely he isn’t going to re-open the shipyards or starting digging up Wales… it’s nostalgia writ large. Good luck to him.
“But if there’s to be substantial coal fire generation it’s got to be clean burn technology, it’s got to have carbon filters on it, it’s got to be carbon neutral.
[there’s a bit here in the video about CCS (carbon capture and storage), which they’ve left out of the article, so they’ve mangled what he said and actually misrepresented it]
“I’ve looked at it, I’ve discussed it, I’ve heard about it. It’s complicated. At one level it looks very expensive. But the advantages also look quite attractive.
“But the principles have to be that we’re protective of our environment, guaranteeing affordable energy supplies for everybody, and we’re not ripped off by big companies.”
To me this looks like he just doesn’t know what he is talking about (re CCS and carbon neutrality). Or, he’s hedging his bets between the workers and the greenies and the economists. His comment was saying that there are few coal mines left in the UK, and that the remaining high quality coal might be worth more in the future.
He said that if coal prices rose in the future and if carbon capture tech meant there was zero net additional emissions (it won’t) then there might be a case for opening the deep mines in S. Wales – mines that just happen to contain the worlds’ highest quality coal.
I was thinking a while back that we should run a lottery here on how long she’d last, but didn’t bother bringing it up because who’d bet on a sure thing.
I admire her courage but question her wisdom, being so outspoken was just asking for trouble and now we’ve lost her.
We might also spare a little though for journalists in general. Who’d be a journalist in this country. Their choices of employer are limited and if they buck the system they get fired or shunted out to bumfucksville writing trivia for the village idiots.
Thats right we live in a country when people who are paid to be a commentator are expected to give the same opinion as all the other commentators. It is ‘unwise’ not to do so.
Opinions censored in MSM to all lead to the same pro government conclusions or so tepid, the content is irrelevant .
Her latest piece on the Canterbury rebuild is, well, scathing:
Like Tim Groser ignoring his best scientists over the issue of carbon emissions, Brownlee appeared to ditch large parts of his advisory board’s advice so he would retain final veto over major projects and council plans in the city. His own draft in response waters down the local role in the rebuild, ensures the Government’s paw prints are all over a new body looking to snap up prime central city land for redevelopment, and generally provokes more annoyance from locals.
He gave a month for feedback – which ended at the end of July – without public forums for debate and discussion.
For those opposed to corporate control – this is going to be quite a weekend!
In Auckland on Saturday 15 August 2015 – is what should be a sizeable TPPA – WALK AWAY! public protest – assembling at Aotea Square at 1pm.
In Auckland on Sunday 16 August 2015 – is the RATE$ RIPOFF RALLY!
WHERE: Assemble 1 PM Aotea Square
So – if you’ve just received your latest Auckland Council Rates Assessment Notice / Rates Invoice, and you are NOT happy about your latest rates increase – you can ‘stand up and be counted’ :
The reality is that in Auckland – we have effectively been under direct corporate control for nearly 5 years – when this ‘Supercity for the 1%’ was forced upon us – without a democratic vote by citizens and ratepayers.
We had 7 democratically elected Councils (warts and all) – replaced with 7 (now 6) undemocratically selected Council (CORPORATE) Controlled Organisations (CCOs) – which have been the mechanism for the Auckland region to be run ‘like a business – by business – FOR business.
There has been a significant transfer of public rates monie$ to the private sector – but WHERE exactly is that money going?
Talking about radionz – did anyone yesterday hear Judith Collins refer to Radionz as Radio Albania? Apparently they are unliked by her because they persist in trying to find out truths and information that she doesn’t want them to bother asking.
And a few weeks ago English saying similar. And yet doesn’t National Radio have the highest listener numbers?
Must look. This is all I can find.
“Weekly live cumulative audience for Radio New Zealand National is 434,000 or 12% of the 15+ population. National’s station share is 9.1%.”
@Double Plus Good
I didn’t even notice that, actually. I was attempting ‘sarcastic’ as I could imagine Judith Collins saying that. I don’t think she could have spelt it, or even know the name and who he was.
Glad you mentioned this ianmac@11.07am, excellent questioning of key by david parker all this week. and in spite of some criticism of andrew little by a commenter yesterday on “sheepgate mixed metaphors”.
In fact Little did really well on Tuesday in that he appeared to lull key into a false sense of security with his fonterra questioning after which i actually saw key lean towards english as if to say ” i think we got away with that one and now joyce is up.” Thus andrew bayly began asking patsy questions of stephen who began rejoicing in the wonderful diversity (first time i had heard the natwits using that term) of their economic strategy. How seductive was joyce with his words, words he repeated almost verbatim after another patsy question on Wednesday!
But back to Tuesday when, if that commenter had hung on, he would have seen Parker attack and attack key on sheepgate with brilliant support from Little and key didn’t look quite so relieved or chipper as he had done earlier.
Parker continued this attack yesterday so effectively (and i’m sure helped by fergusson’s a.m. ‘softening him up’) that at the end i think key was forced to lie but i couldn’t hear him properly as he sank to his seat and looked quite cowed, or is that ‘sheeped’
Well done David Parker and Labour. And it takes a lot for me to say that and especially to type it on this bloomin’ tablet.
(Obviously the sight of arch fabricator key looking queasy was aspirshinul enough to get my finger, gritted teeth and patience working in tandem. Hope this all makes sense.)
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?
(Aye there’s the rub. Trump may chirp the words from Hamlet Soliloquy? but would have no concept of bringing the meaning to bear, or I doubt, any real wish to do so as he is just another money-rich intellect-poor actor on the power and glory stage.)
To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish’d.
To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
“For households doing it tough this winter, particularly in rural areas where the plummeting dairy price is hitting hard, hearing that the Prime Minister is likely to get an $11,000 pay rise won’t do much to lift their spirits or help them pay their bills.”
Ah, so after promising to do something about it National then ensured that they’d still get massive pay rises.
Except amongst the Wellington ‘Beltway’ types David Farrar is very well respected on both sides of the political spectrum. I only presume you are based outside Wellington and/or have never had any interaction with him. If he was a slimy and manipulative as you make out it is unlikely he would be so well regarded by key people across the political spectrum.
lol
Cite, pls.
I suspect that in many cases you are confusing “behaving professionally towards” with being “very well respected “.
Are you based in Wellington McFlock? If so, do you attend any of the many political events that David Farrar attends? I’m not sure you realise how much of a political operator he is.
I will grant you that Cameron Slater is not well respected nor liked by a number of people. The same can not be stated for David Farrar. In terms of the mainstream politicians across the political spectrum that I have observed interacting with him on a social basis there seems to be genuine fondness (if not friendship) and no anomosity. It is only people such as yourself who seemingly think mainstream politics is a battle to the death that paint him as some master manipulator doing his masters bidding.
Well, if your impression of “mainstream politicians'” behaviour is as accurate as you “granting me” something I did not claim (however true it might or might not be) and as accurate as your attribution of those thoughts to me, I’ll take that with a large block of salt, too.
Although I notice that you’ve lid from a general “Wellington beltway types” to “mainstream politicians”. Do you think Seymour is in that latter group? What about the Greens?
I’m generally meaning the average Politician. I am sure there are a couple of Politicians and their supporters who do have an issue with David Farrar. I’d suggest that is because of their ideological position rather than anything David Farrar has done though. The worst accusation I have seen made here about him for example is that he pretends to be moderate and reasonable but rarks up his supporters with subtle dog-whistling blog posts and that he spins for National for cash. Even if true this hardly makes him a terrible person. He just seems to understand how to play the political game better than many on the left.
The worst accusation I have seen made here about him for example is that he pretends to be moderate and reasonable but rarks up his supporters with subtle dog-whistling blog posts and that he spins for National for cash. Even if true this hardly makes him a terrible person.
Actually yes, yes it does.
As for your comment about playing the political “game”, well that says it all. What you tories never understand is that it’s not a game. If you run down prisons and the health sector, have such concern for worker safety that unions have to take private prosecutions when workers are killed on the job, and turn income support and welfare services into confrontational and alienating abuse of the poor, people die.
Shortly after Israel’s mass slaughter of more than 1,400 people in Gaza in 2008-9, Farrar accepted a free trip to Israel by the Israeli regime, which included a brief visit to illegally occupied East Jerusalem. With a display of resolute blindness and deafness, Farrar reported that “things were generally very relaxed in this area”…. http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2009/11/jerusalem.html
So, yes, on that behaviour alone, Farrar would be a terrible person. His behaviour in New Zealand is just as disgusting.
I will grant you that Cameron Slater is not well respected nor liked by a number of people. The same can not be stated for David Farrar. In terms of the mainstream politicians across the political spectrum that I have observed interacting with him on a social basis there seems to be genuine fondness (if not friendship) and no anomosity. It is only people such as yourself who seemingly think mainstream politics is a battle to the death that paint him as some master manipulator doing his masters bidding.
The business community has spoken and say it’s time for the National party to groom a replacement.
NZME’s fourteenth annual Mood of the Boardroom survey has shown three quarters of business leaders want a new John Key.
The survey had 110 respondents from the Deloitte top 200 list of chief executives, company heads and heads of industry-leading businesses including the private and public sector.
Business Editor Fran O’Sullivan said last year, two thirds of respondents felt the ‘Key’ brand was damaged …
“The West’s hardline towards Russia is driving Russia closer to China, with deepening Sino-Russian relations posing a strong challenge to global Western hegemony, founding partner at Prosperity Capital Management Mattias Westman told RT”
“Bill English has admitted meeting with 10 organisations who want to get their hands on these assets but is refusing to say who they are. These organisations are most likely merchant bankers, private/public partnership investors and property developers – so it’s no wonder National wants to keep them secret.
“This comes as a Bill giving the Government extraordinary powers to sell-off state houses gets its first reading in Parliament. This legislation allows Ministers to take direct personal control of selling these homes, exempts them from normal legal requirements and leaves the sale process wide open for corruption.
very disturbing …good to see Phil Twyford and Labour Party is on to it!….hope Labour jumps up and down…and NZF…and the Greens in Parliament….and Mana/Int…and all social welfare groups…this is the future housing of NZ’s poorest!
…It should not be for property speculators or private control and gain
….state housing is an asset built up over the years by generations of New Zealand taxpayers
where is the Maori Party on this ?…and Peter Dunn?
if any state houses are put up for sale they should be offered to the existing tenants first…and loan money should be made available for existing tenants so that they can buy
Sounds like a good idea but the wealthy in NZ have their real income hidden away in Trusts. One family that I know are very wealthy but because on paper they are poor they were able to claim Student allowances for their daughter. So how likely is it in NZ that say My Key would pay big money for speeding?
Fines should always be proportional to the persons income as this would make the fine equivalent across the income spectrum.
Say two people get fined for speeding. One is rich and the on minimum wage but the fine is the same $150. For the person on minimum wage that could mean not eating for a week, bills not being paid and significant stress. The rich person would be thinking if they should have wine with lunch or not and then buy the wine anyway. The fine is meaningless to them.
This is the first point. The fine actually has to have meaning to the person being fined.
The second point is that the fine should be proportional to the crime and having to go without food for a week, not pay bills and being subjugated to a huge amount of stress for a time is disproportional to mere speeding*.
* If it was speeding resulting in death then I would expect murder charges.
Prisoner dead at Mt Eden. Did you notice the clamour of people saying that the government was unfit to run the prison and must immediately let someone else do it?
Scumbag who plead guilty to nearly 80 charges including rape, sexual violation, assault, kidnapping, threatening to kill and grievous bodily harm kills himself in Mt Eden. Excellent news for his victims and their families.
And didn’t Alan Hubbard say John Key would sort this out and speak up for him when he got back………. for of course when the story broke of Mr. Hubbard doing something wrong with his accounting or some such thing, Key was else where. And when key did return from wherever, he wouldn’t even speak to Mr Hubbard. I thought then that something fishy was going on…….and obviously there was………. apparently a rather nasty set up.
I did think at the time that Alan Hubbard must have felt so hurt and bemused and, unfortunately for him, was beginning to see the true measure of john key…. together with his sidekicks bill english and simon power (who had also figured in the maligning of Winston Peters.)
What a horror to behold at his time of life.
Hey Chooky, the radio story on National succession to John Key was taken down by NZME (Newstalk) because it was inaccurate in several places. It was replaced – The initial Herald story was accurate. Fran O’Sullivan
[lprent: It must be a new email. Sorry about the delay releasing from first time moderation. But I suspect that everyone was out getting some healthy exercise around midday. ]
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Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
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Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
Big double explosion in Tianjin. Some background:
Tianjin is a port city, about three hours from beijing by car. It’s a megacity, with at least ten million people, although city population stats in china tend to be pretty wild guesses. wikipedia calls it at 15 mil. It’s one of four cities directly controlled from the central government.
Two seriously good pieces on Chinese disaster news management:
http://chublicopinion.com/2015/06/11/titanic-on-the-yangtze/
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/21/china-media-xi-jinping-crackdown-newspaper/
the latter one gives you an excellent ancient-historical backgrounder to the modern phenomenon of censorship.
quotable quote from the first link:
…the one thing unique that emerged from this disaster [2015 yangtse ship disaster] is the confirmation that disaster communication in this country has thoroughly morphed into a kind of grand “mood management” exercise which involves state control as well as the negotiation within the society itself. The fundamental questions that are being asked by those watching the unfolding of the tragedy are not “what happened” and “why did it happen”, but “how should people feel about it” and “when is the right time to feel about what.”
Ah, sounds like China is starting to catch up with the West in public manipulation.
Next leaky buildings?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/71071043/gerry-brownlee-targets-cowboy-builders-after-eqc-foundation-review
surprise surprise
mind you some of this will bounce back on eqc and the government due to the way in which claims were handled by eqc (very poorly and miserly)
there has been loads of shoddy workmanship by the building sector in Christchurch. On top of that there is a tremendous market in as-is where-is buildings which are damaged, not repaired and now uninsureable. Being bought, slap of paint and out into the rental market…..
avoid pre-earthquake homes in Christchurch in the future
So if some of the builders are cowboys doesn’t that make him the corrupt robber baron mayor living on the plush of this wild west town?
the cowboy builders were used by EQC and Fletchers to reduce the standard and their liability…it is deliberate and systemic and has been known about for years and the minister brushed it off….these repairs were carried out under consent exemption which means they were performed under producer statements issued by Fletchers EQR and the responsibility to meet code was theirs….the Minister is either complicit or negligent.
I really don’t think that’s an either/or statement but most likely needs an ‘and’.
Make no mistake, National ministers really don’t give a shit about anybody and if they can find a way to make a profit they will.
lets give him the benefit of the doubt and stick with the”or”
Once again, everything Brownlee gets his paws on turns to shit. Is he related to Nick Smith?
I see the Commonwealth Bank of Australia has just announced a $9 BIllion profit.
Austerity is certainly working for them.
As the banks are making these obscene profits, one thing The Double Dipping Dickhead from Dipton can do, is do away with the OBR (Open Bank Resolution). Obviously as the banks are making obscene profits, there is not the need to keep the legislation to bail them out by depositors, or the tax payer, just to fund their massive bonuses.
The only ‘money’ in banks comes in the form of deposits
Everything else is an IOU / accounting method
I think a simpler solution would be to forbid trading banks from borrowing money. The banks have gained undue power by leveraging their membership of the central bank system to gain access to funding they have no real right to.
As things stand the banks simply borrow more when they run out of cash reserves & want to make more loans. But they can only borrow because their membership of the RBNZ gives them a solid credit rating. No serious lender would lend so cheaply to them otherwise, a bank would just be another finance company without the RBNZ guarantees.
Admittance to RBNZ funding could be made conditional on members lending out only depositors funds. If banks want to be a finance company they can, they just can’t be an accredited trading bank at the same time. That would really cramp their style
Jeremy Corbyn proposes re-opening coal mines in South Wales. He wants to turn the clock back 40 years with this and a number of other policies. Sounds like a winning formula.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jeremy-corbyn-could-bring-back-6213691
haha I was just thinking to myself, surely he isn’t going to re-open the shipyards or starting digging up Wales… it’s nostalgia writ large. Good luck to him.
It’s nostalgic in exactly the same way that being able to afford a house on one income is nostalgic.
Let’s look at the whole of what he said,
To me this looks like he just doesn’t know what he is talking about (re CCS and carbon neutrality). Or, he’s hedging his bets between the workers and the greenies and the economists. His comment was saying that there are few coal mines left in the UK, and that the remaining high quality coal might be worth more in the future.
He is the opposite of progressive. “Preservationist”?
I didn’t read it like that. Isn’t he talking about reopening mines for economic reasons?
Not sure there is anything wrong with preservationist. We’d be better off if we’d preserved quite a few things a long time ago 😉
“He is the opposite of progressive”
Utter poppycock. Corbyn is one of the most progressive UK Labour MPs there are.
How do you get away with making such statements? Look at Osborne, look at Cameron.
They are the “opposite” of progressive.
I suppose it is better to back 40 years than 150 years the Neo’ want to do.
Arn’t sales of coal dropping world-wide? Whos going to buy the coal in that case?
Why would sales of coal be dropping during this marvellous global economic recovery in consumption and demand?
He didn’t propose any such thing.
He said that if coal prices rose in the future and if carbon capture tech meant there was zero net additional emissions (it won’t) then there might be a case for opening the deep mines in S. Wales – mines that just happen to contain the worlds’ highest quality coal.
So he essentially said nothing about anything at all. If he said something it might have been said if he had said anything….. Possibly.
Sad news, Dita de Boni axed from the NZ Herald. Hope The Standard readers can show support.
Another brave writer axed. Clearly too good for the Herald to tolerate.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/08/12/dita-de-boni-axed-from-the-nz-herald-any-more-room-left-at-rnz/
Don’t worry i’m sure she’ll find gainful employment at radio nz
3 weeks notice given. What rotten employers the Herald are.
You would think with their declining readership they might want to encourage a diverse range of opinions so they maintain a central readership base…
Probably want to turn themselves into a niche newspaper
They’ve already found their niche as National Party propagandists which is probably why they’re getting rid of somebody who writes the truth.
i always thought here was far too many left wing commentators so its good to see some balance
Far too many celebrity stories for my taste though
Reality has a radical Left wing bias.
Everyone chooses their own reality i guess:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11492634
Including our prime minister, who pretends he lives on Planet Key.
You do understand that that is the result of RWNJ indoctrination of there being no society right?
I was thinking a while back that we should run a lottery here on how long she’d last, but didn’t bother bringing it up because who’d bet on a sure thing.
I admire her courage but question her wisdom, being so outspoken was just asking for trouble and now we’ve lost her.
We might also spare a little though for journalists in general. Who’d be a journalist in this country. Their choices of employer are limited and if they buck the system they get fired or shunted out to bumfucksville writing trivia for the village idiots.
Thats right we live in a country when people who are paid to be a commentator are expected to give the same opinion as all the other commentators. It is ‘unwise’ not to do so.
Opinions censored in MSM to all lead to the same pro government conclusions or so tepid, the content is irrelevant .
Her latest piece on the Canterbury rebuild is, well, scathing:
For those opposed to corporate control – this is going to be quite a weekend!
In Auckland on Saturday 15 August 2015 – is what should be a sizeable TPPA – WALK AWAY! public protest – assembling at Aotea Square at 1pm.
In Auckland on Sunday 16 August 2015 – is the RATE$ RIPOFF RALLY!
WHERE: Assemble 1 PM Aotea Square
So – if you’ve just received your latest Auckland Council Rates Assessment Notice / Rates Invoice, and you are NOT happy about your latest rates increase – you can ‘stand up and be counted’ :
The reality is that in Auckland – we have effectively been under direct corporate control for nearly 5 years – when this ‘Supercity for the 1%’ was forced upon us – without a democratic vote by citizens and ratepayers.
We had 7 democratically elected Councils (warts and all) – replaced with 7 (now 6) undemocratically selected Council (CORPORATE) Controlled Organisations (CCOs) – which have been the mechanism for the Auckland region to be run ‘like a business – by business – FOR business.
There has been a significant transfer of public rates monie$ to the private sector – but WHERE exactly is that money going?
Penny Bright
“There has been a significant transfer of public rates monie$ to the private sector”
I would have thought you have to actually pay rates before you can get uppity about how they are being spent Penny. It is 1%’ers like you who avoid paying your fair share in the community that are ruining society:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/69504984/Rates-dodger-Penny-Bright-fails-to-see-hypocrisy-in-not-contributing-to-society-while-complaining-about-the-so-called-one-percent
This Morning Report had the Arab sheep Saga on, with a soundbite from the QT yesterday where Key answers that Parker should check his answers to Suzie. Suzie replayed his comments from yesterday. Ooops John.
David Parker explicitly explained why McCulley was breaking the law.
10 o’clock news on Radio National summarised the issue. Well done.
Not on 11 o’clock news.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201766290/labour-claims-subterfuge-over-saudi-sheep-deal-may-be-illegal
Talking about radionz – did anyone yesterday hear Judith Collins refer to Radionz as Radio Albania? Apparently they are unliked by her because they persist in trying to find out truths and information that she doesn’t want them to bother asking.
And a few weeks ago English saying similar. And yet doesn’t National Radio have the highest listener numbers?
Must look. This is all I can find.
“Weekly live cumulative audience for Radio New Zealand National is 434,000 or 12% of the 15+ population. National’s station share is 9.1%.”
Someone should probably tell her that Enver Hohxa died 30 years ago.
Who??
Sorry, spelling mistake, it’s Hoxha: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enver_Hoxha
@Double Plus Good
I didn’t even notice that, actually. I was attempting ‘sarcastic’ as I could imagine Judith Collins saying that. I don’t think she could have spelt it, or even know the name and who he was.
Glad you mentioned this ianmac@11.07am, excellent questioning of key by david parker all this week. and in spite of some criticism of andrew little by a commenter yesterday on “sheepgate mixed metaphors”.
In fact Little did really well on Tuesday in that he appeared to lull key into a false sense of security with his fonterra questioning after which i actually saw key lean towards english as if to say ” i think we got away with that one and now joyce is up.” Thus andrew bayly began asking patsy questions of stephen who began rejoicing in the wonderful diversity (first time i had heard the natwits using that term) of their economic strategy. How seductive was joyce with his words, words he repeated almost verbatim after another patsy question on Wednesday!
But back to Tuesday when, if that commenter had hung on, he would have seen Parker attack and attack key on sheepgate with brilliant support from Little and key didn’t look quite so relieved or chipper as he had done earlier.
Parker continued this attack yesterday so effectively (and i’m sure helped by fergusson’s a.m. ‘softening him up’) that at the end i think key was forced to lie but i couldn’t hear him properly as he sank to his seat and looked quite cowed, or is that ‘sheeped’
Well done David Parker and Labour. And it takes a lot for me to say that and especially to type it on this bloomin’ tablet.
(Obviously the sight of arch fabricator key looking queasy was aspirshinul enough to get my finger, gritted teeth and patience working in tandem. Hope this all makes sense.)
tweet…’if Trump becomes president…there will be hell….toupee’!;)
Toupee or not toupee. That is the question.
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?
(Aye there’s the rub. Trump may chirp the words from Hamlet Soliloquy? but would have no concept of bringing the meaning to bear, or I doubt, any real wish to do so as he is just another money-rich intellect-poor actor on the power and glory stage.)
To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish’d.
To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
(What’s the bet that he will die and never have realised the good and transcendent things he could do for his own people and the world. He is just another Roman emperor with a heart of gold.)
http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/quotes/hamlet-to-be-or-not-to-be/
Solid Energy put into voluntary adminstration…
[[breaking news on stuff.co.nz]]
Here the link.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/71077310/solid-energy-expected-to-announce-voluntary-administration
Let me add, this is another sale of a state asset by stealth. Bill English should be congratulated for his sneakiness.
When it gets sold, watch national bend over backwards to hand out more coal mining rights alongside the sale.
More coal is going to burnt because of this.
And just another disaster for the coast – this is a government who hates the working man, the working women, and their children!
Thanks and +1, I think the public are starting to see through that this wasn’t just a massive failure because of low coal prices too.
Another Bill English Success Story folks.
To true, same old lies from national, producing the same out comes. M.P.’s getting fat on the public purse.
Was I the only one to miss this?
https://www.greens.org.nz/news/press-releases/groundhog-day-mp-pay
Ah, so after promising to do something about it National then ensured that they’d still get massive pay rises.
And, no, you’re not the only one who missed it.
from the seymour puppet thread:
gos:
lol
Cite, pls.
I suspect that in many cases you are confusing “behaving professionally towards” with being “very well respected “.
Are you based in Wellington McFlock? If so, do you attend any of the many political events that David Farrar attends? I’m not sure you realise how much of a political operator he is.
nope. But through the weirdness that is small NZ, I do know people who are well acquainted with him.
Although that’s beside the point, really – you’re confusing being a “political operator” with “being respected and well regarded”.
I’ve read more than enough of kiwiblog (and seen the actual outcomes it asserted) to take it with a large block of salt.
I will grant you that Cameron Slater is not well respected nor liked by a number of people. The same can not be stated for David Farrar. In terms of the mainstream politicians across the political spectrum that I have observed interacting with him on a social basis there seems to be genuine fondness (if not friendship) and no anomosity. It is only people such as yourself who seemingly think mainstream politics is a battle to the death that paint him as some master manipulator doing his masters bidding.
Well, if your impression of “mainstream politicians'” behaviour is as accurate as you “granting me” something I did not claim (however true it might or might not be) and as accurate as your attribution of those thoughts to me, I’ll take that with a large block of salt, too.
Although I notice that you’ve lid from a general “Wellington beltway types” to “mainstream politicians”. Do you think Seymour is in that latter group? What about the Greens?
I’m generally meaning the average Politician. I am sure there are a couple of Politicians and their supporters who do have an issue with David Farrar. I’d suggest that is because of their ideological position rather than anything David Farrar has done though. The worst accusation I have seen made here about him for example is that he pretends to be moderate and reasonable but rarks up his supporters with subtle dog-whistling blog posts and that he spins for National for cash. Even if true this hardly makes him a terrible person. He just seems to understand how to play the political game better than many on the left.
Actually yes, yes it does.
As for your comment about playing the political “game”, well that says it all. What you tories never understand is that it’s not a game. If you run down prisons and the health sector, have such concern for worker safety that unions have to take private prosecutions when workers are killed on the job, and turn income support and welfare services into confrontational and alienating abuse of the poor, people die.
+100 McFlock…and if people dont die they have a miserable existence thanks to these amoral, immoral creeps
Shortly after Israel’s mass slaughter of more than 1,400 people in Gaza in 2008-9, Farrar accepted a free trip to Israel by the Israeli regime, which included a brief visit to illegally occupied East Jerusalem. With a display of resolute blindness and deafness, Farrar reported that “things were generally very relaxed in this area”….
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2009/11/jerusalem.html
So, yes, on that behaviour alone, Farrar would be a terrible person. His behaviour in New Zealand is just as disgusting.
I will grant you that Cameron Slater is not well respected nor liked by a number of people. The same can not be stated for David Farrar. In terms of the mainstream politicians across the political spectrum that I have observed interacting with him on a social basis there seems to be genuine fondness (if not friendship) and no anomosity. It is only people such as yourself who seemingly think mainstream politics is a battle to the death that paint him as some master manipulator doing his masters bidding.
ouch
wonder why it was removed 😛
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3A0aOBNNhVb7sJ%3Awww.newstalkzb.co.nz%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fbusiness-leaders-say-time-for-key-to-go%2F+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=nz
Yes, so hard to imagine 😈
+100 says it all really..
“The ‘Key’ brand is over.
The business community has spoken and say it’s time for the National party to groom a replacement.
NZME’s fourteenth annual Mood of the Boardroom survey has shown three quarters of business leaders want a new John Key.
The survey had 110 respondents from the Deloitte top 200 list of chief executives, company heads and heads of industry-leading businesses including the private and public sector.
Business Editor Fran O’Sullivan said last year, two thirds of respondents felt the ‘Key’ brand was damaged …
risildowgtn…that link is no longer working…I wonder why?
can you get it up again?
Re : dairy price crisis, European and British farmer protests, USA inspired sanctions against Russia :
‘West’s aggressive stance pushes Russia to China, threatens Western dominance’
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/312132-russia-china-western-dominance/
“The West’s hardline towards Russia is driving Russia closer to China, with deepening Sino-Russian relations posing a strong challenge to global Western hegemony, founding partner at Prosperity Capital Management Mattias Westman told RT”
http://www.rt.com/news/312115-eu-russia-sanctions-westman/.
Anyone seen this?
http://campaign.labour.org.nz/secret_meetings_to_sell_off_state_houses
” The Government is having secret meetings with groups interested in buying state houses and refuses to release the names of these organisations, Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says.
“Bill English has admitted meeting with 10 organisations who want to get their hands on these assets but is refusing to say who they are. These organisations are most likely merchant bankers, private/public partnership investors and property developers – so it’s no wonder National wants to keep them secret.
“This comes as a Bill giving the Government extraordinary powers to sell-off state houses gets its first reading in Parliament. This legislation allows Ministers to take direct personal control of selling these homes, exempts them from normal legal requirements and leaves the sale process wide open for corruption.
very disturbing …good to see Phil Twyford and Labour Party is on to it!….hope Labour jumps up and down…and NZF…and the Greens in Parliament….and Mana/Int…and all social welfare groups…this is the future housing of NZ’s poorest!
…It should not be for property speculators or private control and gain
….state housing is an asset built up over the years by generations of New Zealand taxpayers
where is the Maori Party on this ?…and Peter Dunn?
if any state houses are put up for sale they should be offered to the existing tenants first…and loan money should be made available for existing tenants so that they can buy
Well, that would explain why this government is passing this legislation.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/71074397/fulton-hogan-investigated-over-safety-concerns
Silly silly Fulton Hogan, blocking the EMPU is never a good PR decision, and sure as hell suggests things are not okay on the work site.
and preumably the other safety inspections are scheduled ones.
Interesting article about Income based fines…
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/03/finland-home-of-the-103000-speeding-ticket/387484/
“Income-based fines could introduce fairness to a legal system that many have shown to be biased against the poor”
Sounds like a good idea but the wealthy in NZ have their real income hidden away in Trusts. One family that I know are very wealthy but because on paper they are poor they were able to claim Student allowances for their daughter. So how likely is it in NZ that say My Key would pay big money for speeding?
Yes, well, that’s something else that we really need to address – the fact that the rich can hide their true wealth and not pay their way.
Fines should always be proportional to the persons income as this would make the fine equivalent across the income spectrum.
Say two people get fined for speeding. One is rich and the on minimum wage but the fine is the same $150. For the person on minimum wage that could mean not eating for a week, bills not being paid and significant stress. The rich person would be thinking if they should have wine with lunch or not and then buy the wine anyway. The fine is meaningless to them.
This is the first point. The fine actually has to have meaning to the person being fined.
The second point is that the fine should be proportional to the crime and having to go without food for a week, not pay bills and being subjugated to a huge amount of stress for a time is disproportional to mere speeding*.
* If it was speeding resulting in death then I would expect murder charges.
DTB
I have heard that they do this in some country, Iceland, Finland? The fine is proportional to income.
Prisoner dead at Mt Eden. Did you notice the clamour of people saying that the government was unfit to run the prison and must immediately let someone else do it?
Me too.
Prisoner died overnight. Serco still manage Mt Eden at night, but get corrections help during the day. Hapless Minister refusing to comment.
Got a source for that? It’s not how Natrad or the Herald are reporting it.
Oh look The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell, got the facts wrong again. What a sorry excuse for a Tory you are.
Scumbag who plead guilty to nearly 80 charges including rape, sexual violation, assault, kidnapping, threatening to kill and grievous bodily harm kills himself in Mt Eden. Excellent news for his victims and their families.
They might have an excuse for a somewhat warped perspective, but what’s yours?
Besides, I wasn’t aware they’d released the deceased’s name yet.
Breaking News: Bomber has an appointment with a detective at the police station but he may not go :
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/08/13/breaking-the-nz-police-would-like-to-have-a-word-with-me/
…and just seen this over on the Daily Blog which is quite shocking:
“A series of unfortunate events leading up to Alan Hubbard’s untimely death. ”
‘John Key Set Up Allan Hubbard To Fail & Sold Assets To His Mates, Paul Carruthers’
https://youtu.be/E9CE1a4pSeQ
– See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/08/10/take-your-car-keys-shopping-with-you/#sthash.TBULYfjj.dpuf
( I always thought there was something strange about that car crash just before Hubbard was about to put his case for justice before the courts)
And didn’t Alan Hubbard say John Key would sort this out and speak up for him when he got back………. for of course when the story broke of Mr. Hubbard doing something wrong with his accounting or some such thing, Key was else where. And when key did return from wherever, he wouldn’t even speak to Mr Hubbard. I thought then that something fishy was going on…….and obviously there was………. apparently a rather nasty set up.
I did think at the time that Alan Hubbard must have felt so hurt and bemused and, unfortunately for him, was beginning to see the true measure of john key…. together with his sidekicks bill english and simon power (who had also figured in the maligning of Winston Peters.)
What a horror to behold at his time of life.
Hey Chooky, the radio story on National succession to John Key was taken down by NZME (Newstalk) because it was inaccurate in several places. It was replaced – The initial Herald story was accurate. Fran O’Sullivan
[lprent: It must be a new email. Sorry about the delay releasing from first time moderation. But I suspect that everyone was out getting some healthy exercise around midday. ]