Maybe we all should follow the Johns and try it out on our bosses, partners, friends and family members at the first opportunity. We can all celebrate the Johns’ higher standard of non-accountability.
The Minister of Health might well have to declare a NZ pandemic of Johnesia.
GSCB boss, Ian Fletcher has an interesting professional background:
Former high flyer in British Civil Service.
Former Director General and CEO of Queensland’s Dept. of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.
He took up his position at the GSCB at the beginning of this year.
Announcing the appointment Prime Minister John Key said he has ” policy and operational experience particularly in relation to international economic and trade matters.”
So, under the Prime Minister’s stewardship, the GSCB has been quietly shifting it’s focus away from international political developments (Foreign Affairs)? Does it now concentrate rather more on off-shore economic and trade concerns that are of interest to John Key and the National govt., but not necessarily the rest of us?
Very interesting to speculate what effect such a scenario might be having on the morale of those who work within the GCSB.
Nah, all this is, is the continued over-run of the imperialist officers into NZ. Have a good look around the governmnent departments, central and local, see how many are run or heavily influenced by the UK!
The head of our spy agency being one, is to be expected!
The Dotcom case appears to have its roots in US influence on NZ via the various agencies (FBI, NSA, etc), around the whole trade/IP/TPP negotiations mix.
Throw in the US/China tensions, and you have NZ jammed between the biggies on a serious issue of global power politics.
Fletcher the ideal man for the job, always assuming the Key/McCully instructions are to work for NZ and not the US. But then again, if those instructions were to mix trade with national security, then the illegal use of the GCSB is not surprising.
The GCSB is administered by a Director. The directors have been:
Colin Hanson (1977–1988)
Ray Parker (1988–1999)
Dr Warren Tucker (1999–2006)
Air Marshal Sir Bruce Ferguson (2006–2010)
Simon Murdoch (acting November 2010 – February 2011)[5]
Lieutenant General Sir Jerry Mateparae (7 February – 30 June 2011)
Simon Murdoch (acting 1 July – 19 December 2011)
Ian Fletcher (January 2012–)
Jerry Mateparae was appointed by Prime Minister John Key on 26 August 2010 taking up the role on 7 February 2011. On 8 March 2011 Mataparae was announced as the next Governor-General. He continued as Director until June 2011.
Up to and including Mateparae, all the permanent directors had military careers before joining the organisation – Hanson, Parker, and Ferguson were all Air Force officers (the latter serving as Chief of Defence), and Tucker and Mateparae were Army officers.
So Simon Murdoch was acting Director for four months before Mataparae (over the period the Dotcom came to NZ and was granted residency) AND for the six months after Mataparae.
EDIT – also from Wikipedia’s entry on Murdoch
Murdoch joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972. He had an early posting to Canberra, before joining the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in 1980 as foreign affairs adviser to Prime Minister Robert Muldoon.
In 1983, Murdoch was assistant head of the Asian division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Later that year, he was posted to Washington DC as political counsellor, and the New Zealand intelligence liaison officer to the United States.
In 1987, Murdoch returned to New Zealand and became head of the Australia Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In 1989, Murdoch was seconded to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to be head of the Policy Advisory Group. In 1991, State Services Commissioner Don Hunn appointed Murdoch to the post of Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Murdoch was head of the department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Prime Ministers Jim Bolger and Jenny Shipley. He left the post in 1998, to become Visiting Professor of Public Policy and Management at Victoria University of Wellington for a year.
In 1999, Murdoch was appointed New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia. At the time, the posting was seen to be grooming Murdoch for the role of Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
In 2002, Murdoch succeeded Neil Walter as New Zealand’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
He was appointed to the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009.[2]
GCSB
In 2010 he conducted a review of New Zealand intelligence agencies, and for a period before and after the appointment of Lt Gen Sir Jerry Mateparae, he was acting chief executive and director of the GCSB. During his second stint in the position he presided over the illegal surveillance of Kim Dotcom.[3]
Murdoch has now been appointed to do the Rena review.
Thanks, should have recalled. But then I’m not paid to do this!
Murdoch before and after Mataparae…and at the crucial DotCom time. Hardly an amateur – and not someone to ‘overlook’ serious stuff. The DotCom saga will (may, eventually?) go right to the top.
We should be in for an interesting week or two.
All this may provoke some interesting discussion around the TPP, its timetable and the secret negotiations involved. We have an FTA with China, crucial to NZ exports. But the chances of similar TPP liberalization of US farm trade, especially in dairy, are those of the proverbial snowball in hell.
It is not difficult to imagine the sort of political pressure being brought to bear on Key. But that’s the job. The question is whether he will stand up for NZ. So far, looks unlikely.
That the GCSB run by ex RNZAF officers works on behalf of the US and A doesn’t surprise me in the least. RNZAF officers seem to put loyalty to Washington ahead of anything else and should probably all be imprisoned for treason. The speeches they used to give at Duntroon when Labour was in power were shocking.
… if those instructions were to mix trade with national security, then the illegal use of the GCSB is not surprising.
Thanks Red Rosa. It is essentially the point I was making.
Of course there is a role for our intelligence agencies to play in economic espionage. There is also a role for them to play in other areas too such as international drug cartels. However there is always a risk of them being used by a government in a way that is not appropriate. We saw it happen between 1975 and 1984 when Muldoon used the SIS for political purposes.
And since I don’t trust this govt. – and this PM in particular – then it is, in my view, a pertinent scenario to ponder… at least as far as the GCSB is concerned.
“However there is always a risk of them being used by a government in a way that is not appropriate. We saw it happen between 1975 and 1984 when Muldoon used the SIS for political purposes”.
Good point Anne – and that period covers Murdoch’s time as foreign affairs adviser to Muldoon and his appointment in 1983 as political councillor and NZ Intelligence liaison officer to the US in Washington DC. (as per my quote of Wikipedia’s summary of his career at 3.2.1)
Does it now concentrate rather more on off-shore economic and trade concerns that are in the interest of John Key and the National govt., but not necessarily the rest of us?
Males a difference in the meaning of the sentence.
Edit; just seen your comment deuto. No, I don’t believe it to be coincidence. I’m coming to the view there is not a coincidence with the appointment of Ian Fletcher either. Look at the way he is responding to the whistle blower story. What’s happened to Public Service ethics? You throw a staff member to the wolves because he/she is exercising his/her right to express concern over inexcusable behaviour?
Furthermore, our vicar spoke today on the Great Importance of focusing on Poverty in this country and I am certain that the same message is being delivered by All Men of Faith; I know that it is being delivered from the evangelical pastor I support also.
Excellent, that the pastors are defying Tax laws penalising socio-political rhetoric from the pulpit
in the God-Forsaken U S of A
(no Uturn, move on, nothing to see here; “you aint gotta hold on me, you aint gotta hold on me…)
The rot set in during the Rogernomic and Ruthanasia years. I know… I was on the receiving end for blowing a certain whistle. Interesting to note… some months after I resigned (virtually a forced resignation) the govt. unit I complained about was closed down.
I agree, Anne. Ethics were very much a part of public sector culture prior to then, but changed throughout that period – in some public sector areas more than others. Over the years I saw it eroding away – very much who you knew/’networked’ with rather than your competencies; back stabbing, etc etc. That is not to say that there are not still many public servants with ethics and the right culture, but more and more they are being troden down, disillusioned and give up and/or eventually leave as I did.
Yes, deuto. So sad. They have lost a lot of very good people – competent, loyal and reliable. Whilst lip service may still be paid to such qualities, in many areas of the public sector they seem no longer regarded as being essential requisites. And the bulk of the blame can be sheeted home to the ‘dog eat dog’ culture that epitomises NAct governments.
The only “significant positive effect” was that children felt less hungry, the study into free school breakfasts found.
Head of the study, Associate Professor Cliona Ni Murchu, said there were indications that attendance at school was also likely to improve but in reading, writing and maths there was no noticeable improvement.
Researchers at Auckland University’s School of Population Health studied 423 children at decile one to four schools in Auckland, Waikato and Wellington for the 2010 school year
Dear research unit.
Thank you for your time and effort in letting my, I mean our governmnet off the hook with this well timed release of information, I know Paula appreciates the fact that someone else is going to run interference today. I would also like to acknowledge stuff.co.nz for running the story as agreed today, especially as those reading it will be enjoying their latte breakfasts, and I can go back to getting on with the job, without having to worry if all that talk about not providing food in schools will cost me votes, let them eat fruit
Oh, and to John Campbell, eat a dick, you lost, I won!
“Ni Murchu said there was a chance her study did not capture the children who most needed the breakfasts.
“There’s always a risk that the kinds of people who participate are not the higher needs group.” This was because her study participants had to get parental consent and fill in a lengthy questionnaire – a process that may have alienated the high-needs families.”
Not the most authoritative study by the authors own account then.
What measures did they use to see if there were improvements or not?
There was NO indication in the report of how they ensured kid were hungry to start with.
“They were given a free daily breakfast – Weet-Bix, bread with honey, jam or Marmite, and Milo – by either the Red Cross or a private sector provider.”
There was no indication in the report if the kids had had any breakfast, there just seemed to be an assumption that if they were in a low (1-4) decile school they would be hungary.
Nor any indication that they checked if carbo-loading kids at the beginning of the day might, you know, give them a sugar-crash by morning tea which wouldn’t exactly help their concentration.
It’s amazing how many ex-ACT people get on to the media to spout the neo-liberal dogma.
For a party that commands 1% of the vote, they seem to have a lot more than 1% of the pundits invited to put forward their opinions.
Deborah Coddington,Rodney Hide and Stephen Franks come to mind immediately.
Agree, Paul. Those three are given far too much airtime, for example on RNZ National (Nine to Noon, The Panel etc)
Could not believe my ears last Monday(?) when on the politcal commentary slot on Nine to Noon, Coddington stated categorically that the Kim Dotcom was only big news in NZ and was not being covered by overseas media! It has been covered extensively by the likes of the NY Times, Washington Post etc. She certainly lives in a small bubble.
Who do the left have to represent them regularly on the MSM?
Matt McCarten and Chris Trotter are the only ones I can think of.
I’m not including pundits like Josie Pagani, who is really centrist..hardly the polar opposite to ACT anyway.
Maybe this is how the left should be tackling the issue..by challenging the impartiality of the New Zealand media.
The MSM are already predominantly left-wing ie Campbell, Gower, Smalley, Sainsbury – all good progressives (who like firework displays). We need some of these ACT center-right commentators to even it up a bit and raise a few hard issues that many people dont like being raised.
Paul Holmes, Mike Hosking, Fran O’Sullivan, John Roughan, John Armstrong, Leighton Smith, Danny Williams, Michael Laws…
The media is predominately left wing. Yeah right!
I guess it’s left wing if you’re an ACT supporter or ‘one tracked’.
The examples I gave are all the mainstream television identities so you have TV sown up. Do a few talkback hosts and weekly newspaper columnists make up for that? Nope.
John Armstrong – you must be joking – centre left at best (ie right is better of course). Paul Holmes – i dont think so, apart from one politically incorrect reference to the UN Secretary General which was a simple joke that the hard left media couldnt handle. No, he’s on your team. I note you didn’t even try to deny that the examples I gave are lefties though. And who is Danny Williams?
It’s amazing how many ex-ACT people get on to the media to spout the neo-liberal dogma.
For a party that commands 1% of the vote, they seem to have a lot more than 1% of the pundits invited to put forward their opinions.
Deborah Coddington,Rodney Hide and Stephen Franks come to mind immediately.
William Feller was quite succinct in this matter eg.
It has been suggested that an army of monkeys might be trained to pound typewriters at random in the hope that ultimately great works of literature would be produced. Using a coin for the same purpose may save feeding and training expenses and free the monkeys for other monkey business.
The most troublesome problem is that political pundits,(and to some extent economic commentators) almost never outperform either monkeys or chance.Eg Tetlock.
EVERY DAY, countless experts offer innumerable opinions in a dizzying array of forums. Cynics groan that expert communities seem ready at hand for virtually any issue in the political spotlight–communities from which governments or their critics can mobilize platoons of pundits to make prepackaged cases on a moment’s notice.
Although there is nothing odd about experts playing prominent roles in debates, it is odd to keep score, to track expert performance against explicit benchmarks of accuracy and rigor. And that is what I have struggled to do in twenty years of research of soliciting and scoring experts’ judgments on a wide range of issues. The key term is “struggled.” For, if it were easy to set standards for judging judgment that would be honored across the opinion spectrum and not glibly dismissed as another sneaky effort to seize the high ground for a favorite cause, someone would have patented the process long ago.
No and heres why. Act, like the Greens will never be the majority party in Govt. which is actually a good thing because it means the center govt of the day can take out the more radical parts while keeping the general idea
I mean does anybody take the Greens idea of QE seriously? I don’t think Cunliffe would go for that.
I take the Greens idea seriously as do many others.
In my opinion Labour asked the Greens to do this, they’re attacking the Government on other fronts.
(i.e Assets/Law)
And voting for a party that you don’t want in power is delusional bud.
I would vote for Act if Act got back to the principles it was founded on
you and a few thousand others, and that’s the problem. their ideas are just not at all popular. ACT doesn’t divert into law and order, and conservative knee jerkery, and climate change denialism for laughs. They do it because the need funders and votes.
Then I guess you didn’t understand it. It’s the economic stuff that’s so deeply disliked and distrusted.
Have you been in a coma or something? Everything you want has already happened. The populist Mr Hide was replaced with the serious economics focused Dr Brash, because the only thing holding the party back from its rightfully deserved popularity was all that populism.
Remember? He was to take the party back to its core economic principles and win 15% of the vote. Actually wasn’t he scoffing at that figure and saying he expected a lot more? You know, because of the serious economic focus and return to core principles.
How’d that work out again?
And “rebuild around Epsom”, are you serial? You want a party that’s deliberately structured to be 100% reliant on National gifting a seat every three years?
An ACT internal review: two people wondering why their chequebooks failed them.
Here’s a thought: the “one of us” you parachuted into the seat is a fucking lying moron, and your ability to fool people into thinking that your policies are a good idea is inversely proportional to the level of hardship that your prospective voters face.
ACT is a party for people who think their problems revolve around GDP and labour market flexibility (the solutions to which handily include tax cuts anf enabling developers to bulldoze unique environments), not around feeding the kids tonight.
Just listened to “Down the list”. Jeepers the satire was top-notch and cutting, even Chris said “ouch” when it finished – key gets chucked on the barbie – good fun.
Today, two Hollywood film moguls preparing for a quick meeting with Jeff Key (John Key) discuss making a film in New Zealand based on Richie McCaw’s sore foot. They struggle to make it sound exciting enough to invest in, but finally they are swayed by the concessions and subsidies being offered to overseas film productions.
Just listened to “Down the list”. Jeepers the satire was top-notch and cutting, even Chris said “ouch” when it finished – key gets chucked on the barbie – good fun.
Will our ill fated military intervention in Afghanistan end in one more final act of ignominy and disgrace to be covered over by lies and secrecy?
Who is lying? – Who is telling the truth? Former translator 19 year old Diamond Kazimi? or, Anonymous senior Defence Force spokespeople, backed by secretive, ‘no comment’ Prime Minister?
According to Diamond Kazimi, 6 of our Aghan translators, have been told not to talk to the press about their fears that they are being abandoned by our troops in Baniyan.
Last week, the Sunday Star-Times reported 26 Afghan interpreters working with Kiwi troops were pleading with the Government not to abandon them to “certain death”
And this week? According to Kazimi, 6 Afghan translators have been released by the army in Afghanistan and told not to go to the media.
In reply to Kazimi’s claim of lay offs, an anonymous unattributed statement was published in the Star Times on behalf of the army brass, it reads; “There are still 26 interpreters on staff and there is no change we are aware of.“, NZDF
Along with this official denial by the Defence Force – Prime Minister Key who had previously told media that, ‘the interpreters concern had been acknowledged and were being considered.’ On Friday, announced he would not be commenting any further on the issue.
19 year old Diamond Kazimi, in the face of official military denials and top government secrecy and apparent cover up, is defying military and the government officials in continuing to openly speak up, demanding that the rights of our troop’s translators and their families to safety be taken seriously by the army and the government.
Why will our government and military leaders not heed Diamond Kazimi and the other translators and give them and their families some assurance or certainty as to their fate?
Why have the 6 laid off last week, been ordered to shut up?
Is a shabby and cowardly abandonment by our troops of their interpreters being ordered?
Will our final withdrawal from Afghanistan be in dignity or shame?
Doc you haven’t addressed the question of why our military deny that it laid off 6 interpreters last week amid fears that they will abandoned when our troops finally pull out. Or why the Prime Minister has gone silent on the issue.
Maybe possibly, to admit we need to do something to protect our Afghan interpreters from Taliban retribution after our departure, is also an admission that our declared reason for being there: To pacify the country and turn back the Taliban has been a complete and dismal failure and pointless waste of the lives of the ten Kiwis who have died there.
Rather than admit the defeat of our mission in Afghanistan, Defence Force and Government personel are in effect claiming there is no problem, that Baniyan has been made safe by our efforts, and the interpreters claims that they face “certain death” on our withdrawal from the province are wrong.
Biosecurity officers have raided the Auckland Botanic Gardens, apparently looking for an exotic relation to the kauri tree that may have been illegally introduced to the country.
The homes of the gardens’ curator, Jack Hobbs, and veteran Albany ecologist Graeme Platt were also targeted by Ministry of Primary Industries staff in simultaneous raids just after dawn on Thursday.
….”I was sitting at my computer in my undies and the next thing a police car came roaring down the driveway, followed by five more cars.
I thought something very tragic must’ve happened. The policewoman was lovely, the others were maggots.”
….Officers removed computers and plants and ordered him not to not sell or remove plants from the property that were part of the kauri or Norfolk pine family.
Platt said after the raids Hobbs told him computers were also taken from his home and the botanic gardens, and plant samples were taken from the gardens.
“He’s extremely upset and staff at the botanic gardens are outraged.”
The ministry refused to comment before the Herald on Sunday deadline.
Can’t a tree or two grow in peace? And how come the Dotcom-like raid was enacted on hapless misnamed trees. Did the police think that trees might have a safe room or have an escape plan? Escaped trees last seen scampering down Kaihangahape Road. Do not approach. Jeez!
Today’s most insulting quote from the Minister of Hypocrisy, ” “an extra 50 bucks a week” into the homes of child abusers wouldn’t save lives and more than the extra $20 million budgeted to fight child abuse would not get abuse rates down”
Of course the child abusers the Minister refers to are beneficiaries – all of them. Bennett reverts to the tried and true B-bashing technique only this time making use of presuppositions.
The Minister confuses cause and effect by using statistics to wrongly imply beneficiaries are synonymous with abuse. Of course this suits her key purpose which is to vilify anyone who has legally sort government assistance under the Social Securities Act as they are entitled to do.
Another sad chapter of NZ politics. No word as yet from the Minister on how she thinks the continued attacks by her on the character of parents of the children on welfare affect the children’s self esteem and development.
Indeed the deflector shields are always up, because the biggest abusers on the planet are the elite, and in the case of the UN, and CPA in the USA, many openly busted instances of habitual abuse, and then of course there is the “entertainment” business known as Hollywood!
What a freakin lying-arsed, in-denial, freakin drench trough we live in, and the lice are only multiplying;
Military Assaults each other; apparently, weak discipline, they see a fox-hole, and they gotta fill it,
and the CDF blatently lies, does he think we are stupid? He can Bat his eyelids all he wants, but his aperture will not shut.
Bnnt- failing abysmally to acknowledge the Primary link (she would be a primary link if we ever saw one) between Poverty and Child Abuse. (if I was not a believer and follower of My Lord, I would be speaking much Harsher; however, I prophecy that all will not end well for her; her spirit is on show for All to see)
The freakin sheep still bleating after the very weak master of Deception, baaa, baaaa, as they slip down all the OECD slopes..
And, New Zealand is likely to be the “Weakest Link” in the Five Eyes Network (only one eye open) well, that suits me just fine. (bring it on you Crosby-Textor sycophantic Fasci; losers)
Personally, I WELCOME THE CHINESE (and they have known that for nearly a year), and then the sooner the local merchants can get on with business (all cards ON the table, instead of Denial about their graft and Inbred Kleptocracy)
Now I do not choose to Know much about Falun Gong, but I Do Know a lot about Monotheism (I believe) and the sooner THE CHINESE get here, The Better.
WELCOME THE CHINESE WELCOME THE CHINESE WELCOME THE CHINESE (and Foo Yung to any nation that gets in their way, fools)
As a contrast to the above poll Labour are on 30.8% the nats are on 50.6%
Labour down 2.4% Nats up 4.8%
Who on earth would believe these polls,garnered by garner.
TV3 news reid research polls are usually
way out of wack anyway.
The first polls are from roy morgan,the middle one is one i went looking for,tv3
reid research,the third is national and opposition parties also from roy morgan
for the dates 24/9 -7/10
Always worth remembering that the 3 news/Reid poll allways overestimates National support by 2-3 pts, at least. And always underestimates NZF’s support. Anyway, further comfirmation of the downward trend for Key and Co., so good news there.
I’m not sure about the reid research polls – too irregular to get a trend off, and the seem to have pumped national at getting over 50% in the election just a week or so out, and labour proportionately less than their election tally.
Oh, and take care looking at the RR graphs – they don’t have null spaces in their charts in the months they fail to publish a poll, e.g. the jump from april to june, and the last record is july.
The penguin probably does closer coverage, but I try not to go to sites that might lso-cookie me. Safe browsing, peeps!
The roy morgan tracker has the national led govt that includes support party’s
on 44%, the opposition party’s which includes all support party’s is 53.5%
I was shocked by the tv3 poll,so i went looking for some answers.
The tracker was taken 24/9/12 – 7/10/12
shonkey will be slapping his chest about how great they are doing and people
just dont care about the dotcom fiasco,he will say nz’ers have moved on,look at
the polls,the roy morgan polls need to be shown in the media as well,that will
stop him chest beating, but it will be difficult with the msm.
Last week, I got tipped-off that the parts of the MSD network were completely exposed to the public. You could go into any WINZ office and use their self-service kiosks to access their corporate network.
These locked-down kiosks are provided so you could look for jobs online, send off CVs etc. They’ve had some basic features disabled, which supposedly meant that you couldn’t just open up File Manager and poke around the machine. However, by just using the Open File dialogue in Microsoft Office, you could map any unsecured computer on the network, and then open up any accessible file.
Apparently you can’t access everything – just nearly everything – in MSDs servers.
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The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New 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. ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “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, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble.Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhire’s 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.My World War I Poem Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging. Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
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Brian Edwards now blames john banks for key’s memory loss.lol.
It does catch on, doesn’t it?
Maybe we all should follow the Johns and try it out on our bosses, partners, friends and family members at the first opportunity. We can all celebrate the Johns’ higher standard of non-accountability.
The Minister of Health might well have to declare a NZ pandemic of Johnesia.
Brian Edwards is yesterday’s political analyst and belongs in the same pasture as Franet, JA, Roughan etc
I’ve been watching and listening to Owen Glenn in regard to the Warriors. Serious question – is he just a litle bit senile now?
GSCB boss, Ian Fletcher has an interesting professional background:
Former high flyer in British Civil Service.
Former Director General and CEO of Queensland’s Dept. of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.
He took up his position at the GSCB at the beginning of this year.
Announcing the appointment Prime Minister John Key said he has ” policy and operational experience particularly in relation to international economic and trade matters.”
So, under the Prime Minister’s stewardship, the GSCB has been quietly shifting it’s focus away from international political developments (Foreign Affairs)? Does it now concentrate rather more on off-shore economic and trade concerns that are of interest to John Key and the National govt., but not necessarily the rest of us?
Very interesting to speculate what effect such a scenario might be having on the morale of those who work within the GCSB.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5589538/New-Zealands-new-top-spy-boss-revealed
Nah, all this is, is the continued over-run of the imperialist officers into NZ. Have a good look around the governmnent departments, central and local, see how many are run or heavily influenced by the UK!
The head of our spy agency being one, is to be expected!
Mmmm..that would fit.
The Dotcom case appears to have its roots in US influence on NZ via the various agencies (FBI, NSA, etc), around the whole trade/IP/TPP negotiations mix.
Throw in the US/China tensions, and you have NZ jammed between the biggies on a serious issue of global power politics.
Fletcher the ideal man for the job, always assuming the Key/McCully instructions are to work for NZ and not the US. But then again, if those instructions were to mix trade with national security, then the illegal use of the GCSB is not surprising.
Who ran the GCSB between Mataparae and Fletcher?
From Wikipedia, Red Rosa:
So Simon Murdoch was acting Director for four months before Mataparae (over the period the Dotcom came to NZ and was granted residency) AND for the six months after Mataparae.
EDIT – also from Wikipedia’s entry on Murdoch
Murdoch has now been appointed to do the Rena review.
Thanks, should have recalled. But then I’m not paid to do this!
Murdoch before and after Mataparae…and at the crucial DotCom time. Hardly an amateur – and not someone to ‘overlook’ serious stuff. The DotCom saga will (may, eventually?) go right to the top.
We should be in for an interesting week or two.
All this may provoke some interesting discussion around the TPP, its timetable and the secret negotiations involved. We have an FTA with China, crucial to NZ exports. But the chances of similar TPP liberalization of US farm trade, especially in dairy, are those of the proverbial snowball in hell.
It is not difficult to imagine the sort of political pressure being brought to bear on Key. But that’s the job. The question is whether he will stand up for NZ. So far, looks unlikely.
How on earth many more weeks are going to be “interesting, but stop right there!
That the GCSB run by ex RNZAF officers works on behalf of the US and A doesn’t surprise me in the least. RNZAF officers seem to put loyalty to Washington ahead of anything else and should probably all be imprisoned for treason. The speeches they used to give at Duntroon when Labour was in power were shocking.
… if those instructions were to mix trade with national security, then the illegal use of the GCSB is not surprising.
Thanks Red Rosa. It is essentially the point I was making.
Of course there is a role for our intelligence agencies to play in economic espionage. There is also a role for them to play in other areas too such as international drug cartels. However there is always a risk of them being used by a government in a way that is not appropriate. We saw it happen between 1975 and 1984 when Muldoon used the SIS for political purposes.
And since I don’t trust this govt. – and this PM in particular – then it is, in my view, a pertinent scenario to ponder… at least as far as the GCSB is concerned.
“However there is always a risk of them being used by a government in a way that is not appropriate. We saw it happen between 1975 and 1984 when Muldoon used the SIS for political purposes”.
Good point Anne – and that period covers Murdoch’s time as foreign affairs adviser to Muldoon and his appointment in 1983 as political councillor and NZ Intelligence liaison officer to the US in Washington DC. (as per my quote of Wikipedia’s summary of his career at 3.2.1)
Coincidence?
ooops, I meant to say:
Does it now concentrate rather more on off-shore economic and trade concerns that are in the interest of John Key and the National govt., but not necessarily the rest of us?
Males a difference in the meaning of the sentence.
Edit; just seen your comment deuto. No, I don’t believe it to be coincidence. I’m coming to the view there is not a coincidence with the appointment of Ian Fletcher either. Look at the way he is responding to the whistle blower story. What’s happened to Public Service ethics? You throw a staff member to the wolves because he/she is exercising his/her right to express concern over inexcusable behaviour?
addition… on the part of the prime-minister?
There are no coincidences. Not with this government – they know exactly what they’re doing and it’s not good for NZ.
Furthermore, our vicar spoke today on the Great Importance of focusing on Poverty in this country and I am certain that the same message is being delivered by All Men of Faith; I know that it is being delivered from the evangelical pastor I support also.
Excellent, that the pastors are defying Tax laws penalising socio-political rhetoric from the pulpit
in the God-Forsaken U S of A
(no Uturn, move on, nothing to see here; “you aint gotta hold on me, you aint gotta hold on me…)
Anne – so there was a time they had “ethics”?
Once Dr Terry – but it was a long time ago.
The rot set in during the Rogernomic and Ruthanasia years. I know… I was on the receiving end for blowing a certain whistle. Interesting to note… some months after I resigned (virtually a forced resignation) the govt. unit I complained about was closed down.
I agree, Anne. Ethics were very much a part of public sector culture prior to then, but changed throughout that period – in some public sector areas more than others. Over the years I saw it eroding away – very much who you knew/’networked’ with rather than your competencies; back stabbing, etc etc. That is not to say that there are not still many public servants with ethics and the right culture, but more and more they are being troden down, disillusioned and give up and/or eventually leave as I did.
Yes, deuto. So sad. They have lost a lot of very good people – competent, loyal and reliable. Whilst lip service may still be paid to such qualities, in many areas of the public sector they seem no longer regarded as being essential requisites. And the bulk of the blame can be sheeted home to the ‘dog eat dog’ culture that epitomises NAct governments.
Feeding hungry schoolchildren does nothing to boost their learning, a new report shows.
Dear research unit.
Thank you for your time and effort in letting my, I mean our governmnet off the hook with this well timed release of information, I know Paula appreciates the fact that someone else is going to run interference today. I would also like to acknowledge stuff.co.nz for running the story as agreed today, especially as those reading it will be enjoying their latte breakfasts, and I can go back to getting on with the job, without having to worry if all that talk about not providing food in schools will cost me votes, let them eat fruit
Oh, and to John Campbell, eat a dick, you lost, I won!
Best
J Key
“Ni Murchu said there was a chance her study did not capture the children who most needed the breakfasts.
“There’s always a risk that the kinds of people who participate are not the higher needs group.” This was because her study participants had to get parental consent and fill in a lengthy questionnaire – a process that may have alienated the high-needs families.”
Not the most authoritative study by the authors own account then.
Hey now, self-selecting samples are always the BEST samples.
And of course the headline on the page NOT biased one little bit is it?
Food and learning connection shot down
Yes and then at the bottom of the article is well, oopps maybe it’s not dead BUT Stuff as usual get’s it’s spin working.
Stephen Doyle said
You mean in that the study, if anything, paints a too optimistic picture because the most in need kids may have been left out?
You really are a brainbox, aren’t you, Stephen.
What measures did they use to see if there were improvements or not?
There was NO indication in the report of how they ensured kid were hungry to start with.
“They were given a free daily breakfast – Weet-Bix, bread with honey, jam or Marmite, and Milo – by either the Red Cross or a private sector provider.”
There was no indication in the report if the kids had had any breakfast, there just seemed to be an assumption that if they were in a low (1-4) decile school they would be hungary.
Nor any indication that they checked if carbo-loading kids at the beginning of the day might, you know, give them a sugar-crash by morning tea which wouldn’t exactly help their concentration.
ACT are conducting an internal review according to a small article on the Herald site
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10840409
LOL, best of luck to them. From a comment on Audrey’s Young’s column yesterday “Is Banks still alive?”
It’s amazing how many ex-ACT people get on to the media to spout the neo-liberal dogma.
For a party that commands 1% of the vote, they seem to have a lot more than 1% of the pundits invited to put forward their opinions.
Deborah Coddington,Rodney Hide and Stephen Franks come to mind immediately.
Agree, Paul. Those three are given far too much airtime, for example on RNZ National (Nine to Noon, The Panel etc)
Could not believe my ears last Monday(?) when on the politcal commentary slot on Nine to Noon, Coddington stated categorically that the Kim Dotcom was only big news in NZ and was not being covered by overseas media! It has been covered extensively by the likes of the NY Times, Washington Post etc. She certainly lives in a small bubble.
Who do the left have to represent them regularly on the MSM?
Matt McCarten and Chris Trotter are the only ones I can think of.
I’m not including pundits like Josie Pagani, who is really centrist..hardly the polar opposite to ACT anyway.
Maybe this is how the left should be tackling the issue..by challenging the impartiality of the New Zealand media.
The MSM are already predominantly left-wing ie Campbell, Gower, Smalley, Sainsbury – all good progressives (who like firework displays). We need some of these ACT center-right commentators to even it up a bit and raise a few hard issues that many people dont like being raised.
🙄
Paul Holmes, Mike Hosking, Fran O’Sullivan, John Roughan, John Armstrong, Leighton Smith, Danny Williams, Michael Laws…
The media is predominately left wing. Yeah right!
I guess it’s left wing if you’re an ACT supporter or ‘one tracked’.
Onetrack is centre-left (of Genghiz Khan)
A little harsh to Genghis maybe!
The examples I gave are all the mainstream television identities so you have TV sown up. Do a few talkback hosts and weekly newspaper columnists make up for that? Nope.
John Armstrong – you must be joking – centre left at best (ie right is better of course). Paul Holmes – i dont think so, apart from one politically incorrect reference to the UN Secretary General which was a simple joke that the hard left media couldnt handle. No, he’s on your team. I note you didn’t even try to deny that the examples I gave are lefties though. And who is Danny Williams?
You’re insane, but that’s an interesting slip of the tongue re: Holmes.
LOL get your head checked and a wheel alignment mate, I think you got your lefts and rights whacked out
so whatta ya think of the show so far….?
Reruns of Happy Days would be better.
The MSM is propaganda for the 1%.
It’s amazing how many ex-ACT people get on to the media to spout the neo-liberal dogma.
For a party that commands 1% of the vote, they seem to have a lot more than 1% of the pundits invited to put forward their opinions.
Deborah Coddington,Rodney Hide and Stephen Franks come to mind immediately.
William Feller was quite succinct in this matter eg.
It has been suggested that an army of monkeys might be trained to pound typewriters at random in the hope that ultimately great works of literature would be produced. Using a coin for the same purpose may save feeding and training expenses and free the monkeys for other monkey business.
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/File:Monkey-typing.jpg
The most troublesome problem is that political pundits,(and to some extent economic commentators) almost never outperform either monkeys or chance.Eg Tetlock.
EVERY DAY, countless experts offer innumerable opinions in a dizzying array of forums. Cynics groan that expert communities seem ready at hand for virtually any issue in the political spotlight–communities from which governments or their critics can mobilize platoons of pundits to make prepackaged cases on a moment’s notice.
Although there is nothing odd about experts playing prominent roles in debates, it is odd to keep score, to track expert performance against explicit benchmarks of accuracy and rigor. And that is what I have struggled to do in twenty years of research of soliciting and scoring experts’ judgments on a wide range of issues. The key term is “struggled.” For, if it were easy to set standards for judging judgment that would be honored across the opinion spectrum and not glibly dismissed as another sneaky effort to seize the high ground for a favorite cause, someone would have patented the process long ago.
http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/s7959.html
And Don Brash and even Muriel Newman, not too much heard from “Brothel signage eyes” Hilary Clavert though.
If the act louts are missing in action,they are most likey down the nearest toilet,getting
closer to the sewage waste going out to sea.
Heres some advice for them
Ditch Banks
Bring up some of the younger talent
Ditch the SST
Go back to focusing on economic matters
Classic Gnat policy ….
Destroy any thought and analysis that currently exists, and put a teenager in charge
Then start thinking about what everyone else has been talking about for 4 years.
“Welcome too PlanetChris73 M8!”
Classic lefty response: be a dipshit
Banks is not nor has he ever been Act. National yes or maybe even Conservative but not Act.
What?, R U trying too reason out here Chris73?
Restructure ACT so you can vote for them again?
Kinda head up ur arse stuff that one buddy!
I would vote for Act if Act got back to the principles it was founded on just like I’d imagine quite a few people would vote Labour if it did likewise
They only have one principle …. “Free Market”, i.e “Open Slather”
This country is dying because of that blinkered approach to Aoteoroa.
No and heres why. Act, like the Greens will never be the majority party in Govt. which is actually a good thing because it means the center govt of the day can take out the more radical parts while keeping the general idea
I mean does anybody take the Greens idea of QE seriously? I don’t think Cunliffe would go for that.
I take the Greens idea seriously as do many others.
In my opinion Labour asked the Greens to do this, they’re attacking the Government on other fronts.
(i.e Assets/Law)
And voting for a party that you don’t want in power is delusional bud.
If Cunliffe doesn’t then he’s a fool.
The principles that just had the global economy collapse.
I would vote for Act if Act got back to the principles it was founded on
you and a few thousand others, and that’s the problem. their ideas are just not at all popular. ACT doesn’t divert into law and order, and conservative knee jerkery, and climate change denialism for laughs. They do it because the need funders and votes.
I can’t disagree with that.
What I’d suggest is bring up the younger talent, stick with economic policies and rebuild around Epsom. It can be done but it’ll take time.
NZ politics need smaller parties to give voice to as many people so it’d be a shame if Act went under.
“I can’t disagree with that. “
Then I guess you didn’t understand it. It’s the economic stuff that’s so deeply disliked and distrusted.
Have you been in a coma or something? Everything you want has already happened. The populist Mr Hide was replaced with the serious economics focused Dr Brash, because the only thing holding the party back from its rightfully deserved popularity was all that populism.
Remember? He was to take the party back to its core economic principles and win 15% of the vote. Actually wasn’t he scoffing at that figure and saying he expected a lot more? You know, because of the serious economic focus and return to core principles.
How’d that work out again?
And “rebuild around Epsom”, are you serial? You want a party that’s deliberately structured to be 100% reliant on National gifting a seat every three years?
Doesn’t matter anyway, ACT is already over.
Did you have breakfast this morning,you seem to be a bit sugar deprived ?
reply to chris73 about his ‘lefty’ remark.
Is SST the name of the toilet they are in ?
Whatever is left of Act can gather together and stare down into their pit.
Betting on who they’ll throw in next, great bloodsportsmanship!
An internal review??? Have they got anyone left to do it?
An ACT internal review: two people wondering why their chequebooks failed them.
Here’s a thought: the “one of us” you parachuted into the seat is a fucking lying moron, and your ability to fool people into thinking that your policies are a good idea is inversely proportional to the level of hardship that your prospective voters face.
ACT is a party for people who think their problems revolve around GDP and labour market flexibility (the solutions to which handily include tax cuts anf enabling developers to bulldoze unique environments), not around feeding the kids tonight.
Just listened to “Down the list”. Jeepers the satire was top-notch and cutting, even Chris said “ouch” when it finished – key gets chucked on the barbie – good fun.
Link not there yet but well worth a listen
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/20121014
I heard that, it was brilliant! 🙂
Will our ill fated military intervention in Afghanistan end in one more final act of ignominy and disgrace to be covered over by lies and secrecy?
Who is lying? – Who is telling the truth? Former translator 19 year old Diamond Kazimi? or, Anonymous senior Defence Force spokespeople, backed by secretive, ‘no comment’ Prime Minister?
You decide.
Afghan interpreters ‘scared and confused’
According to Diamond Kazimi, 6 of our Aghan translators, have been told not to talk to the press about their fears that they are being abandoned by our troops in Baniyan.
And this week? According to Kazimi, 6 Afghan translators have been released by the army in Afghanistan and told not to go to the media.
In reply to Kazimi’s claim of lay offs, an anonymous unattributed statement was published in the Star Times on behalf of the army brass, it reads; “There are still 26 interpreters on staff and there is no change we are aware of.“, NZDF
Along with this official denial by the Defence Force – Prime Minister Key who had previously told media that, ‘the interpreters concern had been acknowledged and were being considered.’ On Friday, announced he would not be commenting any further on the issue.
19 year old Diamond Kazimi, in the face of official military denials and top government secrecy and apparent cover up, is defying military and the government officials in continuing to openly speak up, demanding that the rights of our troop’s translators and their families to safety be taken seriously by the army and the government.
Why will our government and military leaders not heed Diamond Kazimi and the other translators and give them and their families some assurance or certainty as to their fate?
Why have the 6 laid off last week, been ordered to shut up?
Is a shabby and cowardly abandonment by our troops of their interpreters being ordered?
Will our final withdrawal from Afghanistan be in dignity or shame?
Probably shame – it’s all we get out of this government.
Jenny – there is not a choice here. Any final withdrawal can only be “in shame”!
Maybe I should have said less shame.
Doc you haven’t addressed the question of why our military deny that it laid off 6 interpreters last week amid fears that they will abandoned when our troops finally pull out. Or why the Prime Minister has gone silent on the issue.
Maybe possibly, to admit we need to do something to protect our Afghan interpreters from Taliban retribution after our departure, is also an admission that our declared reason for being there: To pacify the country and turn back the Taliban has been a complete and dismal failure and pointless waste of the lives of the ten Kiwis who have died there.
Rather than admit the defeat of our mission in Afghanistan, Defence Force and Government personel are in effect claiming there is no problem, that Baniyan has been made safe by our efforts, and the interpreters claims that they face “certain death” on our withdrawal from the province are wrong.
May be a security thing. The less publicity the greater chance of a quiet withdrawl to safety below the Taliban radar?
Safety for who, ianmac?
Are they that worried about what the Taliban will do to our interpreters that our troops have to quietly sneak out of the country?
Do you really think that if they sneak out of the country silently the Taliban won’t notice they are gone and so will leave the translators alone?
The “over the top” raids phenomenum is catching!
“Plant Naz1s hunt for outlawed trees.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10840408
LOL – who signed off on this one?
PS – thanks to Dotcom’s twitter for the link….
Can’t a tree or two grow in peace? And how come the Dotcom-like raid was enacted on hapless misnamed trees. Did the police think that trees might have a safe room or have an escape plan? Escaped trees last seen scampering down Kaihangahape Road. Do not approach. Jeez!
Dawn raids? Oh unbelievable!
hey leAVE ‘EM ALONE.
THEY HAVE JUST AS MUCH RIGHT AS ANYONE ELSE TO GET THEIR GOBS PLASTERED ALL OVER THE TEEVEE FOR FIVE MINUTES!
Today’s most insulting quote from the Minister of Hypocrisy, ” “an extra 50 bucks a week” into the homes of child abusers wouldn’t save lives and more than the extra $20 million budgeted to fight child abuse would not get abuse rates down”
Of course the child abusers the Minister refers to are beneficiaries – all of them. Bennett reverts to the tried and true B-bashing technique only this time making use of presuppositions.
The Minister confuses cause and effect by using statistics to wrongly imply beneficiaries are synonymous with abuse. Of course this suits her key purpose which is to vilify anyone who has legally sort government assistance under the Social Securities Act as they are entitled to do.
Another sad chapter of NZ politics. No word as yet from the Minister on how she thinks the continued attacks by her on the character of parents of the children on welfare affect the children’s self esteem and development.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1210/S00207/qa-greg-boyed-interviews-paula-bennett.htm
Indeed the deflector shields are always up, because the biggest abusers on the planet are the elite, and in the case of the UN, and CPA in the USA, many openly busted instances of habitual abuse, and then of course there is the “entertainment” business known as Hollywood!
Kids of rich parents dont get abused!
Game-changer: LiLo endorses Mittens.
And what a ringing endorsement she is Joe. 🙂
Just thought i would give you these polls from roy morgan taken 24/9/2012 – 7/10/2012
it was taken nz wide and there were 827 electors.
National 41.5% ( down 2% )
Labour 33.5% ( up 0.5% )
Greens 13.5% ( up 2 % )
NZ First 6.5% ( up 1.5 % )
United F 0.5%
Act 0%
What a freakin lying-arsed, in-denial, freakin drench trough we live in, and the lice are only multiplying;
Military Assaults each other; apparently, weak discipline, they see a fox-hole, and they gotta fill it,
and the CDF blatently lies, does he think we are stupid? He can Bat his eyelids all he wants, but his aperture will not shut.
Bnnt- failing abysmally to acknowledge the Primary link (she would be a primary link if we ever saw one) between Poverty and Child Abuse. (if I was not a believer and follower of My Lord, I would be speaking much Harsher; however, I prophecy that all will not end well for her; her spirit is on show for All to see)
The freakin sheep still bleating after the very weak master of Deception, baaa, baaaa, as they slip down all the OECD slopes..
And, New Zealand is likely to be the “Weakest Link” in the Five Eyes Network (only one eye open) well, that suits me just fine. (bring it on you Crosby-Textor sycophantic Fasci; losers)
Personally, I WELCOME THE CHINESE (and they have known that for nearly a year), and then the sooner the local merchants can get on with business (all cards ON the table, instead of Denial about their graft and Inbred Kleptocracy)
Now I do not choose to Know much about Falun Gong, but I Do Know a lot about Monotheism (I believe) and the sooner THE CHINESE get here, The Better.
WELCOME THE CHINESE WELCOME THE CHINESE WELCOME THE CHINESE (and Foo Yung to any nation that gets in their way, fools)
As a contrast to the above poll Labour are on 30.8% the nats are on 50.6%
Labour down 2.4% Nats up 4.8%
Who on earth would believe these polls,garnered by garner.
TV3 news reid research polls are usually
way out of wack anyway.
starlight are you referring to the latest TV3 poll reported this evening?
The numbers are actually:
National 48.8%
Labour 33.0%
Greens 10.6%
NZ 1st 3.2%
Not a bad result given their landline based and are therefore always skewed towards National.
Same with TV1 too of course.
The first polls are from roy morgan,the middle one is one i went looking for,tv3
reid research,the third is national and opposition parties also from roy morgan
for the dates 24/9 -7/10
TV 3 Poll tonight:
National 48.8%
Labour 33.2%
Greens 10.6 %
NZF 3.2
For PM:
Key 41%
Shearer 8.5%
Norman 5%
Winston 2.4 %
According to Garner National could govern alone with 62 seats??
Snap Anne.
Always worth remembering that the 3 news/Reid poll allways overestimates National support by 2-3 pts, at least. And always underestimates NZF’s support. Anyway, further comfirmation of the downward trend for Key and Co., so good news there.
He wishes.
I’m not sure about the reid research polls – too irregular to get a trend off, and the seem to have pumped national at getting over 50% in the election just a week or so out, and labour proportionately less than their election tally.
Oh, and take care looking at the RR graphs – they don’t have null spaces in their charts in the months they fail to publish a poll, e.g. the jump from april to june, and the last record is july.
The penguin probably does closer coverage, but I try not to go to sites that might lso-cookie me. Safe browsing, peeps!
The roy morgan tracker has the national led govt that includes support party’s
on 44%, the opposition party’s which includes all support party’s is 53.5%
I was shocked by the tv3 poll,so i went looking for some answers.
The tracker was taken 24/9/12 – 7/10/12
Oh, I get it now starlight. Am easily confused. 🙂
shonkey will be slapping his chest about how great they are doing and people
just dont care about the dotcom fiasco,he will say nz’ers have moved on,look at
the polls,the roy morgan polls need to be shown in the media as well,that will
stop him chest beating, but it will be difficult with the msm.
I reckon that the more he beats his chest when more and more people think he’s a lying braggart, then the more it alienates him from the electorate.
Bill English should be worried.
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/the-greens-go-well-in-gore.html
Getting a little late but this needs to be out:
Apparently you can’t access everything – just nearly everything – in MSDs servers.
FFS. Cost cutting and private sector/corporate providers hurrah.
And today of course, it’s been all over the MSM!