Gay marriage, class sizes, teacher performance pay, welfare reform rebshocker styles and many other well timed diversions push the asset sales into the dim background.
has anyone in our MSM picked up on the sell off of majority voting rights in the power companies effectively selling the control but still having 51% ownership…..that’s some whacky mixed model people.
Oh and where’s that blatant and opportunistic privacy breach our social welfare minister is guilty of up to in the process also.
Banks will implode, he’s promised one too many favours to the wrong person who expects a return on investment along with a media that’s been taken for a ride by their own unprofessional laziness in not pursuing many of shonkey and his mob sooner on basic governance and credibility issues.
Gay marriage should not become reality. Marriage has always been between a man and a woman, not same sex. It is something born of religion and in most substantial ways it remains a creation of religion. It should be up to religion, in many ways.
There are other ways for dealing with recognition of partnerships and ensuring that equal rights prevail, such as obviously civil unions. But referencing it as marriage – leave it alone. It is a cultural and heritage matter as well and I would guess most peple in NZ would want it left a man-woman matter.
Grant Robertson on backbenchers last night said that there were two ways marriage differed from civil union – one, the name, and two, adoption rules. Well, change the adoption rules if that is want people want, but leave the name out of it.
Marriage is a separate cultural institution and wants to be left as it has been since before any immigrants arrived in these lands. In fact, I would compare it to the first immigrants here and their desire to be separate and not mixed up with the rest of NZ. Maori have argued for a “special place” for a whole bunch of reasons. I would suggest that marriage similarly deserves a “special place”. Leave it alone, Get your own partnership.
Got any reasons to support that? I outlined some reasons why marriage as an ancient cultural institution which is part of our historical fabric and heritage should remain such. What are your reasons?
Why can’t marriage between a man and a woman be held as a special place in the country in the same way that maori argue and get a special place in the country?
because your wrong about the history, or ancient religious practices, think Spartans.
Look the case for those against same sex marriage would be a whole lot stronger if they supported civil unions from the outset. Unfortunately they come across as against others which is always a turn off point when it comes to debating the social fabric.
The problem I have when supporting man and women only marriage is the consequences.
That inevitable either a lot of people all go back to it, except same sex couples who are barred.
Or worse for people like you, that the word marriage becomes synonymous with bigotry exclusive sectarianism.
Ethical and moral what’s it matter what the official government refers to, marriage or civil unions, you know what it means to you, you’re just to up yourself to believe two individuals could love one another similarly like you and yours.
Yes, but you don’t show a lot of knowledge of the actual forms marriage took in ancient and modern times, vto. I’m not particularly interested in getting married myself, and think society gives it way too much importance – in my view coupledom should be an arrangement largely between consenting adults. In past times it was more like that, for instance in per-Christian European societies.
vto, I am a bit of a student of history (pre-, ancient and modern) and think you are being a bit cavalier with the facts. In western societies, marriages have evolved from merely making a statement to each other of commitment and not involving the state, bto, with the increasing role of Chritianity, becoming more something that has involved public rituals, the state, and formal recording of the partnerships.
With few local exceptions, until 1545, Christian marriages in Europe were by mutual consent, declaration of intention to marry and upon the subsequent physical union of the parties.[54][55] The couple would promise verbally to each other that they would be married to each other; the presence of a priest or witnesses was not required.[56] This promise was known as the “verbum.” If freely given and made in the present tense (e.g., “I marry you”), it was unquestionably binding;[54] if made in the future tense (“I will marry you”), it would constitute a betrothal. One of the functions of churches from the Middle Ages was to register marriages, which was not obligatory.
ie not even as formal as a civil union…. ditto for ancient Greece in per-Chrsitian times
Various types of same-sex marriages have existed,[51] ranging from informal, unsanctioned relationships to highly ritualized unions.[52]
In the southern Chinese province of Fujian, through the Ming dynasty period, females would bind themselves in contracts to younger females in elaborate ceremonies.[53] Males also entered similar arrangements. This type of arrangement was also similar in ancient European history.[54]
This article cites evidence of same-sex marriages in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, as well as through Asia and the Americas:
European conquest and colonization provides some of the best insight to marital and sexual practices of indigenous peoples across the globe. Examples of same-sex behavior, including transgenerational same-sex unions, have emerged everywhere from New Guinea to Polynesia (and were also prevalent in feudal Japan). The most numerous early accounts of same-sex, transgendered unions exist from European encounters with indigenous people in both North and South America.
[..]
Nevertheless, these same-sex marriages had equal cultural and legal recognition within their communities and offered special advantages for the couples, particularly for women berdaches (Rupp, Eskridge).
Similar berdaches and same-sex-style marriages were found among cultures
Historically, marriages have taken many forms and have constantly evolved. But I’m sure the facts are not going to get in the way you you advocating maintaining the status quo.
“No one culture owns marriage as a form of commitment.” Well, in fact it does. There are myraid forms of marriage in myriad cultures – surely you know that. So, leave this one alone too. Create a new one alongside it. Pretty bloody simple. Stop playing the victim I say.
Seems to be an unexamined element in your argument:
You say marriage exists over various cultures as a “separate cultural institution”, born of religion. You later imply marriage here is owned by “our” culture, especially before any further immigrants turned up.
Who is “our”?
So an Indian, Somali, perhaps Jewish, couple married here aren’t really married? Or if they then turn up to a colonial style christian picnic, for example, their status changes and they are no longer married – until they leave the picnic, then they are married again?
Or are you saying that gays and immigrants cannot be married using the phrasing, gods, symbols and rituals of “your/our” culture. Why not? What would happen? You’ll have to spell it out, because not everyone here is from your culture.
To have marriage owned by one (dominant) culture, and withheld from another, at face value, appears to be a divisive device. If all the legal benefits of marriage can be attained under civil union law, what is the name of final step you are trying to describe and protect, but not articulating?
It would be wrong of me not to acknowledge, and by doing so excuse, the racism in your post; or what is generally refered to as homophobia in modern terminology. It’s so obvious that I can only think it is motivated by fear of something you think is worse. So can we cut to the chase, because I’d be really interested to hear what religion (or culture) you identify with and why you think gays and immigrants are a threat to it.
“why you think gays and immigrants are a threat to it.”
I know uturn – it is impossible, absolutely impossible, to discuss anything about certain subjects in New Zealand with being labelled racist or homphobic or whatever else. Proof again. What on earth is that about? How do you get racism and homophobia out of that? Please do explain because it is total bullshit. And I am sick to death of being labelled such for daring to raise issues relevant to those certain topics. I knew it would happen with this post, and it has. I would suggest that it is those who so label who are the bigots.
(I have to race out and will try to pop back later).
Primarily, it is because your words – what your phrasing implies in the english language – describe racism and homophobia, in it’s general description. However, I’m not so dumb to think you fall so easiliy into either of those states, since there is no evidence of hate; even if I disregard your history of animated opposition to greenies, maori being maori, and sharks. I’m willing to accept the large hole in your description of opposition is evidence of you trying to articulate something before it has formed.
I don’t enjoy long drawn out arguments disguised as “debate”. It’s just a bore. You see what you see, I see what I see. If I told you what your words meant, you wouldn’t accept it. Your learning curve exists elsewhere. So if you please, answer the most important question:
(I’ll even re-phrase.)
Which religion (or culture) do you identify with and why is the prospect of gays and immigrants marrying within it’s cultural rituals a threat to it and society as a whole.
In fact, I’ll open that question up to anyone reading here. You can discard the immigrants bit, if it doesn’t apply to your view. If it is not a threat, you can explain that too.
Though I can’t speak for everyone reading, I promise not to call anyone else racist, or whatever else their words will show them to be on this matter; neither will I respond to any further posts on this topic.
Which religion (or culture) do you identify with and why is the prospect of gays and immigrants marrying within it’s cultural rituals a threat to it and society as a whole.
In fact, I’ll open that question up to anyone reading here.
As you’ve opened it to anyone else, I’ll say I am a Christian, Anglo-Catholic brand, and your bringing immigrants into the discussion is tawdry, irrelevant and an attempt to lend legitimacy to your special pleading by trying to tar vto as racist.
Marriage has existed in all known cultures. It still does. It’s not the same thing as living together (or common-law marriage as it was known when I was a child) or civil unions, etc. Marriage has a special character. I just don’t get why homosexual people even want to be married! Civil unions give people in them all the same rights, so what’s the issue?
The Mormons and the Muslims would have a problem with your dogmatic position vto.
I wonder in what way would we ordinary married folk be damaged or disadvantaged should Gay marriage become legal? Did the World stop when homosexuality became legal?
Bloody hell VTO, if you really want to have every faux leftist rainbow factional type on your case go for gold, be my guest.
Which brings me to another point: Damian OConnor last year had a go at the factional nature of the Labour Party and got hammered. I think he was right to say what he did. I believe it is about time the” nice to have” liberal bits such as gay marriage, rainbow rights, minority rights, save the whale etc became independent of Left or Right, and not the preserve of Labour.
(For the record VTO I dont have a problem with gay marriage, I think it should be a frontline NACT policy).
My point is clear and well founded – by reference to similar issues and reference to history.
If all the bigots want to label some redneck for daring to comment on “their” issues then that is “their” problem. They all need to simply grow up and get some decent thinking in train
You’re married when you sign the piece of paper. And that’s been the case for a hell of a long time. Any and all religious mumbo jumbo is beside the point as far as the law goes.
If the crown decided that one sect or another couldn’t marry people, ie that it wouldn’t recognise their mumbo jumbo ceremony, then those folks wouldn’t be married in the eyes of the law.
So why should the state choose one type over another? Why should they allow non-christian weddings but not allow homosexual ones?
The question is: Should the state say that the religuious aspect is more important than the legal aspect? It’s a no brainer. the state has no business with the religious side of it, so it shuld offer marriage as a purely legal contract. Like it, you know, does. So why should it deny it to homosexuals?
And don’t give me any of that malarky about kids either. Marriage has traditionally been about making sure that kids from the wrong side of the sheets don’t interfere with the orderly handing out of property.
Marriage has traditionally been about making sure that kids from the wrong side of the sheets don’t interfere with the orderly handing out of property.
Cynical nonsense! If that’s so, tell me why my dirt-poor grandparents bothered to get married, hey?
vto you have my full support. Bringing up children is a learning experience for the parents and the children. The few gays/ solo mums I know have very deep personal problems and never learn. They never progress. They should not be allowed children. (I hope that I am still learning.) Do not worry about your critics, they can only change the subject or stoop to personal abuse.
Let us take it one sentence at a time. “Bringing up children is a learning experience for both the parents and the children.”
Who thinks that they are fully mature adults and there is nothing left to learn?
Who thinks that they just about know it all. There might be a bit more but they can not imagine what?
Who thinks that they are an adventurer on the journey if life. It will be booring if there is nothing left?
Who is not prepared to face this question?
Are you reading this web site to ask questions or confirm what you believe?
I don’t particularly want to engage with you to be honest but that annoys me. No you are correct that it is a learning experience for both parent and children.
That’s not the part of your post that shows you are a close minded nut job. That would be the part where you admit you know only a few gays and solo mums and because you have decided the ones you do know have problems and don’t learn no gays should be allowed children (I assume you also extend this to solo mums as well?).
1. What % of the total gay population do you know deeply?
2. How many solo children know their father? We do not know why they are solo but could it be a symptom of something physiological? Were the men just there to prvide stud services?
Obviously there will always be exemptions but this does seem to be a trend, a symptom of something even more wide spread.
Obviously there will always be exemptions but this does seem to be a trend, a symptom of something even more wide spread.
See, if you were willing to learn you wouldn’t be spouting this shit that has been proven wrong and you’ve been here long enough to know that. Ergo, you’re a close minded fuckwit who thinks your prejudices are fact.
. How many solo children know their father? We do not know why they are solo but could it be a symptom of something physiological? Were the men just there to prvide stud services?
Lolwut? I was a solo mother, and I most certainly knew the fathers of my sons. (One ex husband, one ex – er… ) In the case of the latter, my son never knew his father, I knew him, but was very thankful that he chose not to blight his son’s life by his presence.
“Do not worry about your critics, they can only change the subject or stoop to personal abuse.”
you really are one messed up wackadoodle john72, i was thinking of going to town on your belligerent ass but reason and consideration prevailed. Reason being I accept some people are just vile pig-ignorant bigots and consideration that it is far more constructive to let you know that, then ignore you.
happy?, does that make you feel all satisfied and righteous?
I would hate to have disappointed your finely tuned understanding of human behaviour.
don’t worry about replying i won’t be commenting on anything you say, ever again.
Interesting vto. If we put marriage in NZ in a cultural context and look at our dominant culture’s anglosaxon roots, we see that state sanctioned marriage is primarily driven by the need to control women’s reproductive capacity and other freedoms, paternity, and land/asset rights. So I guess yes you could argue that that doesn’t apply to gay marriage.
To everyone above, appreciate the feedback and apologise for not being able to respond to each in some detail as points have been raised which scratch. Today’s day has turned to muck and I must away for some daze…
But two quick things. One, I have clearly not expressed myself accurately – a result of banging it out too quickly this a.m. Two, it is more like this nutshell, I am not arguing AGAINST a place for gay marriage, I am arguing FOR a place for heterosexual marriage all to itself. There are plenty of precedents for such in our world (example alreday provided) and I suggest that there should be made room for another – this one. . It . is . as . simple . as . that .
(and Weka, please do explain how it is racist to describe Maori as the first immigrants)
“(and Weka, please do explain how it is racist to describe Maori as the first immigrants)”
I’m not sure you were being racist vto. But how Maori came here, who got here first, etc has no relevance to your points, so why describe them as such? Is IS a term used by racists to undermine concepts of tangata whenua and treaty rights. Irrespective of how you intended it, its odd placement in your argument, without context, left it hanging out there alongside the views of racists.
Gay marriage should not become reality…
There are other ways for dealing with recognition of partnerships and ensuring that equal rights prevail, such as obviously civil unions. But referencing it as marriage – leave it alone. It is a cultural and heritage matter as well and I would guess most peple in NZ would want it left a man-woman matter.
…………..
… I would suggest that marriage similarly deserves a “special place”. Leave it alone, Get your own partnership.
NIMBY. Not in my back yard, says John Key, MP for the Hobsonville/Helensville area. The capping at 17 of the number of low wage entry level houses in this quality development in Hobsonville, on State Owned Land by A State Agency is a scandal. John Key knows how to stop affordable housing in his electorate. And he never heard of a 7ft German Squillionaire living in the most expensive house in his electorate: a Tui moment.
It was great to hear Anette King on National Radio fronting-up on the issue. Phil Heatley had not the balls to accept an invitation. We need all of our senior team fronting up as much as possible. Good work Annette.
It is a real pity that Labour can get up in arms about this foul NACT larceny BUT they still want to shut down economic policy debate and muzzle Cunliffe.
King was excellent in that interview – had all the background, facts etc. If I recall correctly, the interviewer made a strong point at least twice about Heatley refusing to front.
Annette King spoke well and made a good explanation. Phil Heatley as Minister of Housing is low on the pecking order as his low interest in state assistance with housing reflects the disinterest NACTs have in government involvement for supporting the mass of the people. The housing market is a great way of making money for business people who don’t want to roll their sleeves up and make something and possibly export it. It’s just rolling money around with so many clipping the ticket on its way past.
It’s ongoing since they brought state rents to market rates and forced people from their houses and towns to settle as strangers where the state had smaller units. In John Luxton’s time he was pictured amused at a housing protest – I think there might have been a haka performed.
Criminal A stole $6000 dollars worth of clothing, had his name and face all over the news and was sentenced to two years imprisonment.
Criminal B stole an undisclosed amount, had his name suppressed, wasn’t put before a judiciary to see if evidence was admissible or not and got off scott free.
Criminal A is Maori and comes from the general public while criminal B was a police officer and likely to be Pakeha. The Police’s “ethical standards” in this matter are a complete joke!
This reminds me of a recent film clip I watched about the lack of police standards, ethics and morality in the Stark County Ohio film clip from SHTF I think. The police there will say nothing against their own there. An organisation has kept a list of complaints some about serious crimes by the police and I think about 10% were investigated from I think 189 with few/none dealt with. They even harrassed and I think arrested someone who was asking for a complaint form.
We haven’t got there yet but these examples are bad signs.
on a side note:
The fingerprints statement is a little bit interesting.
” Officers’ fingerprints are recorded for elimination purposes, but it is not lawful for these to be used for any other purpose. ”
worst-case scenario: if a Police officer’s fingerprints are the only evidence found at a murder scene are they automatically excluded as a suspect due to elimination protocols?
Perhaps a court might have the ability to accept them as per the Urewera trials if the charge is serious enough.
I’m assuming this is something along the lines of fingerprints only being allowed to be collected and retained for evidence under certain rules/circumstances. Collection as part of police job may not fit those rules.
Criminal A received 2 years in prison and was paraded on TV. Criminal B could not be charged as legal advice showed not enough evidence to prosecute. You generally don’t parade around people who haven’t been found guilty, there is nothing to suggest what his race was and lost his job due to serious misconduct.
Implying racism where there is no evidence of racism is almost as bad as racism itself
You cannot know the value of the sunglasses Contrarian, it hasn’t been reported.
The police reported the officer allegedly stole three sets of sunglasses. Just incase you’re not aware, a set of sunglasses is made up of two or more pairs. So if the police are to be believed, at least six pairs of sunglasses were taken… value unknown. It appears these items were not recovered.
It’s my opinion that the police officer is more likely to be Pakeha than any other ethnicity. Do you know the difference between an opinion and a statement of fact Contrarian? Your claims that I’m being worse than racist because of an opinion based on statistical evidence makes you look like a prat!
Even the police recognize that there’s racism within the police force towards Maori and I’ve not seen a good rebuttal of Pita Sharples’ contention that:
“Maori are more likely to be questioned in the street by police than non-Maori… these are figures from reports that have come through [to me], numerous reports,” Sharples told the Sunday Star-Times.
“They are more likely to be taken to the [police] station, they are more likely to be charged … up to six or seven times more likely. The justice, police, courts and corrections processes are systematically discriminatory against Maori.”
Let’s put it like this then:
Criminal A stole $23,000 worth of clothing, $17,468 worth of the goods were recovered but $6000 is outstanding. The Maori male was sentenced to two years imprisonment.
Criminal B mislead investors to the tune of $127 million. The white male escaped a prison sentence, might do a few hundred hours community service and was ordered to make reparation approximate to 0.08% of the funds lost.
I’m wondering when Slater will call for the ex-officer to be gut shot!
No I asked “what ‘statistical evidence’ do you have?”
i.e. to what are you referring. But those stats are meaningless on their own. There are Chinese, Samoan, Tongan, Maori, British policeman. So what?
Did you ever see burt’s weird ‘obsession-with-the-standard’ blog?
Truly odd behaviour, participating quite heavily in the culture of a blog while you’re there, and then going elsewhere and pretending you’re an external uninvolved observer.
The Contrarian claims that it “sounds fairly standard,” that the fingerprints recorded for elimination purposes are inadmissible in a court of law. However this observation is based on sheer ignorance and misinformation…
There are many married couples that have deep personal problems and never learn. If such a couple is unable to have children, they may well find it difficult to adopt. A gay couple with ‘deep personal problems’ is also unlikely to be able to adopt, but why should the law otherwise discriminate? I know a couple in a civil union who would be excellent parents – why should they not at least have the option of applying? We hear stories of children passed from foster parent to foster parent and ending up severely disturbed and committing crimes – why not use the best resources we can to bring up child who have had to be removed from those couples and solo parents who have “deep personal problems”?
This is interesting. Mr Key said he had never heard of Mr Dotcom until the day before his arrest. And yet this from the Herald:
Speculation about the FBI’s interest in Kim Dotcom was passed across government departments and wound up in a report for ministers long before he was arrested, documents show.
Information described as “vague” was passed from one government department to another before being included in a report to Justice Minister Simon Power and Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson.
There is no way ministers didn’t know of him. This drive by the US to extradite citizens of other countries to face legal proceedings in the US because they broke copyright law within US jurisdiction (ie by using .com addresses which are ‘owned’ by the US) requires a lot of backroom ‘understandings’.
Can’t believe that moves from a foreign country over months and known in four Ministerial Departments but not the PM’s? Yeah right!
Simon Power didn’t ever have a word in his PM’s ear giving him a heads up???? Potential for National concern???
It said branches of govt – not necessarily ministries. And the story says the interest was vague and they had to speculate what it might be about. I don’t believe this would have got anywhere near the PM’s office until there was a bit more flesh on it.
when the reports are dealing with a person whose business is worth a billion dollars and is one of a handful of people who had ventured into the munti-million dollar bonds for citizenship deal, yeah i think that would be in the peripheral vision of a banker turned media whore
The sad Langley case drags on. Why wasn’t he charged with manslaughter – much easier to get a conviction in a difficult case when the witnesses are all in one family. Like the Christchurch sex/AIDS debate when it’s family the truth might never be told.
Warning – don’t pop into bed with others until you know whether they are sterling types. When they start on the jealousy thing and getting physical, it shows they don’t love you, not that they do.
Loving doesn’t involve such behaviour. Sexual perversion does – the other partner should get out of there quickly and if possible without wounding the self-esteem of the perpetrator who can’t stand being denied anything, being found wanting. The aggressive “You looking at me” type.
So you think Langley bears some responsibility and this should be reflected in a lesser charge?
Like when gay men were partly responsible for being murdered by homophobes and charges reduced accordingly. Women, girls and gays eh? We just aren’t policing ourselves strictly enough.
Tell me, should people in minority ethnicities keep a low profile too? for their own protection like. There are a lot of racists out there.
So you think Langley bears some responsibility and this should be reflected in a lesser charge?
Like when gay men were considered partly responsible for being murdered by homophobes and charges were reduced accordingly. Women, girls and gays eh? We just aren’t policing ourselves strictly enough.
Tell me, should people in minority ethnicities keep a low profile too? For their own protection like. There are a lot of racists out there.
And Adam Bennet reports, “Justice Minister Judith Collins has initiated High Court defamation action against Trevor Mallard and Andrew Little………but not against Radio NZ.”
Funny girl?
”The letter is somewhat threatening. It says having to serve you can be inconvenient because these guys tend to be pretty thuggish kind of characters.”
But seriously, what an odd thing to have in a lawyers letter. There was a lot of talk about how crsah hot her QC is, but that’s just weird.
Little could be lying of course, but to what end? The only plausible reason would be to get her to give them permission to release the letter, in which case what it says must be even more damaging than amature hour godfather bullshit.
Frankly I though Little’s tough talk made him sound like a complete wonker.
Arranging service is not unusual amongst mature adults.
They don’t need permission to release the letter. It wouldn;t have said the thuggish characters bit – that is Little saying his view of process servers and the reporter not punctuating it to show the middle phrase is disconnected from the main idea ie ”The letter is somewhat threatening – it says having to serve you can be inconvenient – because these guys tend to be pretty thuggish kind of characters.” People don’t always speak in logical sequence, which looks to me to be more like ”It says having to serve you can be inconvenient. The letter is somewhat threatening. because these guys tend to be pretty thuggish kind of characters.”
Sadly Andrew Little belittles himself and the party with his comments.
He would be better to say nothing at this time and save it up for the Court case.
Surely Little and Mallard would by their nature roll over like cute little puppies waiting for Cuddly Collins to tickle their fat little tummies?
They do want to please Cuddly Collins don’t they?
Here is a 12 year old girl explaining our banking system in real simple language in five minutes. This appeared on the well respected financial top blog Zero hedge and I suggest you watch it so you understand what John Key an Bill English have done to this country when they borrowed $112 billion to invest in derivatives without any congressional oversight.
Grumpy my bad. That would be Parliamentary oversight of course. Must be the reading of about a 100 online publications and news papers about every fucking government in the known universe and the banking collapse which made me confuse the US and NZ’s different name for the same fucking thing.
Why are we paying for Murray McCully to stay in hotels in Auckland?
According to his latest Ministerial credit card receipts [PDF, p. 12], we paid for McCully to spend two nights at the Heritage Hotel in Auckland. The expense is justified as “accommodation during RWC”. This would be entirely uncontentious, except for one thing: McCully represents an Auckland electorate, and I am informed he is on the electoral roll there. Which means he has a home of his own to go to in Auckland. So again, why the hotel?
As rorts go, its a small one; its not as if he’s being paid tens of thousands of dollars a year to live in his own home in Wellington. But its still unacceptable. Ministers are given credit cards to cover actual, reasonable and necessary expenses – not because they feel like spending a night of luxury on the taxpayer, or just can’t be arsed driving home.
Meh, it was small enough to just quote the whole thing.
Key says that a tightening budget and shrinking staff for our overseas ministry will not affect our relations with other countries. But probably the people who could assess that will not be employed any more so he’ll never know. But then he didn’t want to know. Factual information is anathema to NACT.
Why take notice – be like the British over Iraq – ignore your experts. Some of them take feel responsibility and take their job seriously like David Kelly, more fool them.
(A moment’s silence for someone for this man who advised against war from wikipedia on google.)
David Christopher Kelly, CMG (14 May 1944 – 17 July 2003) was a British scientist and expert on biological warfare, employed by the British Ministry of Defence, …
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On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
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Gay marriage, class sizes, teacher performance pay, welfare reform rebshocker styles and many other well timed diversions push the asset sales into the dim background.
has anyone in our MSM picked up on the sell off of majority voting rights in the power companies effectively selling the control but still having 51% ownership…..that’s some whacky mixed model people.
Oh and where’s that blatant and opportunistic privacy breach our social welfare minister is guilty of up to in the process also.
Banks will implode, he’s promised one too many favours to the wrong person who expects a return on investment along with a media that’s been taken for a ride by their own unprofessional laziness in not pursuing many of shonkey and his mob sooner on basic governance and credibility issues.
Gay marriage should not become reality. Marriage has always been between a man and a woman, not same sex. It is something born of religion and in most substantial ways it remains a creation of religion. It should be up to religion, in many ways.
There are other ways for dealing with recognition of partnerships and ensuring that equal rights prevail, such as obviously civil unions. But referencing it as marriage – leave it alone. It is a cultural and heritage matter as well and I would guess most peple in NZ would want it left a man-woman matter.
Grant Robertson on backbenchers last night said that there were two ways marriage differed from civil union – one, the name, and two, adoption rules. Well, change the adoption rules if that is want people want, but leave the name out of it.
Marriage is a separate cultural institution and wants to be left as it has been since before any immigrants arrived in these lands. In fact, I would compare it to the first immigrants here and their desire to be separate and not mixed up with the rest of NZ. Maori have argued for a “special place” for a whole bunch of reasons. I would suggest that marriage similarly deserves a “special place”. Leave it alone, Get your own partnership.
Equality should include mariage equality. Simple as that. No one culture owns marriage as a form of commitment.
Got any reasons to support that? I outlined some reasons why marriage as an ancient cultural institution which is part of our historical fabric and heritage should remain such. What are your reasons?
Why can’t marriage between a man and a woman be held as a special place in the country in the same way that maori argue and get a special place in the country?
because your wrong about the history, or ancient religious practices, think Spartans.
Look the case for those against same sex marriage would be a whole lot stronger if they supported civil unions from the outset. Unfortunately they come across as against others which is always a turn off point when it comes to debating the social fabric.
The problem I have when supporting man and women only marriage is the consequences.
That inevitable either a lot of people all go back to it, except same sex couples who are barred.
Or worse for people like you, that the word marriage becomes synonymous with bigotry exclusive sectarianism.
Ethical and moral what’s it matter what the official government refers to, marriage or civil unions, you know what it means to you, you’re just to up yourself to believe two individuals could love one another similarly like you and yours.
Yes, but you don’t show a lot of knowledge of the actual forms marriage took in ancient and modern times, vto. I’m not particularly interested in getting married myself, and think society gives it way too much importance – in my view coupledom should be an arrangement largely between consenting adults. In past times it was more like that, for instance in per-Christian European societies.
vto, I am a bit of a student of history (pre-, ancient and modern) and think you are being a bit cavalier with the facts. In western societies, marriages have evolved from merely making a statement to each other of commitment and not involving the state, bto, with the increasing role of Chritianity, becoming more something that has involved public rituals, the state, and formal recording of the partnerships.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage#Europe
ie not even as formal as a civil union…. ditto for ancient Greece in per-Chrsitian times
also see here:
http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/ATLAS_EN/html/history_of_marriage_in_western.html
There also have been various forms of same-sex marriage in various cultures in different time periods.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage#History
This article cites evidence of same-sex marriages in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, as well as through Asia and the Americas:
http://www.randomhistory.com/history-of-gay-marriage.html
Historically, marriages have taken many forms and have constantly evolved. But I’m sure the facts are not going to get in the way you you advocating maintaining the status quo.
“No one culture owns marriage as a form of commitment.” Well, in fact it does. There are myraid forms of marriage in myriad cultures – surely you know that. So, leave this one alone too. Create a new one alongside it. Pretty bloody simple. Stop playing the victim I say.
Seems to be an unexamined element in your argument:
You say marriage exists over various cultures as a “separate cultural institution”, born of religion. You later imply marriage here is owned by “our” culture, especially before any further immigrants turned up.
Who is “our”?
So an Indian, Somali, perhaps Jewish, couple married here aren’t really married? Or if they then turn up to a colonial style christian picnic, for example, their status changes and they are no longer married – until they leave the picnic, then they are married again?
Or are you saying that gays and immigrants cannot be married using the phrasing, gods, symbols and rituals of “your/our” culture. Why not? What would happen? You’ll have to spell it out, because not everyone here is from your culture.
To have marriage owned by one (dominant) culture, and withheld from another, at face value, appears to be a divisive device. If all the legal benefits of marriage can be attained under civil union law, what is the name of final step you are trying to describe and protect, but not articulating?
It would be wrong of me not to acknowledge, and by doing so excuse, the racism in your post; or what is generally refered to as homophobia in modern terminology. It’s so obvious that I can only think it is motivated by fear of something you think is worse. So can we cut to the chase, because I’d be really interested to hear what religion (or culture) you identify with and why you think gays and immigrants are a threat to it.
“why you think gays and immigrants are a threat to it.”
I know uturn – it is impossible, absolutely impossible, to discuss anything about certain subjects in New Zealand with being labelled racist or homphobic or whatever else. Proof again. What on earth is that about? How do you get racism and homophobia out of that? Please do explain because it is total bullshit. And I am sick to death of being labelled such for daring to raise issues relevant to those certain topics. I knew it would happen with this post, and it has. I would suggest that it is those who so label who are the bigots.
(I have to race out and will try to pop back later).
Primarily, it is because your words – what your phrasing implies in the english language – describe racism and homophobia, in it’s general description. However, I’m not so dumb to think you fall so easiliy into either of those states, since there is no evidence of hate; even if I disregard your history of animated opposition to greenies, maori being maori, and sharks. I’m willing to accept the large hole in your description of opposition is evidence of you trying to articulate something before it has formed.
I don’t enjoy long drawn out arguments disguised as “debate”. It’s just a bore. You see what you see, I see what I see. If I told you what your words meant, you wouldn’t accept it. Your learning curve exists elsewhere. So if you please, answer the most important question:
(I’ll even re-phrase.)
Which religion (or culture) do you identify with and why is the prospect of gays and immigrants marrying within it’s cultural rituals a threat to it and society as a whole.
In fact, I’ll open that question up to anyone reading here. You can discard the immigrants bit, if it doesn’t apply to your view. If it is not a threat, you can explain that too.
Though I can’t speak for everyone reading, I promise not to call anyone else racist, or whatever else their words will show them to be on this matter; neither will I respond to any further posts on this topic.
As you’ve opened it to anyone else, I’ll say I am a Christian, Anglo-Catholic brand, and your bringing immigrants into the discussion is tawdry, irrelevant and an attempt to lend legitimacy to your special pleading by trying to tar vto as racist.
Marriage has existed in all known cultures. It still does. It’s not the same thing as living together (or common-law marriage as it was known when I was a child) or civil unions, etc. Marriage has a special character. I just don’t get why homosexual people even want to be married! Civil unions give people in them all the same rights, so what’s the issue?
Equality? Freedom of choice? Respect?
Really? Except that Gays can’t adopt or call themselves married.
Nope, not all the same rights.
“(I have to race out and will try to pop back later).”
Aha, so you are a racist! 🙂
The Mormons and the Muslims would have a problem with your dogmatic position vto.
I wonder in what way would we ordinary married folk be damaged or disadvantaged should Gay marriage become legal? Did the World stop when homosexuality became legal?
Bloody hell VTO, if you really want to have every faux leftist rainbow factional type on your case go for gold, be my guest.
Which brings me to another point: Damian OConnor last year had a go at the factional nature of the Labour Party and got hammered. I think he was right to say what he did. I believe it is about time the” nice to have” liberal bits such as gay marriage, rainbow rights, minority rights, save the whale etc became independent of Left or Right, and not the preserve of Labour.
(For the record VTO I dont have a problem with gay marriage, I think it should be a frontline NACT policy).
My point is clear and well founded – by reference to similar issues and reference to history.
If all the bigots want to label some redneck for daring to comment on “their” issues then that is “their” problem. They all need to simply grow up and get some decent thinking in train
What a load of bollocks v.
You’re married when you sign the piece of paper. And that’s been the case for a hell of a long time. Any and all religious mumbo jumbo is beside the point as far as the law goes.
If the crown decided that one sect or another couldn’t marry people, ie that it wouldn’t recognise their mumbo jumbo ceremony, then those folks wouldn’t be married in the eyes of the law.
So why should the state choose one type over another? Why should they allow non-christian weddings but not allow homosexual ones?
The question is: Should the state say that the religuious aspect is more important than the legal aspect? It’s a no brainer. the state has no business with the religious side of it, so it shuld offer marriage as a purely legal contract. Like it, you know, does. So why should it deny it to homosexuals?
And don’t give me any of that malarky about kids either. Marriage has traditionally been about making sure that kids from the wrong side of the sheets don’t interfere with the orderly handing out of property.
Cynical nonsense! If that’s so, tell me why my dirt-poor grandparents bothered to get married, hey?
How on earth would I know?
If I had to guess, I’d say most likely social expectation.
But the point is, why was the state involved?
I would be for the same sex marriage only case, but too many bigots seem to believe in it as a cause.
vto you have my full support. Bringing up children is a learning experience for the parents and the children. The few gays/ solo mums I know have very deep personal problems and never learn. They never progress. They should not be allowed children. (I hope that I am still learning.) Do not worry about your critics, they can only change the subject or stoop to personal abuse.
You’re not. As evidenced by your moronic ramblings here you’re a close minded nut job.
Let us take it one sentence at a time. “Bringing up children is a learning experience for both the parents and the children.”
Who thinks that they are fully mature adults and there is nothing left to learn?
Who thinks that they just about know it all. There might be a bit more but they can not imagine what?
Who thinks that they are an adventurer on the journey if life. It will be booring if there is nothing left?
Who is not prepared to face this question?
Are you reading this web site to ask questions or confirm what you believe?
I don’t particularly want to engage with you to be honest but that annoys me. No you are correct that it is a learning experience for both parent and children.
That’s not the part of your post that shows you are a close minded nut job. That would be the part where you admit you know only a few gays and solo mums and because you have decided the ones you do know have problems and don’t learn no gays should be allowed children (I assume you also extend this to solo mums as well?).
1. What % of the total gay population do you know deeply?
2. How many solo children know their father? We do not know why they are solo but could it be a symptom of something physiological? Were the men just there to prvide stud services?
Obviously there will always be exemptions but this does seem to be a trend, a symptom of something even more wide spread.
See, if you were willing to learn you wouldn’t be spouting this shit that has been proven wrong and you’ve been here long enough to know that. Ergo, you’re a close minded fuckwit who thinks your prejudices are fact.
Acts 26, v24
Acts 26, 25 – 31 ( At least King Agrippa did not need to stoop to foul language.)
Agrippa? If I remember my Winston Peters quotes correctly, and I think I do, a gripper is a wanker who won’t let go. Apt, huh?
(Quote Cecil) The first step to knowledge is to know that we are ignorant.
Lolwut? I was a solo mother, and I most certainly knew the fathers of my sons. (One ex husband, one ex – er… ) In the case of the latter, my son never knew his father, I knew him, but was very thankful that he chose not to blight his son’s life by his presence.
“Do not worry about your critics, they can only change the subject or stoop to personal abuse.”
you really are one messed up wackadoodle john72, i was thinking of going to town on your belligerent ass but reason and consideration prevailed. Reason being I accept some people are just vile pig-ignorant bigots and consideration that it is far more constructive to let you know that, then ignore you.
happy?, does that make you feel all satisfied and righteous?
I would hate to have disappointed your finely tuned understanding of human behaviour.
don’t worry about replying i won’t be commenting on anything you say, ever again.
Interesting vto. If we put marriage in NZ in a cultural context and look at our dominant culture’s anglosaxon roots, we see that state sanctioned marriage is primarily driven by the need to control women’s reproductive capacity and other freedoms, paternity, and land/asset rights. So I guess yes you could argue that that doesn’t apply to gay marriage.
btw, Maori aren’t arguing for a ‘special place’. They fighting to preserve something they already have.
And if you don’t want people to confuse your arguments with racism, I’d suggest not making statements like calling Maori ‘first immigrants’.
To everyone above, appreciate the feedback and apologise for not being able to respond to each in some detail as points have been raised which scratch. Today’s day has turned to muck and I must away for some daze…
But two quick things. One, I have clearly not expressed myself accurately – a result of banging it out too quickly this a.m. Two, it is more like this nutshell, I am not arguing AGAINST a place for gay marriage, I am arguing FOR a place for heterosexual marriage all to itself. There are plenty of precedents for such in our world (example alreday provided) and I suggest that there should be made room for another – this one. . It . is . as . simple . as . that .
(and Weka, please do explain how it is racist to describe Maori as the first immigrants)
not implying that this applies to VTO, but, you need to examine your motivations for denying rights to others
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=single-angry-straight-male
“(and Weka, please do explain how it is racist to describe Maori as the first immigrants)”
I’m not sure you were being racist vto. But how Maori came here, who got here first, etc has no relevance to your points, so why describe them as such? Is IS a term used by racists to undermine concepts of tangata whenua and treaty rights. Irrespective of how you intended it, its odd placement in your argument, without context, left it hanging out there alongside the views of racists.
Even though they are? 😀
Vicky,
Have you met John72, I think you two have a lot in common…
Don’t be such an insulting ignorant person, please.
And smiley faces supposedly make ignorant comments okay?
Agreed, vto! Let the sh*t storm begin…
NIMBY. Not in my back yard, says John Key, MP for the Hobsonville/Helensville area. The capping at 17 of the number of low wage entry level houses in this quality development in Hobsonville, on State Owned Land by A State Agency is a scandal. John Key knows how to stop affordable housing in his electorate. And he never heard of a 7ft German Squillionaire living in the most expensive house in his electorate: a Tui moment.
It was great to hear Anette King on National Radio fronting-up on the issue. Phil Heatley had not the balls to accept an invitation. We need all of our senior team fronting up as much as possible. Good work Annette.
It is a real pity that Labour can get up in arms about this foul NACT larceny BUT they still want to shut down economic policy debate and muzzle Cunliffe.
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/cunliffe-muzzled-courtiers-fight-back.html
King was excellent in that interview – had all the background, facts etc. If I recall correctly, the interviewer made a strong point at least twice about Heatley refusing to front.
Annette King spoke well and made a good explanation. Phil Heatley as Minister of Housing is low on the pecking order as his low interest in state assistance with housing reflects the disinterest NACTs have in government involvement for supporting the mass of the people. The housing market is a great way of making money for business people who don’t want to roll their sleeves up and make something and possibly export it. It’s just rolling money around with so many clipping the ticket on its way past.
It’s ongoing since they brought state rents to market rates and forced people from their houses and towns to settle as strangers where the state had smaller units. In John Luxton’s time he was pictured amused at a housing protest – I think there might have been a haka performed.
Police protect one of their own
Criminal A stole $6000 dollars worth of clothing, had his name and face all over the news and was sentenced to two years imprisonment.
Criminal B stole an undisclosed amount, had his name suppressed, wasn’t put before a judiciary to see if evidence was admissible or not and got off scott free.
Criminal A is Maori and comes from the general public while criminal B was a police officer and likely to be Pakeha. The Police’s “ethical standards” in this matter are a complete joke!
This reminds me of a recent film clip I watched about the lack of police standards, ethics and morality in the Stark County Ohio film clip from SHTF I think. The police there will say nothing against their own there. An organisation has kept a list of complaints some about serious crimes by the police and I think about 10% were investigated from I think 189 with few/none dealt with. They even harrassed and I think arrested someone who was asking for a complaint form.
We haven’t got there yet but these examples are bad signs.
on a side note:
The fingerprints statement is a little bit interesting.
” Officers’ fingerprints are recorded for elimination purposes, but it is not lawful for these to be used for any other purpose. ”
worst-case scenario: if a Police officer’s fingerprints are the only evidence found at a murder scene are they automatically excluded as a suspect due to elimination protocols?
The way I understand it is they’re not excluded as a suspect they just can’t be used in a court.
i.e. they would need to find other evidence and probably couldn’t use them as a reason to get a warrant even
Perhaps a court might have the ability to accept them as per the Urewera trials if the charge is serious enough.
I’m assuming this is something along the lines of fingerprints only being allowed to be collected and retained for evidence under certain rules/circumstances. Collection as part of police job may not fit those rules.
Nearly right:
Criminal A stole $36000 worth of items
Criminal B allegedly stole 3 pairs of sunglasses
Criminal A received 2 years in prison and was paraded on TV. Criminal B could not be charged as legal advice showed not enough evidence to prosecute. You generally don’t parade around people who haven’t been found guilty, there is nothing to suggest what his race was and lost his job due to serious misconduct.
Implying racism where there is no evidence of racism is almost as bad as racism itself
“lost his job due to serious misconduct.”
meant to say he quit before the serious misconduct case was brought to bear.
Yeah and what do you reckon 3 pairs of trendy designer shades are worth?? judging by the footage i saw it weren’t no 2 dollar shop.
Not $36000.
You cannot know the value of the sunglasses Contrarian, it hasn’t been reported.
The police reported the officer allegedly stole three sets of sunglasses. Just incase you’re not aware, a set of sunglasses is made up of two or more pairs. So if the police are to be believed, at least six pairs of sunglasses were taken… value unknown. It appears these items were not recovered.
It’s my opinion that the police officer is more likely to be Pakeha than any other ethnicity. Do you know the difference between an opinion and a statement of fact Contrarian? Your claims that I’m being worse than racist because of an opinion based on statistical evidence makes you look like a prat!
Even the police recognize that there’s racism within the police force towards Maori and I’ve not seen a good rebuttal of Pita Sharples’ contention that:
Let’s put it like this then:
Criminal A stole $23,000 worth of clothing, $17,468 worth of the goods were recovered but $6000 is outstanding. The Maori male was sentenced to two years imprisonment.
Criminal B mislead investors to the tune of $127 million. The white male escaped a prison sentence, might do a few hundred hours community service and was ordered to make reparation approximate to 0.08% of the funds lost.
I’m wondering when Slater will call for the ex-officer to be gut shot!
Don’t worry Jackal,
I believe you….
And what “statistical evidence” do you have?
You’re wanting me to provide statistical evidence that there are more Pakeha in the Police force than any other ethnicity? Lol!
No I asked “what ‘statistical evidence’ do you have?”
i.e. to what are you referring. But those stats are meaningless on their own. There are Chinese, Samoan, Tongan, Maori, British policeman. So what?
Serious (ish) question: Have you actually started a website just to complain about this website?
Have you met burt? You two should hang out.
Yeah that whole one post about the standard I wrote weeks ago certainly would suggest so
Hmmm, 2 posts directly related to the Standard and a dishonourable mention in a third. 3 out of 8 posts so far.
TC is a big fan of Burt, Felix. But he’s not a rightie, no way.
Did you ever see burt’s weird ‘obsession-with-the-standard’ blog?
Truly odd behaviour, participating quite heavily in the culture of a blog while you’re there, and then going elsewhere and pretending you’re an external uninvolved observer.
It’s not my job to provide you with Police reports Contrarian. Google it.
The Contrarian vs The Jackal
The Contrarian claims that it “sounds fairly standard,” that the fingerprints recorded for elimination purposes are inadmissible in a court of law. However this observation is based on sheer ignorance and misinformation…
Remember Arie and how he was treated by the police over the light fittings.
See VTO.
There are many married couples that have deep personal problems and never learn. If such a couple is unable to have children, they may well find it difficult to adopt. A gay couple with ‘deep personal problems’ is also unlikely to be able to adopt, but why should the law otherwise discriminate? I know a couple in a civil union who would be excellent parents – why should they not at least have the option of applying? We hear stories of children passed from foster parent to foster parent and ending up severely disturbed and committing crimes – why not use the best resources we can to bring up child who have had to be removed from those couples and solo parents who have “deep personal problems”?
This is interesting. Mr Key said he had never heard of Mr Dotcom until the day before his arrest. And yet this from the Herald:
How can this be that a PM had no knowledge of this? Beggars belief!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10806441
There is no way ministers didn’t know of him. This drive by the US to extradite citizens of other countries to face legal proceedings in the US because they broke copyright law within US jurisdiction (ie by using .com addresses which are ‘owned’ by the US) requires a lot of backroom ‘understandings’.
Are you saying the PM should know about every single report in every single govt dept or ones that go to ministers?
Can’t believe that moves from a foreign country over months and known in four Ministerial Departments but not the PM’s? Yeah right!
Simon Power didn’t ever have a word in his PM’s ear giving him a heads up???? Potential for National concern???
It said branches of govt – not necessarily ministries. And the story says the interest was vague and they had to speculate what it might be about. I don’t believe this would have got anywhere near the PM’s office until there was a bit more flesh on it.
Insider……are you saying the whole business had no flesh on it until the day before
SirKiwiKimDotCom was arrested ???? Get off the grass man !
when the reports are dealing with a person whose business is worth a billion dollars and is one of a handful of people who had ventured into the munti-million dollar bonds for citizenship deal, yeah i think that would be in the peripheral vision of a banker turned media whore
The sad Langley case drags on. Why wasn’t he charged with manslaughter – much easier to get a conviction in a difficult case when the witnesses are all in one family. Like the Christchurch sex/AIDS debate when it’s family the truth might never be told.
Warning – don’t pop into bed with others until you know whether they are sterling types. When they start on the jealousy thing and getting physical, it shows they don’t love you, not that they do.
Loving doesn’t involve such behaviour. Sexual perversion does – the other partner should get out of there quickly and if possible without wounding the self-esteem of the perpetrator who can’t stand being denied anything, being found wanting. The aggressive “You looking at me” type.
So you think Langley bears some responsibility and this should be reflected in a lesser charge?
Like when gay men were partly responsible for being murdered by homophobes and charges reduced accordingly. Women, girls and gays eh? We just aren’t policing ourselves strictly enough.
Tell me, should people in minority ethnicities keep a low profile too? for their own protection like. There are a lot of racists out there.
So you think Langley bears some responsibility and this should be reflected in a lesser charge?
Like when gay men were considered partly responsible for being murdered by homophobes and charges were reduced accordingly. Women, girls and gays eh? We just aren’t policing ourselves strictly enough.
Tell me, should people in minority ethnicities keep a low profile too? For their own protection like. There are a lot of racists out there.
Damn. The ghost in the machine told me the comment had been lost, both times.
And Adam Bennet reports, “Justice Minister Judith Collins has initiated High Court defamation action against Trevor Mallard and Andrew Little………but not against Radio NZ.”
Funny girl?
More details here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6938461/Little-tells-Collins-to-send-in-the-thugs
”The letter is somewhat threatening. It says having to serve you can be inconvenient because these guys tend to be pretty thuggish kind of characters.”
What? that’s crazy talk.
“…these guys tend to be pretty thuggish kind of characters.”
lol
I guess it depends where you grew up, huh.
Thuggish, huh? Doesn’t Cameron Slater supplement his dubious income by being a part time stand over merchant?
Heh.
But seriously, what an odd thing to have in a lawyers letter. There was a lot of talk about how crsah hot her QC is, but that’s just weird.
Little could be lying of course, but to what end? The only plausible reason would be to get her to give them permission to release the letter, in which case what it says must be even more damaging than amature hour godfather bullshit.
It’s a farce.
Frankly I though Little’s tough talk made him sound like a complete wonker.
Arranging service is not unusual amongst mature adults.
They don’t need permission to release the letter. It wouldn;t have said the thuggish characters bit – that is Little saying his view of process servers and the reporter not punctuating it to show the middle phrase is disconnected from the main idea ie ”The letter is somewhat threatening – it says having to serve you can be inconvenient – because these guys tend to be pretty thuggish kind of characters.” People don’t always speak in logical sequence, which looks to me to be more like ”It says having to serve you can be inconvenient. The letter is somewhat threatening. because these guys tend to be pretty thuggish kind of characters.”
Yep, looks like you’re right:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10806430
game on.
Sadly Andrew Little belittles himself and the party with his comments.
He would be better to say nothing at this time and save it up for the Court case.
Surely Little and Mallard would by their nature roll over like cute little puppies waiting for Cuddly Collins to tickle their fat little tummies?
They do want to please Cuddly Collins don’t they?
Here is a 12 year old girl explaining our banking system in real simple language in five minutes. This appeared on the well respected financial top blog Zero hedge and I suggest you watch it so you understand what John Key an Bill English have done to this country when they borrowed $112 billion to invest in derivatives without any congressional oversight.
Never be a debtor be.
“congressional oversight”??????
“congressional oversight” ?????? WTF????
Grumpy my bad. That would be Parliamentary oversight of course. Must be the reading of about a 100 online publications and news papers about every fucking government in the known universe and the banking collapse which made me confuse the US and NZ’s different name for the same fucking thing.
I/S reports on more accommodation rorting by a National MP.
Meh, it was small enough to just quote the whole thing.
To be fair if I lived on the north shore I wouldn’t want to stay there either
To be fair if you lived on the north shore no one would want to stay there.
….bit harsh…..
oh that cuts deep
.
RIP Carlos.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-18081034
Key says that a tightening budget and shrinking staff for our overseas ministry will not affect our relations with other countries. But probably the people who could assess that will not be employed any more so he’ll never know. But then he didn’t want to know. Factual information is anathema to NACT.
Why take notice – be like the British over Iraq – ignore your experts. Some of them take feel responsibility and take their job seriously like David Kelly, more fool them.
(A moment’s silence for someone for this man who advised against war from wikipedia on google.)
David Christopher Kelly, CMG (14 May 1944 – 17 July 2003) was a British scientist and expert on biological warfare, employed by the British Ministry of Defence, …
Banksie is gone like a rat down a drainpipe. Sadly its not yet the end of the MP for Epsom, just a plumber with no appreciation of street art!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/525074_10151696032995696_585815695_24107043_2065650214_n.jpg