Yep. A young man in our family (voting Greens for employment rights and the future) has said most of his mates are voting ACT because Seymour doesn't give much of a sh*t and so it will be funny.
I hope they never have to find out how deadly, ideologically serious, Seymour actually is.
Had dinner last night with friends, also from the UK, who belong to the bowling club – that typical Act focus group.
He couldn't believe all the 'handouts in this country' – they got Covid business support. She was telling us about all the ACC support she gets for a shoulder injury – $600/week, surgical treatment, travel expenses to appointments.
The graph comparing the 4 nations shows 3 of the same rising pattern and the other ….
In 2019, the US top 10% captures 45% of the national income, close to half of it.
Australia and New Zealand remain significantly more equal than their North American counterparts, with the top 10% capturing respectively 35% and 37% of the national income in 2019.
In all four countries, we see declining labor compensation (ie wage) as a share of national income, and this decline does not reflect an increase in self-employment. Instead, corporate profits have surged.
In all four countries, we see declining labor compensation (ie wage) as a share of national income, and this decline does not reflect an increase in self-employment. Instead, corporate profits have surged.
If national income has increased labour's (proportional) share may have decreased, even if wage levels have remained the same. Just a thought.
"What the PREFU is saying to the Minister of Finance after the election, is that the books are not in too bad a position (providing you have not promised anything stupid), but always – always – you will be under fiscal pressure. And you may have to deal with unexpected shocks."
….and remembering that the risks are all to the downside.
"The Treasury gives little guidance as to the particularities of the current pressures (other than the implications that politicians always want to reduce taxes and increase spending). Clearly the war resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine is among the big impacts on the world economy. China’s difficulties may be yet to come.
However, what I don’t think we have appreciated sufficiently is the impact of the Covid pandemic and the measures taken to reduce deaths. They had a substantial immediate economic impact – you can see it in the PREFU. But that is still unwinding three years later. It would be naive to think that those economic measures were a free lunch and almost as naive not to think about having to pay for the lunch. Trade-offs are central to economic management as the next government – whoever it may be – will find, even if in the heady days of election campaigning trade-offs are largely ignored."
It's not so much the policies in response to the pandemic, but the amount pumped through banks for property loans (and unrelated to new builds at that) 2020-2021.
This is a very chilling clip of what happened in Albert Park on 25th March. It is put together by Lesbian visibility and the voice over is by two of the Marshalls (one who had water thrown on her, was out in a head lock, tripped up and kicked. The other Marshall was a 69 year old woman (not the woman who was repeatedly punched in the face).
Meanwhile on another planet the Greens were proclaiming it was all trans pure joy.
There is so much fact free bullshit on the issue of what happened at Albert Park, from both sides, I’m not willing to let this happen on TS. I want us to lift our game on evidence based debate in this area.
From now on, if you want to make any claims of fact about KJK, LWS, or anything to do with aspect of the sex/gender wars in NZ, please provide evidence at the time you make the claim. As always, evidence is an explanation in your own words, supporting quotes and links. – weka]
You’re still not getting it. The problem wasn’t a lack of link, it was that you grossly misrepresented the situation. Basically you made some shit up on a highly contentious topic. You claimed that the assaulter was getting a discharge without conviction, when in fact no decision has been made about this. You’re really close to getting a long ban, because I am sick of going over these things.
Anker – and that's why many older women I know don't plan to vote this year. Can't bring themselves to vote for NACT / Greens etc but feel Labour has let them down badly.
This is incredibly frustrating. Yes, the sex/gender issues are not good. But there are other ways to deal with this than handing the election to National and Act, who will most certainly act to harm women in multiple ways. In addition, this will make it harder to address the issues around women's sex based rights. Because the election is so tight, not voting in this election is a defacto vote for a RW government.
Unfortunately, many women believe that handing the election to Labour/Greens will also act to harm women in multiple ways. As they will take an election win as implicit approval to continue to implement their current pro-trans policy agenda without giving any regard to the protection of very hard-fought-for women's rights.
The explicit support from multiple GP and Labour MPs for the trans protest at the PP event in Auckland, AND their refusal to condemn the violence which ensued – makes this situation quite clear.
While the RW may, indeed, have worse longer term consequences for women's rights – the short term outcome looks considerably less threatening than the full-scale' anyone can self-declare as a woman' platform from the Left.
it's not longer term consequences though. Seymour is talking about draconian welfare reform. It will impact worst on women, as always. That's just one example. Housing, employment law and wage rates, these are all women's issues.
As they will take an election win as implicit approval to continue to implement their current pro-trans policy agenda without giving any regard to the protection of very hard-fought-for women's rights.
The explicit support from multiple GP and Labour MPs for the trans protest at the PP event in Auckland, AND their refusal to condemn the violence which ensued – makes this situation quite clear.
yes, I'm aware of this view, but it's superficial imo. There are two ways that gender ideology has been pushed back at political, legislative, policy and NGO levels. One is by a serious conservative backlash eg in the US, the other is by progressives working over the long term to make changes eg the UK.
When women choose the conservative route, they are playing with fire and putting many, many more women at risk than are currently at risk from self ID in NZ. We still have other ways of working on this issues in NZ. A L/G/TPM government won't stop those other ways and in fact make them much more likely to succeed. We need progressive solutions to GI, not regressive, reactionary ones.
Do you honestly think that the conservatives will stop at this? Or the conspiracy groups if it comes via NZF?
Do you honestly think that the conservatives will stop at this? Or the conspiracy groups if it comes via NZF?
TBH I don't know. But I suspect that on the current political trajectory we're going to have a chance to find out.
Realistically, there is nothing that Labour can do about this. Any policy change they might make is going to be seen as too little, too late; and as an election bribe, rather than an trustworthy commitment. Hipkins lost this battle in the eye of public opinion when he fumbled the "What is a woman?" question.
The GP have made it very, very clear that they have no desire to roll back anything about their political stance on this issue – and indeed double down on it.
I do think equating the National Party (even with ACT involvement) with the hard conservative right in the US is a bridge too far. And, ignores ACTs socially liberal philosophy. They are probably the party in parliament least likely to be tied to any religious ideology.
It's not that Nact are the same as the US religious conservative politics, I was simply pointing out that there are two different pathways available to NZ women and the conservative one is dangerous. Some GC women are acting as if it's the only option, it's not.
What we need is for the left and centre right to change their position on GI. Because that will give us progressive and liberal policy and law rather than regressive. If it's left to the likes of Winston Peters or Luxon, we will get regressive and a door opening to worse.
Peters probably genuinely believes in single sex spaces, but it's significant that the NZF priorities list has no women's policies in it other than the GI one.
Act want to remove income support from drug addicts and remove privacy rights from disabled people on benefits. It's straight from the Paula Bennett playbook and Seymour is dog whistling NZ's bigots. He can't do that on women because we have too many women in positions of power here and too many Act voters that wouldn't put up with it. But he's doing it to Pasifica people.
There is nothing social liberal about any of that. If we're going to call GI a religious ideology, we should probably call Act's version of libertarianism a religious ideology too.
Well, yes, and we can call the Green Party doctrine religious ideology as well. You can call anything religious ideology – but it doesn't really help debate.
[NB: I did not describe GI as a religious ideology]
And, the tide in gender identity politics in the UK only really reversed (or began to reverse) when the SNP was threatened with a swingeing defeat at the polls (i.e. their constituency walked away from them). I don't see that as "progressives working over the long term to make changes". I see it as the same kind of electoral defeat the Left is courting in NZ.
The shift in UK Labour from TWAW to 'actually, we need to think about women's rights too' is from a long campaign by Labour members, MPs, and grass roots feminists. There have definitely been other events eg the Tavistock whistleblowers, various court cases, the MSM, what happened with the SNP, KJK and LWS and so on. But to get the buy in from liberals you have to have liberal arguments. It's progressives that have done that with Labour. And yep, it's in the context of Labour realising that it might cost them the next election, but again, that's the long campaign.
In NZ, we're not there yet. There are some people, ill advised imo, who are trying to bring the issues up this election (SUFW, the Women's Party), but the risk is that it costs the left the election, which from a left pov obviously is catastrophic. If the idea is that a term in opposition will force Labour and the GP to change their minds while the right are pushing back trans rights, I cannot see how this will change their minds.
What might change their minds is the large numbers of L and GP members and voters who don't believe that men should be in women's sport, and who understand the need for single sex spaces. But it takes time, care and process to make that change.
Belladona – I've to agree with your prediction. Replacing of the word women by so called ‘gender neutral’ language such that – women – no longer exist as a sex-based rights group. So you’ll get e.g. people’s wages, people’s housing rights and people’s employment’s rights.
And the more government regulations are non-specific the more employers/NGO make their own interpretations of the laws.
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” ― George Orwell
In the group of professional women I meet with who were/are so concerned about The Greens wealth tax and its affect on single women earlier on, there is a view from Friday's session that none would be voting for the Nats as:
1 Luxon is perceived to be in it for the status and would do anything to achieve it
2 His espoused religion (Prosperity Gospels) is perceived to be a big turn-off
3 He is 'creepy' !!!!!?
Labour/Hipkins with his bumbling on what is a woman and lack of knowledge on the issues is not held in much higher regard. Though I did get the feeling that the view is that his view is not innate unlike they perceive Luxon's views to be.
I have tried to encourage them to vote. We discussed the concept of least bad. One was going to vote party vote Labour only as the local Labour candidate is perceived to be anti women, another was going to spoil her vote.
Shanreagh I seem to think you are in Wellington. You may want to raise this (or not ) with your Wellington friends.
Both Green and Labour Wellington Central candidates put pressure on Mt Vics electorate candidates to not ask questions about transgender (male bodied) in women's sports.
Patricia2 – it is frustrating- but I read the current political polling as against Labour/Greens rather than for Nat/Act. Nat leader is not liked by many and the more he gets interviewed the more you see how he tries not to answer questions. And instead tries to play this tape again and again.
Your alternatives are still TOP and of course the Women's Rights Party who seem to go from strength to strength. They are unlikely to get into parliament but its a clear message to the main parties something very fundamentally has gone wrong for women. Many of them are long time ex- labour and greens members/voters.
I consider the labour leader a decent person – but he seems to be ill informed on this subject, I assume he gets his info, if he gets it at all, from some very biased people – who seem to keep him away from the concerns of the other side. I've yet to hear him say publicly anything in favour of women's sex based rights or be curious to find out what is going on re the medicalisation of non-conforming teenagers.
But change will come for sure – and we will slowly work our way to the top to make it happen.
I read the current political polling as against Labour/Greens rather than for Nat/Act
Listening to NatRad this evening – Caucus.
And one of the presenters made the comment (paraphrased) that this was not an election of personalities – that neither of the main leaders had any charisma – and so it came down to believability on economic management. Specifically that this was a Helen Clark election – and the winner (of the debates, and by inference the election), needed to be razor sharp and all over the detail of both their own policies and the opposition ones).
And, while they didn't feel Luxon fit that bill, they didn't think that Hipkins did, either.
Resulting in an election campaign which even the commentators are thinking of as lacklustre.
Thank you Anker – a very scary watch. Can't image the fear that the women must surely feel up and around the rotondo seeing the crowd getting out of hand, coming towards them and hell band on driving the women out town with pure force.
Lets hope the police on the 20th September realise that its actually their task to keep the fractions apart.
Thanks Tabletennis. I have all but given up posting on this site, but I do read what is on here a little.
I refrain from commenting too much, because I recognise that people here are worried about labour losing the election. Its tough fighting a political battle when its not going well
The $2 million dollar houses that are to sold to foreigners will be investments or holiday homes very few will be rented therefore total hoiusing capacity will be reduced.
The NZer's that sell these mansion are mainly going to build/buy a replacement building a replacement mansion building takes capacity away from more needed projects to reduce NZ's significant housing and buying is going to fuel housing inflation
Barfly. I think they on Thursday night they said that 27% of houses in Queenstown were unoccupied. Maybe when those awful rules about warm safe homes are lifted by Nact, then there will be 27% more houses for rent?
Queenstown has a very high proportion of holiday houses, always has. The rate of unoccupied dwellings will be higher than 27%. So it depends on how it is being defined. Are they excluding holiday houses? Including AirBnb etc?
I think the call from Nact was that having to comply with the "Healthy Homes" rules stopped house owners from renting out but with rules being undone by Nact, there will be no crisis in Queenstown. How kind are Nact!
I have no doubt that the health homes rules prevent some houses being rented. This is a consequence of lifting the standard of living of renters, and agree they're stupid af to think that removing the rules will somehow make things better, especially in a tourist town that allows rentals that are basically slums and lets labourers live on site in a tent.
One of the issues for Queentown is that holiday houses that were previously available as a seasonal rental eg over the ski season for workers, are now used for AirBnB because the owner makes more money for less wear and tear on the house.
Much of that comes down to QLDC not being willing to sort it out.
Based on a very unreliable sample data of 2 families I know living between Wanaka and Auckland. The Wanaka houses are used for long weekends every 2-3 weeks, combined with longer holidays of 1-2 weeks every school holidays & 3 weeks or so over summer.
So, yes, the houses are vacant for 'most' of the year – but the pattern of vacancy doesn't lend itself to home-rentals. It does (or can) lend itself to Air BnB occupations.
This is probably the pattern for most people with holiday homes. The old-fashioned idea that you just went to the bach over summer has changed, with modern transport links.
The National Party's plan to restore interest deductibility for residential landlords could cost as much as $100 million a year more than it anticipated due to rising mortgage rates.
In around 2 weeks the polls will open and currently ALL the options are terrible in various aspects….what is one to do?
Sadly the (largely western) political class handed control of the economy to the international financiers and are now only able to impact things at the margins, and that control is now so entrenched that any attempt to loosen it will likely result in the cure being worse than the disease.
Hopium appears the only strategy …..and that is (unsurprisingly) reflected in our so called leaders.
I appreciate your dramatic phrasing, and the assessment is largely accurate but there is a fundamental problem; 'least bad' remains better than the rest, and not participating makes the 'more bad' more likely.
The path ahead will be fraught with difficulties, largely self-inflicted, we can't afford to give up now. I don't particularly believe in accelerationism, or taking the ‘black pill’, Hopium is better for us all. Politics has moved rightward so far that people have lost faith in collective action and this has neutered the organisations that have been advocating for any alternative political economy.
At the core, we need to realise that politics as it is practised every three years, is not sufficient; that we take care of each other and we can do that whether state wants to assist or not.
Ultimately, just because something will be difficult and possibly insufficient doesn't make trying to do it less necessary or less worthy.
Society as it currently functioning IS detrimental to society and the planet. Trying to improve that, even marginally, is still an improvement; keeping the status quo keeps things getting worse.
It is a sort-of nihilist, teenaged-anarchist sentiment; "Don't vote, it only encourages them" and sure, representative democracy seems to limits our politics to casting a vote every three years, but that is not what all of politics is, it is happening all the time, all around us. Agitate, Educate, Organise! There is no rational reason for inaction, if we don't do anything things will only get worse. That is certainly detrimental to society and the planet.
Posie Parker has abandoned her trip to NZ on the grounds that "the NZ Police, Border Control and politicians are corrupt and she fears they would not ensure her and her supporters safety." [my bold]
In my view, a further example of her extremist positions we can well do without. We have enough fanatics creating societal damage without importing more of them from elsewhere.
What does this mean? She was asked not to go by her family after NZ police could give no assurances as to safety. Was she to have brought her own police force with her? Is that what the reference to money is about?
Why do we have to 'assume' anything re $$$ especially when the reasons given were about the fears for her safety from her family. Fears I can see are justified in view of the non- policing that occurred at Albert Park previously. I actually feel that she has a 'civil' right to be here and protected as she was the person assaulted by the tomato sauce thrower, she above all has a greater right to see the operation of justice than many others.
My opinion is that without her here the issue will slide away into wet bus ticket punishment as it seems likely with the person who assaulted the elderly woman. His solicitors have applied for a discharge without conviction.
Is it just controversial women who have to bring or pay for their own policing?
The police seem to be able to protect people like Julian Batchelor OK but then he is a guy despite all his racist views. Perhaps that is the difference?
The column by Katrina Biggs gives a 'breath of fresh air' view on the issue of KJM and the cancellation of her trip to NZ.
"As well as feeling disappointed that she wouldn’t be coming, there are many like myself who are devastated that our country has come to this – a handful of loud, lying, hateful, anti-women activists calling the shots with our police force, not to mention with our politicians. If either of the police or politicians exercised even the tiniest bit of professional discernment in their jobs, and unbiasedly listened to gender critical women as well, we may not have come to this pass. Instead, they’ve sold their souls to trans activists, and their minds to the stories trans activists tell. And, here we are."
So her family's concerns about her safety are dismissed because somewhere, some time she has mentioned private security payments. Private security arrangements are never supposed to take the place of Police in combatting civil unrest. Private security close guard 'their person'. Private security have no role to combat public disorder except when it is afftecting 'their' person and have limited resources to protect even then.
Only the Police have the right to arrest.
The idea that a visitor to NZ, especially from another common law country like the UK, having to supply their own army is anathema.
King John,the Magna Carta and the surrendering ot the ability to tax and raise private armies is all relevant to our democarcy just as it is to the UK.
[no-one in this thread has dismissed KJK’s family’s concern about her safety. In my comment I said that cost was one of the issues. If you are unwilling to listen to and make sense of what people are actually saying, that degrades the debate. 4 week ban for misleading the debate and so soon after being warned about this. – weka]
The police seem to be able to protect people like Julian Batchelor OK but then he is a guy despite all his racist views. Perhaps that is the difference?
That is absolute bullshit Shanreagh. I can hardly believe that an intelligent woman like yourself could make it. I'm not a huge fan of the police [for historical reasons] but to infer, as I believe you have done, that they disrespect women to the extent that they think them less worthy of protection has no bearing in reality.
My comment re-extremists and fanatics was meant in a general sense and to cover both sides of the Left and Right spectrum. They both raise dangerous barriers in society. Whether or not she set out to do it is open to question, but Posie Parker's presence in NZ and the way she chose to attract attention only served to inflame the tension that already existed between two differing sets of people. To my mind that helps nobody.
While far from 'extremist' I find RNZs insistence of describing KJK as an "anti-trans activist" a tad misleading at best. Somehow it is highly unlikely The Disinformation Project will act.
Sure some of those whose gender is a big deal in their life might be comfortable with this framing. It ignores the wider issue of taking a position against 'professionals' who would seek to medicate or operate on minors to affirm their current identity.
KJK is the MC of #LetWomenSpeak, the majority of time is given to women from each locale to speak – unvetted and uncurated.
There are four lines KJK says in each #LetWomenSpeak:
"Women don't have penises.
Men don't have vaginas.
Non-binary is a nonsense.
Transitioning children is profound abuse."
The fact that any of these sentences can be considered "extremist positions" should indicate the immense power gender ideology has attained in a very short time.
Why can't we have women speaking? What is so threatening?
Have the police and the trans community actually listened to what is being said at these gatherings? Some of it is not on the trans issue/s (NB the whole world does not revolve around the trans issues).
At these gatherings I have heard all sorts of snippets about women's lives around the world and realised that our rights as women is a fragile thing. To me the issues as reported by Molly 17 September 2023 at 7:53 am are uncontroversial.
Numbers 1 & 2 rely on having a competent grasp of biology which everyone can have. Number 4 goes to the concept of childhood and the roles of parents and society to bring up children so that when our work is done (is it ever?) our children can have the confidence to go ahead in the world making their own decisions. Number 3 is a nonsense as it is framed by anti women protestors but perhaps could be framed as we accept how people want to identify themselves and make no comment as long as it is not illegal or 'frighten the horses'.
"Women don't have penises.
Men don't have vaginas.
Non-binary is a nonsense.
Transitioning children is profound abuse."
In NZ. for some reason, we find these views very difficult to grasp.
When all the dust has settled I would love to read scholarly research on why two countries such as Ireland and NZ have evolved so differently. particulalary interesting is that Ireland was a supplier of many immigrants to NZ. Ireland and Northern Ireland https://www.youtube.com/live/wV8uTh1Pq7s?si=AjUSZtN6hApiiFQm
had the Let Women Speak go ahead, noisy etc but they did go ahead. Belfast the protestors were positioned a fair distance away and the lines were policed.
Shanreagh I seem to think you are in Wellington. You may want to raise this (or not ) with your Wellington friends.
Both Green and Labour Wellington Central candidates put pressure on Mt Vics electorate candidates to not ask questions about transgender (male bodied) in women's sports.
Each challenge as to accuracy and veracity of policy opens a few more eyes ears and leads to questions which show politicians' natures positions and flaws.
Three weeks is a long time in politics.
I hope someone has told Chris Hipkins about Chris Luxon being a National Secondary School Debate champion. (Another fudge )
The gap between the party blocks is not that large, that the movement of 40 000 people could sway the election.
It will be tight, and some seats could throw up some interesting positions.
In a nutshell, voting is an action based on political engagement and interest. Disengagement, possibly because of disillusion, seems to be winning on the Left and the opposite on the Right. The polls and their media reporting & portrayal and of the election campaigns would seem to support this notion.
In general, the Right can count [pun intended] on a relatively more stable voter turnout.
I think that the high turnout in 2020 helped Labour securing an absolute majority because it tapped into other segments of voters. The corollary is that a low(er) turnout in this General Election will undo much or all of this and possibly go even further …
I don't think Nats think this way Weka……from my experience with my Nat family and friends. They tend to vote regardless of what the Polls are saying (perhaps despite what the polls are saying) as they see it as a civil duty.
I agree. Especially in the older age brackets (and IIRC, National voters tend to be weighted towards the 40+ age bracket) and the middle class – voting is much more a civic duty – regardless of whether their candidate is likely to be elected or not.
Problem is weka @10.1, there tends to be a lag from the time a policy flaw – even a major one – is revealed and the voters picking up on it. It can take a few weeks at least before the response starts to show in polling. Hipkins and Shaw in particular will need to harp on about it right up to election day.
The democratic facade is crumbling for any thinking person.
Must be a few who are happy about that, as they have sat and let the UK and US state to destroy Assange physically and mentally. With the added bonus to put the fear of god up journalist and publishers.
Something that caught my eye on Stuff.co.nz today.
A comparison of all major parties' policies that encompass climate change or the environment.
If you look through ACT's response to all the questions posed then you could well believe that ACT still think climate change is a myth and a socialist trick.
Without exception they oppose EVERY initiative that has ever been done to reduce CO2 emissions and climate change, even some that National support (half-heartedly it must be said). ACT's attitude is not just irresponsible, it is downright criminal.
ACT care only about their own bank balances, nothing else matters. They are a bunch of wankers. We must keep them out of government to have any chance of giving our grandchildren and great grandchildren a planet they can live in.
we're already past the point with climate where people should be making it hard for the government to govern. And yet people are largely not acting and many want a RW government. Scared people vote conservative, they don't revolt.
Another term of a centre left government buys us time to convince more people that we need to build strong community and address climate front on. We can't do that under the right.
“In their economy, workers live paycheck to paycheck while the billionaires buy another yacht… So we’re gonna wreck their economy cuz it only works for the billionaire class,” says @UAW prez Shawn Fain in Detroit.
As the Big Three automakers barrel towards a potential stake from the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, Ford CEO Jim Farley has shared his sentiments about the matter. During a conversation with CNBC Overtime, a seemingly exasperated Farley stated that the UAW’s demands would have resulted in Ford going bankrupt.
The UAW’s demands include the restoration of defined benefit pensions for all workers, a four-day workweek, and a mid-30% raise, among others, as per a report from The Wall Street Journal. The UAW had initially targeted a 40% increase in wages for its members, as it matched the average salary hike that Detroit automotive executives received over the past four years.
Stopping the 10 match streak of the high flying Knights. Warriors put 40 on the board against a worthy opposition. Off to Brisbane next week for a match with the Broncos who supposedly will have home advantage.
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Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
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. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
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. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Political Historian and Administrator Officer, Australian Historical Association, Australian National University Australia has had its fair share of public record-keeping controversies in recent years. Some have been mere farce, as in the case of two formerly government-owned filing cabinets (containing ...
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated organization dedicated to fostering peace through civilian-led initiatives, has issued a statement in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
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A funny but sad story about the election – and the appalling level of understanding of some voters.
I drive uber 2 nights a week. I always ask my passengers if they intend to vote, and urge them to do so if they say they don’t.
Sometimes this leads to a political discussion, though I never push it.
Well, I had one young fellow tell me he intended to vote for Act, and when I asked why, he said, in all seriousness:
“Because David Seymour is going to make crate day a public holiday.”
After I’d corrected my steering, I tried, successfully I hope, to persuade him that just wasn’t so!
Crikey, we need civic classes in NZ schools.
Somehow, I doubt that the young fellow will actually vote.
I think that someone was pulling someone's leg. Either he was pulling your leg, or David Seymour was pulling his.
PS: This is actually a reply to David Veitch. Sorry.
Crate day?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crate_Day
Thanks. Yuk
Yep. A young man in our family (voting Greens for employment rights and the future) has said most of his mates are voting ACT because Seymour doesn't give much of a sh*t and so it will be funny.
I hope they never have to find out how deadly, ideologically serious, Seymour actually is.
Brilliant Tony V.
Voting can be pretty random despite all the media analysis. It's not over yet.
I was told by a pakeha woman that she was voting Act because they would straighten out those Maoris. Up till then I thought she was a reasonable lady.
Had dinner last night with friends, also from the UK, who belong to the bowling club – that typical Act focus group.
He couldn't believe all the 'handouts in this country' – they got Covid business support. She was telling us about all the ACC support she gets for a shoulder injury – $600/week, surgical treatment, travel expenses to appointments.
I thought Seymour was promising a chicken in every pot, even if it turns out to be mostly feathers and shit.
Indeed he did.
https://www.facebook.com/davidseymourACT/videos/under-act-crate-day-would-be-a-national-holiday/656355895528821/
Well, I never!
Even as a joke, that’s pretty damned irresponsible!
The graph comparing the 4 nations shows 3 of the same rising pattern and the other ….
https://wid.world/news-article/whats-new-about-inequality-in-australia-canada-new-zealand-and-the-united-states/
If national income has increased labour's (proportional) share may have decreased, even if wage levels have remained the same. Just a thought.
For some well reasoned analysis of the situation as it is…not how we wish it to be.
https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/what-is-prefu-2023-really-telling-us
"What the PREFU is saying to the Minister of Finance after the election, is that the books are not in too bad a position (providing you have not promised anything stupid), but always – always – you will be under fiscal pressure. And you may have to deal with unexpected shocks."
….and remembering that the risks are all to the downside.
Thus the folly of poorly costed (not so budget neutral) changes, and especially to raid the money for response to weather events.
And using foreign money (buy up of $2m+ homes) in the package is by definition inflationary.
"The Treasury gives little guidance as to the particularities of the current pressures (other than the implications that politicians always want to reduce taxes and increase spending). Clearly the war resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine is among the big impacts on the world economy. China’s difficulties may be yet to come.
However, what I don’t think we have appreciated sufficiently is the impact of the Covid pandemic and the measures taken to reduce deaths. They had a substantial immediate economic impact – you can see it in the PREFU. But that is still unwinding three years later. It would be naive to think that those economic measures were a free lunch and almost as naive not to think about having to pay for the lunch. Trade-offs are central to economic management as the next government – whoever it may be – will find, even if in the heady days of election campaigning trade-offs are largely ignored."
worth repeating…"whoever it may be".
It's not so much the policies in response to the pandemic, but the amount pumped through banks for property loans (and unrelated to new builds at that) 2020-2021.
https://youtu.be/0nXYwqsEKsU?si=s-7bdzce91Eg0Oeu
This is a very chilling clip of what happened in Albert Park on 25th March. It is put together by Lesbian visibility and the voice over is by two of the Marshalls (one who had water thrown on her, was out in a head lock, tripped up and kicked. The other Marshall was a 69 year old woman (not the woman who was repeatedly punched in the face).
Meanwhile on another planet the Greens were proclaiming it was all trans pure joy.
[deleted]
[I’ve deleted your post because here we are again with me having to use my time chasing you up on moderation stuff. This sentence was the problem “the person who attacked the elderly woman, last I heard, was getting a discharge without conviction”. You provide no evidence for this assertion, and a quick google tells me that his lawyer had applied for a discharge without conviction but I cannot find any evidence that this has been granted. NZH says the sentencing/conviction hearing date hasn’t been set yet. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/posie-parker-protest-activist-pleads-guilty-to-punching-elderly-woman-at-heated-auckland-trans-rights-protest/A5RG2HY2TJFLFKAP4OT7JLGIGU/
There is so much fact free bullshit on the issue of what happened at Albert Park, from both sides, I’m not willing to let this happen on TS. I want us to lift our game on evidence based debate in this area.
From now on, if you want to make any claims of fact about KJK, LWS, or anything to do with aspect of the sex/gender wars in NZ, please provide evidence at the time you make the claim. As always, evidence is an explanation in your own words, supporting quotes and links. – weka]
mod note.
I accept I did not link to the quote re the application for a discharge. Sorry Weka…
You’re still not getting it. The problem wasn’t a lack of link, it was that you grossly misrepresented the situation. Basically you made some shit up on a highly contentious topic. You claimed that the assaulter was getting a discharge without conviction, when in fact no decision has been made about this. You’re really close to getting a long ban, because I am sick of going over these things.
Anker – and that's why many older women I know don't plan to vote this year. Can't bring themselves to vote for NACT / Greens etc but feel Labour has let them down badly.
This is incredibly frustrating. Yes, the sex/gender issues are not good. But there are other ways to deal with this than handing the election to National and Act, who will most certainly act to harm women in multiple ways. In addition, this will make it harder to address the issues around women's sex based rights. Because the election is so tight, not voting in this election is a defacto vote for a RW government.
Unfortunately, many women believe that handing the election to Labour/Greens will also act to harm women in multiple ways. As they will take an election win as implicit approval to continue to implement their current pro-trans policy agenda without giving any regard to the protection of very hard-fought-for women's rights.
The explicit support from multiple GP and Labour MPs for the trans protest at the PP event in Auckland, AND their refusal to condemn the violence which ensued – makes this situation quite clear.
While the RW may, indeed, have worse longer term consequences for women's rights – the short term outcome looks considerably less threatening than the full-scale' anyone can self-declare as a woman' platform from the Left.
it's not longer term consequences though. Seymour is talking about draconian welfare reform. It will impact worst on women, as always. That's just one example. Housing, employment law and wage rates, these are all women's issues.
yes, I'm aware of this view, but it's superficial imo. There are two ways that gender ideology has been pushed back at political, legislative, policy and NGO levels. One is by a serious conservative backlash eg in the US, the other is by progressives working over the long term to make changes eg the UK.
When women choose the conservative route, they are playing with fire and putting many, many more women at risk than are currently at risk from self ID in NZ. We still have other ways of working on this issues in NZ. A L/G/TPM government won't stop those other ways and in fact make them much more likely to succeed. We need progressive solutions to GI, not regressive, reactionary ones.
Do you honestly think that the conservatives will stop at this? Or the conspiracy groups if it comes via NZF?
TBH I don't know. But I suspect that on the current political trajectory we're going to have a chance to find out.
Realistically, there is nothing that Labour can do about this. Any policy change they might make is going to be seen as too little, too late; and as an election bribe, rather than an trustworthy commitment. Hipkins lost this battle in the eye of public opinion when he fumbled the "What is a woman?" question.
The GP have made it very, very clear that they have no desire to roll back anything about their political stance on this issue – and indeed double down on it.
I do think equating the National Party (even with ACT involvement) with the hard conservative right in the US is a bridge too far. And, ignores ACTs socially liberal philosophy. They are probably the party in parliament least likely to be tied to any religious ideology.
It's not that Nact are the same as the US religious conservative politics, I was simply pointing out that there are two different pathways available to NZ women and the conservative one is dangerous. Some GC women are acting as if it's the only option, it's not.
What we need is for the left and centre right to change their position on GI. Because that will give us progressive and liberal policy and law rather than regressive. If it's left to the likes of Winston Peters or Luxon, we will get regressive and a door opening to worse.
Peters probably genuinely believes in single sex spaces, but it's significant that the NZF priorities list has no women's policies in it other than the GI one.
Act want to remove income support from drug addicts and remove privacy rights from disabled people on benefits. It's straight from the Paula Bennett playbook and Seymour is dog whistling NZ's bigots. He can't do that on women because we have too many women in positions of power here and too many Act voters that wouldn't put up with it. But he's doing it to Pasifica people.
There is nothing social liberal about any of that. If we're going to call GI a religious ideology, we should probably call Act's version of libertarianism a religious ideology too.
Well, yes, and we can call the Green Party doctrine religious ideology as well. You can call anything religious ideology – but it doesn't really help debate.
[NB: I did not describe GI as a religious ideology]
And, the tide in gender identity politics in the UK only really reversed (or began to reverse) when the SNP was threatened with a swingeing defeat at the polls (i.e. their constituency walked away from them). I don't see that as "progressives working over the long term to make changes". I see it as the same kind of electoral defeat the Left is courting in NZ.
The shift in UK Labour from TWAW to 'actually, we need to think about women's rights too' is from a long campaign by Labour members, MPs, and grass roots feminists. There have definitely been other events eg the Tavistock whistleblowers, various court cases, the MSM, what happened with the SNP, KJK and LWS and so on. But to get the buy in from liberals you have to have liberal arguments. It's progressives that have done that with Labour. And yep, it's in the context of Labour realising that it might cost them the next election, but again, that's the long campaign.
In NZ, we're not there yet. There are some people, ill advised imo, who are trying to bring the issues up this election (SUFW, the Women's Party), but the risk is that it costs the left the election, which from a left pov obviously is catastrophic. If the idea is that a term in opposition will force Labour and the GP to change their minds while the right are pushing back trans rights, I cannot see how this will change their minds.
What might change their minds is the large numbers of L and GP members and voters who don't believe that men should be in women's sport, and who understand the need for single sex spaces. But it takes time, care and process to make that change.
ok, so when you said Act were the least religiously ideological, were you talking about Christianity rather than GI?
I was talking about any organized religions – not just Christianity.
Belladona – I've to agree with your prediction. Replacing of the word women by so called ‘gender neutral’ language such that – women – no longer exist as a sex-based rights group. So you’ll get e.g. people’s wages, people’s housing rights and people’s employment’s rights.
And the more government regulations are non-specific the more employers/NGO make their own interpretations of the laws.
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” ― George Orwell
What rights as per wages, housing and employment apply to women and not others, or to others and not women?
Yes I know a few as well.
In the group of professional women I meet with who were/are so concerned about The Greens wealth tax and its affect on single women earlier on, there is a view from Friday's session that none would be voting for the Nats as:
1 Luxon is perceived to be in it for the status and would do anything to achieve it
2 His espoused religion (Prosperity Gospels) is perceived to be a big turn-off
3 He is 'creepy' !!!!!?
Labour/Hipkins with his bumbling on what is a woman and lack of knowledge on the issues is not held in much higher regard. Though I did get the feeling that the view is that his view is not innate unlike they perceive Luxon's views to be.
I have tried to encourage them to vote. We discussed the concept of least bad. One was going to vote party vote Labour only as the local Labour candidate is perceived to be anti women, another was going to spoil her vote.
https://www.speakupforwomen.nz/post/media-release-wellington-central-candidates-censor-free-speech
Shanreagh I seem to think you are in Wellington. You may want to raise this (or not ) with your Wellington friends.
Both Green and Labour Wellington Central candidates put pressure on Mt Vics electorate candidates to not ask questions about transgender (male bodied) in women's sports.
Patricia2 – it is frustrating- but I read the current political polling as against Labour/Greens rather than for Nat/Act. Nat leader is not liked by many and the more he gets interviewed the more you see how he tries not to answer questions. And instead tries to play this tape again and again.
Your alternatives are still TOP and of course the Women's Rights Party who seem to go from strength to strength. They are unlikely to get into parliament but its a clear message to the main parties something very fundamentally has gone wrong for women. Many of them are long time ex- labour and greens members/voters.
I consider the labour leader a decent person – but he seems to be ill informed on this subject, I assume he gets his info, if he gets it at all, from some very biased people – who seem to keep him away from the concerns of the other side. I've yet to hear him say publicly anything in favour of women's sex based rights or be curious to find out what is going on re the medicalisation of non-conforming teenagers.
But change will come for sure – and we will slowly work our way to the top to make it happen.
Listening to NatRad this evening – Caucus.
And one of the presenters made the comment (paraphrased) that this was not an election of personalities – that neither of the main leaders had any charisma – and so it came down to believability on economic management. Specifically that this was a Helen Clark election – and the winner (of the debates, and by inference the election), needed to be razor sharp and all over the detail of both their own policies and the opposition ones).
And, while they didn't feel Luxon fit that bill, they didn't think that Hipkins did, either.
Resulting in an election campaign which even the commentators are thinking of as lacklustre.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/caucus
Specific programme from this evening not yet listed – but this is where it will be, when its up.
Thank you Anker – a very scary watch. Can't image the fear that the women must surely feel up and around the rotondo seeing the crowd getting out of hand, coming towards them and hell band on driving the women out town with pure force.
Lets hope the police on the 20th September realise that its actually their task to keep the fractions apart.
Thanks Tabletennis. I have all but given up posting on this site, but I do read what is on here a little.
I refrain from commenting too much, because I recognise that people here are worried about labour losing the election. Its tough fighting a political battle when its not going well
Here's a couple of thoughts –
The $2 million dollar houses that are to sold to foreigners will be investments or holiday homes very few will be rented therefore total hoiusing capacity will be reduced.
The NZer's that sell these mansion are mainly going to build/buy a replacement building a replacement mansion building takes capacity away from more needed projects to reduce NZ's significant housing and buying is going to fuel housing inflation
Barfly. I think they on Thursday night they said that 27% of houses in Queenstown were unoccupied. Maybe when those awful rules about warm safe homes are lifted by Nact, then there will be 27% more houses for rent?
And meanwhile we get this shit
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/132937917/queenstown-man-unable-to-get-a-house-to-rent-living-in-a-shack-in-the-bush
Way short of good enough to be called a shack to me
Queenstown has a very high proportion of holiday houses, always has. The rate of unoccupied dwellings will be higher than 27%. So it depends on how it is being defined. Are they excluding holiday houses? Including AirBnb etc?
I think the call from Nact was that having to comply with the "Healthy Homes" rules stopped house owners from renting out but with rules being undone by Nact, there will be no crisis in Queenstown. How kind are Nact!
I have no doubt that the health homes rules prevent some houses being rented. This is a consequence of lifting the standard of living of renters, and agree they're stupid af to think that removing the rules will somehow make things better, especially in a tourist town that allows rentals that are basically slums and lets labourers live on site in a tent.
One of the issues for Queentown is that holiday houses that were previously available as a seasonal rental eg over the ski season for workers, are now used for AirBnB because the owner makes more money for less wear and tear on the house.
Much of that comes down to QLDC not being willing to sort it out.
Nobody seems to have reliable stats on this….people talk about Wanaka being 40% empty houses most of the year
Based on a very unreliable sample data of 2 families I know living between Wanaka and Auckland. The Wanaka houses are used for long weekends every 2-3 weeks, combined with longer holidays of 1-2 weeks every school holidays & 3 weeks or so over summer.
So, yes, the houses are vacant for 'most' of the year – but the pattern of vacancy doesn't lend itself to home-rentals. It does (or can) lend itself to Air BnB occupations.
This is probably the pattern for most people with holiday homes. The old-fashioned idea that you just went to the bach over summer has changed, with modern transport links.
Yes you're about right there.
OOps Nicola. From the Newsroom Marc Daalder:
Another $100mil to account for?
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/nationals-landlord-tax-break-could-cost-100m-more-a-year?utm_source=Newsroom&utm_campaign=daa045f384-Week+In+Review+16.09.2023&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_71de5c4b35-daa045f384-95522477&mc_cid=daa045f384&mc_eid=88a3081e75
In around 2 weeks the polls will open and currently ALL the options are terrible in various aspects….what is one to do?
Sadly the (largely western) political class handed control of the economy to the international financiers and are now only able to impact things at the margins, and that control is now so entrenched that any attempt to loosen it will likely result in the cure being worse than the disease.
Hopium appears the only strategy …..and that is (unsurprisingly) reflected in our so called leaders.
The 'least bad' option is still a bad option.
I appreciate your dramatic phrasing, and the assessment is largely accurate but there is a fundamental problem; 'least bad' remains better than the rest, and not participating makes the 'more bad' more likely.
The path ahead will be fraught with difficulties, largely self-inflicted, we can't afford to give up now. I don't particularly believe in accelerationism, or taking the ‘black pill’, Hopium is better for us all. Politics has moved rightward so far that people have lost faith in collective action and this has neutered the organisations that have been advocating for any alternative political economy.
At the core, we need to realise that politics as it is practised every three years, is not sufficient; that we take care of each other and we can do that whether state wants to assist or not.
Ultimately, just because something will be difficult and possibly insufficient doesn't make trying to do it less necessary or less worthy.
very good arkie, thanks for that.
Alternatively it could be considered knowingly supporting something detrimental to society.
Im sure the rationalisation has been used before.
Society as it currently functioning IS detrimental to society and the planet. Trying to improve that, even marginally, is still an improvement; keeping the status quo keeps things getting worse.
It is a sort-of nihilist, teenaged-anarchist sentiment; "Don't vote, it only encourages them" and sure, representative democracy seems to limits our politics to casting a vote every three years, but that is not what all of politics is, it is happening all the time, all around us. Agitate, Educate, Organise! There is no rational reason for inaction, if we don't do anything things will only get worse. That is certainly detrimental to society and the planet.
Excepting it is the opposite of nihilism…it is a position of principle.
God bless the UAW.
It's on like Donkey Kong.
Posie Parker has abandoned her trip to NZ on the grounds that "the NZ Police, Border Control and politicians are corrupt and she fears they would not ensure her and her supporters safety." [my bold]
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/498122/posie-parker-cancels-trip-to-new-zealand-over-safety-concerns
In my view, a further example of her extremist positions we can well do without. We have enough fanatics creating societal damage without importing more of them from elsewhere.
Posy possibly could not raise the funds
What does this mean? She was asked not to go by her family after NZ police could give no assurances as to safety. Was she to have brought her own police force with her? Is that what the reference to money is about?
I think it's reasonable to assume that one of the issues was the large fee KJK would have had to pay for private security.
Why do we have to 'assume' anything re $$$ especially when the reasons given were about the fears for her safety from her family. Fears I can see are justified in view of the non- policing that occurred at Albert Park previously. I actually feel that she has a 'civil' right to be here and protected as she was the person assaulted by the tomato sauce thrower, she above all has a greater right to see the operation of justice than many others.
My opinion is that without her here the issue will slide away into wet bus ticket punishment as it seems likely with the person who assaulted the elderly woman. His solicitors have applied for a discharge without conviction.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/posie-parker-protest-activist-pleads-guilty-to-punching-elderly-woman-at-heated-auckland-trans-rights-protest/A5RG2HY2TJFLFKAP4OT7JLGIGU/
Is it just controversial women who have to bring or pay for their own policing?
The police seem to be able to protect people like Julian Batchelor OK but then he is a guy despite all his racist views. Perhaps that is the difference?
The column by Katrina Biggs gives a 'breath of fresh air' view on the issue of KJM and the cancellation of her trip to NZ.
https://aboldwoman.substack.com/p/kellie-jay-keen-is-not-coming-to?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1177996&post_id=137086819&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=wthj9&utm_medium=email
"As well as feeling disappointed that she wouldn’t be coming, there are many like myself who are devastated that our country has come to this – a handful of loud, lying, hateful, anti-women activists calling the shots with our police force, not to mention with our politicians. If either of the police or politicians exercised even the tiniest bit of professional discernment in their jobs, and unbiasedly listened to gender critical women as well, we may not have come to this pass. Instead, they’ve sold their souls to trans activists, and their minds to the stories trans activists tell. And, here we are."
Because KJK has talked about the costs of providing private security.
So her family's concerns about her safety are dismissed because somewhere, some time she has mentioned private security payments. Private security arrangements are never supposed to take the place of Police in combatting civil unrest. Private security close guard 'their person'. Private security have no role to combat public disorder except when it is afftecting 'their' person and have limited resources to protect even then.
Only the Police have the right to arrest.
The idea that a visitor to NZ, especially from another common law country like the UK, having to supply their own army is anathema.
King John,the Magna Carta and the surrendering ot the ability to tax and raise private armies is all relevant to our democarcy just as it is to the UK.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_Carta
[no-one in this thread has dismissed KJK’s family’s concern about her safety. In my comment I said that cost was one of the issues. If you are unwilling to listen to and make sense of what people are actually saying, that degrades the debate. 4 week ban for misleading the debate and so soon after being warned about this. – weka]
That is absolute bullshit Shanreagh. I can hardly believe that an intelligent woman like yourself could make it. I'm not a huge fan of the police [for historical reasons] but to infer, as I believe you have done, that they disrespect women to the extent that they think them less worthy of protection has no bearing in reality.
Extremist positions?
"We have enough fanatics creating societal damage " I agree.
do you know how to crop screenshots on your phone? This image would be more readable if it was only the pink/blue bit.
Yes, I agree.
Didn't realise there was a crop option. Will try next time.
My comment re-extremists and fanatics was meant in a general sense and to cover both sides of the Left and Right spectrum. They both raise dangerous barriers in society. Whether or not she set out to do it is open to question, but Posie Parker's presence in NZ and the way she chose to attract attention only served to inflame the tension that already existed between two differing sets of people. To my mind that helps nobody.
While far from 'extremist' I find RNZs insistence of describing KJK as an "anti-trans activist" a tad misleading at best. Somehow it is highly unlikely The Disinformation Project will act.
Sure some of those whose gender is a big deal in their life might be comfortable with this framing. It ignores the wider issue of taking a position against 'professionals' who would seek to medicate or operate on minors to affirm their current identity.
"Posie Parker's presence in NZ and the way she chose to attract attention only "
How exactly was this done, and what did you find so objectionable about it?
KJK has been given copies of rsponses to OIA requests that give insight into the (in) actions of the police at Albert Park:
https://x.com/SimonRAnderson1/status/1702125388871475422?s=20
KJK is the MC of #LetWomenSpeak, the majority of time is given to women from each locale to speak – unvetted and uncurated.
There are four lines KJK says in each #LetWomenSpeak:
"Women don't have penises.
Men don't have vaginas.
Non-binary is a nonsense.
Transitioning children is profound abuse."
The fact that any of these sentences can be considered "extremist positions" should indicate the immense power gender ideology has attained in a very short time.
The latest #LetWomenSpeak from Dublin:
https://www.youtube.com/live/wV8uTh1Pq7s?si=AjUSZtN6hApiiFQm
Why can't we have women speaking? What is so threatening?
Have the police and the trans community actually listened to what is being said at these gatherings? Some of it is not on the trans issue/s (NB the whole world does not revolve around the trans issues).
At these gatherings I have heard all sorts of snippets about women's lives around the world and realised that our rights as women is a fragile thing. To me the issues as reported by Molly 17 September 2023 at 7:53 am are uncontroversial.
Numbers 1 & 2 rely on having a competent grasp of biology which everyone can have. Number 4 goes to the concept of childhood and the roles of parents and society to bring up children so that when our work is done (is it ever?) our children can have the confidence to go ahead in the world making their own decisions. Number 3 is a nonsense as it is framed by anti women protestors but perhaps could be framed as we accept how people want to identify themselves and make no comment as long as it is not illegal or 'frighten the horses'.
"Women don't have penises.
Men don't have vaginas.
Non-binary is a nonsense.
Transitioning children is profound abuse."
In NZ. for some reason, we find these views very difficult to grasp.
When all the dust has settled I would love to read scholarly research on why two countries such as Ireland and NZ have evolved so differently. particulalary interesting is that Ireland was a supplier of many immigrants to NZ. Ireland and Northern Ireland https://www.youtube.com/live/wV8uTh1Pq7s?si=AjUSZtN6hApiiFQm
had the Let Women Speak go ahead, noisy etc but they did go ahead. Belfast the protestors were positioned a fair distance away and the lines were policed.
https://www.speakupforwomen.nz/post/media-release-wellington-central-candidates-censor-free-speech
Shanreagh I seem to think you are in Wellington. You may want to raise this (or not ) with your Wellington friends.
Both Green and Labour Wellington Central candidates put pressure on Mt Vics electorate candidates to not ask questions about transgender (male bodied) in women's sports.
It is not over.
Each challenge as to accuracy and veracity of policy opens a few more eyes ears and leads to questions which show politicians' natures positions and flaws.
Three weeks is a long time in politics.
I hope someone has told Chris Hipkins about Chris Luxon being a National Secondary School Debate champion. (Another fudge )
The gap between the party blocks is not that large, that the movement of 40 000 people could sway the election.
It will be tight, and some seats could throw up some interesting positions.
Completely agree. Will be interesting to see what the polls after Nat's tax policy show. Maybe people don't care, maybe they do.
Bugger the polls!
Voter turnout is going to be deciding factor.
what's your thinking there?
In a nutshell, voting is an action based on political engagement and interest. Disengagement, possibly because of disillusion, seems to be winning on the Left and the opposite on the Right. The polls and their media reporting & portrayal and of the election campaigns would seem to support this notion.
In general, the Right can count [pun intended] on a relatively more stable voter turnout.
I think that the high turnout in 2020 helped Labour securing an absolute majority because it tapped into other segments of voters. The corollary is that a low(er) turnout in this General Election will undo much or all of this and possibly go even further …
https://elections.nz/media-and-news/2020/2020-general-election-official-results/
https://elections.nz/democracy-in-nz/historical-events/2020-general-election-and-referendums/voter-turnout-statistics-for-the-2020-general-election/
would this not be offset by RW voters not bothering to vote because they think Nat will win anyway?
I don't think Nats think this way Weka……from my experience with my Nat family and friends. They tend to vote regardless of what the Polls are saying (perhaps despite what the polls are saying) as they see it as a civil duty.
I agree. Especially in the older age brackets (and IIRC, National voters tend to be weighted towards the 40+ age bracket) and the middle class – voting is much more a civic duty – regardless of whether their candidate is likely to be elected or not.
I liked this from Francisco Hernandez,
"Don't watch the polls, become the polls."
https://twitter.com/Fran4Dunedin/status/1702819633861181587
Problem is weka @10.1, there tends to be a lag from the time a policy flaw – even a major one – is revealed and the voters picking up on it. It can take a few weeks at least before the response starts to show in polling. Hipkins and Shaw in particular will need to harp on about it right up to election day.
Yep. I think it's been running for a few weeks, but agree that it might not show in the immediate polls.
'slow motion execution' of Julian Assange.
The democratic facade is crumbling for any thinking person.
Must be a few who are happy about that, as they have sat and let the UK and US state to destroy Assange physically and mentally. With the added bonus to put the fear of god up journalist and publishers.
With written introduction.
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2023/09/the-slow-motion-execution-of-julian-assange/
A criticism of the acceptance of capitalism dominant (monopoly)
https://consortiumnews.com/2023/08/29/craig-murray-destitution-capitalism/
A generation of a dying democracy behind neo-liberal supremacy.
https://consortiumnews.com/2023/07/24/craig-murray-democracys-demise/
Great links SPC
Something that caught my eye on Stuff.co.nz today.
A comparison of all major parties' policies that encompass climate change or the environment.
If you look through ACT's response to all the questions posed then you could well believe that ACT still think climate change is a myth and a socialist trick.
Without exception they oppose EVERY initiative that has ever been done to reduce CO2 emissions and climate change, even some that National support (half-heartedly it must be said). ACT's attitude is not just irresponsible, it is downright criminal.
ACT care only about their own bank balances, nothing else matters. They are a bunch of wankers. We must keep them out of government to have any chance of giving our grandchildren and great grandchildren a planet they can live in.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/300956490/the-next-governments-environment-agenda-we-created-a-one-stop-shop-to-compare-parties‘
yep. So many reasons to fight with everything we've got for this election, and Act's position on climate is one of the big ones.
Oh I don't know.
We may get a government that is scared of the people for a change.
I mean act can say and do what it likes, but if it changes any progress on global boiling then I and many others will make it hard for them to govern.
Hard for them to do anything really.
So they can say what they like, but reality is a harsh task master.
we're already past the point with climate where people should be making it hard for the government to govern. And yet people are largely not acting and many want a RW government. Scared people vote conservative, they don't revolt.
Another term of a centre left government buys us time to convince more people that we need to build strong community and address climate front on. We can't do that under the right.
Last year the Ford CEO made $21 million and between them the big car companies forked out $5 billion in stock buybacks for wealthy investors.
Teddy Ostrow
@TeddyOstrow
“In their economy, workers live paycheck to paycheck while the billionaires buy another yacht… So we’re gonna wreck their economy cuz it only works for the billionaire class,” says @UAW prez Shawn Fain in Detroit.
https://twitter.com/TeddyOstrow/status/1702810700563800288
As the Big Three automakers barrel towards a potential stake from the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, Ford CEO Jim Farley has shared his sentiments about the matter. During a conversation with CNBC Overtime, a seemingly exasperated Farley stated that the UAW’s demands would have resulted in Ford going bankrupt.
The UAW’s demands include the restoration of defined benefit pensions for all workers, a four-day workweek, and a mid-30% raise, among others, as per a report from The Wall Street Journal. The UAW had initially targeted a 40% increase in wages for its members, as it matched the average salary hike that Detroit automotive executives received over the past four years.
https://www.teslarati.com/ford-ceo-jim-farley-uaw-proposal-bankruptcy
What a performance.
Stopping the 10 match streak of the high flying Knights. Warriors put 40 on the board against a worthy opposition. Off to Brisbane next week for a match with the Broncos who supposedly will have home advantage.
Up da Wahs.
Still plenty of room on the bandwagon.