“The richest 10 per cent of New Zealanders are wealthier than the rest of the population combined, according to figures cited by Oxfam NZ.”
So there it is, in black and white. But Bill English is still peddling the tired old trickle-down lie: “The best contribution the Government can make to support lower income families is to support a growing economy that provides more jobs and higher incomes.”
So whats new amirite? That in the starkest terms is the core of the Left Right divide, the old old debate about who gets what and why? And the continuation of the 10%ers domination is the starkest reminder that the “Centre” so beloved of the major parties is so easily bribed by “crumbs from the rich mans table” so long as they get first cut of the aforesaid “crumbs”.
In a nut shell the above is why I despise “centrist” politics.
The Oxfam report is on the wealth gap. English is presumably talking about the income gap. The wealth gap is the major problem, with the housing bubble leading the way.
I do not object to the wealthy having their wealth … but wish they paid a fair share from the results of their ability to help those without the ability …. Thomas Piketty makes a good suggestion in his book IMO
Have you read Picketty’s book?
He says National Debt would be quickly piad back so there would then be plenty for your dole Dumrse and all the other support programmes we believe in ….DTB is so mindset on the current situation that he cannot envisage where while covering everybody there is opportunity for those to improve on that if they have the opportunity and energy.
We need to stop valuing peoples worth to society and community by the mere dollars they pull in, to what they actually contribute to the lives of others in terms of learning and caring.
As opposed to what? Direct transfers whereby say the work and wealth generated by 90% of the population is directly redistributed to the top 10% of the population, as it is now?
The entire wealth distribution structure in place at the moment is woeful and does not serve the needs of the New Zealand community. At all. It needs changing.
I doubt very much doubt if it was ‘designed into the system’ as it is a natural progression for those who are fortunate to have a bit to spare over their daily needs and wisely invest it and it naturally compounds if not spent on immediate luxuries whathaveyou.
If you have a well thought out progressive taxation system there is plenty to support the socialistic values of ensuiring everybody is looked after to a reasonable level … that is the modification to the capitalistic system that is needed.
Though I imagine that a lot here would like to see the capitalistic system go to the wall and people would be enslaved by the beaurocratic regulations ensuring that nobody can improve themselves … aa very dull world indeed.
That is the lessons of history and Piketty’s research. Taxation doesn’t pay for anything, it’s people actually working that pays for everything. This also applies to the rich – they don’t pay for anything either and they also don’t produce any wealth.
The capitalist system does need to go to the wall simply because it doesn’t work. Will this end up with a boring world? Nope. If anything, I figure it would be far more interesting.
A world where the focus is on relationships, on people and on culture in communities. Nothing more interesting than that. Nothing more fucking boring and lifeless than the latest Bugatti.
Though I imagine that a lot here would like to see the capitalistic system go to the wall and people would be enslaved by the beaurocratic regulations ensuring that nobody can improve themselves … aa very dull world indeed.
Oddly enough, standardisation is absolutely demanded and required by the corporate world. From logo colours to memo character spacing. To the way employees are dressed to how the phone is answered.
No one complains of that being bureaucratic or stifling. It’s just the way its done.
That’s the way we need to push back towards, to find the path of being fully human beings again, nice thing is that people tend towards that way anyways – when they aren’t being misled and distracted by endless commercial, economic (and dare I say it – political) crap.
That is truly depressing. For two reasons – one, it makes life unbearably difficult for the bulk of the population relative to their neighbours; and two, it leads to the destruction of society (French revolution anyone?).
People that support that sort of system are scum bastards.
and two, it leads to the destruction of society (French revolution anyone?).
Seems to me like the US authorities are on to it, anticipating the likely rise of civil unrest when the combination of austerity, climate change disasters and oligarchy become irresistable.
Hence surveillance of everyone all the time, militarisation of the police, enabling US military to be deployed on US streets against US citizens, etc.
Oh, and then there’s the Minerva Research Initiative as described by Zero Hedge:
Such war-games are consistent with a raft of Pentagon planning documents which suggest that National Security Agency (NSA) mass surveillance is partially motivated to prepare for the destabilising impact of coming environmental, energy and economic shocks.
But that is just more lunacy. What do the authorities think such repression of already repressed people will do? Make the population bow down to their guns and jackboots?
Lunacy. Gns and jackboots are not the solution – all they will do is exacerbate the problem.
And any Americans thinking they can just uplift their wealth and relocate to somewhere “safe” like NZ backblocks better think again. They would be, and are, entirely unwelcome…
What a vision. I suppose you could couple that with phil Ure’s desire to have grass distributed to all on a daily basis, and then we could all sit around in our pyjama’s all day passing the bong around. No chance of any civilian uprising then eh.
Great messaage for kids entering the work force, don’t be too successul in what you do as we will just take it all from you in 10 years. Stirling stuff eh. In fact dont even bother about qualifing in anything as its easy just to sit on your arse and get a pay out. By the way the burger and liquor shops are going great guns.
Great messaage for kids entering the work force, don’t be too successul in what you do as we will just take it all from you in 10 years.
And there’s the problem right there – success measured in monetary terms. Meaning that future generations are herded and goaded into a reality where the systems surrounding production and distribution (ie, the market) will ensure their continued relative impoverishment.
Way to go.
Ever reflected on why it is that so many kids are told not to pursue their passion? Y’know, the passions, valuable as they may be, that can’t be monetised?
You are correct Bill . I agree that success should not be measured in only monetary terms.
I am looking at it from a tax perspective & redistribution perspective. You would like the Govt to redistribute wealth to the segments that do not have much. That requires people to generate wealth. If there is no wealth being created then it is very difficult for anyone to distribute anything.
For some strange reason you seem to think that the rich create wealth. They don’t. The poor do but the rich take that wealth from them because our present system is set up to allow them to do that.
What I did say is that some wealth is required if you wish to redistribute it.
You only need redistribution if the wealth wasn’t correctly distributed in the first place and the only place that it could possibly be redistributed from would be the rich.
Pretty childish of me I suppose but I thought I’d get a bite from a ‘Rob’ or a ‘Gosman’ or a ‘Srylands’ etc with that little lure. An’ I wuz rite!
You hang the bait in the water and the frothing misanthropes like Rob can’t help themselves.
(Watch this…)
Hey Rob, beneficiaries should be paid the living wage ay?
That’s very biblical of you Hamish, but you’re a little off on your numbers as according to Leviticus 25, debt is to be reset, slaves freed and property returned to the original owners every 50 years.
It was really scary “shit” a friend told me yesterday, about his recent medical review by WINZ. They are hard as nails now, and want to get sick and disabled into work, no matter what conditions. So he had a horrible experience a few years back, got another 2 years “grace”, and now they though it is time to “check” on his PERMANENT conditions again, whether Jesus may have appeared in his third coming, to heal him from all ailments.
The case manager did at first refuse all other info and records apart from the person’s GP’s medical certificate, now UK style called “Work Capacity Medical Certificate”. And the GP did this time not present too clear and conclusive info. So the case manager tried to question every entitlement, and was preparing the poor soul, desperate and scared to hell, given mental health issues, to basically move him onto the “jobseeker” benefit.
It took my mate a hell of an effort, to present all kinds of records, also a trusted psychologist’s one, to finally convince the manager, albeit rather reluctantly, as it sounded. Hell, there are things going on that scare me, it is not right what WINZ are doing to sick, injured and disabled now. If you can lift your hand and arm, they think you are “fit” to work, no matter what other condition. It comes back to David Bratt, WINZ’s Principal Health Advisor, likening benefit dependence to “drug dependence”, and that “mad” UK professor Mansel Aylward, who actually claims, most sickness is just in people’s minds. He calls it “illness belief”, all being just “psychological” fantasy, so to say, and the best “medicine” is work in open employment, competing with the fit and healthy. Do we live in a humane and honest society, or am I living a bloody nightmare here? Who else had bad experiences with WINZ in this area, I really would like to know. Study the following for your own well being:
‘WORK ABILITY ASSESSMENTS DONE FOR WORK AND INCOME – PARTLY FOLLOWING ACC’s APPROACH: A REVEALING FACT STUDY’
You and others may be interested to know that it is perfectly (?) legal for the Medical Appeals Board not to look at notes in coming to their decision around whether or not a person qualifies for Jobseeker (sickness with reduced work assessment), Supported Living, or Child Disability Allowance.
And I trust you have been here writehanded.org
ACCforum has a higher level of nutters than the average forum, mainly due I suspect to the abusive system forum members are subjected to.
Yes, ACC Forum has issues, and went downhill a bit, because of some there not being that honest and also getting at each other’s collars. I know what is going on there, and I ignore the bad stuff and read what is worth reading.
As for MABs, they have always had their own “rules”, being appointed by an appeals coordinator employed by MSD and WINZ, and of course always making sure at least 2 on a panel are “designated doctors”, chosen by Bratt and WINZ, and being favourable to WINZ.
This is nothing new, the whole system stinks, and what makes me so bloody angry is, that so many just shrug things off, and put up with all the BS, while people, no matter how sick and disabled, should get together with their fitter compatriots, to fight the damned injustice.
I know someone who has now the Ombudsmen Office on the attack line, as even they refused to even look at totally blunt evidence, of what goes on. It seems this country is with the upper echelons of admin and “public offices” so damned corrupt, it is not funny!
And yes, writehanded.org raised a fair bit, and justifiably, so I support Sarah Wilson, as I think her name is, she is due to her challenges still too cautious about it all, we need a full blown challenge and attack of the WINZ approach we now have. Who is “ready” for it, I ask?
@ xtasy…this may sound naive ….but …maybe there needs to be a Bill brought before the House to protect the rights of those with chronic mental health and physical health issues NOT to be harassed by WINZ into work….and where such people have been pressurized illegitimately with adverse and sometimes dire effects …WINZ can be sued! ( legal fees paid for by a publicly funded forensic health watch dog)
for example a person with schizophenia … who once would have been in sheltered care, which the state has now disestablished…but is now on compulsory medication and forced onto the streets with a health disability benefit ….is then pressurized by WINZ to be taken off their compulsory medication ( pressure brought on psychiatrists and mental health workers to get people off their lists, who seem to be coping and hence certified as capable of work)…. and this person is then by WINZ taken off their disability benefit and forced to hunt for work
….this can lead to a personal and public crisis…it can set chronically ill people back years…it could lead to suicide …..and in some cases such people forced into stress and work which they are not capable of by WINZ …could be a danger to the public as well
imo WINZ and the State has to be held accountable for the consequences of pressurizing chronically ill people off their disability benefits and to hunt for work
Depends on how it was set up and whether it was tory-proofed into the future. Prejudice against people with disabilities who are perceived as being blugers is entrenched in parts of NZ culture, including civil servants and NGOs. A UBI is not going to solve that issue for people with illness and disability who are dependent on the state for income, unless maybe the UBI is set higher for them. If they have to apply to any agency for a topup, then there are still going to be criteria that need to be met, and those criteria will be set by govt departments that currently practice discrimination (health or welfare). Even if the UBI was higher, it would still require testing for eligibility.
While I think that the UBI is impertative, we need to be careful not to think it will be an automatic panacea for people with disabilities. The work of dismantling prejudice could be done within WINZ and the health system as it is now, and it’s not, so what guarantees are there that a UBI scheme would be done differently?
…however another angle is enough free half way housing/homes/shelters which would go a long way to alleviating the problem for people with long term chronic disabilities…this seems to be a crucial area of need that needs addressing
eg in Christchurch they have had to requisition an acute mental health patient ward at Hillmorton…just to cater for the homeless with long term chronic health disabilities…seems like the need for free or affordable housing for people with long term chronic diasabilites is huge
Chooky, for those able to live in the community, still having manageable mental health issues, one would think that Housing NZ should look after them.
But learning a couple of years back, how they treated another mate of mine, also having mental and physical health issues leading to disability, they were at first damned anti his application, meaning they did not “trust” he was a genuinely deserving case.
He stayed in a cockroach infested, overcrowded and damp boarding house, and they still tried to argue he was “suitably housed”!
As he was close to breaking point, I assisted where I could, and we went to their regional head office and took other action, which they were not happy about. Only when he finally had a NZ Herald journalist take up his story and write about it, then suddenly, Housing NZ obliged with an offer within a week.
That is what we are up against, there is NO honest appreciation of person’s circumstances, it is all treated with one brush for all, and you have to basically end up in the gutter in too many cases, until the system kicks in and takes action. Ask the cops, they are dealing with endless misery stories all the time, expected to pick up the pieces at the bottom of the cliff, when it is often too bloody late. This government has NO HEART and NO SPIRIT, it dishonest and uncaring, and since Key and Nats got into power, things really turned nasty, we only do not hear much about it, because the media are bought off also, and happy to work with keeping this government happy and protected from too much criticism.
What we have is a situation, where doctors get off most malpractice and wrong decisions, as the HDC (Health and Disability Commissioner) is so far the ONLY institution to go to and make any complaint about breaches of the Code they are supposed to enforce and monitor. But last year’s report showed they had over 1,600 complaints, of which only just about 60 were “formally” investigated, and of those 42 had valid complaints about breaches by medical and health practitioners established.
Most cases are never seriously investigated, are dealt with through “advocacy” and “consultation” and “training” and so forth. The offending practitioners get at worst a kind of slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket “punishment”, and recommendations are made to “review” practice, and in some cases to “apologise” to the affected.
The ACC legislation does take away a lot of opportunities for affected to take action against doctors and other practitioners, as the right to sue was abolished. We have a situation where the Medical Council won’t usually act unless the rather useless HDC makes a referral to have a case investigated by them, and actions taken. Few cases ever go to the Director of Proceedings, and it is truly a disgrace what goes on.
What we need is to change the HDC Act to give the Commissioner some “teeth”, and to basically put in a requirement for investigations to be made, and certain sanctions being possible. As New Zealand has always struggled to maintain and afford a functioning health work force, the government is rather bending over backwards to not punish medicals too harshly. They need them, and they forgive too easily in too many cases.
As for assessors, like designated WINZ doctors, they are not strictly delivering treatment, so that gets them off the hook. They are not covered by the code for consumers of health and disability services that the HDC deal with. The same applies to persons like Principal Health Advisor for MSD Bratt, he is just an “advisor”, and thus does not even provide health services, so he gets away with comments and more, that are not what a usual doctor would get away with. The HDC also have a “memorandum of understanding” with ACC and probably MSD, so no serious actions will ever result in assessors making flawed assessments. It is indeed a gap in the law, so to say, why designated WINZ assessors and others get away with what they do.
It stinks, but even the opposition parties seem too damned inexperienced with medico legal matters, and too scared to take action in this area. So we have the status quo of “Gods” in white coats doing whatever they see fit, and one Mansel Aylward, the extreme UK professor, he even delivers them ideologically driven “science” to do what they wish to do, like tell sick and disabled, hey, you can still lift your arm, you can be a “signal giver” in roadworks then.
FFS I had enough of all this, but it seems at times it is a lost battle, as politicians are always just focused on the usual headline stuff, often trivial, and will do nothing to help people treated unfairly and disgustingly by WINZ and their “experts”!
“You and others may be interested to know that it is perfectly (?) legal for the Medical Appeals Board not to look at notes in coming to their decision around whether or not a person qualifies for Jobseeker (sickness with reduced work assessment), Supported Living, or Child Disability Allowance.”
So what are they basing their decision on?
Does anyone know if the review doctors and the appeal process are covered by the Health and Disability Act? I know WINZ itself isn’t, not being a health provider, but am curious how they’ve classified assessors.
Oh yeah, slightly off topic but there is a tender from an Australian insurance company for the ACC sensitive claims (% impairment) assessments. More oz crap contractors taking/attempting to take work from our specialised sexual abuse services.
Awww – yes, stuff to be worried about, and that is just the beginning, look at what they have done in the UK, and what they are planning there for the future, it is not getting easier or better.
If you do actually read the stuff on “work ability assessments”, that post on ACC Forum, also soon to be published (in bits) on nzsocialjusticeblog2013, you will see what is already happening here, how we get it all privatised, and it involves Australian players too.
People should take this bloody seriously, but sadly so many are not bothering to study and read stuff, they still rely their own GP, who is though, due to the AFOEM new policy on the “health benefits of work” (introduced by Mansel Aylward there, well received by former ATOS President of AFOEM, Dr David Beaumont, who also got a “reputation” with ACC claimants AND runs his own “rehab” outfit “Pathways to work”!) also being indoctrinated now.
GPs are now being trained to follow the new agenda, and Bratt and Aylward made sure, the NZ College of General Practitioners and the Medical Schools all adopted the dogma, and we have it taught there now, believe it or not, and most do not even get any idea of what goes on!
Had an email from an Opposition M.P. regarding some queries I posed earlier, and he said a lot of the G.P.’s were also being driven by policy from the DHB’s, which comes straight from the Minister. We are truly being shafted. This Government is the most corrupt in the history of this nation.
10% are wealthier than the combined wealth of the rest of the country. Not a virtue to be proud of. And none of that was done by hard work, just pure speculation.
Yes, talk about GPs, they are ALL now pressured or “convinced” to tow the ideologically driven “new approach” to work ability. It comes now in this part of the world from the AFOEM (Australaisian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine), who are also part of the RACP (Royal Australasian College of Physicians), and they invite the top propagator of the ideology, about the “health benefits of work” (paid open employment!), Mr Mansel Aylward from the UK, in 2010 to give them the pseudo scientific justification for all cost saving.
If only more would open eyes, ears and braincells, and start reading stuff of relevance, publicly available:
And yes, the CTU themselves fell for this propaganda approach, about the “work will set you free” mantra, and even one Helen Kelly signed it!
As I kept on challenging her and the CTU on this, she had a comment by me deleted on one of her posts. Fair enough, it may have been a bit “off topic”, but she has never answered to any challenges.
This whole stuff is now being drummed into each GP’s brain, and hence the government can faithfully rely on the collaboration of medical professionals in all this. The DHBs are very concerned about costs, so they will embrace it just to have another justification to save costs. The sick and disabled are told to “toughen up”, as Dr Bratt, Principal Health Advisor at WINZ and MSD says, benefit dependence is like “drug dependence”, I presented plenty of info on that before.
NZ is indeed corrupt, as this stuff was also presented to the Health and Disability Commissioner and is before the Office of Ombudsmen now, but it seems they want nothing to do with it!?
What kind of society has this country become? Are there any daring to speak up and out, and challenge all this? Too many just think of “number one” and are too scared to rock the boat, I am afraid.
With such vested interests and his background, also having “advised” ACC and MSD before, no wonder he loved to have Aylward come here and sell the UNUM Provident paid “research” presented here!
Professor Norman Finkelstein’s analysis of latest developments in the John Kerry-sponsored Israeli-Palestinian “Peace Talks”.
“If Kerry succeeds or if Kerry fails – either way, it’s a disaster for the Palestinians, who are caught between U.S.-brokered capitulation and the miserable status quo.”
So you believe williamson called the cops cos of a donation, that collins went out of her way to promote oravida cos of a donation, you cant have it both ways.
But the Herald can reveal Liu, 53, also paid $15,000 at a Labour Party auction in 2007 for a book signed by Helen Clark, the Prime Minister at the time, according to a party source.
All we fought for in Iraq is on the cusp of vanishing.
That’s what Mitt Romney says.
We fought for. We fought for. We.
Oh, so it’s we now, is it, Mitt?
We.
I must have missed you over there, but it was a busy place. We. The guy who helped set up “pro-draft” rallies and yet somehow managed to avoid service in Vietnam is upset about losing what “we” fought for? We.
Yeah, fuck you, Mitt.
And you’re all welcome to quote me on that.
Somebody stepped into my office yesterday and asked how I felt about it. He wanted to know how I felt about “losing” Iraq.
The reality is that the whole of the Middle East and beyond is going through a huge, agonising and protracted transition. We have to liberate ourselves from the notion that ‘we’ have caused this. We haven’t. We can argue as to whether our policies at points have helped or not; and whether action or inaction is the best policy and there is a lot to be said on both sides. But the fundamental cause of the crisis lies within the region not outside it.
Why the media still give that talking head airtime is beyond me. In fact, I’m still slightly amazed he’s avoided being prosecuted for war crimes but nonetheless..
Minor event happening in Ukraine in the next few hours. The “junta” (I wont give them any credit for their legitimacy) are laying bare the vacuity of EU backing of their cause. They are demanding Russia sells gas to them at a discount of over 35% of what the EU buys for. If they don’t get it they are threatening to walk away from their massive debt to their suppliers.
The Russia Gazprom are saying that they will cut the supply and demand pre-payment, the “junta” are threatening to cut supplies to EU as they transit Ukraine. The Kremlin are keeping quiet, a bad sign…..my suspicion is that the “bear” may just wake up angry and walk on in.
Russia is playing this very gradually step by step. Given that they have essentially been supplying Ukraine with free natural gas for many many months now they are being very patient – why? Because they want to demonstrate to Germany and other key EU states that they are giving their ‘valued commercial partner’ Ukraine the benefit of the doubt and all the due process available – and then some.
Which completely stymies US provocations aiming for Putin to militarily act rashly and justify a NATO move into Ukraine.
Very true: one wonders how the EU would react to the “puppet” regime denying them gas? It would really lay bare the disparity in interests between the Whitehouse and European economies.A true hot potato. As you say Putin very likely will just sit, all the cards are falling his way.
This is a recent interview where French media grilled Putin, during his visit to the Normandy commemorations. Over half an hour long of tough questions non-stop. Covering many topics, on Syria, on Ukraine, on Crimea, on Russia itself.
You got to hand it to Putin, he plays a very straight, statesman-like line in public.
Interestingly it’s only the period of her time as Minister for oravida that Collins didnt register overseas trips and their funding, in previous years she did so quite happily.
10 Overseas travel costs
Australia – joint Cabinet meeting and bilateral meetings. Contributor to
accommodation: Australian Government.
Her colleagues also happily declared their Chinese government funded trips.
I guess she is just too busy with her new portfolio
I have thought for some time there is a conflict/hypocracy in the Ukraine situation where it seemed that a demonstration led to the current Ukraine regime in a simular manner to how the Crimea changed hands … all very puzzling.
Further south it seems the abitary by western power[s] setting up of Iraq is now going to split into its natural parts with any luck despite the anguish of the west.
”Vote to end ACT Party rort in Epsom”, so says, apparently a Labour Party election pamphlet delivered to letter-boxes in the Epsom electorate, according to the Herald’s Clare Trevett that’s ”code” that Labour voters should vote for the National Party candidate,
If it were, ”code” that is, and i have my doubts, it would be pretty lame don’t you think, a real waste of paper, Labour would better serve it’s voters in Epsom, the Party, and, the country by simply telling Labour voters that a electorate vote for the National Candidate will rid them and us of the ACT Party and have Labour halfway to the Treasury Benches,
Micheal Wood, the Labour Party candidate for Epsom seems to know what is required having been quoted in the Trevett piece in today’s Herald as saying He is ”not campaigning for the National Party candidate yet”,
My opinion says that He should be tho, and openly, the sooner the ”party strategists” give Him the nod to do so the better…
Never gonna happen, Bad. A nod and a wink is as good at will get because the NZLP is never going to publicly support a Tory candidate. And nor should we.
Good O Te Reo, stuff the head back in the sand and pretend you can win the election while National ”gifts” electorates here, there, and, everywhere,
Dense seems a mild epithet to attach to such ”thinking”, Labour will not publicly support tactical voting to (a) get rid of ACT, and (b) ensure that they are more likely to be the next Government,
Is Te Reo tho saying that not ”publicly supporting” a tactical vote in Epsom means that it will do so via ”coded statements”,
Dishonest i would suggest could be added to Dense if that were the case…
As usual, you haven’t got a clue. Still, no doubt you’ll be equally appalled at the other party’s failure to endorse Paul Goldsmith. Looking forward to reading your condemnation of Hone’s dishonest and dense silence on the matter.
Neither Mana or in its new guise InternetMana have a presence of any size in the electorate that could sway the outcome in any way, the same cannot tho be said of Labour,
Your dragging into the conversation InternetMana vis a vis Epsom is simply more of your personal dishonesty, and, an unkind person would suggest that such personal dishonesty as you display is exhibited on a Party wide basis vis a vis the Epsom electorate…
Ooooh, hypocrisy alert! It’s only dense and dishonest if you’re a big party? Really? Presumably you think the Greens are are half dense and half dishonest. Doofus.
Te Reo, you need a name change, i suggest ‘Te Tupeke Pine’ as your debate consists of leaping from pin-head to pin-head,
If Labour cannot convince it’s voters in the Epsom electorate to vote for the National candidate then it is odds on that come September they will still be the opposition,
Sit down, man. Take control. You have done something to your brain. You have made it high. If I lay ten mils of Diazepam on you, you will do something else to your brain, You will make it low. Why trust one drug and not the other?
Hey Phil, stop whining and get out there and campaign.
If you’re out to change the government rather than sitting on your couch inhaling, great. But if you’re trying to tell any party what to do without some skin in this game, at this point you’re wasting your breath.
Never gonna happen, Bad. A nod and a wink is as good at will get because the NZLP is never going to publicly support a Tory candidate. And nor should we.
Yeah but there was plenty of public support for Douglas, Caygill, Prebble, et al
one of the people living at our address got a letter from john key. The other two did not. I wonder how they decide who in the epsom electorate to send the mailout to?
“Labour would better serve it’s voters in Epsom, the Party, and, the country by simply telling Labour voters that a electorate vote for the National Candidate will rid them and us of the ACT Party and have Labour halfway to the Treasury Benches”
Nope. Labour is simultaneously sending a message:
a) to Labour voters to back Goldsmith in order to help Labour, and
b) to National voters to reject ACT
Your suggestion only achieves one of those objectives.
The bouncer who tackled the streaker at the Dunedin test should be charged with assault. It was outrageous. Bouncers routinely assault and even kill people in NZ. They are a pseudo-police force and are out of control. The police need to investigate and charge imo as this sort of behaviour by bouncers is not even remotely reasonable.
It was a vicious unnecessary tackle and the employer of that bouncer should also be sued for negligence resulting in physical harm.
Also looking at how the streaker was dragged away from the field – what was that about – the streaker did not appear to put up any resistance whatsoever but looked like he was getting roughed up any way.
“It was a vicious unnecessary tackle and the employer of that bouncer should also be sued for negligence resulting in physical harm”
What an ignorant comment. It was a vicious unnecessary tackle but to suggest that it was his employers fault is typical left thinking. You are assuming this thug was instructed to do a vicious tackle. It is common knowledge that if you do an unsafe act at work that it is serious misconduct and if there is an injury you can be fined as well as fired.
“It was a vicious unnecessary tackle but to suggest that it was his employers fault is typical left thinking”
Remind never to contract you to provide me any type of service. Apparently you believe that once you employ someone to provide the service to me on your behalf that you are no longer responsible for the work.
Oh nakiman, I think that you’re assuming that the employer correctly trained the bouncer in question and had a full set of proper policies in place governing the use of physical force.
But I’m going to guess that there are big gaps there and the employer has liability.
Further, if it comes out that the employer at any time stated to the bouncers that a hard line was to be taken against any pitch intrusion, then the legal fun really begins.
You seen the sad on-line poll results? 70+% reflecting pathetic ‘macho’ opinions. Doubt those numbers would stack up the same if a streaking woman had been similarly tackled by a female security guard. I don’t quite get it though seeing as how there’s no homophobia in NZ these days.
Yep. Simple boofheads who don’t even realise what they are advocating, namely vigilante justice and the establishment of anarchy. Boofheads who don’t think is what they are … I hope they don’t get a vote at the election – imagine the sort of idiotic damage they could do ….
With the exit of its former leader John Banks, the Act Party is currently in what might charitably be called a rebuilding phase. Mind you, it still appears to be preaching the old time religion of plucky self-reliance – which is pretty amusing, given that its own survival in Parliament has long been reliant on electorate handouts from the National Party, a form of welfare set to continue in Epsom this year. How on earth Act rationalizes its policy stance on welfare with its own modus operandi in Epsom is anyone’s guess.
borne out of former labour cabinet ministers, preaching personal responsibility, particularly for law breakers, they are the definition of contradiction.
I hear that there is a new party being set up to oppose the use of 1080. I think it would be a good idea to start one that bans the use of private cars. Every day there are hurtful accidents, injuries and even deaths through the use of cars. People using them run over little children and kill them. They spread pollution and result in the high use of imported oil which has to be paid for from our precious export returns. Almost every holiday results in deaths, sometimes of adults and children, even whole families. Cars should be limited in availability just for taxi use, with more buses available, more frequently and good train services. Then more room for bikes, giving safer use of them.
So what about starting a Facebook campaign and build up interest and support to ban cars as death-causing bad technology causing untold harm. There is as much a case for this than that for banning 1080.
national will try and run a non campaign.
rely on photo ops and pr bullshit + crosby textor tricks and ruses.
Its going to be very subtle but very powerful.
get ready for the ride!
amy adams has begun by blaming auckland council for aucklands housing problems.
When the supercity was being pimped, cos we didnt get to vote, it was that as a single behemouth we could make our own decisions. Of course the truth was the nacts wanted a single entity to impose its will on, rather than going through 8.
It is the councils fault, I heard Penny H say that Auckland house’s are expensive because its a great place to live and lots of people want to live here. These councillors want to become wealthy from a housing shortage and over priced housing that is why they don’t want to make more land available to build on.
The Internet Party has a petition up to:
“I agree that our Party Votes should have equal value. This means lowering the 5% threshold and removing the one-seat (coat-tails) threshold.”
This appeals to me regardless of Party loyalty. https://internet.org.nz/petition
New Zealand manufacturing activity fell for a second consecutive month in May to the lowest level in 17 months, with a decline in new orders and a rise in inventory suggesting demand is waning.
Yep, a ‘rockstar’ economy with no crisis in manufacturing | Tui.
Late yesterday there was a post up about the Kiwiassurance. I was sure it was on the NS??? There is now no sign of it. Am I going mad/senile?
Please someone release me from my doubt.
I must be senile Weka. I meant here on the The Standard. There was a post I am sure about Kiwiassure and a followup of DC giving speech. There is nothing in the comments or anywhere.
Would appreciate it if it could be confirmed that it had existed.
Coat-tailing should be removed.
*Threshold should be reduced to 3 % (or at most to 4%)
All the electoral commission recommendations should be implemented.
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS
Abolishing the rule that allows MPs to bring in other members after winning one electorate seat.
Lowering the party vote threshold from five to four per cent.
That there be a statutory requirement for the commission to review four per cent threshold after three elections.
Abolishing the overhang provision.
The ratio of electorate seats be fixed at 60:40.
Political parties continue to have responsibility for the selection and ranking party lists.
List MPs should be able to contest by-elections.
Candidates should be able to stand on the list and in an electorate.
Political parties should have to give a statutory declaration that
they have complied with their rules in selecting and ranking their list
candidates.
The government should not allow the immediate political interests of any single party get in the way of changes that strengthen our electoral system in the long term.
In its report the commission said,
“Relatively few changes were needed to the electoral system. but those we recommend are important. They would enhance public
confidence in the fairness and operation of our MMP voting system and
parliamentary democracy.”
CV, prefer 1%=1 seat, thus the issues on the periphery would get a full airing in the Parliament, Phillips animal rights and dope decriminalization being two where i see most here would be in agreement with that have no specific voice,
i am sure when thought about there are quite a few issues that while parties might have specific policies that address these such are always ”on the slide” in terms of importance as the various Parties look at what their various coalition options are and what each component of such a coalition might react like in the face of the peripheral issues,
my view is stuff the present political parties, true MMP would consign them to the same fate as the Dinosaur…
Why even have a threshold? It’s just a way of keeping out parties that have enough support to warrant 1-6 seats in parliament – elections therefore less accurately represent voter choice with a threshold than without.
The coat-tailing clause at least mitigates that somewhat – but then makes first-past-the-post electorate contests have undue relevance to the outcome of the election. I would also advocate preferential voting in electorates to make those seats also a fairer representation of voter preference.
Funny when the power went out in Auckland for a day back in 2006 the Troy scum screamed blue bloody murder. Well some of us in West Auckland have either no power or no hot water for a week – the Tory press does bugger all. Yesterday finally something said in Herald but only on full outage – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11274099
The problem with hot water not being available is still on going for many. Funny they just can’t get the hot water to work properly again. This is a major structural flaw. I have asked around and many tradesmen fell Auckland is a ticking time bomb, especially it’s power and sewage.
I remember some slimy opposition MP back in 06 ranting for weeks on the telly about how the power outage was a crime for all New Zealanders and a disaster for Auckland. It 2014 and these Tory slime are in power and the power is still fubar, and getting worse. Once again political advantage is, who can steal the most off the working folk of this country. Thanks Len and thanks National the party of sell and hope – I would say pray, but you are so self absorbed god would struggle to hear you through all that petty self congratulations.
Well,as well as it now happening under the Nats’ watch, the continuing outages seem to be a West Auckland problem. The central part of Auckland has been increasingly colonised by the well off, while parts of West Auckland, since 2010, are becoming increasingly ghettoised.
Folks in Parnell, Remmers, etc, probably don’t care much about the trials and struggles of Westies.
(b) National Party Values
We believe this will be achieved by building a society based on the
following values:
• Loyalty to our country, its democratic principles and our Sovereign as
Head of State
• National and personal security
• Equal citizenship and equal opportunity
• Individual freedom and choice
• Personal responsibility
• Competitive enterprise and rewards for achievement
• Limited government
• Strong families and caring communities
• Sustainable development of our environment
National = Equal opportunity Green/Labour/Internet Mana = Equal income
National = Rewards for achievement Green/Labour/Internet Mana = Tax for achievement
National = Sustainable development of our environment Green/Labour/Internet Mana = no development, industry closure and killing of cows
National = competitive enterprise Green/Labour/Internet Mana = nationalisation
Is it any wonder that National id polling so high?
I’m guessing because the last two Roy Morgan polls were good for National and bad for the left but don’t worry you’ll know if its good for the left if it gets its own thread:
If its still bad for the left it’ll get a mention in open mike 😉
[lprent: This has come up before. But usually in non-election year polls only get posts every 2-3 months because that is how long it takes before a trend becomes clear outside of the noise. Obviously the frequency increases in a election year. The probability that a poll is relatively good or bad for the left in a post seems to to unrelated. When I have time I often pull the graphs through in OpenMike.
However I really don’t like people attempting to say what we do and just lying about it. You know this. 2 week ban for stupidity. ]
So when national cabinet ministers signed off on novopay with at least one “mission critical” target unachieved (after renegotiating it twice and possibly with six other critical targets unachieved) and all are still in cabinet, how is that consistent with the value of “Personal responsibility”?
You are an idiot. Look at the history of the governments led by National and Labour. Every one of the great progressive achievements on economic and social issues were all instituted and delivered by Labour administrations because Labour represents the bulk of the society while National primarily represents the wealthy and the privileged. Fact! Open your eyes.
Labour does NOT represent the bulk of the nation and can barely hold over 31% support for the last couple of years, even as the economic situation gets grimmer and grimmer, and 300,000 kids live in poverty.
The polling figures and support may be low, but the policies and programmes of Labour help the bulk of the country, the workers, the families and ordinary people. That is the point.
Former National Business Review owner Barry Colman recently gave over $50,000 to the National Party in what is the wealthy publisher’s first contribution to the party that’s required to be disclosed.
Mr Colman paid $50,000 to the party earlier this month, on top of previous donations of $600 and $1520 in recent months according to recent filings of party donations over $30,000 on the Electoral Commission’s website.
Mr Colman’s previous donations to National were revealed in journalist Nicky Hager’s book the Hollow Men but were done in a way that didn’t require disclosure at the time.
The website also shows Conservative Party Leader Colin Craig sank a further $100,000 into his party earlier this month taking his total donations since the last election to $876,000.
He has said he intends funding the bulk of his party’s projected $1.5 million campaign costs.
A donation of just under $1.7 million shortly after the last election was the write-off of loans he made to the party during its 2011 election campaign.
NEWSFLASH! Barry Corbett is now OPPOSED to knife attacks The Panel, Radio NZ National, Monday 16 June 2014
Jim Mora, Barry Corbett, Finlay Macdonald
One night in January 2008, a Manurewa resident called Bruce Emery took a knife in his hand and chased 15-year-old Pihema Cameron down a street. Pihema Cameron, a Māori, had been tagging the fence of Emery, a Pākehā. When Emery caught the boy, he stabbed him repeatedly. The killing was shocking, and was regarded with horror and condemned by all decent people. But a significant and shameless minority took the opportunity to praise the killer. The leading cheerleaders for this exercise in depravity were most—not all, but most—of the hosts on the notorious right wing radio station NewstalkZB, who ran a campaign of denigration, night after night after night, for months on end, against the dead boy and his family. They took their lines almost verbatim from the demonic partnership of Emery’s lawyer Chris Comesky and the Sensible Sentencing Trust’s Imperial Wizard Garth “The Knife” McVicar, who insisted truculently that the killer was a “decent citizen” who had been pushed over the brink by the low-life scum that infested his neighbourhood.
The brutal campaign even made it onto National Radio for a short time. The day after the killing of Pihema Cameron, Christchurch city councillor Barry Corbett expressed his concern and sympathy—not for the victim, but for the killer. A chorus of outrage led to Corbett making a vapid apology, and a mealy-mouthed “clarification” of his statement.
But no disciplinary action of any kind was taken against him by Radio New Zealand. Bomber Bradbury was permanently banned after committing the monumental crime of criticizing the behaviour of the Prime Minister—but Corbett, who actually spoke out in favour of a knife-killer, faced no such sanctions, and indeed has continued to regularly appear on The Panel.
As anyone who listened to today’s show will have noted, Corbett is as vacuous and reactionary as ever, and judging by his unstinting support for the thuggish behaviour by a security guard at the football in Dunedin on Saturday night, he still supports extremely violent behaviour. But he seems to have somewhat lost his enthusiasm for knife attacks.
Just to show him that some of us haven’t forgotten what Corbett said six years ago, I sent Jim Mora the following….
Barry Corbett’s dishonesty and hypocrisy
Dear Jim,
Barry Corbett predictably came out in support of that brutal hit on the streaker. But he claimed that the violence happened because the victim “stopped suddenly”. In fact, the victim was standing still for some time before the security guard hit him. Corbett’s words were entirely misleading; whether or not they were deliberately misleading is not clear.
It’s perfectly acceptable for Corbett to voice his endorsement of a high-velocity assault on an unsighted man—but he is not entitled to his own facts.
It was also intriguing to hear Barry Corbett try to bolster his argument by invoking the stabbing of Monica Seles by a crazed spectator. What a difference to Corbett’s attitude in 2008, when he loudly spoke out in FAVOUR of the frenzied knife-killing of a teenage boy in Auckland.
Yours in concern at the quality of your guests, Morrissey Breen
Northcote Point
At 5:07 p.m. I received the following reply:
Thank you Morrissey; when Barry mentioned that the streaker had been on the move I wished I’d looked at the video again. Jim
Moz, while Corbett was clearly lying when he claimed to have watched the video several times and that he was convinced the security guard couldn’t have pulled out of the ‘tackle’, you don’t don’t do yourself any favours by referring to the Emery stabbing as frenzied or repeated. It was a single stab wound, and did not penetrate the full length of the blade. That fact is probably what saved Emery from an otherwise deserved murder conviction.
Moz, …you don’t don’t do yourself any favours by referring to the Emery stabbing as frenzied or repeated. It was a single stab wound, and did not penetrate the full length of the blade. That fact is probably what saved Emery from an otherwise deserved murder conviction.
Thanks for that, Te Reo. I guess I’ve just gotten into the pattern of describing it as a frenzied killing because no one has bothered to correct me before, and it’s become a pat formula by now. As you point out, it does no good to anyone to exaggerate like I have done here.
Anyway, it’s not Emery that disgusts me about this whole sordid business. Certainly, he committed a violent act, but he was remorseful and there seems to be little or no likelihood he will do it again. His vicious and cynical cheerleaders on the other hand, like Corbett, McVicar, Larry “Lackwit” Williams, Bruce Russell, “Whaleoil” and the rest of them, are beneath contempt.
It gives me a slight degree of pleasure to note that Emery’s rotten lawyer, Chris Comeskey, was eventually struck off for corrupt practices, and is now selling false teeth in the Australian outback.
Watch the tide turning on the “dietary fat is bad” mantra of the past handful of decades. Time magazine has front paged that the scientists were wrong, but appears to lay correct blame on the politicians and media who manufactured the mantra in the first place in the actual article (which is behind a paywall).
Sarcasm aside, your statement is still wrong. Medical science has its own set of flaws, both in terms of bias/corruption, and the mere fact that it can’t study everything. It also lacks the capacity to study things that fall outside its current models of understanding. There is evidence of many things that have never been studied. To say that the only valid medicine is that which has been through an RCT is daft beyond belief.
On the other hand, you are right, it’s all medicine, which is why there are such things as herbal medicine, or medicine wo/men ;-p
CV, you do medicine a disservice. It’s not just iatrogenesis that makes McFlock wrong, it’s that many alternatives models work better than mainstream ones 😉
Get your facts right. Increasing lifespan coincides with raised standards of living (better shelter, less over-crowding, better hygiene, better diet etc). Obviously medical science has helped on some areas, but much of the improvement is down to coal, gas and oil.
The irony of course is that had we combined alternative and mainstream approaches (the smart thing to do) we would have much better outcomes and would haven’t major fuckups like MRSA within half a century of the discovery of penicillin.
Get your facts right. Increasing lifespan coincides with raised standards of living (better shelter, less over-crowding, better hygiene, better diet etc).
Also, income levels as an independent factor separate from better access to healthcare or nutrition, is also a noted factor in improving longevity.
As you have so aptly described, it’s nothing to do with the myth (i.e. conceit) that modern scientific medicine has been the major demographic explanation to living longer.
But as income levels fall across the world, we can expect this to reverse as well.
Of course for individuals or very specific populations, modern medicine is indeed a life saver. But on a population basis, taking into account benefits as well as iatrogenesis and adverse effects, it doesn’t work out wholly positively.
Perhaps marginally so, except burning sage doesn’t screw you over with a limb losing hospital acquired infection (that’s the fat tail downside I’ve been mentioning).
The move from cut-throats to safety razors are what has prevented the most infections from shaving cuts since 1900. That’s health benefits due to industrial design and product technology improvement, in other words. Not medical care or antibiotics.
Just another little example of how medical care may have had some minor positive impact, but much less than other often overlooked non-medical factors.
Have to agree with CV on the statins McFlock. There should be some very red faces and big bloody lawsuits over the whole dietary fat = high cholestorol = heart diseases/diabetes thing. Anyone that values science should be appalled at what has been done with both the advice on diet, and the prescribing of statins.
Start with the link above, or Gary Taubes’ NYT article ‘What if it’s all been a big fat lie?’ and follow the trail.
My point is that I don’t particularly give a shit that science progresses and maybe changes direction in some cases. That’s how it works. And corporate involvement is a major kick in the nuts to scientific advancement.
But the fact remains that more evidence eventually overrules corporate influence. Asbestos, lead in fuel, CFCs, car safety – all evidence overcoming corporate influence.
So on balance, I won’t be suddenly giving medical-doctor-grade credibility to a certified pyramid therapiser who thinks tying a cat to my head will cure my cancer.
Calling modern primary care medicine “merely passable to crap” is just a fucking lie. It’s a lot better, as I said, than the alternatives that had us rebalancing humours or praying.
You obviously haven’t read. This isn’t about science progresseing and perhaps changing direction, unless you call an about turn progress. When Ancel Keys pushed the fat hypothesis, scientists at the time said he was wrong. Politicians followed the Keys’ line and then subsequent science fucked up. For decades. We now have 30 or 40 years of people having been given the wrong advice and this having led to a public health epidemic. You can downplay it all you like, but it just makes you look like a fundamentalist when the evidence is there to see. I’m kind of gobsmacked at your dismissal of the fat hypothesis issue given your involvement in public health promotion.
As for your criticism of alternative health, if you think this is about a certified pyramid therapiser, then you’re either incredibly ignorant, or extremely disingenuous. I’d actually go for the former because you come across as generally balanced in your understanding of information. The same fundy arguments you use were previously used against things like acupuncture that are now routinely available in the mainstream. It’s ok though, because thankfully people are still free to choose alternatives and don’t have to wait for the sanctioning from medical science when other bodies of knowledge are already leading the way.
Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is misleading, exaggerated, or flat-out wrong. So why are doctors—to a striking extent—still drawing upon misinformation in their everyday practice?
Studies which were preceded by practitioners practicing competently within their own body of knowledge and patients going to acupuncturists and medical doctors seeing that their patients were getting better and eventually studies being done. Which kind of proves my point: medical science drags the chain on this, alternative medicine leads the way. If medical science wasn’t so full of itself, we would be a lot further along.
But until those studies were done, acupuncture was indistinguishable from whatever therapy steve jobs chose to delay actual treatment for.
Consider this analogy:
in front of me is a plate of small granules. There are slight differences in colour, shape and texture. Some granule types are a wonder food that will cure my ills and make me an Adonis. Other granule types don’t do a damned thing. A third type might actually slowly kill me. A variety of folk with varying degrees of eye-glaze insist that different granules are the wonder food.
Calling modern primary care medicine “merely passable to crap” is just a fucking lie. It’s a lot better, as I said, than the alternatives that had us rebalancing humours or praying.
Oh FFS McFlock, what % of primary care medicine procedures are evidenced based on RCTs on meta-analyses?
25%? If you are lucky?
By your own standards you should be calling for 75% of primary care medicine to be ditched, right here, right now.
Do your own research. Like try and find out how much proven benefit an annual medical check provides (clue: next to none) vs how many doctors keep doing them.
But I suppose that suggesting an assertion without evidence means I should just believe you is good enough for someone who thinks medicine doesn’t need evidence.
Anybody esss wotchin Kemble Loive tunoite?
Re chasing Crims and the devasshun on ear mota ways?
Tork abeart stupudityt fuck!
We shud be fankful thet the only thung thet saves us from devastayshun is thet the crims (crumbs) are a wee bit fucker than the Police! )Or Please es Greffie calls ’em)
( Ans of course they’ve got the likes of Jude, en Greg, en an “Indy” Please Kwoiry Thority ta bek em all up.
mmmm – that 3rd whurl bolt hole is looking more trektuv by the day goan forwid (especially knowing Key and Co hav it nex on their genda to cum grovling for FTA’s and the like loik.
[loik loik hoik hoik)
I really should be thinking farts and funnies – except that it’s ekshully quite serious (goan forwid).
20 – 30 years ago when I used to have to attend the dad-in-laws Saturfay morning Gardeninf Sess in the local – listening him reminisce about Al Alamein and various other campaigns – and the individuals barious legacies in the Nu Zull Please, I never expected I’d have to be laughing like fuck about their 21st legacy of cowardice, lying, woosiness, – you frikken name it.
Gref Fuckn O’Connor eh? (I mean JUST for starters!)
Pardon the fuk fingers
‘g’s ken pear es ‘f’s en the loik – but you get the idea.
I’ve not changed the channel (3), and I’m now witnessing another round of stupid.
I feel really sorry for Joe Average policeman! Really I do. Their own worst enema is their supposed representative and foreskin of their welfare (Greg).
fisianis said he was going and not coming back.
did hooton get an order from crosby textor to keep sending this machine manufacted crap down the line.
national only believes in one thing and that is ling their own pockets.
I can here the shredders buzzing, the hard drive being nuked on the 9th floor from here
Conspiring to defeat justice
Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who conspires to obstruct, prevent, pervert, or defeat the course of justice in New Zealand or the course of justice in an overseas jurisdiction.
Compare: 1908 No 32 s 137
Section 116: amended, on 18 June 2002, by section 6(1) of the Crimes Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 20).
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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 → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
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 arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
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 Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The 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 ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Chartres, Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney shutterstockAhmet Misirligul/Shutterstock You go to the gym, eat healthy and walk as much as possible. You wash your hands and get vaccinated. You control your health. This is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqueline Hendriks, Research Fellow and Lecturer, Curtin University Children and young people may be seeing news headlines about men murdering women or footage of people rallying to call for action. Perhaps they or their friends have even gone to the protests. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Balanzategui, Senior Lecturer in Media, RMIT University ABC “Bluey mania” shows no sign of abating. Bluey’s season finale, The Sign, was the most viewed ABC program of all time on iView. A “hidden” follow-up episode, aptly named The Surprise, created ...
Labour market figures came in softer than the Reserve Bank had forecast, but they won’t be enough to move the needle on interest rates, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Unemployment ...
The campaign will engage the community and encourage submissions on the bill to the New Zealand government by the closing submission deadline of Friday 31st of May 2024 4pm. ...
The paper raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand's political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency plays in that. ...
The Urban Habitat Collective was an attempt to built an innovative new form of apartment building in Wellington. Here’s why it failed, and why the idea could still work, writes co-founder Bronwen Newton. When we started the Urban Habitat Collective in November 2018, we thought we were starting a revolution, ...
Two decades ago this week, a controversial law that attempted to define ownership of the foreshore and seabed prompted a formidable display of outrage and kōtahitanga as 15,000 marched to parliament. Jamie Tahana looks back.‘Hīkoi, hīkoi,” they chanted by the thousands as the biggest Māori march in a generation ...
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Why has New Zealand slipped from third to 12th on Quality of Death Indexes over the past decade or so? Hospice New Zealand Chief Executive Wayne Naylor has a list of reasons. “We don’t have a current national strategy – the Government hasn’t renewed our 2001 strategy, so we don’t ...
While women’s sport is exploding in Aotearoa and around the world, you still don’t hear a lot of talk about athletes and their periods, RED-S, breastfeeding and visible panty-lines. SASS (Suze and Sez Sports)Talk isn’t afraid to have that kōrero.LockerRoom founder Suzanne McFadden and Olympian broadcaster Sarah ...
On an unusually hot night in January 2019, a little boy’s lifeless body was found face up in a small town’s sewage oxidation pond. To the police, it was an open and shut case: three-year-old Lachlan Jones had run away from his home in the Southland town of Gore, climbed ...
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“The richest 10 per cent of New Zealanders are wealthier than the rest of the population combined, according to figures cited by Oxfam NZ.”
So there it is, in black and white. But Bill English is still peddling the tired old trickle-down lie: “The best contribution the Government can make to support lower income families is to support a growing economy that provides more jobs and higher incomes.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11274603
So whats new amirite? That in the starkest terms is the core of the Left Right divide, the old old debate about who gets what and why? And the continuation of the 10%ers domination is the starkest reminder that the “Centre” so beloved of the major parties is so easily bribed by “crumbs from the rich mans table” so long as they get first cut of the aforesaid “crumbs”.
In a nut shell the above is why I despise “centrist” politics.
Out of the top 10% it’s the 0.1% who run and own the nation
the other 9.9% are simply the paid professional lackeys, servants and careerists who enable that.
The Oxfam report is on the wealth gap. English is presumably talking about the income gap. The wealth gap is the major problem, with the housing bubble leading the way.
I do not object to the wealthy having their wealth … but wish they paid a fair share from the results of their ability to help those without the ability …. Thomas Piketty makes a good suggestion in his book IMO
I do as we can’t afford the rich.
So, let’s get rid of all of the nett tax payers? Who will fund my dole ?
You won’t need the dole, the government will provide you with a living wage job instead, building wind farms and railways.
I suspect that we’d get more taxes if we didn’t have the rich – about $5b dollars more in fact. And that’s without even changing the tax laws.
Have you read Picketty’s book?
He says National Debt would be quickly piad back so there would then be plenty for your dole Dumrse and all the other support programmes we believe in ….DTB is so mindset on the current situation that he cannot envisage where while covering everybody there is opportunity for those to improve on that if they have the opportunity and energy.
That fails to make any sense.
We need to stop valuing peoples worth to society and community by the mere dollars they pull in, to what they actually contribute to the lives of others in terms of learning and caring.
Radical concept, I know.
As opposed to what? Direct transfers whereby say 5 percent of the wealth of the top 10 percent is directly redistributed to the other 90 percent?
Not 5% of their wealth but 7% of their annual income with those at the bottom paying 0.5%
No, those ten percent shouldn’t have the level of wealth that they have in the first place as it’s detrimental for society.
It’s also very concentrated at the top, 1% having more than the bottom 70%.
As opposed to what? Direct transfers whereby say the work and wealth generated by 90% of the population is directly redistributed to the top 10% of the population, as it is now?
The entire wealth distribution structure in place at the moment is woeful and does not serve the needs of the New Zealand community. At all. It needs changing.
+1
A flaw in the monetary system
There’s no way that you can say that that channeling of the wealth to the few hasn’t been designed into the system.
I doubt very much doubt if it was ‘designed into the system’ as it is a natural progression for those who are fortunate to have a bit to spare over their daily needs and wisely invest it and it naturally compounds if not spent on immediate luxuries whathaveyou.
If you have a well thought out progressive taxation system there is plenty to support the socialistic values of ensuiring everybody is looked after to a reasonable level … that is the modification to the capitalistic system that is needed.
Though I imagine that a lot here would like to see the capitalistic system go to the wall and people would be enslaved by the beaurocratic regulations ensuring that nobody can improve themselves … aa very dull world indeed.
Hmmm
Wouldn’t beaurocratic regulations dictate how everyone will look beautiful?
btw, the “capitalism or 100% planned economy/communism” dichotomy is false. There are different flavours of anarchism and communitarianism, too
The capitalist system:
That is the lessons of history and Piketty’s research. Taxation doesn’t pay for anything, it’s people actually working that pays for everything. This also applies to the rich – they don’t pay for anything either and they also don’t produce any wealth.
The capitalist system does need to go to the wall simply because it doesn’t work. Will this end up with a boring world? Nope. If anything, I figure it would be far more interesting.
A world where the focus is on relationships, on people and on culture in communities. Nothing more interesting than that. Nothing more fucking boring and lifeless than the latest Bugatti.
Oddly enough, standardisation is absolutely demanded and required by the corporate world. From logo colours to memo character spacing. To the way employees are dressed to how the phone is answered.
No one complains of that being bureaucratic or stifling. It’s just the way its done.
+111
Uniformity has become the new norm. I remember when life was so much more interesting, diverse and people tended to help others.
That’s the way we need to push back towards, to find the path of being fully human beings again, nice thing is that people tend towards that way anyways – when they aren’t being misled and distracted by endless commercial, economic (and dare I say it – political) crap.
Also gosman, this line here “the wealth of the top 10 percent ” ….
is total bullshit. It is not the wealth of the top 10%, it is the wealth of the nation that the top 10% have managed to grab for themselves.
You are coming up short on the thinking stakes again. Quelle surprise…
What percentage would be acceptable?
In a survey of 5000 Americans, 9 out of 10 had this preference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vttbhl_kDoo
But who cares about the opinions of people who don’t have any money?
That is truly depressing. For two reasons – one, it makes life unbearably difficult for the bulk of the population relative to their neighbours; and two, it leads to the destruction of society (French revolution anyone?).
People that support that sort of system are scum bastards.
yep
Seems to me like the US authorities are on to it, anticipating the likely rise of civil unrest when the combination of austerity, climate change disasters and oligarchy become irresistable.
Hence surveillance of everyone all the time, militarisation of the police, enabling US military to be deployed on US streets against US citizens, etc.
Oh, and then there’s the Minerva Research Initiative as described by Zero Hedge:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-06-14/meet-minerva-research-initiative-pentagons-preparation-mass-civil-breakdown
But that is just more lunacy. What do the authorities think such repression of already repressed people will do? Make the population bow down to their guns and jackboots?
Lunacy. Gns and jackboots are not the solution – all they will do is exacerbate the problem.
And any Americans thinking they can just uplift their wealth and relocate to somewhere “safe” like NZ backblocks better think again. They would be, and are, entirely unwelcome…
The situation will eventually descend into insanity IMO.
Have a look at what they were willing to do with peaceful, young Occupy protestors.
http://www.theblaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Davis.jpg
then think about what the authorities would be willing to do if a real and substantial challenge to their position came up.
Hint – the USA were quite happy to do it to their own Japanese citizens in WWII
http://robledo.fromthefog.com/upstanders/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/related6.jpg
Every 10 years there should be a reset.
All wealth distributed evenly amongst everyone and then let people go for it for another ten years.
Reset all debt too.
What a vision. I suppose you could couple that with phil Ure’s desire to have grass distributed to all on a daily basis, and then we could all sit around in our pyjama’s all day passing the bong around. No chance of any civilian uprising then eh.
Great messaage for kids entering the work force, don’t be too successul in what you do as we will just take it all from you in 10 years. Stirling stuff eh. In fact dont even bother about qualifing in anything as its easy just to sit on your arse and get a pay out. By the way the burger and liquor shops are going great guns.
And there’s the problem right there – success measured in monetary terms. Meaning that future generations are herded and goaded into a reality where the systems surrounding production and distribution (ie, the market) will ensure their continued relative impoverishment.
Way to go.
Ever reflected on why it is that so many kids are told not to pursue their passion? Y’know, the passions, valuable as they may be, that can’t be monetised?
You are correct Bill . I agree that success should not be measured in only monetary terms.
I am looking at it from a tax perspective & redistribution perspective. You would like the Govt to redistribute wealth to the segments that do not have much. That requires people to generate wealth. If there is no wealth being created then it is very difficult for anyone to distribute anything.
For some strange reason you seem to think that the rich create wealth. They don’t. The poor do but the rich take that wealth from them because our present system is set up to allow them to do that.
Ragged Trousered Philanthropists all.
🙂
Draco , I did not say that rich create wealth at all. What I did say is that some wealth is required if you wish to redistribute it.
There is plenty of great entrepreneurial endeavours of great acheivers and great givers in society.
Its pretty bleak for everyone if there is no wealth anywhere.
You only need redistribution if the wealth wasn’t correctly distributed in the first place and the only place that it could possibly be redistributed from would be the rich.
Pretty childish of me I suppose but I thought I’d get a bite from a ‘Rob’ or a ‘Gosman’ or a ‘Srylands’ etc with that little lure. An’ I wuz rite!
You hang the bait in the water and the frothing misanthropes like Rob can’t help themselves.
(Watch this…)
Hey Rob, beneficiaries should be paid the living wage ay?
That’s very biblical of you Hamish, but you’re a little off on your numbers as according to Leviticus 25, debt is to be reset, slaves freed and property returned to the original owners every 50 years.
Every 7 years or 49 years are the classical interpretations.
It was really scary “shit” a friend told me yesterday, about his recent medical review by WINZ. They are hard as nails now, and want to get sick and disabled into work, no matter what conditions. So he had a horrible experience a few years back, got another 2 years “grace”, and now they though it is time to “check” on his PERMANENT conditions again, whether Jesus may have appeared in his third coming, to heal him from all ailments.
The case manager did at first refuse all other info and records apart from the person’s GP’s medical certificate, now UK style called “Work Capacity Medical Certificate”. And the GP did this time not present too clear and conclusive info. So the case manager tried to question every entitlement, and was preparing the poor soul, desperate and scared to hell, given mental health issues, to basically move him onto the “jobseeker” benefit.
It took my mate a hell of an effort, to present all kinds of records, also a trusted psychologist’s one, to finally convince the manager, albeit rather reluctantly, as it sounded. Hell, there are things going on that scare me, it is not right what WINZ are doing to sick, injured and disabled now. If you can lift your hand and arm, they think you are “fit” to work, no matter what other condition. It comes back to David Bratt, WINZ’s Principal Health Advisor, likening benefit dependence to “drug dependence”, and that “mad” UK professor Mansel Aylward, who actually claims, most sickness is just in people’s minds. He calls it “illness belief”, all being just “psychological” fantasy, so to say, and the best “medicine” is work in open employment, competing with the fit and healthy. Do we live in a humane and honest society, or am I living a bloody nightmare here? Who else had bad experiences with WINZ in this area, I really would like to know. Study the following for your own well being:
‘WORK ABILITY ASSESSMENTS DONE FOR WORK AND INCOME – PARTLY FOLLOWING ACC’s APPROACH: A REVEALING FACT STUDY’
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/16092-work-ability-assessments-done-for-work-and-income-%E2%80%93-partly-following-acc%E2%80%99s-approach-a-revealing-fact-study/
Also essential material to study is found here:
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/15463-designated-doctors-%e2%80%93-used-by-work-and-income-some-also-used-by-acc/
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/15188-medical-and-work-capability-assessments-based-on-the-bps-model-aimed-at-disentiteling-affected-from-welfare-benefits-and-acc-compo/
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/15264-welfare-reform-the-health-and-disability-panel-msd-the-truth-behind-the-agenda/
And also try a newer website, a forum with lots of similar info, search:
‘nzsocialjusticeblog2013’!
Link: http://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/
You and others may be interested to know that it is perfectly (?) legal for the Medical Appeals Board not to look at notes in coming to their decision around whether or not a person qualifies for Jobseeker (sickness with reduced work assessment), Supported Living, or Child Disability Allowance.
And I trust you have been here writehanded.org
ACCforum has a higher level of nutters than the average forum, mainly due I suspect to the abusive system forum members are subjected to.
Yes, ACC Forum has issues, and went downhill a bit, because of some there not being that honest and also getting at each other’s collars. I know what is going on there, and I ignore the bad stuff and read what is worth reading.
As for MABs, they have always had their own “rules”, being appointed by an appeals coordinator employed by MSD and WINZ, and of course always making sure at least 2 on a panel are “designated doctors”, chosen by Bratt and WINZ, and being favourable to WINZ.
This is nothing new, the whole system stinks, and what makes me so bloody angry is, that so many just shrug things off, and put up with all the BS, while people, no matter how sick and disabled, should get together with their fitter compatriots, to fight the damned injustice.
I know someone who has now the Ombudsmen Office on the attack line, as even they refused to even look at totally blunt evidence, of what goes on. It seems this country is with the upper echelons of admin and “public offices” so damned corrupt, it is not funny!
And yes, writehanded.org raised a fair bit, and justifiably, so I support Sarah Wilson, as I think her name is, she is due to her challenges still too cautious about it all, we need a full blown challenge and attack of the WINZ approach we now have. Who is “ready” for it, I ask?
@ xtasy…this may sound naive ….but …maybe there needs to be a Bill brought before the House to protect the rights of those with chronic mental health and physical health issues NOT to be harassed by WINZ into work….and where such people have been pressurized illegitimately with adverse and sometimes dire effects …WINZ can be sued! ( legal fees paid for by a publicly funded forensic health watch dog)
for example a person with schizophenia … who once would have been in sheltered care, which the state has now disestablished…but is now on compulsory medication and forced onto the streets with a health disability benefit ….is then pressurized by WINZ to be taken off their compulsory medication ( pressure brought on psychiatrists and mental health workers to get people off their lists, who seem to be coping and hence certified as capable of work)…. and this person is then by WINZ taken off their disability benefit and forced to hunt for work
….this can lead to a personal and public crisis…it can set chronically ill people back years…it could lead to suicide …..and in some cases such people forced into stress and work which they are not capable of by WINZ …could be a danger to the public as well
imo WINZ and the State has to be held accountable for the consequences of pressurizing chronically ill people off their disability benefits and to hunt for work
a UBI would solve this problem as well
“a UBI would solve this problem as well”
Depends on how it was set up and whether it was tory-proofed into the future. Prejudice against people with disabilities who are perceived as being blugers is entrenched in parts of NZ culture, including civil servants and NGOs. A UBI is not going to solve that issue for people with illness and disability who are dependent on the state for income, unless maybe the UBI is set higher for them. If they have to apply to any agency for a topup, then there are still going to be criteria that need to be met, and those criteria will be set by govt departments that currently practice discrimination (health or welfare). Even if the UBI was higher, it would still require testing for eligibility.
While I think that the UBI is impertative, we need to be careful not to think it will be an automatic panacea for people with disabilities. The work of dismantling prejudice could be done within WINZ and the health system as it is now, and it’s not, so what guarantees are there that a UBI scheme would be done differently?
Ok agreed about the UBI
…however another angle is enough free half way housing/homes/shelters which would go a long way to alleviating the problem for people with long term chronic disabilities…this seems to be a crucial area of need that needs addressing
eg in Christchurch they have had to requisition an acute mental health patient ward at Hillmorton…just to cater for the homeless with long term chronic health disabilities…seems like the need for free or affordable housing for people with long term chronic diasabilites is huge
Chooky, for those able to live in the community, still having manageable mental health issues, one would think that Housing NZ should look after them.
But learning a couple of years back, how they treated another mate of mine, also having mental and physical health issues leading to disability, they were at first damned anti his application, meaning they did not “trust” he was a genuinely deserving case.
He stayed in a cockroach infested, overcrowded and damp boarding house, and they still tried to argue he was “suitably housed”!
As he was close to breaking point, I assisted where I could, and we went to their regional head office and took other action, which they were not happy about. Only when he finally had a NZ Herald journalist take up his story and write about it, then suddenly, Housing NZ obliged with an offer within a week.
That is what we are up against, there is NO honest appreciation of person’s circumstances, it is all treated with one brush for all, and you have to basically end up in the gutter in too many cases, until the system kicks in and takes action. Ask the cops, they are dealing with endless misery stories all the time, expected to pick up the pieces at the bottom of the cliff, when it is often too bloody late. This government has NO HEART and NO SPIRIT, it dishonest and uncaring, and since Key and Nats got into power, things really turned nasty, we only do not hear much about it, because the media are bought off also, and happy to work with keeping this government happy and protected from too much criticism.
Too many vacant paper pushers on $45K pa and too many vacuous target setting line managers on $55K pa.
Anyone on staff who shows too much empathy or caring, they organisationally beat it out of you until you conform.
Chooky – if you ever have time, read some stuff under this link:
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/14923-health-and-disability-commissioner/
What we have is a situation, where doctors get off most malpractice and wrong decisions, as the HDC (Health and Disability Commissioner) is so far the ONLY institution to go to and make any complaint about breaches of the Code they are supposed to enforce and monitor. But last year’s report showed they had over 1,600 complaints, of which only just about 60 were “formally” investigated, and of those 42 had valid complaints about breaches by medical and health practitioners established.
Most cases are never seriously investigated, are dealt with through “advocacy” and “consultation” and “training” and so forth. The offending practitioners get at worst a kind of slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket “punishment”, and recommendations are made to “review” practice, and in some cases to “apologise” to the affected.
The ACC legislation does take away a lot of opportunities for affected to take action against doctors and other practitioners, as the right to sue was abolished. We have a situation where the Medical Council won’t usually act unless the rather useless HDC makes a referral to have a case investigated by them, and actions taken. Few cases ever go to the Director of Proceedings, and it is truly a disgrace what goes on.
What we need is to change the HDC Act to give the Commissioner some “teeth”, and to basically put in a requirement for investigations to be made, and certain sanctions being possible. As New Zealand has always struggled to maintain and afford a functioning health work force, the government is rather bending over backwards to not punish medicals too harshly. They need them, and they forgive too easily in too many cases.
As for assessors, like designated WINZ doctors, they are not strictly delivering treatment, so that gets them off the hook. They are not covered by the code for consumers of health and disability services that the HDC deal with. The same applies to persons like Principal Health Advisor for MSD Bratt, he is just an “advisor”, and thus does not even provide health services, so he gets away with comments and more, that are not what a usual doctor would get away with. The HDC also have a “memorandum of understanding” with ACC and probably MSD, so no serious actions will ever result in assessors making flawed assessments. It is indeed a gap in the law, so to say, why designated WINZ assessors and others get away with what they do.
It stinks, but even the opposition parties seem too damned inexperienced with medico legal matters, and too scared to take action in this area. So we have the status quo of “Gods” in white coats doing whatever they see fit, and one Mansel Aylward, the extreme UK professor, he even delivers them ideologically driven “science” to do what they wish to do, like tell sick and disabled, hey, you can still lift your arm, you can be a “signal giver” in roadworks then.
FFS I had enough of all this, but it seems at times it is a lost battle, as politicians are always just focused on the usual headline stuff, often trivial, and will do nothing to help people treated unfairly and disgustingly by WINZ and their “experts”!
“You and others may be interested to know that it is perfectly (?) legal for the Medical Appeals Board not to look at notes in coming to their decision around whether or not a person qualifies for Jobseeker (sickness with reduced work assessment), Supported Living, or Child Disability Allowance.”
So what are they basing their decision on?
Does anyone know if the review doctors and the appeal process are covered by the Health and Disability Act? I know WINZ itself isn’t, not being a health provider, but am curious how they’ve classified assessors.
Oh yeah, slightly off topic but there is a tender from an Australian insurance company for the ACC sensitive claims (% impairment) assessments. More oz crap contractors taking/attempting to take work from our specialised sexual abuse services.
It’s high time we looked after our own.
Awww – yes, stuff to be worried about, and that is just the beginning, look at what they have done in the UK, and what they are planning there for the future, it is not getting easier or better.
If you do actually read the stuff on “work ability assessments”, that post on ACC Forum, also soon to be published (in bits) on nzsocialjusticeblog2013, you will see what is already happening here, how we get it all privatised, and it involves Australian players too.
People should take this bloody seriously, but sadly so many are not bothering to study and read stuff, they still rely their own GP, who is though, due to the AFOEM new policy on the “health benefits of work” (introduced by Mansel Aylward there, well received by former ATOS President of AFOEM, Dr David Beaumont, who also got a “reputation” with ACC claimants AND runs his own “rehab” outfit “Pathways to work”!) also being indoctrinated now.
GPs are now being trained to follow the new agenda, and Bratt and Aylward made sure, the NZ College of General Practitioners and the Medical Schools all adopted the dogma, and we have it taught there now, believe it or not, and most do not even get any idea of what goes on!
Had an email from an Opposition M.P. regarding some queries I posed earlier, and he said a lot of the G.P.’s were also being driven by policy from the DHB’s, which comes straight from the Minister. We are truly being shafted. This Government is the most corrupt in the history of this nation.
10% are wealthier than the combined wealth of the rest of the country. Not a virtue to be proud of. And none of that was done by hard work, just pure speculation.
Yes, talk about GPs, they are ALL now pressured or “convinced” to tow the ideologically driven “new approach” to work ability. It comes now in this part of the world from the AFOEM (Australaisian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine), who are also part of the RACP (Royal Australasian College of Physicians), and they invite the top propagator of the ideology, about the “health benefits of work” (paid open employment!), Mr Mansel Aylward from the UK, in 2010 to give them the pseudo scientific justification for all cost saving.
If only more would open eyes, ears and braincells, and start reading stuff of relevance, publicly available:
http://www.racp.org.nz/page/afoem-health-benefits-of-work
http://www.racp.org.nz/page/racp-faculties/australasian-faculty-of-occupational-and-environmental-medicine/realising-the-health-benefits-of-work/may-2010-video-presentation-professor-sir-mansel-aylward/
http://www.racp.org.nz/page/racp-faculties/australasian-faculty-of-occupational-and-environmental-medicine/realising-the-health-benefits-of-work/october-2010-stakeholder-meeting-professor-dame-carol-black/
Their “President Elect” is a former ATOS man, a convinced one, who has with some others facilitated to get all this introduced “Down Under”:
http://www.racp.org.nz/page/racp-faculties/australasian-faculty-of-occupational-and-environmental-medicine/realising-the-health-benefits-of-work/latest-news/
Their idea of the role of GPs:
http://www.racp.org.nz/index.cfm?objectid=E1D5428F-B1BF-2C2F-7A247F80DC4F363C
The Position Statement on the Health Benefit of Work:
http://www.racp.org.nz/index.cfm?objectid=F07790EC-0F2D-D1EB-4298E5D44500162A
The Consensus Statement:
http://www.racp.org.nz/index.cfm?objectid=57063EA7-0A13-1AB6-E0CA75D0CB353BA8
And yes, the CTU themselves fell for this propaganda approach, about the “work will set you free” mantra, and even one Helen Kelly signed it!
As I kept on challenging her and the CTU on this, she had a comment by me deleted on one of her posts. Fair enough, it may have been a bit “off topic”, but she has never answered to any challenges.
This whole stuff is now being drummed into each GP’s brain, and hence the government can faithfully rely on the collaboration of medical professionals in all this. The DHBs are very concerned about costs, so they will embrace it just to have another justification to save costs. The sick and disabled are told to “toughen up”, as Dr Bratt, Principal Health Advisor at WINZ and MSD says, benefit dependence is like “drug dependence”, I presented plenty of info on that before.
NZ is indeed corrupt, as this stuff was also presented to the Health and Disability Commissioner and is before the Office of Ombudsmen now, but it seems they want nothing to do with it!?
What kind of society has this country become? Are there any daring to speak up and out, and challenge all this? Too many just think of “number one” and are too scared to rock the boat, I am afraid.
Dr David Beaumont, from the UK, another bought “expert”, formerly working for ATOS and thus serving the DWP and so there:
His LinkedIn profile:
http://nz.linkedin.com/pub/david-beaumont/2a/780/943
His business Pathways to Work:
http://www.pathwaystowork.co.nz/category/general-news
His ‘Fit for Work’ involvement:
http://www.fitforwork.co.nz/team
With such vested interests and his background, also having “advised” ACC and MSD before, no wonder he loved to have Aylward come here and sell the UNUM Provident paid “research” presented here!
NaziYahoo accuses Hamas……..80 Palestinians arrested……..remind me again how many Palestinian kids rot in IDF detention……..average stay etc etc. For throwing stones.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/15/israel-raids-hamas-kipdnapping-netanyahu
Love your work NaziYahoo……..against throwing stones.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.592352
All’s well……..Zionist ‘exceptionalism’ makes it so……..and the US Congress agrees……..so yeah, all’s well.
http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-04-22/west-bank-israeli-and-palestinian-kids-who-throw-stones-face-unequal-justice
Professor Norman Finkelstein’s analysis of latest developments in the John Kerry-sponsored Israeli-Palestinian “Peace Talks”.
“If Kerry succeeds or if Kerry fails – either way, it’s a disaster for the Palestinians, who are caught between U.S.-brokered capitulation and the miserable status quo.”
http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/the_kerry_initiative_the_next_round
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11274606
“Mr Cunliffe doubted there was any connection between Liu’s residency bid and his donation two years later.”
Actually, it sounds like the truth, Chris. However, I can understand why you might not be familiar with that concept.
Sounds like National’s ‘Research Unit’ has been furiously trying to dig up some dirt.
How many Labour MPs interfered with a police investigation?
So you believe williamson called the cops cos of a donation, that collins went out of her way to promote oravida cos of a donation, you cant have it both ways.
Jesus chris, talk about burying the lede:
..a book she DIDN’T EVEN WRITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lol felix
chuckle
Is that sort of like the painting she didn’t paint?
And surprise surprise, chris73 was spreading bullshit. According to Checkpoint, Labour has no record of any donation from Mr Liu.
Some people never learn !
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11274748
A mighty fine fuck you by Jim Wright.
.
All we fought for in Iraq.
All we fought for in Iraq is on the cusp of vanishing.
That’s what Mitt Romney says.
We fought for. We fought for. We.
Oh, so it’s we now, is it, Mitt?
We.
I must have missed you over there, but it was a busy place. We. The guy who helped set up “pro-draft” rallies and yet somehow managed to avoid service in Vietnam is upset about losing what “we” fought for? We.
Yeah, fuck you, Mitt.
And you’re all welcome to quote me on that.
Somebody stepped into my office yesterday and asked how I felt about it. He wanted to know how I felt about “losing” Iraq.
How do I feel about losing all we fought for?
I don’t know.
http://www.stonekettle.com/2014/06/absolutely-nothing.html
.
And Blair’s weaseling.
The reality is that the whole of the Middle East and beyond is going through a huge, agonising and protracted transition. We have to liberate ourselves from the notion that ‘we’ have caused this. We haven’t. We can argue as to whether our policies at points have helped or not; and whether action or inaction is the best policy and there is a lot to be said on both sides. But the fundamental cause of the crisis lies within the region not outside it.
http://www.tonyblairoffice.org/news/entry/iraq-syria-and-the-middle-east-an-essay-by-tony-blair/
He’s learned fine – he took the UK into an illegal war and has been richly rewarded for doing so.
Why the media still give that talking head airtime is beyond me. In fact, I’m still slightly amazed he’s avoided being prosecuted for war crimes but nonetheless..
A crisis is Iraq, John Key visits Obama, and a new NATO treaty signed in June 2012. What could go wrong?
Minor event happening in Ukraine in the next few hours. The “junta” (I wont give them any credit for their legitimacy) are laying bare the vacuity of EU backing of their cause. They are demanding Russia sells gas to them at a discount of over 35% of what the EU buys for. If they don’t get it they are threatening to walk away from their massive debt to their suppliers.
The Russia Gazprom are saying that they will cut the supply and demand pre-payment, the “junta” are threatening to cut supplies to EU as they transit Ukraine. The Kremlin are keeping quiet, a bad sign…..my suspicion is that the “bear” may just wake up angry and walk on in.
Russia is playing this very gradually step by step. Given that they have essentially been supplying Ukraine with free natural gas for many many months now they are being very patient – why? Because they want to demonstrate to Germany and other key EU states that they are giving their ‘valued commercial partner’ Ukraine the benefit of the doubt and all the due process available – and then some.
Which completely stymies US provocations aiming for Putin to militarily act rashly and justify a NATO move into Ukraine.
Very true: one wonders how the EU would react to the “puppet” regime denying them gas? It would really lay bare the disparity in interests between the Whitehouse and European economies.A true hot potato. As you say Putin very likely will just sit, all the cards are falling his way.
This is a recent interview where French media grilled Putin, during his visit to the Normandy commemorations. Over half an hour long of tough questions non-stop. Covering many topics, on Syria, on Ukraine, on Crimea, on Russia itself.
You got to hand it to Putin, he plays a very straight, statesman-like line in public.
So did Rick Barker declare the trip to Chongqing in the pecuniary interests register. I assume he just went to Chongqing on the way to the airport.
Is Barker’s partner on the board of Liu’s cement company?
I believe so.
He was on holiday, so, no, he wouldn’t have put it on the register. Does Key put the rounds of golf the American taxpayer shouts him on the register?
Yes he does.
Barker was at the time not traveling as a Government Minister, He was traveling as a private citizen…
so was Collins….oh wait a minute
Interestingly it’s only the period of her time as Minister for oravida that Collins didnt register overseas trips and their funding, in previous years she did so quite happily.
10 Overseas travel costs
Australia – joint Cabinet meeting and bilateral meetings. Contributor to
accommodation: Australian Government.
Her colleagues also happily declared their Chinese government funded trips.
I guess she is just too busy with her new portfolio
I have thought for some time there is a conflict/hypocracy in the Ukraine situation where it seemed that a demonstration led to the current Ukraine regime in a simular manner to how the Crimea changed hands … all very puzzling.
Further south it seems the abitary by western power[s] setting up of Iraq is now going to split into its natural parts with any luck despite the anguish of the west.
”Vote to end ACT Party rort in Epsom”, so says, apparently a Labour Party election pamphlet delivered to letter-boxes in the Epsom electorate, according to the Herald’s Clare Trevett that’s ”code” that Labour voters should vote for the National Party candidate,
If it were, ”code” that is, and i have my doubts, it would be pretty lame don’t you think, a real waste of paper, Labour would better serve it’s voters in Epsom, the Party, and, the country by simply telling Labour voters that a electorate vote for the National Candidate will rid them and us of the ACT Party and have Labour halfway to the Treasury Benches,
Micheal Wood, the Labour Party candidate for Epsom seems to know what is required having been quoted in the Trevett piece in today’s Herald as saying He is ”not campaigning for the National Party candidate yet”,
My opinion says that He should be tho, and openly, the sooner the ”party strategists” give Him the nod to do so the better…
Never gonna happen, Bad. A nod and a wink is as good at will get because the NZLP is never going to publicly support a Tory candidate. And nor should we.
Good O Te Reo, stuff the head back in the sand and pretend you can win the election while National ”gifts” electorates here, there, and, everywhere,
Dense seems a mild epithet to attach to such ”thinking”, Labour will not publicly support tactical voting to (a) get rid of ACT, and (b) ensure that they are more likely to be the next Government,
Is Te Reo tho saying that not ”publicly supporting” a tactical vote in Epsom means that it will do so via ”coded statements”,
Dishonest i would suggest could be added to Dense if that were the case…
As usual, you haven’t got a clue. Still, no doubt you’ll be equally appalled at the other party’s failure to endorse Paul Goldsmith. Looking forward to reading your condemnation of Hone’s dishonest and dense silence on the matter.
Neither Mana or in its new guise InternetMana have a presence of any size in the electorate that could sway the outcome in any way, the same cannot tho be said of Labour,
Your dragging into the conversation InternetMana vis a vis Epsom is simply more of your personal dishonesty, and, an unkind person would suggest that such personal dishonesty as you display is exhibited on a Party wide basis vis a vis the Epsom electorate…
Ooooh, hypocrisy alert! It’s only dense and dishonest if you’re a big party? Really? Presumably you think the Greens are are half dense and half dishonest. Doofus.
Te Reo, you need a name change, i suggest ‘Te Tupeke Pine’ as your debate consists of leaping from pin-head to pin-head,
If Labour cannot convince it’s voters in the Epsom electorate to vote for the National candidate then it is odds on that come September they will still be the opposition,
Take some responsibility wont you…
it horrifies me that u may be ‘somebody’ in labour..t.r.p..
..and that you could somehow be indicative of their mindset..
..dumb as..!
Have you got the fear, Phil?
Sit down, man. Take control. You have done something to your brain. You have made it high. If I lay ten mils of Diazepam on you, you will do something else to your brain, You will make it low. Why trust one drug and not the other?
That’s politics, isn’t it?
Hey Phil, stop whining and get out there and campaign.
If you’re out to change the government rather than sitting on your couch inhaling, great. But if you’re trying to tell any party what to do without some skin in this game, at this point you’re wasting your breath.
Yeah but there was plenty of public support for Douglas, Caygill, Prebble, et al
Yeah, good call, CV 🙂 Though technically, Actoids aren’t tories.
one of the people living at our address got a letter from john key. The other two did not. I wonder how they decide who in the epsom electorate to send the mailout to?
“Labour would better serve it’s voters in Epsom, the Party, and, the country by simply telling Labour voters that a electorate vote for the National Candidate will rid them and us of the ACT Party and have Labour halfway to the Treasury Benches”
Nope. Labour is simultaneously sending a message:
a) to Labour voters to back Goldsmith in order to help Labour, and
b) to National voters to reject ACT
Your suggestion only achieves one of those objectives.
Iceland’s President on capitalism vs democracy (short video)
The bouncer who tackled the streaker at the Dunedin test should be charged with assault. It was outrageous. Bouncers routinely assault and even kill people in NZ. They are a pseudo-police force and are out of control. The police need to investigate and charge imo as this sort of behaviour by bouncers is not even remotely reasonable.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/10160784/Streaker-tackle-out-of-character-for-moonlighting-No-8
It was a vicious unnecessary tackle and the employer of that bouncer should also be sued for negligence resulting in physical harm.
Also looking at how the streaker was dragged away from the field – what was that about – the streaker did not appear to put up any resistance whatsoever but looked like he was getting roughed up any way.
“It was a vicious unnecessary tackle and the employer of that bouncer should also be sued for negligence resulting in physical harm”
What an ignorant comment. It was a vicious unnecessary tackle but to suggest that it was his employers fault is typical left thinking. You are assuming this thug was instructed to do a vicious tackle. It is common knowledge that if you do an unsafe act at work that it is serious misconduct and if there is an injury you can be fined as well as fired.
“It was a vicious unnecessary tackle but to suggest that it was his employers fault is typical left thinking”
Remind never to contract you to provide me any type of service. Apparently you believe that once you employ someone to provide the service to me on your behalf that you are no longer responsible for the work.
Oh nakiman, I think that you’re assuming that the employer correctly trained the bouncer in question and had a full set of proper policies in place governing the use of physical force.
But I’m going to guess that there are big gaps there and the employer has liability.
Further, if it comes out that the employer at any time stated to the bouncers that a hard line was to be taken against any pitch intrusion, then the legal fun really begins.
Wow………Naki’ launches furious attack on ‘vicarious liability’.
Unwittingly mind. He not having a fucking clue what it is……..obviously.
Well done Naki’ you poor thick bastard !
You seen the sad on-line poll results? 70+% reflecting pathetic ‘macho’ opinions. Doubt those numbers would stack up the same if a streaking woman had been similarly tackled by a female security guard. I don’t quite get it though seeing as how there’s no homophobia in NZ these days.
Yep. Simple boofheads who don’t even realise what they are advocating, namely vigilante justice and the establishment of anarchy. Boofheads who don’t think is what they are … I hope they don’t get a vote at the election – imagine the sort of idiotic damage they could do ….
Superb lines from Gordon Campbell:
With the exit of its former leader John Banks, the Act Party is currently in what might charitably be called a rebuilding phase. Mind you, it still appears to be preaching the old time religion of plucky self-reliance – which is pretty amusing, given that its own survival in Parliament has long been reliant on electorate handouts from the National Party, a form of welfare set to continue in Epsom this year. How on earth Act rationalizes its policy stance on welfare with its own modus operandi in Epsom is anyone’s guess.
http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2014/06/16/gordon-campbell-on-obamas-need-to-engage-with-iran-and-acts-need-to-engage-with-reality/
borne out of former labour cabinet ministers, preaching personal responsibility, particularly for law breakers, they are the definition of contradiction.
Heh, stalker economy.
http://pando.com/2014/06/11/al-gore-says-silicon-valley-is-a-stalker-economy/
I hear that there is a new party being set up to oppose the use of 1080. I think it would be a good idea to start one that bans the use of private cars. Every day there are hurtful accidents, injuries and even deaths through the use of cars. People using them run over little children and kill them. They spread pollution and result in the high use of imported oil which has to be paid for from our precious export returns. Almost every holiday results in deaths, sometimes of adults and children, even whole families. Cars should be limited in availability just for taxi use, with more buses available, more frequently and good train services. Then more room for bikes, giving safer use of them.
So what about starting a Facebook campaign and build up interest and support to ban cars as death-causing bad technology causing untold harm. There is as much a case for this than that for banning 1080.
national will try and run a non campaign.
rely on photo ops and pr bullshit + crosby textor tricks and ruses.
Its going to be very subtle but very powerful.
get ready for the ride!
amy adams has begun by blaming auckland council for aucklands housing problems.
When the supercity was being pimped, cos we didnt get to vote, it was that as a single behemouth we could make our own decisions. Of course the truth was the nacts wanted a single entity to impose its will on, rather than going through 8.
It is the councils fault, I heard Penny H say that Auckland house’s are expensive because its a great place to live and lots of people want to live here. These councillors want to become wealthy from a housing shortage and over priced housing that is why they don’t want to make more land available to build on.
What did you think of the unitary plan?
amy adams is a prune.
aye..!..if you had politicians as fruit/veges….she wd be a prune..
..whereas brownlee wd be the prize-winning giant pumpkin @ the country fete…
..bennett an over-boiled beetroot…
..and key a stick of rancid celery…
Spoken like a true veggie 🙂
Collins would be a lemon…
craig a limp stick of rhubarb..
..finlayson is a martini olive..
.and joyce wd b something sour..
..ryall is one of those strange pomegranete things..
..that everyone looks at..but no-one wants to eat…
..and of course english..as some form of lumpen-turnip…
..(only good for (slow-cooked) veggie-stews..)
Collins would be a sweet, juicy peach…
way past its’ eat/use-by date..
The Internet Party has a petition up to:
“I agree that our Party Votes should have equal value. This means lowering the 5% threshold and removing the one-seat (coat-tails) threshold.”
This appeals to me regardless of Party loyalty.
https://internet.org.nz/petition
despite being a likely beneficiary they want it gone. Cf ACT UF and national
the threshold should be lowered to 3%…
..i’ll start the animal-rights party then..
..neither left nor right..
..just there for the animals..
..people from right across the spectrum welcomed..
..they just have to want to end animal-slavery..
..it’s time to get cracking on that one..i reckon..
start it now. John banks is looking for a job in public service
heh..!
..first target:..
..the vivisectors..
NZ manufacturing falls for second month as new orders decline
Yep, a ‘rockstar’ economy with no crisis in manufacturing | Tui.
Late yesterday there was a post up about the Kiwiassurance. I was sure it was on the NS??? There is now no sign of it. Am I going mad/senile?
Please someone release me from my doubt.
What’s the NS?
I must be senile Weka. I meant here on the The Standard. There was a post I am sure about Kiwiassure and a followup of DC giving speech. There is nothing in the comments or anywhere.
Would appreciate it if it could be confirmed that it had existed.
Lower threshold to 3 percent – Harre
http://www.3news.co.nz/Lower-threshold-to-3-percent—Harre/tabid/1607/articleID/348719/Default.aspx#disqus_thread
In my opinion, the
*Threshold should be reduced to 3 % (or at most to 4%)
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS
they have complied with their rules in selecting and ranking their list
candidates.
The government should not allow the immediate political interests of any single party get in the way of changes that strengthen our electoral system in the long term.
In its report the commission said,
“Relatively few changes were needed to the electoral system. but those we recommend are important. They would enhance public
confidence in the fairness and operation of our MMP voting system and
parliamentary democracy.”
The threshold should be dropped to the equivalent of 1 seat in Parliament. Someone has posted that figure on TS before but I can’t find it.
From memory it was around 25,000 votes which would be the equivalent of 1 seat in Parliament, although I could be wrong.
A 3 to 4 seat caucus = 2.5% of the vote is a practical, productive grouping of MPs in Parliament.
That should be what the threshold is set at.
Multiple 1 MP caucuses will fragment Parliament too much.
CV, prefer 1%=1 seat, thus the issues on the periphery would get a full airing in the Parliament, Phillips animal rights and dope decriminalization being two where i see most here would be in agreement with that have no specific voice,
i am sure when thought about there are quite a few issues that while parties might have specific policies that address these such are always ”on the slide” in terms of importance as the various Parties look at what their various coalition options are and what each component of such a coalition might react like in the face of the peripheral issues,
my view is stuff the present political parties, true MMP would consign them to the same fate as the Dinosaur…
“..true MMP would consign them to the same fate as the Dinosaur…..”
..+ 1..
One other comment – a 3-4 seat caucus would prevent “single issue” parties from gaining Parliamentary traction.
If a political party wants into Parliament, it will have to stand for a broad range of policies, and not just a single issue.
as harre pointed out..3% is preferable for giving more a voice in parliament..
..and she noted the 4% in germany was only put in just after ww2..’cos of a fear of a resurgance of the far-right/nazis..
..there would be no more need for coat-tailing..
.and all ideas wd go out and argue/stand on their merits..
..and a 3% threshold would be a major strengthening of democracy..
..and would give us a much more representitive-parliament..
.and yes..the likes of craig wd likely b there.
..but if 3% of the population doubt the moon-landings happened..fear chem-trails..and think the earth is 10,000 yrs old..
..well i guess democracy dictates they too get a voice..
Why even have a threshold? It’s just a way of keeping out parties that have enough support to warrant 1-6 seats in parliament – elections therefore less accurately represent voter choice with a threshold than without.
The coat-tailing clause at least mitigates that somewhat – but then makes first-past-the-post electorate contests have undue relevance to the outcome of the election. I would also advocate preferential voting in electorates to make those seats also a fairer representation of voter preference.
Funny when the power went out in Auckland for a day back in 2006 the Troy scum screamed blue bloody murder. Well some of us in West Auckland have either no power or no hot water for a week – the Tory press does bugger all. Yesterday finally something said in Herald but only on full outage – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11274099
The problem with hot water not being available is still on going for many. Funny they just can’t get the hot water to work properly again. This is a major structural flaw. I have asked around and many tradesmen fell Auckland is a ticking time bomb, especially it’s power and sewage.
I remember some slimy opposition MP back in 06 ranting for weeks on the telly about how the power outage was a crime for all New Zealanders and a disaster for Auckland. It 2014 and these Tory slime are in power and the power is still fubar, and getting worse. Once again political advantage is, who can steal the most off the working folk of this country. Thanks Len and thanks National the party of sell and hope – I would say pray, but you are so self absorbed god would struggle to hear you through all that petty self congratulations.
paula used to care but she isnt a westie anymore she is an Upper T now.
You also have fewer judder bars than remuera epsom or mt eden. Your children and pets just arent as valuable
Well,as well as it now happening under the Nats’ watch, the continuing outages seem to be a West Auckland problem. The central part of Auckland has been increasingly colonised by the well off, while parts of West Auckland, since 2010, are becoming increasingly ghettoised.
Folks in Parnell, Remmers, etc, probably don’t care much about the trials and struggles of Westies.
oh they LOVE paula, even more now they know she was never a real Westie 😉
West of Auckland meet the East of Christchurch. Entitled to be ignored by those in power.
(b) National Party Values
We believe this will be achieved by building a society based on the
following values:
• Loyalty to our country, its democratic principles and our Sovereign as
Head of State
• National and personal security
• Equal citizenship and equal opportunity
• Individual freedom and choice
• Personal responsibility
• Competitive enterprise and rewards for achievement
• Limited government
• Strong families and caring communities
• Sustainable development of our environment
National = Equal opportunity Green/Labour/Internet Mana = Equal income
National = Rewards for achievement Green/Labour/Internet Mana = Tax for achievement
National = Sustainable development of our environment Green/Labour/Internet Mana = no development, industry closure and killing of cows
National = competitive enterprise Green/Labour/Internet Mana = nationalisation
Is it any wonder that National id polling so high?
how do you know roy morgan poll results in advance
I’m guessing because the last two Roy Morgan polls were good for National and bad for the left but don’t worry you’ll know if its good for the left if it gets its own thread:
http://thestandard.org.nz/latest-roy-morgan/
If its still bad for the left it’ll get a mention in open mike 😉
[lprent: This has come up before. But usually in non-election year polls only get posts every 2-3 months because that is how long it takes before a trend becomes clear outside of the noise. Obviously the frequency increases in a election year. The probability that a poll is relatively good or bad for the left in a post seems to to unrelated. When I have time I often pull the graphs through in OpenMike.
However I really don’t like people attempting to say what we do and just lying about it. You know this. 2 week ban for stupidity. ]
i didnt realise you and fisiani were the same person.
I’ve never been shy about jumping into a thread
So bad it wont get a mention.
so good Stuff and the herald haven’t even mentioned it yet… /sarc
So when national cabinet ministers signed off on novopay with at least one “mission critical” target unachieved (after renegotiating it twice and possibly with six other critical targets unachieved) and all are still in cabinet, how is that consistent with the value of “Personal responsibility”?
Fisi haw-haw. Sounds catchy…
Apia Rose…
You are an idiot. Look at the history of the governments led by National and Labour. Every one of the great progressive achievements on economic and social issues were all instituted and delivered by Labour administrations because Labour represents the bulk of the society while National primarily represents the wealthy and the privileged. Fact! Open your eyes.
Labour does NOT represent the bulk of the nation and can barely hold over 31% support for the last couple of years, even as the economic situation gets grimmer and grimmer, and 300,000 kids live in poverty.
The polling figures and support may be low, but the policies and programmes of Labour help the bulk of the country, the workers, the families and ordinary people. That is the point.
(speaking to the lies from fisi.)
..the greens are going into the election promising tax cuts..
..but don’t let facts get in the way of yr steaming-bullshit-fantasies….eh..?
and ‘sustainable development’..eh..?..national admit their policies will see out emissions increase by 50% over the next decade..
..and drill-baby-drill..!..mine-baby-mine..!..eh..?
..so that’s more steaming-bullshit from you..isn’t it..?
..and for ‘competitive-enterprise’..read ‘corporate-welfare’..for ‘friends-of-national’..
..so that’s three for three…eh..?
..you really are fucken full of it..aren’t ya..?
Granny herald reports today…
Former National Business Review owner Barry Colman recently gave over $50,000 to the National Party in what is the wealthy publisher’s first contribution to the party that’s required to be disclosed.
Mr Colman paid $50,000 to the party earlier this month, on top of previous donations of $600 and $1520 in recent months according to recent filings of party donations over $30,000 on the Electoral Commission’s website.
Mr Colman’s previous donations to National were revealed in journalist Nicky Hager’s book the Hollow Men but were done in a way that didn’t require disclosure at the time.
The website also shows Conservative Party Leader Colin Craig sank a further $100,000 into his party earlier this month taking his total donations since the last election to $876,000.
He has said he intends funding the bulk of his party’s projected $1.5 million campaign costs.
A donation of just under $1.7 million shortly after the last election was the write-off of loans he made to the party during its 2011 election campaign.
NEWSFLASH! Barry Corbett is now OPPOSED to knife attacks
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Monday 16 June 2014
Jim Mora, Barry Corbett, Finlay Macdonald
One night in January 2008, a Manurewa resident called Bruce Emery took a knife in his hand and chased 15-year-old Pihema Cameron down a street. Pihema Cameron, a Māori, had been tagging the fence of Emery, a Pākehā. When Emery caught the boy, he stabbed him repeatedly. The killing was shocking, and was regarded with horror and condemned by all decent people. But a significant and shameless minority took the opportunity to praise the killer. The leading cheerleaders for this exercise in depravity were most—not all, but most—of the hosts on the notorious right wing radio station NewstalkZB, who ran a campaign of denigration, night after night after night, for months on end, against the dead boy and his family. They took their lines almost verbatim from the demonic partnership of Emery’s lawyer Chris Comesky and the Sensible Sentencing Trust’s Imperial Wizard Garth “The Knife” McVicar, who insisted truculently that the killer was a “decent citizen” who had been pushed over the brink by the low-life scum that infested his neighbourhood.
The brutal campaign even made it onto National Radio for a short time. The day after the killing of Pihema Cameron, Christchurch city councillor Barry Corbett expressed his concern and sympathy—not for the victim, but for the killer. A chorus of outrage led to Corbett making a vapid apology, and a mealy-mouthed “clarification” of his statement.
But no disciplinary action of any kind was taken against him by Radio New Zealand. Bomber Bradbury was permanently banned after committing the monumental crime of criticizing the behaviour of the Prime Minister—but Corbett, who actually spoke out in favour of a knife-killer, faced no such sanctions, and indeed has continued to regularly appear on The Panel.
As anyone who listened to today’s show will have noted, Corbett is as vacuous and reactionary as ever, and judging by his unstinting support for the thuggish behaviour by a security guard at the football in Dunedin on Saturday night, he still supports extremely violent behaviour. But he seems to have somewhat lost his enthusiasm for knife attacks.
Just to show him that some of us haven’t forgotten what Corbett said six years ago, I sent Jim Mora the following….
Barry Corbett’s dishonesty and hypocrisy
Dear Jim,
Barry Corbett predictably came out in support of that brutal hit on the streaker. But he claimed that the violence happened because the victim “stopped suddenly”. In fact, the victim was standing still for some time before the security guard hit him. Corbett’s words were entirely misleading; whether or not they were deliberately misleading is not clear.
It’s perfectly acceptable for Corbett to voice his endorsement of a high-velocity assault on an unsighted man—but he is not entitled to his own facts.
It was also intriguing to hear Barry Corbett try to bolster his argument by invoking the stabbing of Monica Seles by a crazed spectator. What a difference to Corbett’s attitude in 2008, when he loudly spoke out in FAVOUR of the frenzied knife-killing of a teenage boy in Auckland.
Yours in concern at the quality of your guests,
Morrissey Breen
Northcote Point
At 5:07 p.m. I received the following reply:
Thank you Morrissey; when Barry mentioned that the streaker had been on the move I wished I’d looked at the video again. Jim
Moz, while Corbett was clearly lying when he claimed to have watched the video several times and that he was convinced the security guard couldn’t have pulled out of the ‘tackle’, you don’t don’t do yourself any favours by referring to the Emery stabbing as frenzied or repeated. It was a single stab wound, and did not penetrate the full length of the blade. That fact is probably what saved Emery from an otherwise deserved murder conviction.
Moz, …you don’t don’t do yourself any favours by referring to the Emery stabbing as frenzied or repeated. It was a single stab wound, and did not penetrate the full length of the blade. That fact is probably what saved Emery from an otherwise deserved murder conviction.
Thanks for that, Te Reo. I guess I’ve just gotten into the pattern of describing it as a frenzied killing because no one has bothered to correct me before, and it’s become a pat formula by now. As you point out, it does no good to anyone to exaggerate like I have done here.
Anyway, it’s not Emery that disgusts me about this whole sordid business. Certainly, he committed a violent act, but he was remorseful and there seems to be little or no likelihood he will do it again. His vicious and cynical cheerleaders on the other hand, like Corbett, McVicar, Larry “Lackwit” Williams, Bruce Russell, “Whaleoil” and the rest of them, are beneath contempt.
It gives me a slight degree of pleasure to note that Emery’s rotten lawyer, Chris Comeskey, was eventually struck off for corrupt practices, and is now selling false teeth in the Australian outback.
Nicely put, mon ami. And good news about Comeskey; a laugh out loud bit of imagery that one!
Watch the tide turning on the “dietary fat is bad” mantra of the past handful of decades. Time magazine has front paged that the scientists were wrong, but appears to lay correct blame on the politicians and media who manufactured the mantra in the first place in the actual article (which is behind a paywall).
http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/commentary-time-magazine-pushes-fat-myths-offers-mea-culpa-in-2014/22899
tl;dr dietary fat does not cause heart disease, obesity etc, refined carbohyrdates do. If you want to eat fat, eat it with veges not carbs.
And what about the bloody statins
Western conventional medicine, great when you are in a crisis, ranges from merely passable to crap every other instance.
still better than the alternatives.
Nah you’re wrong, and the reason that you are wrong is a fat probability tail of iatrogenics.
based on more evidence.
You know what they call alternative and complementary medicines that have evidence of efficacy? “Medicine”.
That would explain why Cam on Pubmed exists 🙄
Sarcasm aside, your statement is still wrong. Medical science has its own set of flaws, both in terms of bias/corruption, and the mere fact that it can’t study everything. It also lacks the capacity to study things that fall outside its current models of understanding. There is evidence of many things that have never been studied. To say that the only valid medicine is that which has been through an RCT is daft beyond belief.
On the other hand, you are right, it’s all medicine, which is why there are such things as herbal medicine, or medicine wo/men ;-p
CV, you do medicine a disservice. It’s not just iatrogenesis that makes McFlock wrong, it’s that many alternatives models work better than mainstream ones 😉
Yeah. That’s why lifespan has plummeted since scientific medical research started.
Get your facts right. Increasing lifespan coincides with raised standards of living (better shelter, less over-crowding, better hygiene, better diet etc). Obviously medical science has helped on some areas, but much of the improvement is down to coal, gas and oil.
The irony of course is that had we combined alternative and mainstream approaches (the smart thing to do) we would have much better outcomes and would haven’t major fuckups like MRSA within half a century of the discovery of penicillin.
Also, income levels as an independent factor separate from better access to healthcare or nutrition, is also a noted factor in improving longevity.
As you have so aptly described, it’s nothing to do with the myth (i.e. conceit) that modern scientific medicine has been the major demographic explanation to living longer.
But as income levels fall across the world, we can expect this to reverse as well.
Of course for individuals or very specific populations, modern medicine is indeed a life saver. But on a population basis, taking into account benefits as well as iatrogenesis and adverse effects, it doesn’t work out wholly positively.
who the fuck said “wholly positively”? It’s just a lot better than burning sage.
Perhaps marginally so, except burning sage doesn’t screw you over with a limb losing hospital acquired infection (that’s the fat tail downside I’ve been mentioning).
until you burn the house down 🙂
night night
“Some areas”.
Like everything from infant mortality to geriatric care.
MRSA? I’d rather cut myself shaving today than in 1900. Much less risky.
The move from cut-throats to safety razors are what has prevented the most infections from shaving cuts since 1900. That’s health benefits due to industrial design and product technology improvement, in other words. Not medical care or antibiotics.
Just another little example of how medical care may have had some minor positive impact, but much less than other often overlooked non-medical factors.
what bollocks.
Have to agree with CV on the statins McFlock. There should be some very red faces and big bloody lawsuits over the whole dietary fat = high cholestorol = heart diseases/diabetes thing. Anyone that values science should be appalled at what has been done with both the advice on diet, and the prescribing of statins.
Start with the link above, or Gary Taubes’ NYT article ‘What if it’s all been a big fat lie?’ and follow the trail.
read. Meh.
My point is that I don’t particularly give a shit that science progresses and maybe changes direction in some cases. That’s how it works. And corporate involvement is a major kick in the nuts to scientific advancement.
But the fact remains that more evidence eventually overrules corporate influence. Asbestos, lead in fuel, CFCs, car safety – all evidence overcoming corporate influence.
So on balance, I won’t be suddenly giving medical-doctor-grade credibility to a certified pyramid therapiser who thinks tying a cat to my head will cure my cancer.
Calling modern primary care medicine “merely passable to crap” is just a fucking lie. It’s a lot better, as I said, than the alternatives that had us rebalancing humours or praying.
You obviously haven’t read. This isn’t about science progresseing and perhaps changing direction, unless you call an about turn progress. When Ancel Keys pushed the fat hypothesis, scientists at the time said he was wrong. Politicians followed the Keys’ line and then subsequent science fucked up. For decades. We now have 30 or 40 years of people having been given the wrong advice and this having led to a public health epidemic. You can downplay it all you like, but it just makes you look like a fundamentalist when the evidence is there to see. I’m kind of gobsmacked at your dismissal of the fat hypothesis issue given your involvement in public health promotion.
As for your criticism of alternative health, if you think this is about a certified pyramid therapiser, then you’re either incredibly ignorant, or extremely disingenuous. I’d actually go for the former because you come across as generally balanced in your understanding of information. The same fundy arguments you use were previously used against things like acupuncture that are now routinely available in the mainstream. It’s ok though, because thankfully people are still free to choose alternatives and don’t have to wait for the sanctioning from medical science when other bodies of knowledge are already leading the way.
Something for you weka
Oct 4, 2010.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/11/lies-damned-lies-and-medical-science/308269/
sort of proves my point.
What was the reason for why it’s now routinely available in the mainstream? I seem to recall something about studies on its effectiveness…
Studies which were preceded by practitioners practicing competently within their own body of knowledge and patients going to acupuncturists and medical doctors seeing that their patients were getting better and eventually studies being done. Which kind of proves my point: medical science drags the chain on this, alternative medicine leads the way. If medical science wasn’t so full of itself, we would be a lot further along.
But until those studies were done, acupuncture was indistinguishable from whatever therapy steve jobs chose to delay actual treatment for.
Consider this analogy:
in front of me is a plate of small granules. There are slight differences in colour, shape and texture. Some granule types are a wonder food that will cure my ills and make me an Adonis. Other granule types don’t do a damned thing. A third type might actually slowly kill me. A variety of folk with varying degrees of eye-glaze insist that different granules are the wonder food.
Fuck ’em all. I’ll wait for the evidence.
Oh FFS McFlock, what % of primary care medicine procedures are evidenced based on RCTs on meta-analyses?
25%? If you are lucky?
By your own standards you should be calling for 75% of primary care medicine to be ditched, right here, right now.
cite pls.
Do your own research. Like try and find out how much proven benefit an annual medical check provides (clue: next to none) vs how many doctors keep doing them.
whatever, dude. You made the assertion.
But I suppose that suggesting an assertion without evidence means I should just believe you is good enough for someone who thinks medicine doesn’t need evidence.
Edit: I’m off to bed.
Easy way out.
Well, yeah. I’m not going to support his assertions for him when I don’t have any basis to believe them in the first place.
Anybody esss wotchin Kemble Loive tunoite?
Re chasing Crims and the devasshun on ear mota ways?
Tork abeart stupudityt fuck!
We shud be fankful thet the only thung thet saves us from devastayshun is thet the crims (crumbs) are a wee bit fucker than the Police! )Or Please es Greffie calls ’em)
( Ans of course they’ve got the likes of Jude, en Greg, en an “Indy” Please Kwoiry Thority ta bek em all up.
mmmm – that 3rd whurl bolt hole is looking more trektuv by the day goan forwid (especially knowing Key and Co hav it nex on their genda to cum grovling for FTA’s and the like loik.
[loik loik hoik hoik)
I really should be thinking farts and funnies – except that it’s ekshully quite serious (goan forwid).
20 – 30 years ago when I used to have to attend the dad-in-laws Saturfay morning Gardeninf Sess in the local – listening him reminisce about Al Alamein and various other campaigns – and the individuals barious legacies in the Nu Zull Please, I never expected I’d have to be laughing like fuck about their 21st legacy of cowardice, lying, woosiness, – you frikken name it.
Gref Fuckn O’Connor eh? (I mean JUST for starters!)
Pardon the fuk fingers
‘g’s ken pear es ‘f’s en the loik – but you get the idea.
I’ve not changed the channel (3), and I’m now witnessing another round of stupid.
I feel really sorry for Joe Average policeman! Really I do. Their own worst enema is their supposed representative and foreskin of their welfare (Greg).
Oh well …. more fool ’em eh?
Good shit OWT – I couldn’t understand a lot of it but you know most of our communications are non-verbal so… and I enjoyed trying to understand it.
Minister officially a waste of time and space…says same minister. 🙂
“Ms Adams said her Government had said all it needed to and she did not believe talking in person would add any weight to their arguments.”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/247309/dismay-at-criticism-of-auckland-plan
fisianis said he was going and not coming back.
did hooton get an order from crosby textor to keep sending this machine manufacted crap down the line.
national only believes in one thing and that is ling their own pockets.
John Key charged at the Auckland District Court with Conspiring to defeat justice.
lol wow.
Anyone else I’d say they were overreaching. McCready though – he’s as unpredictable success-wise as Winston Peters 🙂
I can here the shredders buzzing, the hard drive being nuked on the 9th floor from here
Conspiring to defeat justice
Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who conspires to obstruct, prevent, pervert, or defeat the course of justice in New Zealand or the course of justice in an overseas jurisdiction.
Compare: 1908 No 32 s 137
Section 116: amended, on 18 June 2002, by section 6(1) of the Crimes Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 20).
Enjoying the world cup ?
a lot of Brazilians certainly are not !
http://www.vice.com/en_uk/video