I’m against over-use of meaningless jargon. But I have no problem with most of these words:
Staff are forbidden to use “heads-up” and should instead plump for “early” or “preliminary indication”.
Also out in his language jihad are “process”, “outcome”, “community”, “stakeholder” and “cutting edge”.
In particular what is wrong with “community”, if used to actually mean a community of people? Is Finlayson just opposed to processes and communities? “Outome” is actually a word that became overused with post 80s “neoliberal” managerialism – looking for short term, easily identified results of a programme, event or policy. “Preliminary indication” just sounds like stuffy old public school.
Finlayson’s obession with commas and “that” is just overly fussy. Looks very much old, Brit public school to me.
Mr Finlayson, who is also attorney-general, harbours a special dislike of Oxford commas, split infinitives and any extraneous uses of “that”.
“The minister has commented ‘commas hunt in pairs’. This would, for example, look like this’,” the memo instructs bureaucrats.
The guide reveals Mr Finlayson has a very strict style for his letters. The address must be preceded by eight to 11 blank lines, with four lines for his signature. The font should be Arial, 12 point, and centred. “Don’t split paragraphs over pages,” the guide warns.
According to the note: “Minister Finlayson addresses his colleagues, support party colleagues and people he knows by first name.” Opposition MPs “should be addressed by their last name”.
Sad little bloke really. Nothing spells “control freak” better than this.
If he has to exert this level of control over the staff, then he is clearly unable to exert any control over his main functions and responsibilites, so has diverted onto this. And by now the staff won’t be telling him anything.And, if they are smart, they will take a dripping coffee cup into the meeting and abandon it on his desk right in front of him half full complete with stain ring. That should distract him.
“Sad little bloke really. Nothing spells “control freak” better than this”
+100
I’m fairly sure I’ve heard him use the occasional “going forward” too.
We should challenge the meaningless BS-speak at every opportunity, maybe even correct the “bought/brought” errors – but what Finlayson wants is papers that spout complete bullshit in a very concise, precise language.
Karol, I think Andrea was using the word jihad because of Finlayson’s use of the term:
“”It’s like what happened in Rome when classical Roman broke down into vulgar Latin. The more intensive adjective or verb was always used over the classical one. And I have this objection to that happening to the English language. It’s just my little jihad.” (from the Stuff article you linked to)
Agree with you though. It’s not a Jihad, and further, (look at my comma’s hunting in pairs!) Finlayson has commited the very thing he claims to dislike – the use of hyperbole.
My first thoughts when I read this story was, is this guy one of those anal retentive type folks, who can’t see the woods for the trees?
They say that power corrupts, I guess Chris has entered the terminal stage of his career.
It’s referred to as a ‘jihad’ because that’s exactly what Finlayson is quoted as calling it in the article – right after he complains about hyberbolic language
Indeed, i have a suggestion as to what it is Nero fiddles with as well, but, in the interests of my ability to continue to comment will leave that to the imagination…
… and I wouldn’t mind mentioning the term some of his acquaintances use to describe him (behind his back of course) but can’t do so for the same reason.
Falsified: US assertion that chem weapons rockets were fired from Syrian govt territory
Just plain bloody dodgy.
A team of security and arms experts, meeting this week in Washington to discuss the matter, has concluded that the range of the rocket that delivered sarin in the largest attack that night was too short for the device to have been fired from the Syrian government positions where the Obama administration insists they originated.
News this a.m. in the dompost. John Hayes to stand down in the Wairarapa Electorate. It was a sinecure for him anyway as he was bloody useless. You know. Tunnel under the r
Rimutakas and an international airport and a nuclear reactor.
The good news is the New Zealand Labour Party have a young local candidate with juice ready to go so make sure the turnout goes his way.
Things got a bit hot yesterday on Open Mike. I don’t see that as a bad thing though. I didn’t have time to make a thoughtful contribution and the talk was so intense that reply buttons ran out anyway.
If you’ll allow me, I would like to comment on the discussion, because I think it’s important to consider The Unity of The Left, here in our little corner of the world right at the moment. Q.O.T did a great post on New Years’ day about this, so no need to repeat the message.
I enjoy your political discussions. Personally I don’t get offended by your judgements against non vegans. I reckon, we don’t have to share a kitchen so I couldn’t really care about any thoughts you may have about my personal lifestyle choices, which incidentally, are now pescetarian, after 30 thirty years of being vegetarian.
What I do notice though is by your condemnation of non vegans you may alienate your comrades on the Left, and discourage conversation. I wonder how many people comment here who are carnivores, and perhaps do great work in the community may feel a bit attacked or made to feel guilty about their personal decisions. I think there are commenters and authors who are doing beneficial work to the Left, that’s the feeling I get from some of the talk. Is it really fair that they are made to feel stink for being carnivores?
I’d also add that “lifestyle choices” (I can’t think of a less daft term right now) aren’t everybody’s priority if they are struggling to get by and just coping with trying to find money to get to a Dr or get 3 meals per day. Some folks eat what they can with what little they have. To be told to eat a certain way when you have so little choice to begin with may sound patronising and very middle class to some.As if there is the luxury of choice!
I am purposefully putting aside all arguments for and against the vegan lifestyle. I just wanted to get across that you may be alienating some folks in the way you promote the vegan lifestyle, at the expense of creating unity. A little tolerance goes a long way. I’m not telling you to cease, in fact I think the more diverse the interests of commenters the better. I’m just saying if you do want to educate folks maybe a less confrontational approach might be more readily absorbed by your audience.
Hi phil. I don’t disagree that folks should be aware of the ethics of animal consumption – and I have spent the last 30 years explaining these things to people who asked me why I didn’t eat meat, so in some ways we may share similar views.
I am really really really trying not to go down the road of pro’s and cons of a vegan lifestyle. I will however give support to you for your special porridge. Thats great. (I once saw on a doco, an 80+ Scotsman who had the clan system survived, would have been a chieftain, but was still loosely regarded as one anyway, who was I’m sorry to say, given the topic, still doing cattle droving. He put his longevity, vigour for life and energy for droving down to a sturdy bowl of porridge in the morning and of course a wee dram of an evening). So yes, oats are awesome. And yes to the cheap’ n easy vegan cookbook. Cheap n easy anything is always a winner.
My only concern is the delivery of your message. Remember you are dealing with an audience who largely seem to be aware of the nature of industrial farming, going by the articles and comments and who are thoughtful about many issues. I would be surprised if there were many on this site (perhaps excluding the RWNJ’s) who mindlessly shove food in their gob without at some point in their lives considering the origin and processing of it. After that, the way I see it, is that it’s really up to them what they choose to eat. Eh?
I am an omnivore, except for tofu, which I refuse to eat. I am neither offended nor put off by Phillip’s opinions on veganism. He can eat what he likes, and think what he likes about my diet. He is welcome to do the same with the colour of my clothing and the length of my hair.
I rank arguing about diet along with arguing about religion. I am also an atheist, but this has almost no importance to me. I am unable to quote one single thing that Chris Hitchens ever said. Each to their own.
I enjoy Phil’s contributions also, especially as a vegan I really enjoy the passion with which he defends the rights of animals to have a cruelty free existence. If his posts convince a few to stop eating meat and dairy and they convince a few more and so on, in my opinion he is doing all he can to promote a kinder world than we have now. What could be wrong with that?
Nothing at all Belladonna. As mentioned the issue really is the delivery and the risk of alienation. Folks won’t take on board a message if they are being shouted at or judged – that approach is a barrier and may elicit the exact opposite desired behaviour.
Well for a start, there’s nothing “kind” about phillip’s approach. It’s hectoring, nasty, and often personally insulting. That’s nothing new around here, but it does pretty much explode any fairytale about him as some ~beneficent teacher~ trying to ~heal the world~.
Children burned with cigarettes by Israeli soldiers in illegal settlement
Submitted by Nora Barrows-Fr… on Wed, 01/15/2014 – 19:11
Three Palestinian children were allegedly burned with lit cigarettes and denied access to food, water or toilet facilities after being arrested and detained by Israeli soldiers and police in September, a new report indicates. In separate incidents, the three children were allegedly assaulted and abused during arrest and transfer to the Ariel police station, which is located inside the illegal Ariel settlement colony in the occupied West Bank.
Defence for Children International-Palestine section (DCI-Palestine) says that Israeli soldiers “severely and repeatedly beat Ali S, 14, from Azzun, Hendi S, 17, from Salfit, and Mohammad A, 15, from Tulkarem after arresting them. One soldier extinguished a cigarette butt on Ali’s lip while another burned Hendi’s arm with a cigarette, according to the sworn testimonies of the two teenagers. Hendi and Mohammad were denied access to food, water and toilet facilities for a long period. All three of them were accused of stone throwing.”
DCI-Palestine adds that it submitted ten separate complaints in 2013 over alleged abuse and “torture of Palestinian children by Israeli soldiers and police,” but that in eight of the cases, “Israeli authorities failed to notify DCI-Palestine whether they had opened an investigation. The remaining two cases resulted in the military advocate-general’s decision to close the investigation due to insufficient evidence. Israeli authorities deem the refusal of victims to testify without the presence of a lawyer as insufficient evidence.”
The group cites statistics by Yesh Din, an Israeli human rights organization, which reports…..
And now, as a contrast to that bunch of lefty, liberal, do-gooder, self-loathing, Arabushim-loving Israeli human rights troublemakers, have a look at how a far less fastidious visitor insisted that things were “generally very relaxed” in the Occupied Territories after his regime-sponsored visit there…. http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-15092013/#comment-696521
I find it difficult to single out one country or religion for atrocities out there. Have you read what happened to children at the hands of their Muslim abductors in the Nigerian shopping mall way worse than what you just posted. How ever you never hear about it as the media don’t appear to want to upset the Muslims
I find it difficult to single out one country or religion for atrocities out there.
You find it difficult because you don’t know anything about the situation. As shown by your almost incredible choice of a racist citation—“Muslim savages”—you don’t even have the sense to present yourself as anything other than a crass ignoramus. When I first saw it, I thought your choice of moniker was a slyly humorous touch, but now I doubt you have the wit to realise how people (other than ACT party and S.S. Trust members) react to that name.
How about you start reading a few books about the history and reality of Israel’s internationally condemned occupation of the West Bank and its imprisonment of the people of Gaza?
Oh but I have how come most Muslim countries in the Middle East have corrupt governments and enjoy killing each other Shia versus Sunni. It would appear that Israel is one of the few democracies in the Middle East
Liar. Clearly you have read almost nothing on this subject, and certainly nothing scholarly or rigorous or intelligent. You are even so ignorant as to cite a fascist website to bolster your non-argument.
Again, you are so out of your depth I almost feel pity for you.
Lyn, how long will this ignorant, incendiary troll be allowed to post up his rubbish here? Intelligent and thoughtful people like Penny Bright incur bans for breaching protocol, but this fool breaches not only protocol but good taste, decency and common sense. Surely he can’t have long left here?
Morrissey just because people have a different view to you doesn’t make them an imbecile. Do you claim to be the almighty oracle on this subject. Please read some more am particularly interested in what Professor Hitti said about Palestine an Arab history professor. I guess he wouldn’t know as much as you though.
Draco, you’re attempting to engage with someone who is simply not up to it. I think we should leave him alone now and let him slope off back to that home for the terminally bewildered, Kiwiblog.
And wow! “there is no such thing as a Palestinian”. That Oxfam Xmas money that was sent to a Palestinian Donkey Welfare organisation on my behalf must have been sent to an imaginary country.
Nice to see you back in the game enoch. Bit hard to lead the up-rising, to take the chosen few to the promised land, when the dear leader, is part-Jewish, and your beliefs all the way through have always been anti-Semitic.
But enoch, just like in England, when you tried to rouse the rabble, you might have left your run a tad too late. You see, the Maori’s have not one but two parties, Pacific Islanders are well and truly established in our communities, some are even “icons”, and as for Asians, matey, well, they run so many of our businesses and contribute so much to our society. On a personal note, a night out isn’t the same if it isn’t flavoured with a curry or a goreng.
It might be time enoch to pack ya bags and follow dear ole Jaunty Key, and keel-ho back to Blighty, and hanker down, and wait till the day Mr. Key arrives, resplendent with his titular title, a knighthood, for services rendered, in selling-off as much as he can, of NZ Inc. A despicable man, much like you, enoch powell.
Pretty harrowing…….like you, I would have thought it to be further up Morrissey’s outrage scale than a bullshit unsubstantiated “report” about some spurious Israeli soldier being careless with a cigarette…..
@enoch
that was a brilliant speech you gave way back when as Maggie came to power. We showed ’em eh!
Good to see Tarn Yabbit, his johnny cum lately sucker upper Mr Key (fresh from an Obama foto-op) really are beginning to show those pathetic suckers whose boss!. None of ya bloody ‘illegals, queue jumpers, bloody Kiwis bludging of the Australian people/ Nanny State shit eh?.
Hey btw … that fuckn roo meat … whoooooooar!
And you know what – apparently roos don’t fart aye – global warming solved!
Tim
Most people in the UK would say Enoch was absolutely right .The UK the failed experiment of multiculturalism. A failure that has now also been recognised in Holland, Sweden, Germany, France. Because many of the people that immigrate want to transplant their oppressive religion or life style in their adoptive country. Yes Enoch was right and a true visionary. If the Labour Government of the time could turn back the clock I’m sure they would after what has happened
Yes. You’re correct, in this case. Now, if you’ll just stop joking about soldiers torturing children, we’ll be able to say that the rehabilitation of “Grumpy” has begun….
“enoch”, my poor bewildered fellow, you’re obviously floundering in the hostile environment here at the Standard, where crude racist inanity (rhymes with Sean Hannity) is not appreciated. You’re out of your element. You appear to have been left behind by your friends. You can catch up with them HERE….. http://aryanity.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/neo-nazis-saluting.jpg
Merchant urged the public and media to focus on real problems of child abuse, rather than making Maori the “face of abuse”.
“The real danger I have seen from a social worker point of view is that there are a lot of children being abused but as far as the public are concerned they only seem to know about the ones that are Maori.
“Child abuse is a problem for all people, not just for Maori.”
As a Pākeha who grew up in an abusive household, I concur.
Yes, it appears that the MSM are the cause of the massive misunderstandings across our society rather than the understanding that they should be bringing about. Another obvious misunderstanding is the one about just what the repeal of s59 actually meant.
There is a case to consider that this may be as much a class issue as a race one. My story is not a child abuse one but my partner was abusive to me. I left him and tried to work out what to do. He was Maori, but he was also a lawyer. The pressure to stay away from authorities and the law (which, incidentally, I caved in to) was because he was a middle-class professional. Ethnicity wasn’t an issue. Considering the continuing over-representation of Maori in the under classes, do you think this causes skewing of the statistics? The middle-classes, for a variety of status and economic reasons, probably, tend not to report
How very true Jan. There is planety of this in the higher income groups. And had you gone near them they would not have hesitated to ratify his behaviour and find every excuse imaginable to blame you
The thing is, while growing affluence for the rich isn’t causing low and moderate incomes to stagnate, they are to a large extent results of the same forces. There is a zero-sum tradeoff between the two, so a zero-sum mentality (primitive or otherwise) is called for.
Productive economic activity produces returns to both labour and capital. Over the last few decades, returns to labour have fallen relative to returns to capital. This has promoted sharp rises in wealth at the top and stagnating wage income for most of the public.
He’s trying very hard to say that the economy isn’t a zero-sum game while pointing out that that is exactly what it is. Still, further down he does make some good points about the policy settings that have caused an increase in inequality across the globe.
If it’s ever found I suspect the truth will be stranger than anything Franz Kafka wrote.
Data collection has a crucial role in Kafka’s novels: in The Castle, there is almost incessant talk of record-keeping and the collection of personal data is shown in all its grotesque detail. This, too, has little to do with any clairvoyant abilities on Kafka’s part and instead a great deal to do with his professional experiences: he was an official at a state-run insurance company for workers and he quicklyrealised that the emphasis on statistical assessment was something new and daunting. In his office, individual lives and catastrophes became fodder for files and actuaries. Kafka, who was sensitive to the social implications of these modern means of bureaucracy, recognised that they also altered the thinking of people affected. Anyone who deals with this kind of agency has no choice but to adapt to its routines. Kafka was surprised that the system’s worst victims did not force their way into his office but instead filled out the forms submissively, then awaited their notification.
Morrissey
I am really interested in these comments
Let us hear what other Arabs have said:
“There is no such country as Palestine. ‘Palestine’ is a term the Zionists invented. There is no Palestine in the Bible. Our country was for centuries part of Syria. ‘Palestine’ is alien to us. It is the Zionists who introduced it”.
– Auni Bey Abdul-Hadi, Syrian Arab leader to British Peel Commission, 1937 –
There is no such thing as Palestine in history, absolutely not”.
– Professor Philip Hitti, Arab historian, 1946 –
“It is common knowledge that Palestine is nothing but Southern Syria”.
– Representant of Saudi Arabia at the United Nations, 1956 –
As I lived in Palestine, everyone I knew could trace their heritage back to the original country their great grandparents came from. Everyone knew their origin was not from the Canaanites, but ironically, this is the kind of stuff our education in the Middle East included. The fact is that today’s Palestinians are immigrants from the surrounding nations! I grew up well knowing the history and origins of today’s Palestinians as being from Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Christians from Greece, muslim Sherkas from Russia, muslims from Bosnia, and the Jordanians next door. My grandfather, who was a dignitary in Bethlehem, almost lost his life by Abdul Qader Al-Husseni (the leader of the Palestinian revolution) after being accused of selling land to Jews. He used to tell us that his village Beit Sahur (The Shepherds Fields) in Bethlehem County was empty before his father settled in the area with six other families. The town has now grown to 30,000 inhabitants”.
Citing a liar and a fraud confirms just how fucking stupid you are.
“Being an ex-terrorist myself is to understand the mindset of a terrorist,” Shoebat told CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360.”
But CNN reporters in the United States, Israel and the Palestinianterritories found no evidence that would support that biography. Neither Shoebat nor his business partner provided any proof of Shoebat’s involvement in terrorism, despite repeated requests.
Back in his hometown of Beit Sahour, outside Bethlehem, relatives say they can’t understand how Shoebat could turn so roundly on his family and his faith.
“I have never heard anything about Walid being a mujahedeen or a terrorist,” said Daood Shoebat, who says he is Walid Shoebat’s fourth cousin. “He claims this for his own personal reasons.”
CNN’s Jerusalem bureau went to great lengths trying to verify Shoebat’s story. The Tel Aviv headquarters of Bank Leumi had no record of a firebombing at its now-demolished Bethlehem branch. Israeli police had no record of the bombing, and the prison where Shoebat says he was held “for a few weeks” for inciting anti-Israel demonstrations says it has no record of him being incarcerated there either.
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Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble.Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhire’s 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.My World War I Poem Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging. Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihan’s gorgeous and sad debut Kōhine, Noelle McCarthy’s memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend Ngāhuia te ...
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Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
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I have mixed feelings about Chris Finlayson’s language memo (it’s not a “jihad”, Andrea). However, it’s a worry that these little details are of such extreme concern to Mr F when I country has some extremely pressing legal issues to worry about – was Finlayson worried about language and over use of commas when he was in on a 2011 meeting in Sydney with attorney generals from the other 5 Eyes countries?
I’m against over-use of meaningless jargon. But I have no problem with most of these words:
In particular what is wrong with “community”, if used to actually mean a community of people? Is Finlayson just opposed to processes and communities? “Outome” is actually a word that became overused with post 80s “neoliberal” managerialism – looking for short term, easily identified results of a programme, event or policy. “Preliminary indication” just sounds like stuffy old public school.
Finlayson’s obession with commas and “that” is just overly fussy. Looks very much old, Brit public school to me.
Sad little bloke really. Nothing spells “control freak” better than this.
If he has to exert this level of control over the staff, then he is clearly unable to exert any control over his main functions and responsibilites, so has diverted onto this. And by now the staff won’t be telling him anything.And, if they are smart, they will take a dripping coffee cup into the meeting and abandon it on his desk right in front of him half full complete with stain ring. That should distract him.
“Sad little bloke really. Nothing spells “control freak” better than this”
+100
I’m fairly sure I’ve heard him use the occasional “going forward” too.
We should challenge the meaningless BS-speak at every opportunity, maybe even correct the “bought/brought” errors – but what Finlayson wants is papers that spout complete bullshit in a very concise, precise language.
The memo was clearly not written directly by Finlayson. This is all pretty standard “style guide” stuff for professional organisations. I frankly think some of them could use this as an example so we don’t end up with this kind of crap:
http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2010/04/10/whanau-ora-taskforce-report-or-avatar-screenplay/
http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/education-minister-translated/
http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/education-minister-translated-redux/
“…(it’s not a “jihad”, Andrea)…”
Karol, I think Andrea was using the word jihad because of Finlayson’s use of the term:
“”It’s like what happened in Rome when classical Roman broke down into vulgar Latin. The more intensive adjective or verb was always used over the classical one. And I have this objection to that happening to the English language. It’s just my little jihad.” (from the Stuff article you linked to)
Agree with you though. It’s not a Jihad, and further, (look at my comma’s hunting in pairs!) Finlayson has commited the very thing he claims to dislike – the use of hyperbole.
It is classic QC behaviour
Dear Chris, language is not a static condition
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/q71/1044219_849667811729340_459560073_n.jpg
Stephen Fry’s short speech about proper language on Youtube is worth a few minutes if you haven’t seen it before.
My first thoughts when I read this story was, is this guy one of those anal retentive type folks, who can’t see the woods for the trees?
They say that power corrupts, I guess Chris has entered the terminal stage of his career.
It’s referred to as a ‘jihad’ because that’s exactly what Finlayson is quoted as calling it in the article – right after he complains about hyberbolic language
Nero fiddles while Rome burns!
Indeed, i have a suggestion as to what it is Nero fiddles with as well, but, in the interests of my ability to continue to comment will leave that to the imagination…
… and I wouldn’t mind mentioning the term some of his acquaintances use to describe him (behind his back of course) but can’t do so for the same reason.
Falsified: US assertion that chem weapons rockets were fired from Syrian govt territory
Just plain bloody dodgy.
http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2014-01-16/weapons-inspectors-syrian-chemical-weapons-fired-rebel-held-territory
News this a.m. in the dompost. John Hayes to stand down in the Wairarapa Electorate. It was a sinecure for him anyway as he was bloody useless. You know. Tunnel under the r
Rimutakas and an international airport and a nuclear reactor.
The good news is the New Zealand Labour Party have a young local candidate with juice ready to go so make sure the turnout goes his way.
That cannot be correct surely. They must have an old ‘has been’ for the seat
Hi Phillip,
Things got a bit hot yesterday on Open Mike. I don’t see that as a bad thing though. I didn’t have time to make a thoughtful contribution and the talk was so intense that reply buttons ran out anyway.
If you’ll allow me, I would like to comment on the discussion, because I think it’s important to consider The Unity of The Left, here in our little corner of the world right at the moment. Q.O.T did a great post on New Years’ day about this, so no need to repeat the message.
I enjoy your political discussions. Personally I don’t get offended by your judgements against non vegans. I reckon, we don’t have to share a kitchen so I couldn’t really care about any thoughts you may have about my personal lifestyle choices, which incidentally, are now pescetarian, after 30 thirty years of being vegetarian.
What I do notice though is by your condemnation of non vegans you may alienate your comrades on the Left, and discourage conversation. I wonder how many people comment here who are carnivores, and perhaps do great work in the community may feel a bit attacked or made to feel guilty about their personal decisions. I think there are commenters and authors who are doing beneficial work to the Left, that’s the feeling I get from some of the talk. Is it really fair that they are made to feel stink for being carnivores?
I’d also add that “lifestyle choices” (I can’t think of a less daft term right now) aren’t everybody’s priority if they are struggling to get by and just coping with trying to find money to get to a Dr or get 3 meals per day. Some folks eat what they can with what little they have. To be told to eat a certain way when you have so little choice to begin with may sound patronising and very middle class to some.As if there is the luxury of choice!
I am purposefully putting aside all arguments for and against the vegan lifestyle. I just wanted to get across that you may be alienating some folks in the way you promote the vegan lifestyle, at the expense of creating unity. A little tolerance goes a long way. I’m not telling you to cease, in fact I think the more diverse the interests of commenters the better. I’m just saying if you do want to educate folks maybe a less confrontational approach might be more readily absorbed by your audience.
Kia Ora.
thanks fr yr considered comments..rosie..
..i try not to ‘condemn’ non-vegans..
..i am just trying to let people know that they can feel much better/not hurt animals..etc..etc..
..and..you mention ‘offending’ people by pointing these facts out..
..i’m sorry..but i have weighed up the ‘offending’ of other people who are pretty much on the same path as me in other ways..
..against the suffering of/cruelties done to animals..
..and the latter wins out..
..you also mentioned the ‘costs’ of my lifestyle/diet-choices..
..and i hafta say..that occaisonally i catch the price of meat etc..and it blows my mind..it is so expensive..
..and a healthy vegan lifestyle costs far less financially that being a carnivore..
..that ‘expensive’-tag is a misnomer..
..i do/have this uber-healthy porridge recipie..(that i have just further refined..and which my university-aged son is (again) very enthused about..)
..that fills the belly until mid-afternoon..
(as just one example of cheap vegan..i should do a ‘cheap ‘n easy-vegan’ cookbook..eh..?..)
..i hope that helps clarify..
..and again..thank you for yr considered words/thoughts..
..phillip ure..
Hi phil. I don’t disagree that folks should be aware of the ethics of animal consumption – and I have spent the last 30 years explaining these things to people who asked me why I didn’t eat meat, so in some ways we may share similar views.
I am really really really trying not to go down the road of pro’s and cons of a vegan lifestyle. I will however give support to you for your special porridge. Thats great. (I once saw on a doco, an 80+ Scotsman who had the clan system survived, would have been a chieftain, but was still loosely regarded as one anyway, who was I’m sorry to say, given the topic, still doing cattle droving. He put his longevity, vigour for life and energy for droving down to a sturdy bowl of porridge in the morning and of course a wee dram of an evening). So yes, oats are awesome. And yes to the cheap’ n easy vegan cookbook. Cheap n easy anything is always a winner.
My only concern is the delivery of your message. Remember you are dealing with an audience who largely seem to be aware of the nature of industrial farming, going by the articles and comments and who are thoughtful about many issues. I would be surprised if there were many on this site (perhaps excluding the RWNJ’s) who mindlessly shove food in their gob without at some point in their lives considering the origin and processing of it. After that, the way I see it, is that it’s really up to them what they choose to eat. Eh?
Well come on share it!
ok ron..busy 2 nite..
..will put in up on general debate 2morrow morn..
(i am seriously chuffed with this new method..
..i developed it because ‘the boy’ said he was going off the earlier iteration..
..and i was facing (to me) this uncomfortable situation of him going thru his life saying:..’
..”..nah..!..my old man burnt me out on porridge’..
..so i sat down and did a serious critique of how i was doing it..
..the end result..
..and how i could make that experience so much better..
..and it worked..
..and ‘the boy’ is back there..with bells on/enthusiastic-nods..
..and it is so good..(and simple/easy..much easier than the earlier model..)..
..you can have it without any milk of any sort..should you choose..
..so..2morrow..
phillip ure..
I am an omnivore, except for tofu, which I refuse to eat. I am neither offended nor put off by Phillip’s opinions on veganism. He can eat what he likes, and think what he likes about my diet. He is welcome to do the same with the colour of my clothing and the length of my hair.
I rank arguing about diet along with arguing about religion. I am also an atheist, but this has almost no importance to me. I am unable to quote one single thing that Chris Hitchens ever said. Each to their own.
“I enjoy your [PU’s] political discussions.”
Ditto here, and the sense of humour, and intellect
I enjoy Phil’s humour too, and interest in music.
I enjoy Phil’s contributions also, especially as a vegan I really enjoy the passion with which he defends the rights of animals to have a cruelty free existence. If his posts convince a few to stop eating meat and dairy and they convince a few more and so on, in my opinion he is doing all he can to promote a kinder world than we have now. What could be wrong with that?
“What could be wrong with that?”
Nothing at all Belladonna. As mentioned the issue really is the delivery and the risk of alienation. Folks won’t take on board a message if they are being shouted at or judged – that approach is a barrier and may elicit the exact opposite desired behaviour.
Well for a start, there’s nothing “kind” about phillip’s approach. It’s hectoring, nasty, and often personally insulting. That’s nothing new around here, but it does pretty much explode any fairytale about him as some ~beneficent teacher~ trying to ~heal the world~.
I love eating meat because it helps kill cows. Which drops methane gas levels, and has an impact on Global warming. All for the cause of mother nature
Children burned with cigarettes by Israeli soldiers in illegal settlement
Submitted by Nora Barrows-Fr… on Wed, 01/15/2014 – 19:11
Three Palestinian children were allegedly burned with lit cigarettes and denied access to food, water or toilet facilities after being arrested and detained by Israeli soldiers and police in September, a new report indicates. In separate incidents, the three children were allegedly assaulted and abused during arrest and transfer to the Ariel police station, which is located inside the illegal Ariel settlement colony in the occupied West Bank.
Defence for Children International-Palestine section (DCI-Palestine) says that Israeli soldiers “severely and repeatedly beat Ali S, 14, from Azzun, Hendi S, 17, from Salfit, and Mohammad A, 15, from Tulkarem after arresting them. One soldier extinguished a cigarette butt on Ali’s lip while another burned Hendi’s arm with a cigarette, according to the sworn testimonies of the two teenagers. Hendi and Mohammad were denied access to food, water and toilet facilities for a long period. All three of them were accused of stone throwing.”
DCI-Palestine adds that it submitted ten separate complaints in 2013 over alleged abuse and “torture of Palestinian children by Israeli soldiers and police,” but that in eight of the cases, “Israeli authorities failed to notify DCI-Palestine whether they had opened an investigation. The remaining two cases resulted in the military advocate-general’s decision to close the investigation due to insufficient evidence. Israeli authorities deem the refusal of victims to testify without the presence of a lawyer as insufficient evidence.”
The group cites statistics by Yesh Din, an Israeli human rights organization, which reports…..
Read more…..
http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/nora-barrows-friedman/children-burned-cigarettes-israeli-soldiers-illegal-settlement
And now, as a contrast to that bunch of lefty, liberal, do-gooder, self-loathing, Arabushim-loving Israeli human rights troublemakers, have a look at how a far less fastidious visitor insisted that things were “generally very relaxed” in the Occupied Territories after his regime-sponsored visit there….
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-15092013/#comment-696521
I find it difficult to single out one country or religion for atrocities out there. Have you read what happened to children at the hands of their Muslim abductors in the Nigerian shopping mall way worse than what you just posted. How ever you never hear about it as the media don’t appear to want to upset the Muslims
http://www.barenakedislam.com/2013/09/27/did-you-hear-about-the-horrific-torture-inflicted-by-the-muslim-savages-in-the-nairobi-mall/
I find it difficult to single out one country or religion for atrocities out there.
You find it difficult because you don’t know anything about the situation. As shown by your almost incredible choice of a racist citation—“Muslim savages”—you don’t even have the sense to present yourself as anything other than a crass ignoramus. When I first saw it, I thought your choice of moniker was a slyly humorous touch, but now I doubt you have the wit to realise how people (other than ACT party and S.S. Trust members) react to that name.
How about you start reading a few books about the history and reality of Israel’s internationally condemned occupation of the West Bank and its imprisonment of the people of Gaza?
Then get back to us.
Oh but I have how come most Muslim countries in the Middle East have corrupt governments and enjoy killing each other Shia versus Sunni. It would appear that Israel is one of the few democracies in the Middle East
As I said before, it is quite obvious you know nothing. Why are you here? You have reading to do.
Off you go now.
I have read enough to know that there is no such thing as a Palestinian ,and the people that actually claim that name come from Syria so your point is
http://www.targetofopportunity.com/palestinian_truth.htm
Off you go now do some reading theres a good boy
I have read enough….
Liar. Clearly you have read almost nothing on this subject, and certainly nothing scholarly or rigorous or intelligent. You are even so ignorant as to cite a fascist website to bolster your non-argument.
Again, you are so out of your depth I almost feel pity for you.
Lyn, how long will this ignorant, incendiary troll be allowed to post up his rubbish here? Intelligent and thoughtful people like Penny Bright incur bans for breaching protocol, but this fool breaches not only protocol but good taste, decency and common sense. Surely he can’t have long left here?
Morrissey just because people have a different view to you doesn’t make them an imbecile. Do you claim to be the almighty oracle on this subject. Please read some more am particularly interested in what Professor Hitti said about Palestine an Arab history professor. I guess he wouldn’t know as much as you though.
http://www.imninalu.net/myths-pals.htm
Hey! EP here’s a song for you!
Muslamic Ray Guns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIPD8qHhtVU
Thanks Rosie I love the religion of peace ,and the way they express it all over the world
drinking the Kool Aid is bad enough but injecting it directly into your prefrontal cortex cannot be healthy
So, according to your logic, there’s no such thing as a NZer as we all came from somewhere else.
Draco, you’re attempting to engage with someone who is simply not up to it. I think we should leave him alone now and let him slope off back to that home for the terminally bewildered, Kiwiblog.
That Israel is a democracy does not excuse them. It makes it worse.
ps your link is bullshit.
pps Wot moz said.
“Muslim” is a race? Who would of thought……..?
And wow! “there is no such thing as a Palestinian”. That Oxfam Xmas money that was sent to a Palestinian Donkey Welfare organisation on my behalf must have been sent to an imaginary country.
Correct! “Palestinian” is not a “race”, it’s a “nationality”.
Nice to see you back in the game enoch. Bit hard to lead the up-rising, to take the chosen few to the promised land, when the dear leader, is part-Jewish, and your beliefs all the way through have always been anti-Semitic.
But enoch, just like in England, when you tried to rouse the rabble, you might have left your run a tad too late. You see, the Maori’s have not one but two parties, Pacific Islanders are well and truly established in our communities, some are even “icons”, and as for Asians, matey, well, they run so many of our businesses and contribute so much to our society. On a personal note, a night out isn’t the same if it isn’t flavoured with a curry or a goreng.
It might be time enoch to pack ya bags and follow dear ole Jaunty Key, and keel-ho back to Blighty, and hanker down, and wait till the day Mr. Key arrives, resplendent with his titular title, a knighthood, for services rendered, in selling-off as much as he can, of NZ Inc. A despicable man, much like you, enoch powell.
Pretty harrowing…….like you, I would have thought it to be further up Morrissey’s outrage scale than a bullshit unsubstantiated “report” about some spurious Israeli soldier being careless with a cigarette…..
@enoch
that was a brilliant speech you gave way back when as Maggie came to power. We showed ’em eh!
Good to see Tarn Yabbit, his johnny cum lately sucker upper Mr Key (fresh from an Obama foto-op) really are beginning to show those pathetic suckers whose boss!. None of ya bloody ‘illegals, queue jumpers, bloody Kiwis bludging of the Australian people/ Nanny State shit eh?.
Hey btw … that fuckn roo meat … whoooooooar!
And you know what – apparently roos don’t fart aye – global warming solved!
Tim
Most people in the UK would say Enoch was absolutely right .The UK the failed experiment of multiculturalism. A failure that has now also been recognised in Holland, Sweden, Germany, France. Because many of the people that immigrate want to transplant their oppressive religion or life style in their adoptive country. Yes Enoch was right and a true visionary. If the Labour Government of the time could turn back the clock I’m sure they would after what has happened
🙄
Jack Straw good enough for you?
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/politics/straw-dubs-mass-immigration-labour-s-spectacular-mistake-1-6242471
Totally agree
Jack Straw good enough for you?
No, but quite obviously that war criminal is good enough for YOU.
Lookalike
Jack Straw…..
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02147/Heinrich-Himmler_2147070a.jpg
Heinrich Himmler….
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UF0sw_aqMcc/TNwkrnU9CoI/AAAAAAAAAFo/3OfOVHNctG4/s1600/jack-straw-%25247008251%2524300.jpg
The use of Straw’s statement was in response to a commenter querying Enoch’s comment that UK Labour admit they were wrong.
Seems pretty clear really….
You quoted a war criminal, approvingly. Yet another faux pas by you.
Ah! Another Labour war criminal then……??
Yes. You’re correct, in this case. Now, if you’ll just stop joking about soldiers torturing children, we’ll be able to say that the rehabilitation of “Grumpy” has begun….
“enoch”, my poor bewildered fellow, you’re obviously floundering in the hostile environment here at the Standard, where crude racist inanity (rhymes with Sean Hannity) is not appreciated. You’re out of your element. You appear to have been left behind by your friends. You can catch up with them HERE…..
http://aryanity.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/neo-nazis-saluting.jpg
and HERE….
http://liberation.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451d75d69e20105371c611e970b-pi
and HERE….
http://icplibrary.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/wes_003.jpg
Alert the authorities !!!
apparently Roger has escaped from American Dad and is using the pseudonym of enoch powell
Pakeha child abuse ignored – researcher
As a Pākeha who grew up in an abusive household, I concur.
“As a Pākeha who grew up in an abusive household, I concur”
Ditto…..
This point from the article may illustrate why there is so much misconception:
“Almost 9000 children were victims of physical abuse between 2000 and 2008, yet only 21 became “household names”‘ in the media, she said.
Just one-third of child deaths were reported in the press, and they were predominantly Maori cases”.
Yes, it appears that the MSM are the cause of the massive misunderstandings across our society rather than the understanding that they should be bringing about. Another obvious misunderstanding is the one about just what the repeal of s59 actually meant.
“As a Pākeha who grew up in an abusive household, I concur”
Ditto…..
This point from the article may illustrate why there is so much misconception:
“Almost 9000 children were victims of physical abuse between 2000 and 2008, yet only 21 became “household names”‘ in the media, she said.
Just one-third of child deaths were reported in the press, and they were predominantly Maori cases”.
Oopsie. Double up. Can’t delete.
There is a case to consider that this may be as much a class issue as a race one. My story is not a child abuse one but my partner was abusive to me. I left him and tried to work out what to do. He was Maori, but he was also a lawyer. The pressure to stay away from authorities and the law (which, incidentally, I caved in to) was because he was a middle-class professional. Ethnicity wasn’t an issue. Considering the continuing over-representation of Maori in the under classes, do you think this causes skewing of the statistics? The middle-classes, for a variety of status and economic reasons, probably, tend not to report
How very true Jan. There is planety of this in the higher income groups. And had you gone near them they would not have hesitated to ratify his behaviour and find every excuse imaginable to blame you
It wasn’t that so much as “What will it do to his career? What will it do to his reputation? Think of the children.”
David Brooks Is Wrong About Inequality
He’s trying very hard to say that the economy isn’t a zero-sum game while pointing out that that is exactly what it is. Still, further down he does make some good points about the policy settings that have caused an increase in inequality across the globe.
If it’s ever found I suspect the truth will be stranger than anything Franz Kafka wrote.
Data collection has a crucial role in Kafka’s novels: in The Castle, there is almost incessant talk of record-keeping and the collection of personal data is shown in all its grotesque detail. This, too, has little to do with any clairvoyant abilities on Kafka’s part and instead a great deal to do with his professional experiences: he was an official at a state-run insurance company for workers and he quicklyrealised that the emphasis on statistical assessment was something new and daunting. In his office, individual lives and catastrophes became fodder for files and actuaries. Kafka, who was sensitive to the social implications of these modern means of bureaucracy, recognised that they also altered the thinking of people affected. Anyone who deals with this kind of agency has no choice but to adapt to its routines. Kafka was surprised that the system’s worst victims did not force their way into his office but instead filled out the forms submissively, then awaited their notification.
http://www.newstatesman.com/2014/01/death-data-how-kafkas-trial-prefigured-nightmare-modern-surveillance-state
Morrissey
I am really interested in these comments
Let us hear what other Arabs have said:
“There is no such country as Palestine. ‘Palestine’ is a term the Zionists invented. There is no Palestine in the Bible. Our country was for centuries part of Syria. ‘Palestine’ is alien to us. It is the Zionists who introduced it”.
– Auni Bey Abdul-Hadi, Syrian Arab leader to British Peel Commission, 1937 –
There is no such thing as Palestine in history, absolutely not”.
– Professor Philip Hitti, Arab historian, 1946 –
“It is common knowledge that Palestine is nothing but Southern Syria”.
– Representant of Saudi Arabia at the United Nations, 1956 –
As I lived in Palestine, everyone I knew could trace their heritage back to the original country their great grandparents came from. Everyone knew their origin was not from the Canaanites, but ironically, this is the kind of stuff our education in the Middle East included. The fact is that today’s Palestinians are immigrants from the surrounding nations! I grew up well knowing the history and origins of today’s Palestinians as being from Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Christians from Greece, muslim Sherkas from Russia, muslims from Bosnia, and the Jordanians next door. My grandfather, who was a dignitary in Bethlehem, almost lost his life by Abdul Qader Al-Husseni (the leader of the Palestinian revolution) after being accused of selling land to Jews. He used to tell us that his village Beit Sahur (The Shepherds Fields) in Bethlehem County was empty before his father settled in the area with six other families. The town has now grown to 30,000 inhabitants”.
– Walid Shoebat, an “ex-Palestinian” Arab –
Erasing the legitimacy of an independent Palestinian state? It’s pretty fucking obvious where you hail from.
Here’s an idea – why don’t you fuck off and let the living, breathing people of Palestine speak for themselves and their own future.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Palestine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine
It has a checkered history but the area has been known as Palestine for, quite literally, millennia.
You’re a fool. Do some reading. Googling is not reading.
Citing a liar and a fraud confirms just how fucking stupid you are.
“Being an ex-terrorist myself is to understand the mindset of a terrorist,” Shoebat told CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360.”
But CNN reporters in the United States, Israel and the Palestinianterritories found no evidence that would support that biography. Neither Shoebat nor his business partner provided any proof of Shoebat’s involvement in terrorism, despite repeated requests.
Back in his hometown of Beit Sahour, outside Bethlehem, relatives say they can’t understand how Shoebat could turn so roundly on his family and his faith.
“I have never heard anything about Walid being a mujahedeen or a terrorist,” said Daood Shoebat, who says he is Walid Shoebat’s fourth cousin. “He claims this for his own personal reasons.”
CNN’s Jerusalem bureau went to great lengths trying to verify Shoebat’s story. The Tel Aviv headquarters of Bank Leumi had no record of a firebombing at its now-demolished Bethlehem branch. Israeli police had no record of the bombing, and the prison where Shoebat says he was held “for a few weeks” for inciting anti-Israel demonstrations says it has no record of him being incarcerated there either.
http://walid-shoebat.blogspot.co.nz/2011/07/ex-terrorist-rakes-in-homeland-security.html
http://www.loonwatch.com/tag/walid-shoebat/