As many of us suspected.
Just another false flag….
Serial numbers of missile that downed MH17 show it was produced in 1986, owned by Ukraine
The serial numbers found on debris of the Buk missile which downed Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine show it was produced in 1986, the Russian military said. The projectile was owned by Ukraine, they added.
There are two serial numbers found on fragments of the missile, which shot down the passenger airliner in June 2014 according to an international team of investigators led by the Netherlands. The numbers were marked on the engine and the nozzle of the missile.
The Russian military on Monday said they had traced them to a missile which had the producer serial number 8868720.
The Russian official story is still a Ukrainian fighter, the pilot of which mysteriously “committed suicide” recently.
A Ukrainian military pilot blamed by Russia over the 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 has killed himself, Ukrainian media report, quoting police.
It is being investigated under the premeditated murder section of Ukraine’s penal code.
The Joint Investigation Team calls the Russian Ministry of Defence out as liars.
The JIT will meticulously study the materials presented today as soon as the Russian Federation makes the relevant documents available to the JIT as requested in May 2018 and required by UNSC resolution 2166. From the start of the investigation until today, the JIT has always carefully analyzed and processed the information provided by the Russian Federation. In doing so, the JIT has found that information from the Russian Ministry of Defense previously presented to the public and provided to the JIT was factually inaccurate on several points. An example is the alleged presence of a fighter plane in the vicinity of MH17 on radar imagery presented to the public on a press conference in July 2014.
“Just as a feudal elite was driven not by ethics but by the pursuit of power and wealth through the control of land; just as early capitalists were driven not by ethics but by the pursuit of power and wealth through the control of mechanisation; so neoliberalism is driven not by ethics but the pursuit of power and wealth through the control of the planet.
The only truth we can know is that the western power-elite is determined to finish the task of making its power fully global, expanding it from near-absolute to absolute. It cares nothing for you or your grand-children. It is a cold-calculating system, not a friend or neighbour. It lives for the instant gratification of wealth accumulation, not concern about the planet’s fate tomorrow.
And because of that it is structurally bound to undermine or discredit anyone, any group, any state that stands in the way of achieving its absolute dominion.
If that is not the thought we hold uppermost in our minds as we listen to a politician, read a newspaper, watch a film or TV show, absorb an ad, or engage on social media, then we are sleepwalking into a future the most powerful, the most ruthless, the least caring have designed for us.
Step back, and take a look at the whole screen. And decide whether this is really the future you wish for your grand-children.”
It is just another shifty hate campaign aimed at Russia by the current NATO administration who want to seize some Russian land for themselves no doubt.
But the Russians have been invaded before several times by others in the EU block haven’t they.??
Mongol invasion of “Kyivan Rus” (the modern people of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia).
So, what does Heather du Plessis-Allen’s comments on the Pacific islands really tell us about the state of broadcasting – and broadcasters – today?
Let’s be honest. She most likely said what she said because her rating are down. She needed a boost, so she went as low as she could without being censured by her employer. It was a calculated appeal to keep the angry old racists on ZB from not switching to Radio Sport after their daily dose of sneering class warfare from Hoskings and batshit conspiracy theories from Leighton Smith.
Heather du Plessis-Allen isn’t a racist. She is to shallow to know much about being a racist. She only knows one thing. And that one thing is she knows she will do whatever it takes to keep her job. If that means she has to be is a scoffing and entitled narcissist who doesn’t give a shit about the consequences of her statements, she is down with that. Her discount cynicism, her vulgar and opportunist racism, her tawdry insults are all driven by only one thing. And that one thing is an utterly banal cupidity, and that banal cupidity comprises the lowest common denominator that is the ideological glue that binds all the right wing stable together, from Slater to Farrar to Hoskings to Soper to Heather du Plessis-Allen.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to private media in NZ in 2018. A near perfect metaphor for neoliberalism, motivated by crass greed and not much else.
“Journalists typically have a passive relationship to power, in stark contrast to their image as tenacious watchdog. But more fundamental than control over narrative is the ideology that guides these narratives. Ideology ensures the power-system is invisible not only to us, those who are abused and exploited by it, but also to those who benefit from it.
It is precisely because power resides in structures and ideology, rather than individuals, that it is so hard to see. And the power-structures themselves are made yet more difficult to identify because the narratives created about our societies are designed to conceal those structures and ideology – where real power resides – by focusing instead on individuals.
That is why our newspapers and TV shows are full of stories about personalities – celebrities, royalty, criminals, politicians. They are made visible so that we do not notice the ideological structures we live inside that are supposed to remain invisible.
News and entertainment are the ripples on a lake, not the lake itself. But the ripples could not exist without the lake that forms and shapes them.”
This is the best reporting on the coalitions re-set I have seen. Gordon Campbell shows what real journalism is. The rest as Winston said yesterday on Kim hill, are all (over-paid) amateurs
I think this part of his commentary is worth recycling: “Besides Ardern, politicians elsewhere – notably Elizabeth Warren in the US – have been grappling recently with how to confront the socially toxic emphasis that the corporate sector has placed on maximizing shareholder wealth above all other concerns. The diagnosis of what’s gone wrong is simple:
The heterodox economist William Lazonick of the University of Massachusetts puts the thesis very squarely, arguing that “from the end of World War II until the late 1970s, a retain-and-reinvest approach to resource allocation prevailed at major U.S. corporations.” But since the Reagan era, business has followed “a downsize-and-distribute regime of reducing [labour] costs and then distributing the freed-up cash to financial interests, particularly shareholders.”
“This belief that the maximising of shareholder wealth is the prime – even the only –purpose of business originated with the economist Milton Friedman, in this wildly influential 1970 article. Down the subsequent years, the doctrine of shareholder supremacy has had a number of dire consequences. It has eroded business ethics by fostering sharp business practices aimed at maximising share value, and also the CEO compensation packages based on them. Wealth that used to be retained and re-invested (a) back into firms, (b) distributed in wages via union-negotiated agreements, and (c) re-invested in communities is now funnelled almost exclusively to shareholders.”
“Since only about one in ten Americans (and a similar ratio of New Zealanders) ever participate in speculation in shares, this channeling of shareholder wealth to an elite of the already advantaged has led to damaging extremes of income inequality – and to levels of social anger that have been politically captured by the far right. The road to Trump was paved by Milton Friedman.”
Agreed – an accurate but sad assessment. More fools us. Throughout all that Rogernomics bullshit I had the uncomfortable feeling that it was wrong, but it is only with the benefit of hindsight that the assessment can be so clearly stated.
I went with Anderton in opposition, but the media were full of right-wing propaganda at the time. “Profit is not a dirty word!” they all howled at us, and then there were years of criminal profit-gouging. We now need to call profit-gouging what it is, and restore some balance.
Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it. He doesn’t deserve to lie in quiet satisfaction with kudos for his work, and this also applies to fellow economists commonly associated such as Hayek. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
The child theory grew and contorted into a ‘robust’ free market one as it proved so suited to being established in a weakened, vulnerable polity as in Chile, and then as skilfully utilised by Roger Douglas and three others* with at one time, David Lange in the Fish and Chip Brigade making a Gang of Four! They all came to prominence after our oil shock problems, collapse of our investment in Ansett, and the move by the UK into the European Common Market.
During the military rule under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) in Chile, opposition scholars took up the expression to describe the economic reforms implemented there and its proponents (the “Chicago Boys”).[5] Once this new meaning was established among Spanish-speaking scholars, it diffused into the English-language study of political economy.
*…his closest colleagues as Richard Prebble, Mike Moore, and Michael Bassett.[24]
Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it. He doesn’t deserve to lie in quiet satisfaction with kudos for his work, and this also applies to fellow economists. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
The child theory grew and contorted into a ‘robust’ free market one as it proved so suited to being established in a weakened, vulnerable polity as in Chile, and then as skilfully utilised by Roger Douglas and three others* with at one time, David Lange in the Fish and Chip Brigade making a Gang of Four! They all came to prominence after our oil shock problems, collapse of our investment in Ansett, and the move by the UK into the European Common Market.
During the military rule under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) in Chile, opposition scholars took up the expression to describe the economic reforms implemented there and its proponents (the “Chicago Boys”).[5] Once this new meaning was established among Spanish-speaking scholars, it diffused into the English-language study of political economy.
*…his closest colleagues as Richard Prebble, Mike Moore, and Michael Bassett.[24]Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it. He doesn’t deserve to lie in quiet satisfaction with kudos for his work, and this also applies to fellow economists. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
The child theory grew and contorted into a ‘robust’ free market one as it proved so suited to being established in a weakened, vulnerable polity as in Chile, and then as skilfully utilised by Roger Douglas and three others* with at one time, David Lange in the Fish and Chip Brigade making a Gang of Four! They all came to prominence after our oil shock problems, collapse of our investment in Ansett, and the move by the UK into the European Common Market.
During the military rule under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) in Chile, opposition scholars took up the expression to describe the economic reforms implemented there and its proponents (the “Chicago Boys”).[5] Once this new meaning was established among Spanish-speaking scholars, it diffused into the English-language study of political economy.
Well we see what sort of views you espouse, don’t we.
Was the story I have linked to the work of you and your kind?
For anyone else I suggest you don’t follow the link. It is the sort of thing only people like greywarshark would approve of. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3582622
You are of course aware that Friedman was Jewish?
alwyn: Einstein was also Jewish. But he had the distinction of being sound and correct.
I understood that you valued IQ… Why did you make such an obviously stupid response? Anti-Semitism out of that??
You will note that he included the following lines three times in the comment.
“Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it”.
If that is not advocating the desecration of graves, in exactly the same way as the article indicates some mongrels did to graves in this country, then what is it advocating.
Why does he believe that desecration of graves is acceptable?
Admittedly, the message appears to have been fumbled and repeated twice. But spilling red paint over a grave is a symbolic act. It has been done literally at times, but Greywarshark saying someone ‘should’ do it is not the same as actually doing it. Plenty of non-Jewish graves have been desecrated too… I doubt if Greywarshark takes spray-cans of red paint to cemeteries in the deep of dark.
Heard of metaphors?
Your whole over-reaction smacks of ‘mongrel’ alwyn. Just a bit too eager to score a point that turns into an own goal.
He’s mistaken here: “it’s in the Labour-Greens coalition agreement, so it’s a Government commitment.” A policy only becomes adopted by this coalition government when Labour and NZF both agree to adopt it. The GP is not part of the govt, only some of its MPs are. Yet more media incomprehension of MMP.
Crikey. Jacinda got a going over this morning from Kim Hill, who says that Jacinda got humiliated by Winston ACCORDING to many political commentators. We all know who these hacks are. O’Brien, Garner, Watkins,Armstrong etc who come out of their holes at the mention of Jacinda to write their derogatory own opinions to create negative perception in the press and television aided by constant pop ups of dim Bridges who is hardly ever challenged. Fortunately all these people can not change the average Zealanders that JA is fighting the long game for the ultimate benefit of all of us. Fighting against a constant unfair battle against the poor selection of political news hacks that we are lumbered with.She is a strong lady and will prevail against them. Although Winston does need to pull his head in and keep things behind closed doors. It’s time extraneous issues were put to one side and all positive things this Government are trying to achieve should be given positive press. Too many sideshows Winnie.
Indeed when Kim Hill goes after a Labour PM you know it is not just politics in play.
“We all know who these hacks are” it was pretty much across the board…the only difference was in the severity of the critique.
Around 1O.30 mins into the interview Jacinda was asked about the employed law reforms and Winston…by 11.15 mins Hill had completed her dismantling of Jacinda’s PR spin.
That was a good examination by Kim. It almost clarified the contradiction between what Winston said and what Jacinda said. Not quite. We await the final sign-off, I suspect.
Looks both are right, while neither is fully explaining the process of decision-making they use. Understandable that the media is using the apparent contradiction to generate headlines of discord. The coalition ought to hire someone to do pr who has a grasp of political process and can explain to the public how consensus on policy is both established and finalised.
Never mind, Chuck. I remember Kim Hill stripping John Key of his elegant puffery on one of her rare appearances back then… He never appeared with her on Morning report again. In fact, he rarely appeared on Morning Report at all later in his time as PM: he preferred patsy questions from ditzy Radio Live hosts, etc…
Jacinda actually stood up to Kim Hill a lot better. The difference will be seen in whether she continues with such interviews, or runs away like JK did.
Time will tell indeed. The cancellations you mention were one-offs for good reason. See if she consistently refuses to meet with QA and Newshub National – whoops, Nation. And see if she avoids the harder stuff at what you are probably deluded enough to call Red Radio. Time will indeed tell.
And you are clutching vainly at straws regarding the diary issue. Good luck.
That’s the problem with the ‘shoot the messenger’ approach. The reality is the media are like sharks, they circle wounded and bleeding prey. When the wounded prey is from the left, the left call bias. When the prey is from the right, the right call bias. It’s just part of the game.
I used to admire Kim Hill for her work on Saturday Mornings, but what we are getting on Morning Report is a different animal entirely. Attack! Interrupt, talk over, rude.
Angrily following a party line.
Kim has been around forever and apart from a brief and somewhat less than stellar TV outing has been a faithful Natrad stalwart.
She was dubbed “Him Kill” for a very good reason.
Yes she challenges, and yes she persists, and when she eventually backed off from Winston yesterday (sensible, really, as tempus was fugiting and they’re on a schedule) I felt a little let down.
What happened this morning was an assertive interviewer put the Prime Minister on a hot griddle, giving the PM an opportunity to show they’re up for it and equal to the task.
From what I heard, both achieved their objectives, both did their jobs well.
Kim Hill is different, thank God, and I personally believe she’s wasted on Saturday morning.
Agree, and I suspect JA was not only up for the challenge, but thankful for the opportunity to engage with someone with a bit of intelligence. Likewise Ron Mark not too many minutes later.
Clearly I’m at a disadvantage on this. I listen to Natrad and occasionally Radio Sport if Himself wishes to follow the rugby, and that’s the extent of my radio exposure. If Kim Hill has been broadcasting on other stations, or on telly, I’ve missed out.
No, Rosemary, it is not to do with radio exposure; rather personal exposure over many years. I’ll leave it at that. Just remember I live in Wellington and have for many years as has Kim, and Wellington (city rather than region) is a small place.
Rosemary, on a completely different subject, No 1 on today’s Order Paper for Parliament (after Question time at 2pm usually to 3pm) are the Third Readings of the three Bills that previously made up the Social Security Amendment Bill which was divided into three separate Bills in the Committee stages of consideration of the Bill back in July.
The three Bills now are the Social Security Bill containing the main changes to the old Social Security Bill, the Residential Care and Disabilities Support Services Bill, and the Artificial Limb Service Bill.
I haven’t followed this Bill/Bills contents or progress but have just had a look at the Residential Care and Disabilities Support Services Bill – and the alarm bells are going off. Hoping not and must read much more closely …
Just thought that I would alert you to the fact that these three Bills will be going through the House this afternoon – set down for 2 hours of final speeches from about 3pm.
Know you are possibly limited re internet access but for anyone who isn’t internet links to watch or listen are:
I confess to only a superficial knowledge of the Social Security Act, but I was aware that the ‘household management’ side of Home Based Disability Support was means tested. I’m going to have to read that draft closely. On my wee phone, the fact my reading glasses are Warehouse specials becomes an issue.
I guess with the so called baby boomer bulge threatening to bankrupt the Nation with increased costs of care the gummint feels they have to close a few of the existing loopholes that have allowed the well resourced and informed to ferret away assetts so to avoid having to pay for their LTR care and protecting $$$$ for the offspring.
I’m speculating, and this does require close scrutiny. To my shame, I assume this is yet another way Our Elected Representatives are devising to tighten the screws on those who are just managing.
Thanks, I think, vv for bringing this to my attention.
Its all aimed at Winston Peters, the media have it in for him mainly because he picks them up when they ask loaded questions and gives it back. I thought Kim Hill was less abrasive with the PM this morning. The theme behind the questions was similar but Jacinda is not Winston. Like the National opposition the media are being shown up for their deep seated dislike of Winston Peters to the extent of blinkering their view on how this MMP govt works.
Winston acts like a complete prick in his interaction with the media. He learnt this from Muldoon. From what i have seen it matters little if an interviewer is acting genuinely. Winston deserves all he gets.
Winston is combative but he has style, that’s the barrister showing. Muldoon was just a school yard bully. Interviewers from back in the day regarded politicians as fair game to get one over. Lets remember there were TV satire shows lampooning politicians and politics generally and punchy current affairs that grilled politicians until blood appeared. This is all old hat to Winston and the media are suckers for continuing to treat him as entertainment in 2018. Winston may deserve what he gets but unfortunately for the media he gives back harder. He is the deputy PM and he has no intention of losing. The media need to change tack.
Though Kim is a gem; it was not enouigh sadly to stop me from leaving being a listener of RNZ.
So I have finally left RNZ as a listener now finally as it has been Hi-Jacked by the nasty Right wingers sadly.
RNZ has now been reduced to a very low grade level of no real Investigative journalism or coverage of regional issues with community input sadly.
This was what we were expecting but the disastrous handling of our public media by Clare Curran only produced a negative result with heavy seeded people running this public media; – with ‘self interested servants of the right wing stable.
For pete’s sake Cleangreen stop being so precious. Radionz is all we have got. It could be better but it could fall far worse. Keep on listening, send them a shot over their bow FTTT. We are in big trouble in NZ and the world, and it is no use sighing heavily and being too nice about services not being up to your standard. We may never get better! Stick in there feisty, and keep what we have, not just roll over and let the b..s wipe their feet on you.
Our NGO wrote to the CEO of RNZ in February 2018 to ask for a reporter to be returned to HB/Gisborne after we lost him three years ago and they never sent us one since.
They have left our regions without a reporter to come to us and cover our community issues and this is still the same today.
by the way the CEO is still the national Party apportioned CEO and he was not supportive of our labour/NZ First political friendly regions so this is why we hold RNZ in contempt sadly we wished it was not so.
Time to write again 6 months later Cleangreen. You have been working hard for the region – keep up the pressure. Have you done an opinion piece for the Gisborne paper which is factual and finishes with a question about whether Gisborne has dropped off the RNZ map?
Also do you know of some aspiring articulate good writer who could be RNZ reporter in Gisborne and knows about local matters and can present political and interesting stories? Might need some training. Find out if they would mind putting their name forward? Then RNZ can’t just say this is hard, where can we get a reporter (throws hands in the air). Lois Williams does Northland, Tracey Neal does Nelson etc. Gisborne must have someone who has been limited by an accident who is under-employed, women who have the education and have time after children, an older school leaver who has been a kapa haka or sports leader for instance and has the ambition, organisation, self-drive etc to put pieces in and understand the multi-tech needed.
What I did like in retrospect was that most of Kim’s “questioning’ did give Jacinda the chance to rebut and correct a lot of the narrative being pushed by a few so called political commentators setting themselves as the news.
The PM handled the Kim Hill interview very well in my view. KH let the PM answer without talking over her or interrupting her mid- sentence. She asked insightful questions and the PM was well able to handle them.
The PM is doing well in her role. She is still a relatively new leader and growing into the position takes a little time. The nonsense that she is “weak” just because she is not overtly trying to be “tough” has an element of jealousy and envy from those critics because people like her and want to connect with her. It drives them mad!
Running the country is paramount but how great it is to also have a little “stardust”.
Chris Trotter likes to wax lyrical. He also betrays a depressing penchant for wanting a leader that exhibits a type of old world totalitarian Labour party philosophy. Similar to other commentators and opinion piece writers on Jacinda Ardern he should get with the times and join the 21st century in 2018.
Chris Trotter likes to interview himself and thinks the Chris Trotter he knows is such an erudite all-knowing soul on a very high pedestal. He seems still to be stuck in the 70s/80s.
Trotter: “Accompanying these “Budget Responsibility Rules” were a seemingly never-ending series of working-parties dedicated to coming-up with the policies Labour’s leaders lacked both the imagination and the courage to come up with themselves.” Overkill? Technically, perhaps, but many perceive this.
Actually, crowd-sourcing policy initiatives is a good idea in principle. The Greens called it grass-roots democracy (when the GP started). I just wouldn’t trust Labour to conduct an honest process in practice. Their innate contempt for the people is too habitual.
Trotter summarises the coalition reset thus: “emphatically vague Jacinda is back. Poised, articulate, relaxed, witty: oh yes, she was all of those; but when her listeners attempted to recall the substance of her speech there was precious little for memory to work with. It was a tale told by a politician: full of smiles and good intentions; signifying … very little indeed.”
There’s a couple of notable comments to Trotter on TDB. Janine says “Another victory for form over content. Might well be the metaphor of our times.” Countryboy predicts this future: “Financiers will jump out windows and fall like autumn leaves. Mince wrapped in Gorgio Armani.”
“Ardern’s office swiftly denied she had seen the figures, which are meant to be under strict embargo until 10:45am on Thursday when they are released by Statistics New Zealand.
“The Prime Minister made a mistake,” a spokesman said.
“She has not seen, because we do not receive, the GDP numbers.” ”
So she doesn’t know what she reads and gets confused with numbers and thought it was the GDP, or she did read it and was not allowed to, and is now lying?
Pray tell us Marty, what was the mistake?
Is she really so ignorant that she doesn’t understand what the GDP is, and doesn’t realise that it isn’t the same thing as the Crown Accounts?
Or is it that she let slip that the GDP figures are being leaked to her office?
I suspect it is the latter and that her office is panicking about the public finding out.
I suspect that Stats wouldn’t hesitate to try and keep the Government Ministers informed.. They must be very worried that there will be a cull of the Department after they left New Zealand with no valid Census data, having royally stuffed up the most important task they have.
It helps lend credence to the supposition that Bridges’ expense figures were leaked by someone in the Government. We don’t really believe, do we, that the Departments don’t tell this Government anything they want to know and that they didn’t see all the expense figures for everyone in Parliament, regardless of the fact that they weren’t meant to and their claim that no one in Government had seen anything about them?
You do realise that no department/ministry/government was involved in the expenses matter, don’t you? Only parliamentary services and the National caucus ….
Yeah Alwyn – she’s a girl so can’t understand numbers eh? Only knows about frocks. Are you grumpy because your Princess Party invitation got lost in the mail?
You really are confused aren’t you?
Your comment should of course be addressed to someone like Robert Guyton, rather than myself.
The PM was asked specifically about the GDP. I believe, as anyone can see from what I said, that she knew exactly what the GDP, as opposed to the Crown Accounts, is and she was replying to the question. She was talking about the GDP numbers because she had seen them.
Robert, and her own staff apparently, are the ones who want you to think that she doesn’t understand the difference. One can either believe that she really is stupid and hasn’t any understanding of the difference or that, like me, you think that she understands exactly what she is talking about.
I think they were leaked to her before the date and time they should have been released.
I fear I may be wrong in what I wrote in this comment.
“The PM was asked specifically about the GDP. I believe, as anyone can see from what I said, that she knew exactly what the GDP, as opposed to the Crown Accounts, is and she was replying to the question”.
I now accept that she really is so ignorant that she has no idea what the GDP of a country is and what GDP actually means. Incredible. How have we ever reached the level that senior politicians have no understanding at all about these things?
It doesn’t affect the question of whether she had seen the GDP numbers of course. She wouldn’t even realise what they were if she had. On the other hand why is she so foolish as to comment on things when she doesn’t even realise what the questioner is talking about?
No wonder Winston went with Labour. In their company he looks, not like a worn out old roue but like someone with at least a skerrick of ability.
The material she did read hinted at the figures being good. Hinted, as Jacinda said.
She hasn’t seen the figures. Her office has to counter overheated speculation such as yours going unchallenged, Imo. As for “lending credence” to which Nat MP leaked, your claim has … none of that stuff at all.
The confused option is properly the best outcome for Ardern. Let us hope next time she clearly says other Treasury numbers indicate a good/robust GDP number or something to that effect.
Or the PM’s office will have to fire off more denials.
Meh – she could probably infer it from an informal Grant Robertson complacency index. Grant’s been taking lessons from Cullen, who never had a result go against him.
It’s due to the Australia training team mandate which ends around September from memory next yr, so aligning with the Australians makes sense for a number of reasons both military and political.
I think you are right. The PM will not want to be offside with Australia on everything. Keeping the forces in Iraq in a training role is a relatively easy gesture to make. The NZDF personnel will also appreciate the experience.
I was more than a little surprised to hear her on Radio Live, saying to Duncan Garner that she would not be talking about the missions/operations the SAS was undertaking. It was a bit of an off to the side question by Duncan , so she may have just used a formulaic response. More like Helen Clark than John Key.
Anyway I find it hard to believe that the SAS are on any missions, since I don’t believe the PM/DPM would authorise SAS missions in an entirely secret manner. While the SAS do train with other partner nations special forces, training is not the same as being on operations.
From memory the Australia’s extended the training mission just before the announcement of NZ election or the before the writs were issue hence why the then current government didn’t make the D as it would become an election issue, also the current NZ UN missions with the MER were due for renewal and again I think this was 6mths- 12mths after the election.
From a Military training/ logistics POV it sort’ve makes sense as there is bugger all hrs left on the C-130’s and decision for those replacements has to be made towards the end of the yr or early next yr before NZG and NZDF hit critical mass IRT to many hrs are left on the C130’s which would be a major whole of Government Policy Failure. Which I would be pointing fingers at all political party for this cock up from 98 onwards.
Once the C130 replacement process starts, expect to a massive drawdown of NZDF from the MER IOT cover for the reduction of available C130’s and this I think will happen from September onwards next yr IOF the RNZAF to cover for Op Deep Freeze and HADR missions for SP during the cyclone season.
“so what does NZF give Labour in return for this”.
They’ll let her go off to the UN at the weekend without making her look helpless and under their thumb for the rest of this week?
You don’t really expect Winston to do anything he wasn’t already planning to do, surely?
What more do you expect from the old charlatan?
Revenue figures from Treasury and IR being above forecast are indicative that growth is above forecast. One can make a fair estimate of what the GDP figure might be from them – even journalists (Rutherford etc) can do that.
Not sure if Phil Twyford and Labour/Auckland council seem interested in making this cancer sufferer house ‘warm and dry’ when they have created the opposite for him and many other people living in Auckland through botched resource consents.
When you have poor planning, council interpreting incorrectly their own rules and the constant curse of having natural sunlight destroyed by a McMansion popping up next to you which has become business as usual in Auckland for destroying amenity for modest housing.
The irony is, the urban planning legalisation was rushed through deceptively for affordable housing, but of course now the real agenda is clear, it is to relax the planning rules so that the council builds luxury McMansions around central Auckland districts to house the richer folks and the collateral damage is smaller modest folks houses becoming sunless, damp housing with hundreds of thousands wiped off it’s value by council and developers. More money and amenity for developers, less money and amenity for modest housing….
The reality is that consecutive governments, councils and construction firms have completely botched and ripped off homeowners through many means and left them high and dry after creating the problems, aka leaky buildings,
When are we going to be able to have quality construction in NZ instead of a bunch of idiots bringing in the lowest of the low to do work and then expecting home owners to pick up the costs of government allowing construction and councils to do whatever the F they feel like and getting everything wrong, but no penalty so they keep doing it again and again.
Also when are those signing off bad work going to be held to account (like an industry ban for 10 years) rather than having the ratepayers and taxpayers constantly pay out for screw ups as the Ponzi continues…
Is decades of construction issues not on the government agenda because so far they seem to be turning a blind eye and actually not even independently checking the credentials of tradespeople being bought in with a test like they do in other industries aka nurses and teachers, let alone bumping up the penalty and checks on using dodgy materials…
Jacinda; and her team of Labour NZ First/greens Ministers need to use the terms “It’s putting things right that counts” like – LV Martin did in the ad they had back in the 1970’s. “it’s the putting right that counts.”
For whatever reason the construction industry have had successive governments wrapped around their little fingers and created a dysfunctional housing market where somehow houses only last about 5 years before they start failing in some way… and nobody who built them or those that consented them held to account.
we have a housing crisis due to lazy immigration but the other side of the story is the dysfunctional construction industry that is so deregulated and with so little constraints from our RMA laws to relaxed planning laws, to getting rid of apprentices, to allowing the commoditisation of subcontracters and cheap labour with middle men, to our lax bankruptcy laws and so little criminal culpability on bad housing (CTV building/PIke river mine).
How has NZ become so bad at building over the last 30 years, while also giving the construction industry everything they want and plenty of corporate welfare to boot and still they wah wah for more concessions?
Time to stop the carrots and actually apply some common sense and come down a lot heavier against incompetence and poor building and resource consenting work to those that profit from it as well as the builders.
Nice to see at least a bit of spine about Mainzeal directors for a change. Not from the government of course.
All we hear about is WOF for rentals, there should be a full WOF on every new house being built and an exact list of everybody who worked on it so that mistakes can be rectified and bad practices and contractors stamped out, because most of the worst failures and dangers of complete failure have come from the new builds not the old builds and if government really believe they can somehow out build demand for housing, how does that work, when significant percentages need rebuilding work within a decade and some immediately?
In another location, coming into Porirua I saw a subdivision of newish houses.
They looked as if they had a special grey cloud over them that would block any sun and make them appear gloomy any day. Brown, fawn, grey,. How downbeat NZ is – in clothing, in cars, in houses and lacking in vitality, dragging itself around with no brighter possible future. Sigh.
Maybe Labour can make a small difference and get in again. In the meantime try and be nice to workers, retail etc. and give a smile. It does make a difference for them. Try to keep both kind and practical and keep some awhi going, encourage each other in positive community things benefitting particularly young adults and parents. They need love and welcome to the fold.
Yes greywarshark; – you mean something like “the Latin quarter”?
I saw a “Latin Quarter” with all different brightly colored huts in the 1960’s Downers camp in Turangi when I first come to work on these brightly colored huts at dam site in 1965 and the Ministry of Works whom I joined stuck me in one of those brightly colored huts.
It was told to me that they deliberately painted the huits all different colours so when we came home from the pub half cut at night we would recognise our huts in the dark by the colours.
Personally I think it was because they used left over paint after they finished the last job.
And then afterwards we never had the same colour on two huts since then.
Hope you liked this story as it was true, I was there then.
There were some good stories came from the big projects, dams etc.
I have been reading some small stories from Martin Crump (Barry’s offspring) and was thinking that many reflected those old days. Here’s one you might have heard at that time:
The Bank Inspector from Bill Jones
When a bank inspector called on a small country branch for a surprise audit he
found the banking chamber deserted and the staff drinking beer in the manager’s office. To teach them a lesson, he crept behind the counter and set off the hold-up alarm.
Much to his surprise, a barman from the pub next door immediately came running into the bank bearing a tray of fresh beers!
Politicians go beyond denial and actually take part in the counting and enumeration of our society’s housing crisis. Other communities might well take note of Auckland’s lead.
Ardern and the coalition talk of a compassionate government, of measuring and delivering upon well-being targets.
First we take notice. We count. We act. So we must.
I played American Football for a season once in Porirua. It taught me a few things. In rugby if your teammate has the ball you get beside them ready for a pass. In American Football you run in front to block tackles (simplistic I know but now the point).
Jacinda needs some blockers. Some labour MP has to become maddog prebble or bootboy mallard and start sorting out these attacks. This is a role that accentuates the qualities of the person who is the recipient of the blocking- they get to do their stuff, their job which isn’t to follow the yapping dogs of opposition. Time to front foot this and sort these righties out imo.
It was most unfair of course. It was after his football days that he went to and graduated with a good degree from the Yale Law School.
Actually I would agree entirely with the rest of you comment. Trevor certainly did most of the dirty work that Helen was wise to keep well away from in her public persona. What she told him in private was of course another matter.
I heard our PM onh Radionz this morning arguing her point of view with Kim Hill testing her. Jacinda sounded like a parent explaining the rules to a teenager, and seemed on the wrong foot.
She should just dismiss the critical comments and say that nobody has ever seen an MMP government in action, and while many in the public complain often about matters not being done by Labour, they seem to have accepted the same state of affairs happily from National.
If she affirmed once again that a true coalition government takes time, but good things do (echoing the cheese advertisement), I think many would laugh and accept it. She sounded too anxious to explain herself this morning. I think a confident demeanour would be right saying, ‘We are working hard at setting up better policies for NZ but we have to repair the structure we have been left with so are planning for now, and the future at the same time’
Question 8 of today’s question time is pretty funny
“Hon MARK MITCHELL to the Minister of Defence:
Has he seen the quote “Does he not realise that he sent our brave New Zealand soldiers to Iraq on a fool’s errand, and the training the Iraqi Army to stand and fight is literally Mission: Impossible?”; if so, does he agree with it?”
“”Does [Prime Minister John Key] not realise that you can’t train cowards to fight?” Mr Mark asked.
“Does he not realise that he sent our brave New Zealand soldiers to Iraq on a fool’s errand, and that training the Iraqi Army to stand and fight is a literally mission impossible?”
I agree it was funny and Mark Mitchell’s delivery ended up being the joke. He did get an apology of sorts out of Ron Mark though. National are just barking and its looks pathetic.
Why on earth do people keep asking Jacinda if she is being undermined by Winston? What the heck do they think she is going to say? Yes?? Stupid question from stupid people.Everyone knows it was just a matter of time before Winston three a spanner in the works. Better now than later.He needs to go overseas for a while to keep him out of mischiefs way. Jacinda IS in charge. Winston is not. Let her get on with it without this constant baying for blood.
Winston Peters; – He is the Deputy for Christ sake and needs some power.
Look at all the other Deputy PM’s and Presidents they all had sway so Winston does need his influence as we all voted for him to help make the difference and not just be another “Hollow man” as national has many of those.
“we all voted for him “.
And there I was thinking that you were a Green Party supporter.
But now you tell us that you voted for New Zealand First.
On the other hand don’t you think that saying “we all voted for him” is just a bit over the top when there were actually only about 7% who did?
Alwyn I was when I returned from Florida in 1999 a Green Party member after meeting them at a “Social Credit” meeting, but left them in 2002 and was heading an Environmental Advocacy Centre ever since then.
We like NZ First mostly because Winston’s party usually makes more sense of issues.
we like his Transport policies, because of his Rail and energy policies.
Also NZ First wanting to use more wool for carpeting most government buildings as an old guy I like wool immensely.
Labour would do well adopting some of the NZ First policies that are sensible and leave some others that maybe are’nt.
No ones perfect but NZ First is close to what labour/social credit was in 1960.
Fuckers are making an accusation disguised as a question. Ask it often enough and people will assume it wouldn’t be asked without reason. When, of course, that’s exactly what is happening.
Q: Why did Hosking ask if she’d seen the GDP numbers if he knew they were under embargo.
A: He didn’t know they were under embargo and assumed PMs regularly get this information early (some broadcaster).
He can’t have been trying to catch her out otherwise he would have.
I can guarantee you Mike is crying into his tumeric tea right now at missing the scoop of the year on live radio. If he’d known the figures were restricted he would have exposed and embarrassed the PM – a story which would have run for months or years.
But he dropped the ball and this will be dead by next week, if not tomorrow.
What has happened to Checkpoint now that John Campbell has gone?
Fancy getting John Key to pitch in on Jacinda’s alleged error over GDP. The host appeared to be ill informed and has poor interviewing technique.
And what a shallow line on nailed strawberries and the sex offender’s activity.
How come Big Gerry wasn’t investigated in his abuse of a young woman in an Accountants office over the phone. I understand Dim Sim spoke with him and accepted his version with no further enquiry or speaking to others, including the young woman. Is this good enough? I dont think so. He is an arrogant bully and should be dealt with in the proper manner.
You have to laugh.
In today’s UK Guardian, there is a column covering Jacinda’s guest-editing the Herald in celebration of Women’s Suffrage in New Zealand.
And then this quote …
Right wing blogger David Farrar was sceptical of Ardern’s role at the newspaper, which is perceived to be left-leaning, saying having her as editor “cut out” the middle man.
The Herald perceived to be left-leaning??
Daily doses of Hosking, Soper, du-Plessis-Allen, Hawkesby, Grant, … et al.
Kia ora The Am Show Wahine 125 years voting Rights in Aotearoa we know what culture had a big influence on that phenomenon Tangata whenua O Aotearoa .
OUR wahine could own land and the settlers wahine could not so that caused all sorts of problems for the settlors wahine if there men die and they had no male family members what to do with there property????????????????????????????????????????????????.
Yes te Papatunuku & Aotearoa equal right for wahine has a longways to go they carry a unfair burden of our society carrying out domestic duty’s having our mokopuna’s this is changing at a faster rate than at anytime in our history I will put some links up to prove this statement later Equality for all.
Hearing loss in OUR work force is a major problem when I was a lad I would use power tools with no protection at home . At work I had them but did not no how bad loud noise stuffs up ones hearing we need more target advertising / Education for te mokopuna’s on this subject.
A person I know gets his water straight out of the spring we use to play in when we were lad’s just a header tanks on there house and he has filters on his water supply . Good water is a must especially when Aotearoa give’s us wai in abundance . Floride in water is a no brainer to protect te mokopuna’s teeth from our modern diet I tried to get floride tablets for our mokopuna and could not find the stuff Eco gave floride to his offspring 3 out of 4 have good teeth .
I say a big know to one organization having control of our water it will be ripe for the neo libreals to try and sell in the future. If they get into power water is now and will become a much bigger issue around Papatuanuku in the near future . We just have to give the respect to Wai like Tangata Whenua has and keep it clean at all points .
So our private midwifes are private contractors who work for the state $50 k is not enough but $240 k seem like a bit much nearly a %500 increase delivering te mokopuna’s is a important job they need enough income to pay there cost and have a happy healthy life.
That’s how our systems works the powerful are not held accountable for there actions our law’s are made by them to protect them even when they cost peoples lives and this need’s to change. I.E No one held accountable for the Havelock North water problems.
I say changing the word’s From Labour Government to Coalition Goverment is the correct word’s for OUR Goverment after all that’s what our government is .
Kia Kaha Jackie Clark for being honoured for your work withThe Aunties charities that help all the wahine that suffer domestic violence ka pai work .
Ka kite ano P.S thanks for the help YEA RIGHT
Kia kaha to first home buyers don’t let the proper gander machine con you into thinking renting is better than owning one’s own house if you fall for this you will be losing big time .
You can have 2 couples combine there Kiwi saver and get a deposit on a house make sure you are compatible and if you pour all your extra income into the house and in 5 to 10 years buy the second house then Walar you are laughting all the way to the bank with 2 houses . The First home buyer % has gone up by %24 ka pai link below ka kite ano.
Every time I go out the sandfly are swarming around me what a bunch of——
I go to the the supermarket an the staff are being rude they get in my way at every stop I make they are there with ladders and pallet jack’s I wonder why what have I done to them nothing.
Yesterday they tried to get some of there boys to antagonize me they said a couple foul word’s .
Eco Know this is not normal human behavior so I just ignore them they did the same today they are scared I got a email this morning they know what it is you see they have the tools to read everyone’s un crypt emails phones everything in Aotearoa It does not bother me I got nothing to hide bring on the court case ANA TO KAI ka kite ano
This should never be aloud to happen on Papatuanuku in the year 2018 .
This is only happening because of a greed of power an money I back more Wahine in all the Goverments around Papatuanuku to stop our mokopunas dieing for no real reason all that are responsible for this atrocity should be called out and shamed link is below Kia kaha common people ka kite ano link is below.
Kia ora Newshub Yes we need tight borader security having flights coming into Aotearoa with proper out sniffer dogs is not good enough for Aotearoa future prosperity this has being going on for 18 months looks like shonky’s mess once again.
The Havelock North water incident only lasted as long as it did because instead of people checking the supplies IE water bore tested water the power’s that be were to busy covering there asses instead of doing there job there was heaps of rain and they consented to a intense beef fattening unite just a few hundred meters away from the bore and still no one is held accountable we know that Havelock is a upper class Town
don bras is just a old man with views that are not acceptable in 2018 he mite be a polite person but he has no idea of how a harmonies society should look like or any intentions of Aotearoa being a Equal happy healthy society for all .
He would prefer a society were him and his m8 had all the resources of Aotearoa to themselves while mokopunas are starving . simon and don would have no wahine in power just men it must give them nightmare’s that OUR new Leader is a young Wahine his type don’t want to lose control that’s the reason he want’s Maori culture and te reo to disappear because Maori are a threat to his classes power base.
Major Foley was a good humane man we have to few of his character of men on Papatuanuku at the minute.
Its ka pai that he is getting acknowledged but I ask question about this with what’s sweeping around Papatuanuku at the minute .
Ka kite ano
Kia ora The Crowd Goes Wild the net ball results are much better Ka pai .
I watched the TallBlacks they had a good game one could see that they were the dominant team just some one put glade wrap on there hoop they got the win kia kaha guys I could see both teams were fatigued
James we have that problem up Te Tairawhiti lol .
Yes Wai Eco is a fan of all those old league players including the Aussie ones. State Of Origin Wally Lewis Big Mal .
Ka kite ano the Wai manawa express Cullen
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Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Responding to an Auditor-General's report slamming failures in the administration of the 2023 General Election, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ...
The Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...
An objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney ShutterstockThis article contains information on deaths in custody and the names of deceased people, and describes ongoing colonial violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. First Nations people in Australia ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University Netflix Baby Reindeer’s phenomenal success has much to do with its writer and lead, Richard Gadd, who plays Donny in a tender semi-autobiographical account of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking. Gadd’s story has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle KarolinaGrabowska/Pexels If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Ans Westra, self-portrait, c. 1963. National Library ref AWM-0705-F They try but invariably fail – those writers who believe they are capable of encapsulating in prose or verse the essence of ...
Stewart Sowman-Lund looks at the growing concern around the world in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. What’s all this? When Covid-19 arrived on our shores in early 2020, some argued we were too slow, or crucially, ill-prepared for a pandemic. So ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Franco Montalto, Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and Director, Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University Water runs into a storm drain in a Los Angeles alley on Aug. 19, 2023, during Tropical Storm Hilary.Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images ...
The inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones has turned up a new witness who says he saw two teenagers and a small child in a high vis vest in the area where the boy’s body was found the day he died. Lachie’s body was discovered face up ...
Stories from the tenancy trenches, featuring spider infestations, cupboard rats and same-sex discrimination. Lucy’s brother was living in a damp 1930s building in Mt Eden where “he had to tie the cupboard doors closed so the rats didn’t get in”. Although he shared custody of his six-year-old son, his property ...
Simeon Brown, Chris Luxon, and Wayne Brown climbed into a hole and announced a plan to solve Auckland’s water woes. This is how it’ll work. New Zealand’s pipes are munted. They’re cracked and leaking, and struggling to handle all the extra poos excreted by our rising population. It’s a big, ...
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Opinion: ‘Reference-class forecasting’ is at the heart of improving pricing a project and identifying the expected timeframe but it doesn’t appear to be in use here The post ‘Think fast and act slowly’ is failing big projects appeared first on Newsroom. ...
What do a sombrero in Argentina and cognitive driving tests have in common? Don’t worry, we’re not setting up a bad joke. Hinengaro Clinic dementia clinician Gregory Winkelman has the answer on today’s episode of The Detail. “We ask a patient’s spouse or son or daughter: If you went to ...
Wellington long jumper Phoebe Edwards is back and she’s having fun again. Until this year, Edwards, a top athlete in her teens, had never competed as a senior athlete in New Zealand. In March, the 26-year-old won a national long jump title in a lifetime best of 6.28m after ...
After replacing a fifth of their caucus in just four months, the Greens’ opportunity to reset, reshuffle and refocus on the Government is quickly slipping away The post Persistent Green Party scandals delay caucus reset appeared first on Newsroom. ...
I knew Taika Waititi quite well when he was a kid. His mother lived in a tall narrow house in Aro St, and my youngest sister had a similar house two doors along. They were both single mums, they each had a son aged seven. Taika and my nephew Stepan ...
Opinion: “As time passes, knowledge of the circumstances of the August 2016 outbreak will fade and its immediate impact will be lost.” This statement is from the 2017 report of the Official Inquiry into the Havelock North campylobacteriosis outbreak. The then National-led government established the inquiry after the outbreak left ...
Opinion: Nicholas Khoo looks at two key points in the high-stakes foreign policy pact debate – and asks if NZ can engage with as little drama as possible. The post Where to next for the Aukus ruckus? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
ANALYSIS:By Olli Hellmann, University of Waikato When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day today on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also to mark a defining event for national identity. The battle of Gallipoli against ...
By Robin Martin, RNZ News reporter A New Zealand local authority, Whanganui District Council, has passed a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, condemnation of all acts of violence and terror against civilians on both sides of the conflict and the immediate return of hostages. It comes as ...
Asia Pacific Report The Aotearoa chapter of the Women’s International league for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has appealed to the New Zealand government to call out Israel over the “cruel and barbaric use of force” in Gaza and demand a permanent ceasefire. The league’s open letter was sent to Prime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government will invest $566 million over a decade on data, maps and other tools to promote exploration and development in Australia’s resources industry. The project will fund “the first comprehensive map of what’s ...
Asia Pacific Report Following an open letter by Auckland University academics speaking out in support of their students’ right to protest against the genocidal Israeli war on Gaza, a group of academics at Otago University have today also called on New Zealand academic institutions to “repair colonial violence” and end ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda J. Graham, Professor and Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology Ryan Tauss/ Unsplash, CC BY Two male students have been expelled from a Melbourne private school for their involvement in a list ranking female students. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The Reserve Bank is now assuming Australians will see no interest rate cuts this year – and quite possibly none before the next federal election, due next May. That’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University The Victorian budget offered more of the same on Tuesday, with the only change being how the budget papers were packaged. The usual shrink wrap was gone, hinting at savings in the pages ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Coalition is demanding extensive amendments to the government’s legislation targeting non-citizens who refuse to co-operate with their removal. In a dissenting report to the senate inquiry into the legislation, the Coalition says it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanita Yadav, Senior Research Fellow, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Brett Boardman/Belvoir The complex and grappling issue of violence against women takes centre stage in the soul-stirring solo dance drama Nayika: A Dancing Girl. During a dinner conversation ...
Disruption to patient care from a nationwide junior doctors strike is bordering on unsafe, a senior doctor claims, despite what health officials say. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Ground Picture/Shutterstock The anti-cancer drug abemaciclib (also known as Vernezio) has this month been added to the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to treat certain ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic McAfee, Postdoctoral researcher, marine ecology, University of Adelaide Robbie Porter, OzFish Unlimited Around Australia, hundreds of people are coming together to help a once-prized, but decimated and largely forgotten marine ecosystem. They’re busy restoring Australia’s native oyster and mussel reefs. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Austin Human/Unsplash How does Earth stop meteors from hitting Earth and hurting people? –Asher, 6 years 11 months, New South Wales Alright, let’s embark on a meteor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rory Mulcahy, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of the Sunshine Coast Professional sports organisations regularly promote and develop initiatives to support diversity, equity and inclusion. While sport has the power to change attitudes by sparking conversations about political issues and social ...
Comment: The weekly Monday post-Cabinet press conference is a useful forum for observing Christopher Luxon and how he is developing into the job of Prime Minister. He attempts to convey the impression of a man of action, speaking fast, delivering memorised National Party strategies in a connect-the-slogans kind of way, ...
Double votes, missing ballot boxes, tired tech and stressed staff: how tick-tallying went astray at last year’s election. Cast your mind back to November 2023, that bleary-eyed post-election period duringwhichwewaited, andwaited, for a coalition deal to be hammered out. A distraction from the hotel-hopping of our ...
International audiences are starting to discover what New Zealand already knew about After the Party.When After the Party aired in New Zealand last year, the response was fast and furious. In his preview for Rec Room, Duncan Greive said it was a “gritty, wrenching and highly confronting” series. By ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Convenor of the Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), and Acting Director the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Iran’s leadership has been a direct beneficiary of the months-long war in Gaza. With every missile that Israel fires ...
Claire Mabey reviews the haunting and sexy debut novel from Sinéad Gleeson, who is about to touch down in Aotearoa for a string of live events.When Irish writer Sinéad Gleeson was in Aotearoa in 2018 with her spectacular collection of essays, Constellations, she told me she was working on ...
PNG Post-Courier Bougainville Affairs Minister Manasseh Makiba has described the Post-Courier’s front page story yesterday regarding a meeting between Bougainville and national government leaders as “sensationalised” and without substance. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (AGB) had warned it might use “other avenues to gain its independence” should the PNG government “continue ...
Where some saw the worst press conference given by the government to date, Anna Rawhiti-Connell recognised girl maths game.Nicola Willis, recently exasperated by comparisons to Ruth Richardson, said she was “a bit sick of being compared with every female finance minister that’s ever been out there.”Some think that’s ...
The March results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2023 (HYEFU 2023), published on 20 December 2023 and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Jamie Arbuckle, the district councillor who became an MP but decided to keep getting paid for both roles, will instead donate one salary to charity. ...
Adding gender to the Human Rights Act would simply make the implicit explicit. So why is it so controversial? Paul Thistoll explain. At present, Aotearoa’s 1993 Human Rights Act (HRA) includes sex, marital status, religious belief, ethical belief (meaning a lack of religious belief), colour, race, ethnicity or national origin, ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, an 18-year-old who’s studying and working in hospo shares their approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Transmasc Age: 18 Ethnicity: Pākehā/Māori Role: Student, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Resources Minister Shane Jones has reportedly asked officials for advice on whether oil and gas companies could be offered “bonds” as compensation if drilling rights offered by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Gleeson, Associate Professor of Law, Macquarie University Shutterstock The Albanese government is weighing up the costs of delivering an election promise to protect religious people from discrimination in Commonwealth law. Such protections were relatively uncontroversial when included in state anti-discrimination ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yen Ying Lim, Associate Professor, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio Dementia is often described as “the long goodbye”. Although the person is still alive, dementia slowly and irreversibly chips away at their memories and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Judy Bush, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Adam Calaitzis/Shutterstock I met with a friend for a walk beside Merri Creek, in inner Melbourne. She had lived in the area for a few years, and as we walked ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Throsby, Distinguished Professor of Economics, Macquarie University Arts companies and individual artists in Australia are supported by government arts agencies, philanthropists, industry bodies, private donors and patrons. However, it is frequently overlooked that a major source of support for the arts ...
Harm Reduction Coalition Aotearoa, a new incorporated society dedicated to ending harmful drug policies, officially launched today, seeks a new fit-for-purpose drug law for Aotearoa New Zealand, rooted in science, experience and evidence. ...
The Corrections Minister admits he "muddied the water" after he and the Prime Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about a $1.9 billion prison spend-up. ...
As many of us suspected.
Just another false flag….
https://www.rt.com/news/438596-mh17-downing-russian-briefing/
That’s some fine trolling by RT.
Yet you accept BBC and CNN propaganda…
That’s some poor trolling by Ed.
Something fishy about Stunned Mullet; I think he has come to TS rather mixed up between trolling and trawling. You’re all at sea SM.
It could be worse than that… with an incoming tide, I suspect he has drifted up a certain creek…
Laughable crap.
The Russian official story is still a Ukrainian fighter, the pilot of which mysteriously “committed suicide” recently.
A Ukrainian military pilot blamed by Russia over the 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 has killed himself, Ukrainian media report, quoting police.
It is being investigated under the premeditated murder section of Ukraine’s penal code.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43457694
Hmmm Just assuming that the said pilot did not make a brief visit to Salisbury…
The Joint Investigation Team calls the Russian Ministry of Defence out as liars.
The JIT will meticulously study the materials presented today as soon as the Russian Federation makes the relevant documents available to the JIT as requested in May 2018 and required by UNSC resolution 2166. From the start of the investigation until today, the JIT has always carefully analyzed and processed the information provided by the Russian Federation. In doing so, the JIT has found that information from the Russian Ministry of Defense previously presented to the public and provided to the JIT was factually inaccurate on several points. An example is the alleged presence of a fighter plane in the vicinity of MH17 on radar imagery presented to the public on a press conference in July 2014.
https://www.om.nl/actueel/nieuwsberichten/@104053/reaction-jit-to/
A truly brilliant article.
Here is an excerpt.
“Just as a feudal elite was driven not by ethics but by the pursuit of power and wealth through the control of land; just as early capitalists were driven not by ethics but by the pursuit of power and wealth through the control of mechanisation; so neoliberalism is driven not by ethics but the pursuit of power and wealth through the control of the planet.
The only truth we can know is that the western power-elite is determined to finish the task of making its power fully global, expanding it from near-absolute to absolute. It cares nothing for you or your grand-children. It is a cold-calculating system, not a friend or neighbour. It lives for the instant gratification of wealth accumulation, not concern about the planet’s fate tomorrow.
And because of that it is structurally bound to undermine or discredit anyone, any group, any state that stands in the way of achieving its absolute dominion.
If that is not the thought we hold uppermost in our minds as we listen to a politician, read a newspaper, watch a film or TV show, absorb an ad, or engage on social media, then we are sleepwalking into a future the most powerful, the most ruthless, the least caring have designed for us.
Step back, and take a look at the whole screen. And decide whether this is really the future you wish for your grand-children.”
https://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2018-09-15/why-were-blind-to-the-system-destroying-us/
Yes Ed;
It is just another shifty hate campaign aimed at Russia by the current NATO administration who want to seize some Russian land for themselves no doubt.
But the Russians have been invaded before several times by others in the EU block haven’t they.??
Mongol invasion of “Kyivan Rus” (the modern people of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia).
Then in 1812 French Napoleonic invasion.
Then in 1940 Germany invaded Russia.
https://www.quora.com/Why-has-Russia-been-invaded-so-many-times
Russia did not invade anywhere as many as US did!!!
US countries they invaded number around 70 counties between 1776 and now!!!
https://www.countercurrents.org/polya050713.htm
So, what does Heather du Plessis-Allen’s comments on the Pacific islands really tell us about the state of broadcasting – and broadcasters – today?
Let’s be honest. She most likely said what she said because her rating are down. She needed a boost, so she went as low as she could without being censured by her employer. It was a calculated appeal to keep the angry old racists on ZB from not switching to Radio Sport after their daily dose of sneering class warfare from Hoskings and batshit conspiracy theories from Leighton Smith.
Heather du Plessis-Allen isn’t a racist. She is to shallow to know much about being a racist. She only knows one thing. And that one thing is she knows she will do whatever it takes to keep her job. If that means she has to be is a scoffing and entitled narcissist who doesn’t give a shit about the consequences of her statements, she is down with that. Her discount cynicism, her vulgar and opportunist racism, her tawdry insults are all driven by only one thing. And that one thing is an utterly banal cupidity, and that banal cupidity comprises the lowest common denominator that is the ideological glue that binds all the right wing stable together, from Slater to Farrar to Hoskings to Soper to Heather du Plessis-Allen.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to private media in NZ in 2018. A near perfect metaphor for neoliberalism, motivated by crass greed and not much else.
Brilliant article, Sanctuary.
Worthy of a post.
I only disagree on one point.
HDPA is a racist.
Jonathan Cook’s take on the media
“Journalists typically have a passive relationship to power, in stark contrast to their image as tenacious watchdog. But more fundamental than control over narrative is the ideology that guides these narratives. Ideology ensures the power-system is invisible not only to us, those who are abused and exploited by it, but also to those who benefit from it.
It is precisely because power resides in structures and ideology, rather than individuals, that it is so hard to see. And the power-structures themselves are made yet more difficult to identify because the narratives created about our societies are designed to conceal those structures and ideology – where real power resides – by focusing instead on individuals.
That is why our newspapers and TV shows are full of stories about personalities – celebrities, royalty, criminals, politicians. They are made visible so that we do not notice the ideological structures we live inside that are supposed to remain invisible.
News and entertainment are the ripples on a lake, not the lake itself. But the ripples could not exist without the lake that forms and shapes them.”
http://werewolf.co.nz/2018/09/gordon-campbell-on-the-ardern-pep-talk/
This is the best reporting on the coalitions re-set I have seen. Gordon Campbell shows what real journalism is. The rest as Winston said yesterday on Kim hill, are all (over-paid) amateurs
I think this part of his commentary is worth recycling: “Besides Ardern, politicians elsewhere – notably Elizabeth Warren in the US – have been grappling recently with how to confront the socially toxic emphasis that the corporate sector has placed on maximizing shareholder wealth above all other concerns. The diagnosis of what’s gone wrong is simple:
The heterodox economist William Lazonick of the University of Massachusetts puts the thesis very squarely, arguing that “from the end of World War II until the late 1970s, a retain-and-reinvest approach to resource allocation prevailed at major U.S. corporations.” But since the Reagan era, business has followed “a downsize-and-distribute regime of reducing [labour] costs and then distributing the freed-up cash to financial interests, particularly shareholders.”
“This belief that the maximising of shareholder wealth is the prime – even the only –purpose of business originated with the economist Milton Friedman, in this wildly influential 1970 article. Down the subsequent years, the doctrine of shareholder supremacy has had a number of dire consequences. It has eroded business ethics by fostering sharp business practices aimed at maximising share value, and also the CEO compensation packages based on them. Wealth that used to be retained and re-invested (a) back into firms, (b) distributed in wages via union-negotiated agreements, and (c) re-invested in communities is now funnelled almost exclusively to shareholders.”
“Since only about one in ten Americans (and a similar ratio of New Zealanders) ever participate in speculation in shares, this channeling of shareholder wealth to an elite of the already advantaged has led to damaging extremes of income inequality – and to levels of social anger that have been politically captured by the far right. The road to Trump was paved by Milton Friedman.”
Agreed – an accurate but sad assessment. More fools us. Throughout all that Rogernomics bullshit I had the uncomfortable feeling that it was wrong, but it is only with the benefit of hindsight that the assessment can be so clearly stated.
I went with Anderton in opposition, but the media were full of right-wing propaganda at the time. “Profit is not a dirty word!” they all howled at us, and then there were years of criminal profit-gouging. We now need to call profit-gouging what it is, and restore some balance.
Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it. He doesn’t deserve to lie in quiet satisfaction with kudos for his work, and this also applies to fellow economists commonly associated such as Hayek.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
The child theory grew and contorted into a ‘robust’ free market one as it proved so suited to being established in a weakened, vulnerable polity as in Chile, and then as skilfully utilised by Roger Douglas and three others* with at one time, David Lange in the Fish and Chip Brigade making a Gang of Four! They all came to prominence after our oil shock problems, collapse of our investment in Ansett, and the move by the UK into the European Common Market.
During the military rule under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) in Chile, opposition scholars took up the expression to describe the economic reforms implemented there and its proponents (the “Chicago Boys”).[5] Once this new meaning was established among Spanish-speaking scholars, it diffused into the English-language study of political economy.
*…his closest colleagues as Richard Prebble, Mike Moore, and Michael Bassett.[24]
Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it. He doesn’t deserve to lie in quiet satisfaction with kudos for his work, and this also applies to fellow economists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
The child theory grew and contorted into a ‘robust’ free market one as it proved so suited to being established in a weakened, vulnerable polity as in Chile, and then as skilfully utilised by Roger Douglas and three others* with at one time, David Lange in the Fish and Chip Brigade making a Gang of Four! They all came to prominence after our oil shock problems, collapse of our investment in Ansett, and the move by the UK into the European Common Market.
During the military rule under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) in Chile, opposition scholars took up the expression to describe the economic reforms implemented there and its proponents (the “Chicago Boys”).[5] Once this new meaning was established among Spanish-speaking scholars, it diffused into the English-language study of political economy.
*…his closest colleagues as Richard Prebble, Mike Moore, and Michael Bassett.[24]Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it. He doesn’t deserve to lie in quiet satisfaction with kudos for his work, and this also applies to fellow economists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
The child theory grew and contorted into a ‘robust’ free market one as it proved so suited to being established in a weakened, vulnerable polity as in Chile, and then as skilfully utilised by Roger Douglas and three others* with at one time, David Lange in the Fish and Chip Brigade making a Gang of Four! They all came to prominence after our oil shock problems, collapse of our investment in Ansett, and the move by the UK into the European Common Market.
During the military rule under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) in Chile, opposition scholars took up the expression to describe the economic reforms implemented there and its proponents (the “Chicago Boys”).[5] Once this new meaning was established among Spanish-speaking scholars, it diffused into the English-language study of political economy.
*…his closest colleagues as Richard Prebble, Mike Moore, and Michael Bassett.[24]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Douglas
Well we see what sort of views you espouse, don’t we.
Was the story I have linked to the work of you and your kind?
For anyone else I suggest you don’t follow the link. It is the sort of thing only people like greywarshark would approve of.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3582622
You are of course aware that Friedman was Jewish?
alwyn: Einstein was also Jewish. But he had the distinction of being sound and correct.
I understood that you valued IQ… Why did you make such an obviously stupid response? Anti-Semitism out of that??
You will note that he included the following lines three times in the comment.
“Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it”.
If that is not advocating the desecration of graves, in exactly the same way as the article indicates some mongrels did to graves in this country, then what is it advocating.
Why does he believe that desecration of graves is acceptable?
Admittedly, the message appears to have been fumbled and repeated twice. But spilling red paint over a grave is a symbolic act. It has been done literally at times, but Greywarshark saying someone ‘should’ do it is not the same as actually doing it. Plenty of non-Jewish graves have been desecrated too… I doubt if Greywarshark takes spray-cans of red paint to cemeteries in the deep of dark.
Heard of metaphors?
Your whole over-reaction smacks of ‘mongrel’ alwyn. Just a bit too eager to score a point that turns into an own goal.
Posterity will ne’er survey
a Nobler grave than this:
Here lie the bones of Castlereagh:
Stop, traveller, and piss!
Oh, you foul desecrater you!
In Vino; – 100% factual there In vino.
Perfectly said.
Also Simon Wilson’s article in the Herald.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12126735
He’s mistaken here: “it’s in the Labour-Greens coalition agreement, so it’s a Government commitment.” A policy only becomes adopted by this coalition government when Labour and NZF both agree to adopt it. The GP is not part of the govt, only some of its MPs are. Yet more media incomprehension of MMP.
Crikey. Jacinda got a going over this morning from Kim Hill, who says that Jacinda got humiliated by Winston ACCORDING to many political commentators. We all know who these hacks are. O’Brien, Garner, Watkins,Armstrong etc who come out of their holes at the mention of Jacinda to write their derogatory own opinions to create negative perception in the press and television aided by constant pop ups of dim Bridges who is hardly ever challenged. Fortunately all these people can not change the average Zealanders that JA is fighting the long game for the ultimate benefit of all of us. Fighting against a constant unfair battle against the poor selection of political news hacks that we are lumbered with.She is a strong lady and will prevail against them. Although Winston does need to pull his head in and keep things behind closed doors. It’s time extraneous issues were put to one side and all positive things this Government are trying to achieve should be given positive press. Too many sideshows Winnie.
simon was cringe worthy yesterday in all his interviews and on the nation in the weekend.
Am not into name calling but, what a donut. How embarrassing that he is the best the nats could find.
Meanwhile it sounds like our refugee quota is due to rise, good stuff.
Oppps that will put a spanner in the works re the current narrative being flung around by certain media.
Winnie is going to be on radio live this morning if any are interested, not sure what time.
Donut!
You don’t pull your punches Cinny.
“Meanwhile it sounds like our refugee quota is due to rise, good stuff.”
Err..no. Winny has put paid to that. Do keep up.
Indeed when Kim Hill goes after a Labour PM you know it is not just politics in play.
“We all know who these hacks are” it was pretty much across the board…the only difference was in the severity of the critique.
Around 1O.30 mins into the interview Jacinda was asked about the employed law reforms and Winston…by 11.15 mins Hill had completed her dismantling of Jacinda’s PR spin.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018662977
That was a good examination by Kim. It almost clarified the contradiction between what Winston said and what Jacinda said. Not quite. We await the final sign-off, I suspect.
Looks both are right, while neither is fully explaining the process of decision-making they use. Understandable that the media is using the apparent contradiction to generate headlines of discord. The coalition ought to hire someone to do pr who has a grasp of political process and can explain to the public how consensus on policy is both established and finalised.
Never mind, Chuck. I remember Kim Hill stripping John Key of his elegant puffery on one of her rare appearances back then… He never appeared with her on Morning report again. In fact, he rarely appeared on Morning Report at all later in his time as PM: he preferred patsy questions from ditzy Radio Live hosts, etc…
Jacinda actually stood up to Kim Hill a lot better. The difference will be seen in whether she continues with such interviews, or runs away like JK did.
Time will tell In Vino.
Although Ardern has already made history by being the first PM to cancel arranged meetings for Q&A and Newshub Nation.
If you believe the diary issue then we have two different versions, one from the PM’s office the other from Clarke.
Time will tell indeed. The cancellations you mention were one-offs for good reason. See if she consistently refuses to meet with QA and Newshub National – whoops, Nation. And see if she avoids the harder stuff at what you are probably deluded enough to call Red Radio. Time will indeed tell.
And you are clutching vainly at straws regarding the diary issue. Good luck.
Lol
It was only a few weeks ago the right were calling O’Brien a left plant and she was a hero to the left
Make your mind up people
That’s the problem with the ‘shoot the messenger’ approach. The reality is the media are like sharks, they circle wounded and bleeding prey. When the wounded prey is from the left, the left call bias. When the prey is from the right, the right call bias. It’s just part of the game.
No Chris;
Most of us painted O’Brian as a right wing hack.
Thought Jacinda handled Kim very well. Winston was quite a handful for Kim yesterday.
Jacinda was also excellent with Jack Tame on breakfast. She is clear, articulate and thinks on her feet really well.
Simon sounds robotic and inauthentic. Like someone has feed him a line to say that he really doesnt comprehend or believe.
Ffloyd,
It seems to be; Media sour grapes time here as the media are loosing the spotlight to social media now!!!!!
So mainstream media; –
“get over your own bloated, conceited, pompous, obsession, with yourselves”
Jonathon Pie’s latest.
When will we ever learn, when will we ever learn? (sounds like a line out of a song?)
I used to admire Kim Hill for her work on Saturday Mornings, but what we are getting on Morning Report is a different animal entirely. Attack! Interrupt, talk over, rude.
Angrily following a party line.
Kim has been around forever and apart from a brief and somewhat less than stellar TV outing has been a faithful Natrad stalwart.
She was dubbed “Him Kill” for a very good reason.
Yes she challenges, and yes she persists, and when she eventually backed off from Winston yesterday (sensible, really, as tempus was fugiting and they’re on a schedule) I felt a little let down.
What happened this morning was an assertive interviewer put the Prime Minister on a hot griddle, giving the PM an opportunity to show they’re up for it and equal to the task.
From what I heard, both achieved their objectives, both did their jobs well.
Kim Hill is different, thank God, and I personally believe she’s wasted on Saturday morning.
Agree, and I suspect JA was not only up for the challenge, but thankful for the opportunity to engage with someone with a bit of intelligence. Likewise Ron Mark not too many minutes later.
Not sure about the faithful “Natrad stalwart” moniker. I would say more a petal from the flower of the Holyoake/Kirk years.
Agree with most of what you have written, Rosemary, except the being “a faithful Natrad stalwart”. Kim would roar with laughter at that one, as did I.
Clearly I’m at a disadvantage on this. I listen to Natrad and occasionally Radio Sport if Himself wishes to follow the rugby, and that’s the extent of my radio exposure. If Kim Hill has been broadcasting on other stations, or on telly, I’ve missed out.
No, Rosemary, it is not to do with radio exposure; rather personal exposure over many years. I’ll leave it at that. Just remember I live in Wellington and have for many years as has Kim, and Wellington (city rather than region) is a small place.
Rosemary, on a completely different subject, No 1 on today’s Order Paper for Parliament (after Question time at 2pm usually to 3pm) are the Third Readings of the three Bills that previously made up the Social Security Amendment Bill which was divided into three separate Bills in the Committee stages of consideration of the Bill back in July.
The three Bills now are the Social Security Bill containing the main changes to the old Social Security Bill, the Residential Care and Disabilities Support Services Bill, and the Artificial Limb Service Bill.
I haven’t followed this Bill/Bills contents or progress but have just had a look at the Residential Care and Disabilities Support Services Bill – and the alarm bells are going off. Hoping not and must read much more closely …
Here is the latest copy of the Draft Bill
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2016/0122B/latest/whole.html#LMS41462
Just thought that I would alert you to the fact that these three Bills will be going through the House this afternoon – set down for 2 hours of final speeches from about 3pm.
Know you are possibly limited re internet access but for anyone who isn’t internet links to watch or listen are:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/audio
List of Radio sites for listening via radio by location – https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involved/media-centre/parliament-on-rnz/
Sneaky buggers. Who knew?
I confess to only a superficial knowledge of the Social Security Act, but I was aware that the ‘household management’ side of Home Based Disability Support was means tested. I’m going to have to read that draft closely. On my wee phone, the fact my reading glasses are Warehouse specials becomes an issue.
I guess with the so called baby boomer bulge threatening to bankrupt the Nation with increased costs of care the gummint feels they have to close a few of the existing loopholes that have allowed the well resourced and informed to ferret away assetts so to avoid having to pay for their LTR care and protecting $$$$ for the offspring.
I’m speculating, and this does require close scrutiny. To my shame, I assume this is yet another way Our Elected Representatives are devising to tighten the screws on those who are just managing.
Thanks, I think, vv for bringing this to my attention.
Its all aimed at Winston Peters, the media have it in for him mainly because he picks them up when they ask loaded questions and gives it back. I thought Kim Hill was less abrasive with the PM this morning. The theme behind the questions was similar but Jacinda is not Winston. Like the National opposition the media are being shown up for their deep seated dislike of Winston Peters to the extent of blinkering their view on how this MMP govt works.
Winston acts like a complete prick in his interaction with the media. He learnt this from Muldoon. From what i have seen it matters little if an interviewer is acting genuinely. Winston deserves all he gets.
Winston is combative but he has style, that’s the barrister showing. Muldoon was just a school yard bully. Interviewers from back in the day regarded politicians as fair game to get one over. Lets remember there were TV satire shows lampooning politicians and politics generally and punchy current affairs that grilled politicians until blood appeared. This is all old hat to Winston and the media are suckers for continuing to treat him as entertainment in 2018. Winston may deserve what he gets but unfortunately for the media he gives back harder. He is the deputy PM and he has no intention of losing. The media need to change tack.
Yes me likewise Grumb.
Though Kim is a gem; it was not enouigh sadly to stop me from leaving being a listener of RNZ.
So I have finally left RNZ as a listener now finally as it has been Hi-Jacked by the nasty Right wingers sadly.
RNZ has now been reduced to a very low grade level of no real Investigative journalism or coverage of regional issues with community input sadly.
This was what we were expecting but the disastrous handling of our public media by Clare Curran only produced a negative result with heavy seeded people running this public media; – with ‘self interested servants of the right wing stable.
Sad ending to a once proud public media..
For pete’s sake Cleangreen stop being so precious. Radionz is all we have got. It could be better but it could fall far worse. Keep on listening, send them a shot over their bow FTTT. We are in big trouble in NZ and the world, and it is no use sighing heavily and being too nice about services not being up to your standard. We may never get better! Stick in there feisty, and keep what we have, not just roll over and let the b..s wipe their feet on you.
I do have my reasons Greywarshark,
Our NGO wrote to the CEO of RNZ in February 2018 to ask for a reporter to be returned to HB/Gisborne after we lost him three years ago and they never sent us one since.
They have left our regions without a reporter to come to us and cover our community issues and this is still the same today.
by the way the CEO is still the national Party apportioned CEO and he was not supportive of our labour/NZ First political friendly regions so this is why we hold RNZ in contempt sadly we wished it was not so.
Time to write again 6 months later Cleangreen. You have been working hard for the region – keep up the pressure. Have you done an opinion piece for the Gisborne paper which is factual and finishes with a question about whether Gisborne has dropped off the RNZ map?
Also do you know of some aspiring articulate good writer who could be RNZ reporter in Gisborne and knows about local matters and can present political and interesting stories? Might need some training. Find out if they would mind putting their name forward? Then RNZ can’t just say this is hard, where can we get a reporter (throws hands in the air). Lois Williams does Northland, Tracey Neal does Nelson etc. Gisborne must have someone who has been limited by an accident who is under-employed, women who have the education and have time after children, an older school leaver who has been a kapa haka or sports leader for instance and has the ambition, organisation, self-drive etc to put pieces in and understand the multi-tech needed.
What I did like in retrospect was that most of Kim’s “questioning’ did give Jacinda the chance to rebut and correct a lot of the narrative being pushed by a few so called political commentators setting themselves as the news.
The PM handled the Kim Hill interview very well in my view. KH let the PM answer without talking over her or interrupting her mid- sentence. She asked insightful questions and the PM was well able to handle them.
The PM is doing well in her role. She is still a relatively new leader and growing into the position takes a little time. The nonsense that she is “weak” just because she is not overtly trying to be “tough” has an element of jealousy and envy from those critics because people like her and want to connect with her. It drives them mad!
Running the country is paramount but how great it is to also have a little “stardust”.
Chris Trotter seems to think the stardust has gone.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/09/18/no-substance-to-her-stardust-has-jacinda-lost-the-magic/
Chris Trotter likes to wax lyrical. He also betrays a depressing penchant for wanting a leader that exhibits a type of old world totalitarian Labour party philosophy. Similar to other commentators and opinion piece writers on Jacinda Ardern he should get with the times and join the 21st century in 2018.
Chris Trotter likes to interview himself and thinks the Chris Trotter he knows is such an erudite all-knowing soul on a very high pedestal. He seems still to be stuck in the 70s/80s.
I’m glad that chris Trotter can still remember what it was like in NZ in the 70/80s. Many seem to have no idea, and no context to pin their views to.
Trotter: “Accompanying these “Budget Responsibility Rules” were a seemingly never-ending series of working-parties dedicated to coming-up with the policies Labour’s leaders lacked both the imagination and the courage to come up with themselves.” Overkill? Technically, perhaps, but many perceive this.
Actually, crowd-sourcing policy initiatives is a good idea in principle. The Greens called it grass-roots democracy (when the GP started). I just wouldn’t trust Labour to conduct an honest process in practice. Their innate contempt for the people is too habitual.
Trotter summarises the coalition reset thus: “emphatically vague Jacinda is back. Poised, articulate, relaxed, witty: oh yes, she was all of those; but when her listeners attempted to recall the substance of her speech there was precious little for memory to work with. It was a tale told by a politician: full of smiles and good intentions; signifying … very little indeed.”
There’s a couple of notable comments to Trotter on TDB. Janine says “Another victory for form over content. Might well be the metaphor of our times.” Countryboy predicts this future: “Financiers will jump out windows and fall like autumn leaves. Mince wrapped in Gorgio Armani.”
First real mistake for Jacinda imo
“Ardern’s office swiftly denied she had seen the figures, which are meant to be under strict embargo until 10:45am on Thursday when they are released by Statistics New Zealand.
“The Prime Minister made a mistake,” a spokesman said.
“She has not seen, because we do not receive, the GDP numbers.” ”
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/107160622/prime-ministers-office-admits-mistake-over-arderns-economic-growth-hint-claim
So she doesn’t know what she reads and gets confused with numbers and thought it was the GDP, or she did read it and was not allowed to, and is now lying?
I’m guessing the later
Everyone makes mistakes
Which mistake?
Not knowing what figures are what or breaking the rules and now lying?
Lol – got lots of froth on your hate-a-chinno there chris
Lol
Yes Marty ‘Everyone makes mistakes’ you said;
Wasn’t that what John Key said during the’ponytail-gate affair’ or more recently when bumbling Clare Curran said – “I am only human” ?
So?
Pray tell us Marty, what was the mistake?
Is she really so ignorant that she doesn’t understand what the GDP is, and doesn’t realise that it isn’t the same thing as the Crown Accounts?
Or is it that she let slip that the GDP figures are being leaked to her office?
I suspect it is the latter and that her office is panicking about the public finding out.
I suspect that Stats wouldn’t hesitate to try and keep the Government Ministers informed.. They must be very worried that there will be a cull of the Department after they left New Zealand with no valid Census data, having royally stuffed up the most important task they have.
It helps lend credence to the supposition that Bridges’ expense figures were leaked by someone in the Government. We don’t really believe, do we, that the Departments don’t tell this Government anything they want to know and that they didn’t see all the expense figures for everyone in Parliament, regardless of the fact that they weren’t meant to and their claim that no one in Government had seen anything about them?
You do realise that no department/ministry/government was involved in the expenses matter, don’t you? Only parliamentary services and the National caucus ….
Read the article I linked to please.
Yeah Alwyn – she’s a girl so can’t understand numbers eh? Only knows about frocks. Are you grumpy because your Princess Party invitation got lost in the mail?
You really are confused aren’t you?
Your comment should of course be addressed to someone like Robert Guyton, rather than myself.
The PM was asked specifically about the GDP. I believe, as anyone can see from what I said, that she knew exactly what the GDP, as opposed to the Crown Accounts, is and she was replying to the question. She was talking about the GDP numbers because she had seen them.
Robert, and her own staff apparently, are the ones who want you to think that she doesn’t understand the difference. One can either believe that she really is stupid and hasn’t any understanding of the difference or that, like me, you think that she understands exactly what she is talking about.
I think they were leaked to her before the date and time they should have been released.
I fear I may be wrong in what I wrote in this comment.
“The PM was asked specifically about the GDP. I believe, as anyone can see from what I said, that she knew exactly what the GDP, as opposed to the Crown Accounts, is and she was replying to the question”.
I now accept that she really is so ignorant that she has no idea what the GDP of a country is and what GDP actually means. Incredible. How have we ever reached the level that senior politicians have no understanding at all about these things?
It doesn’t affect the question of whether she had seen the GDP numbers of course. She wouldn’t even realise what they were if she had. On the other hand why is she so foolish as to comment on things when she doesn’t even realise what the questioner is talking about?
No wonder Winston went with Labour. In their company he looks, not like a worn out old roue but like someone with at least a skerrick of ability.
“It helps lend credence to the supposition that Bridges’ expense figures were leaked by someone in the Government.”
Oh put it away.
Hamish Rutherford reported (hinted) on the stronger economy news yesterday, ffs. Did he break the embargo? No.
I think this is a mistake too
“Ardern told reporters later this morning she had been “obviously” referring to unaudited financial accounts.
“I accept I was talking about one thing and he was talking about another.”
She denied she was confused. “I know what I was talking about. Unfortunately the question I was being asked was something else.” ”
https://www.odt.co.nz/business/pms-mistaken-gdp-comment
Always good to answer the question given.
The material she did read hinted at the figures being good. Hinted, as Jacinda said.
She hasn’t seen the figures. Her office has to counter overheated speculation such as yours going unchallenged, Imo. As for “lending credence” to which Nat MP leaked, your claim has … none of that stuff at all.
“Host Mike Hosking asked if the numbers were good”
“I’m pretty pleased,” Ardern said.”
Robert, you need to spin a little more! While “hinted” was the headline the above exchange is much more direct.
So either Ardern has been “leaked” the GDP numbers or she is hmmm confused and or telling porkies.
Been a nice little rally in the NZDUSD exchange rate this morning.
For beginners – if Treasury/IR report good income flows (above forecast) this indicates there is (above forecast) growth.
Ardern needs you on her team SPC.
The confused option is properly the best outcome for Ardern. Let us hope next time she clearly says other Treasury numbers indicate a good/robust GDP number or something to that effect.
Or the PM’s office will have to fire off more denials.
Meh – she could probably infer it from an informal Grant Robertson complacency index. Grant’s been taking lessons from Cullen, who never had a result go against him.
Cullen was very good at his job and Helen Clark was able to rely on her finance minister.
I think Robertson is too lazy and not in the same league as Cullen.
If so I imagine Parker will be there before you can say naïf.
Our military in Iraq beyond June 2019 – just about a certainty, the Americans will ask and Winston Peters will say yes.
While bringing them back was in Labour’s policy it was not in the coalition agreement, and thus … so what does NZF give Labour in return for this?
It’s due to the Australia training team mandate which ends around September from memory next yr, so aligning with the Australians makes sense for a number of reasons both military and political.
Exkiwiforces
I think you are right. The PM will not want to be offside with Australia on everything. Keeping the forces in Iraq in a training role is a relatively easy gesture to make. The NZDF personnel will also appreciate the experience.
I was more than a little surprised to hear her on Radio Live, saying to Duncan Garner that she would not be talking about the missions/operations the SAS was undertaking. It was a bit of an off to the side question by Duncan , so she may have just used a formulaic response. More like Helen Clark than John Key.
Anyway I find it hard to believe that the SAS are on any missions, since I don’t believe the PM/DPM would authorise SAS missions in an entirely secret manner. While the SAS do train with other partner nations special forces, training is not the same as being on operations.
That would explain it as the reason to make it the coalition decision (given Winston Peters pose as a better manager of the relationship with Oz)
But if the Americans asked Oz to stay longer, would we then too?
It does suggest that Labour had their policy in a separate category to the Oz relationship, and it is NZF who pulled them this way.
From memory the Australia’s extended the training mission just before the announcement of NZ election or the before the writs were issue hence why the then current government didn’t make the D as it would become an election issue, also the current NZ UN missions with the MER were due for renewal and again I think this was 6mths- 12mths after the election.
From a Military training/ logistics POV it sort’ve makes sense as there is bugger all hrs left on the C-130’s and decision for those replacements has to be made towards the end of the yr or early next yr before NZG and NZDF hit critical mass IRT to many hrs are left on the C130’s which would be a major whole of Government Policy Failure. Which I would be pointing fingers at all political party for this cock up from 98 onwards.
Once the C130 replacement process starts, expect to a massive drawdown of NZDF from the MER IOT cover for the reduction of available C130’s and this I think will happen from September onwards next yr IOF the RNZAF to cover for Op Deep Freeze and HADR missions for SP during the cyclone season.
“so what does NZF give Labour in return for this”.
They’ll let her go off to the UN at the weekend without making her look helpless and under their thumb for the rest of this week?
You don’t really expect Winston to do anything he wasn’t already planning to do, surely?
What more do you expect from the old charlatan?
I’m sorry, but that is slightly desperate.
Have you seen them …… I get a hint, yes
The yes is confirming his question
In fact even if it was a hint it would be breaking the rules
I heard the interview and she certainly sounded like she had seen it, going by her cheerfulness talking about it
Listen below
http://120.138.20.16/WeekOnDemand/ZB/auckland/2018.09.18-07.45.00-S.mp3
Revenue figures from Treasury and IR being above forecast are indicative that growth is above forecast. One can make a fair estimate of what the GDP figure might be from them – even journalists (Rutherford etc) can do that.
And they did, yesterday. Perhaps we should be grilling Rutherford instead about his effect on the NZ dollar…
I know what desperate looks like. It looks like government opponents throwing absolutely everything at Ardern in the face of good economic news.
Well, the NZ Dollar has stopped the rise and bucked back downwards, so no story there..
Fucking more than slightly desperate by bridges and his useful idiots (here’s looking at you kid) for trying to make story out of this .
Not sure if Phil Twyford and Labour/Auckland council seem interested in making this cancer sufferer house ‘warm and dry’ when they have created the opposite for him and many other people living in Auckland through botched resource consents.
When you have poor planning, council interpreting incorrectly their own rules and the constant curse of having natural sunlight destroyed by a McMansion popping up next to you which has become business as usual in Auckland for destroying amenity for modest housing.
The irony is, the urban planning legalisation was rushed through deceptively for affordable housing, but of course now the real agenda is clear, it is to relax the planning rules so that the council builds luxury McMansions around central Auckland districts to house the richer folks and the collateral damage is smaller modest folks houses becoming sunless, damp housing with hundreds of thousands wiped off it’s value by council and developers. More money and amenity for developers, less money and amenity for modest housing….
The human face of Auckland Council’s consent botch-up
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018662252/the-human-face-of-auckland-council-s-consent-botch-up
The reality is that consecutive governments, councils and construction firms have completely botched and ripped off homeowners through many means and left them high and dry after creating the problems, aka leaky buildings,
botched reconstruction in Christchurch
https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/102392671/homeowners-with-botched-repairs-left-out-of-pocket-for-reports,
Bella vista
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/362567/bella-vista-council-compo-offer-for-botched-tauranga-development-heartbreaking-residents
Botched resource consents in Auckland as above..
When are we going to be able to have quality construction in NZ instead of a bunch of idiots bringing in the lowest of the low to do work and then expecting home owners to pick up the costs of government allowing construction and councils to do whatever the F they feel like and getting everything wrong, but no penalty so they keep doing it again and again.
Also when are those signing off bad work going to be held to account (like an industry ban for 10 years) rather than having the ratepayers and taxpayers constantly pay out for screw ups as the Ponzi continues…
Is decades of construction issues not on the government agenda because so far they seem to be turning a blind eye and actually not even independently checking the credentials of tradespeople being bought in with a test like they do in other industries aka nurses and teachers, let alone bumping up the penalty and checks on using dodgy materials…
Yes Save NZ;
Jacinda; and her team of Labour NZ First/greens Ministers need to use the terms “It’s putting things right that counts” like – LV Martin did in the ad they had back in the 1970’s. “it’s the putting right that counts.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/our-people/7337652/Putting-it-right-is-getting-it-right
Could be helpful about now?
For whatever reason the construction industry have had successive governments wrapped around their little fingers and created a dysfunctional housing market where somehow houses only last about 5 years before they start failing in some way… and nobody who built them or those that consented them held to account.
we have a housing crisis due to lazy immigration but the other side of the story is the dysfunctional construction industry that is so deregulated and with so little constraints from our RMA laws to relaxed planning laws, to getting rid of apprentices, to allowing the commoditisation of subcontracters and cheap labour with middle men, to our lax bankruptcy laws and so little criminal culpability on bad housing (CTV building/PIke river mine).
How has NZ become so bad at building over the last 30 years, while also giving the construction industry everything they want and plenty of corporate welfare to boot and still they wah wah for more concessions?
Time to stop the carrots and actually apply some common sense and come down a lot heavier against incompetence and poor building and resource consenting work to those that profit from it as well as the builders.
Nice to see at least a bit of spine about Mainzeal directors for a change. Not from the government of course.
All we hear about is WOF for rentals, there should be a full WOF on every new house being built and an exact list of everybody who worked on it so that mistakes can be rectified and bad practices and contractors stamped out, because most of the worst failures and dangers of complete failure have come from the new builds not the old builds and if government really believe they can somehow out build demand for housing, how does that work, when significant percentages need rebuilding work within a decade and some immediately?
In another location, coming into Porirua I saw a subdivision of newish houses.
They looked as if they had a special grey cloud over them that would block any sun and make them appear gloomy any day. Brown, fawn, grey,. How downbeat NZ is – in clothing, in cars, in houses and lacking in vitality, dragging itself around with no brighter possible future. Sigh.
Maybe Labour can make a small difference and get in again. In the meantime try and be nice to workers, retail etc. and give a smile. It does make a difference for them. Try to keep both kind and practical and keep some awhi going, encourage each other in positive community things benefitting particularly young adults and parents. They need love and welcome to the fold.
Yes greywarshark; – you mean something like “the Latin quarter”?
I saw a “Latin Quarter” with all different brightly colored huts in the 1960’s Downers camp in Turangi when I first come to work on these brightly colored huts at dam site in 1965 and the Ministry of Works whom I joined stuck me in one of those brightly colored huts.
It was told to me that they deliberately painted the huits all different colours so when we came home from the pub half cut at night we would recognise our huts in the dark by the colours.
Personally I think it was because they used left over paint after they finished the last job.
And then afterwards we never had the same colour on two huts since then.
Hope you liked this story as it was true, I was there then.
There were some good stories came from the big projects, dams etc.
I have been reading some small stories from Martin Crump (Barry’s offspring) and was thinking that many reflected those old days. Here’s one you might have heard at that time:
The Bank Inspector from Bill Jones
When a bank inspector called on a small country branch for a surprise audit he
found the banking chamber deserted and the staff drinking beer in the manager’s office. To teach them a lesson, he crept behind the counter and set off the hold-up alarm.
Much to his surprise, a barman from the pub next door immediately came running into the bank bearing a tray of fresh beers!
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/09/it-s-a-hell-of-an-existence-phil-goff-s-night-with-auckland-s-homeless.html
Politicians go beyond denial and actually take part in the counting and enumeration of our society’s housing crisis. Other communities might well take note of Auckland’s lead.
Ardern and the coalition talk of a compassionate government, of measuring and delivering upon well-being targets.
First we take notice. We count. We act. So we must.
I played American Football for a season once in Porirua. It taught me a few things. In rugby if your teammate has the ball you get beside them ready for a pass. In American Football you run in front to block tackles (simplistic I know but now the point).
Jacinda needs some blockers. Some labour MP has to become maddog prebble or bootboy mallard and start sorting out these attacks. This is a role that accentuates the qualities of the person who is the recipient of the blocking- they get to do their stuff, their job which isn’t to follow the yapping dogs of opposition. Time to front foot this and sort these righties out imo.
“I played American Football for a season”.
All is clear. You are like Gerald Ford as Lyndon Johnson so cruelly described him.
“He’s [Gerald Ford] a nice guy but he played too much football with his helmet off.”
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/926337-he-s-gerald-ford-a-nice-guy-but-he-played-too
It was most unfair of course. It was after his football days that he went to and graduated with a good degree from the Yale Law School.
Actually I would agree entirely with the rest of you comment. Trevor certainly did most of the dirty work that Helen was wise to keep well away from in her public persona. What she told him in private was of course another matter.
She had plenty of blockers to get her up there in the Labour Party. Not trace of blood on her as Little went down.
Robertson and King did that well, but neither are any use in public for the PM role.
Closest she has now for that blocker role is her staff.
She has no option but to grow harder in the role herself.
I heard our PM onh Radionz this morning arguing her point of view with Kim Hill testing her. Jacinda sounded like a parent explaining the rules to a teenager, and seemed on the wrong foot.
She should just dismiss the critical comments and say that nobody has ever seen an MMP government in action, and while many in the public complain often about matters not being done by Labour, they seem to have accepted the same state of affairs happily from National.
If she affirmed once again that a true coalition government takes time, but good things do (echoing the cheese advertisement), I think many would laugh and accept it. She sounded too anxious to explain herself this morning. I think a confident demeanour would be right saying, ‘We are working hard at setting up better policies for NZ but we have to repair the structure we have been left with so are planning for now, and the future at the same time’
100% correct.
Question 8 of today’s question time is pretty funny
“Hon MARK MITCHELL to the Minister of Defence:
Has he seen the quote “Does he not realise that he sent our brave New Zealand soldiers to Iraq on a fool’s errand, and the training the Iraqi Army to stand and fight is literally Mission: Impossible?”; if so, does he agree with it?”
2015
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/training-cowards-in-iraq-is-mission-impossible-for-kiwi-troops-nz-first-mp-6321787
“”Does [Prime Minister John Key] not realise that you can’t train cowards to fight?” Mr Mark asked.
“Does he not realise that he sent our brave New Zealand soldiers to Iraq on a fool’s errand, and that training the Iraqi Army to stand and fight is a literally mission impossible?”
I agree it was funny and Mark Mitchell’s delivery ended up being the joke. He did get an apology of sorts out of Ron Mark though. National are just barking and its looks pathetic.
Mark Mitchell was like a robot with a software malfunction.
Monotone droning voice and unable to read his own question. Another National joke.
Why on earth do people keep asking Jacinda if she is being undermined by Winston? What the heck do they think she is going to say? Yes?? Stupid question from stupid people.Everyone knows it was just a matter of time before Winston three a spanner in the works. Better now than later.He needs to go overseas for a while to keep him out of mischiefs way. Jacinda IS in charge. Winston is not. Let her get on with it without this constant baying for blood.
Winston Peters; – He is the Deputy for Christ sake and needs some power.
Look at all the other Deputy PM’s and Presidents they all had sway so Winston does need his influence as we all voted for him to help make the difference and not just be another “Hollow man” as national has many of those.
“we all voted for him “.
And there I was thinking that you were a Green Party supporter.
But now you tell us that you voted for New Zealand First.
On the other hand don’t you think that saying “we all voted for him” is just a bit over the top when there were actually only about 7% who did?
Opps sorry Alwyn;
Of course we never thought you would vote for anyone but national!!!
My apologies.
Alwyn I was when I returned from Florida in 1999 a Green Party member after meeting them at a “Social Credit” meeting, but left them in 2002 and was heading an Environmental Advocacy Centre ever since then.
We like NZ First mostly because Winston’s party usually makes more sense of issues.
we like his Transport policies, because of his Rail and energy policies.
Also NZ First wanting to use more wool for carpeting most government buildings as an old guy I like wool immensely.
Labour would do well adopting some of the NZ First policies that are sensible and leave some others that maybe are’nt.
No ones perfect but NZ First is close to what labour/social credit was in 1960.
Fuckers are making an accusation disguised as a question. Ask it often enough and people will assume it wouldn’t be asked without reason. When, of course, that’s exactly what is happening.
Q: Why did Hosking ask if she’d seen the GDP numbers if he knew they were under embargo.
A: He didn’t know they were under embargo and assumed PMs regularly get this information early (some broadcaster).
He can’t have been trying to catch her out otherwise he would have.
I can guarantee you Mike is crying into his tumeric tea right now at missing the scoop of the year on live radio. If he’d known the figures were restricted he would have exposed and embarrassed the PM – a story which would have run for months or years.
But he dropped the ball and this will be dead by next week, if not tomorrow.
There, there, Mike.
“He can’t have been trying to catch her out otherwise he would have.”
Hmmm, that makes it worse Muttonbird. Ardern tripping over her own two feet then…
“If he’d known the figures were restricted he would have exposed and embarrassed the PM’
Well, that happened anyway, that’s why the PM office had to issue a press release denying Ardern had access to the GDP numbers.
XCalls for winter energy payment to never end (article has contact for reporter if you want to go public and say how cutting this affects you)
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/107172417/beneficiaries-get-less-in-the-hand-as-payment-scheme-ends
What has happened to Checkpoint now that John Campbell has gone?
Fancy getting John Key to pitch in on Jacinda’s alleged error over GDP. The host appeared to be ill informed and has poor interviewing technique.
And what a shallow line on nailed strawberries and the sex offender’s activity.
And not holding Key to account for John Oliver’s show and Ponytails.
Very lame.
How come Big Gerry wasn’t investigated in his abuse of a young woman in an Accountants office over the phone. I understand Dim Sim spoke with him and accepted his version with no further enquiry or speaking to others, including the young woman. Is this good enough? I dont think so. He is an arrogant bully and should be dealt with in the proper manner.
You have to laugh.
In today’s UK Guardian, there is a column covering Jacinda’s guest-editing the Herald in celebration of Women’s Suffrage in New Zealand.
And then this quote …
Right wing blogger David Farrar was sceptical of Ardern’s role at the newspaper, which is perceived to be left-leaning, saying having her as editor “cut out” the middle man.
The Herald perceived to be left-leaning??
Daily doses of Hosking, Soper, du-Plessis-Allen, Hawkesby, Grant, … et al.
Kia ora The Am Show Wahine 125 years voting Rights in Aotearoa we know what culture had a big influence on that phenomenon Tangata whenua O Aotearoa .
OUR wahine could own land and the settlers wahine could not so that caused all sorts of problems for the settlors wahine if there men die and they had no male family members what to do with there property????????????????????????????????????????????????.
Yes te Papatunuku & Aotearoa equal right for wahine has a longways to go they carry a unfair burden of our society carrying out domestic duty’s having our mokopuna’s this is changing at a faster rate than at anytime in our history I will put some links up to prove this statement later Equality for all.
Hearing loss in OUR work force is a major problem when I was a lad I would use power tools with no protection at home . At work I had them but did not no how bad loud noise stuffs up ones hearing we need more target advertising / Education for te mokopuna’s on this subject.
A person I know gets his water straight out of the spring we use to play in when we were lad’s just a header tanks on there house and he has filters on his water supply . Good water is a must especially when Aotearoa give’s us wai in abundance . Floride in water is a no brainer to protect te mokopuna’s teeth from our modern diet I tried to get floride tablets for our mokopuna and could not find the stuff Eco gave floride to his offspring 3 out of 4 have good teeth .
I say a big know to one organization having control of our water it will be ripe for the neo libreals to try and sell in the future. If they get into power water is now and will become a much bigger issue around Papatuanuku in the near future . We just have to give the respect to Wai like Tangata Whenua has and keep it clean at all points .
So our private midwifes are private contractors who work for the state $50 k is not enough but $240 k seem like a bit much nearly a %500 increase delivering te mokopuna’s is a important job they need enough income to pay there cost and have a happy healthy life.
That’s how our systems works the powerful are not held accountable for there actions our law’s are made by them to protect them even when they cost peoples lives and this need’s to change. I.E No one held accountable for the Havelock North water problems.
I say changing the word’s From Labour Government to Coalition Goverment is the correct word’s for OUR Goverment after all that’s what our government is .
Kia Kaha Jackie Clark for being honoured for your work withThe Aunties charities that help all the wahine that suffer domestic violence ka pai work .
Ka kite ano P.S thanks for the help YEA RIGHT
I know you were just being used Kia kaha
Kia kaha to first home buyers don’t let the proper gander machine con you into thinking renting is better than owning one’s own house if you fall for this you will be losing big time .
You can have 2 couples combine there Kiwi saver and get a deposit on a house make sure you are compatible and if you pour all your extra income into the house and in 5 to 10 years buy the second house then Walar you are laughting all the way to the bank with 2 houses . The First home buyer % has gone up by %24 ka pai link below ka kite ano.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/property/107192307/firsttime-home-buyers-sneak-up-to-one-in-four
Every time I go out the sandfly are swarming around me what a bunch of——
I go to the the supermarket an the staff are being rude they get in my way at every stop I make they are there with ladders and pallet jack’s I wonder why what have I done to them nothing.
Yesterday they tried to get some of there boys to antagonize me they said a couple foul word’s .
Eco Know this is not normal human behavior so I just ignore them they did the same today they are scared I got a email this morning they know what it is you see they have the tools to read everyone’s un crypt emails phones everything in Aotearoa It does not bother me I got nothing to hide bring on the court case ANA TO KAI ka kite ano
All the beautiful Creatures on Papatunuku should be treated like dimonds Kia Kaha
Some more Eco Maori Music
The second video is to the people in power Ka kite ano
Some music Eco Maori is listening to at the minute
WE ARE ALL HUMAN’S
This should never be aloud to happen on Papatuanuku in the year 2018 .
This is only happening because of a greed of power an money I back more Wahine in all the Goverments around Papatuanuku to stop our mokopunas dieing for no real reason all that are responsible for this atrocity should be called out and shamed link is below Kia kaha common people ka kite ano link is below.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/19/yemen-famine-million-more-children-at-risk-
Kia ora Newshub Yes we need tight borader security having flights coming into Aotearoa with proper out sniffer dogs is not good enough for Aotearoa future prosperity this has being going on for 18 months looks like shonky’s mess once again.
The Havelock North water incident only lasted as long as it did because instead of people checking the supplies IE water bore tested water the power’s that be were to busy covering there asses instead of doing there job there was heaps of rain and they consented to a intense beef fattening unite just a few hundred meters away from the bore and still no one is held accountable we know that Havelock is a upper class Town
don bras is just a old man with views that are not acceptable in 2018 he mite be a polite person but he has no idea of how a harmonies society should look like or any intentions of Aotearoa being a Equal happy healthy society for all .
He would prefer a society were him and his m8 had all the resources of Aotearoa to themselves while mokopunas are starving . simon and don would have no wahine in power just men it must give them nightmare’s that OUR new Leader is a young Wahine his type don’t want to lose control that’s the reason he want’s Maori culture and te reo to disappear because Maori are a threat to his classes power base.
Major Foley was a good humane man we have to few of his character of men on Papatuanuku at the minute.
Its ka pai that he is getting acknowledged but I ask question about this with what’s sweeping around Papatuanuku at the minute .
Ka kite ano
Kia ora The Crowd Goes Wild the net ball results are much better Ka pai .
I watched the TallBlacks they had a good game one could see that they were the dominant team just some one put glade wrap on there hoop they got the win kia kaha guys I could see both teams were fatigued
James we have that problem up Te Tairawhiti lol .
Yes Wai Eco is a fan of all those old league players including the Aussie ones. State Of Origin Wally Lewis Big Mal .
Ka kite ano the Wai manawa express Cullen