The Climate Crisis Is Worse Than You Can Imagine. Here’s What Happens If You Try.
Peter Kalmus, out of his mind, stumbled back toward the car. It was all happening. All the stuff he’d been trying to get others to see, and failing to get others to see — it was all here. The day before, when his family started their Labor Day backpacking trip along the oak-lined dry creek bed in Romero Canyon, in the mountains east of Santa Barbara, the temperature had been 105 degrees. Now it was 110 degrees, and under his backpack, his “large mammalian self,” as Peter called his body, was more than just overheating. He was melting down. Everything felt wrong. His brain felt wrong and the planet felt wrong, and everything that lived on the planet felt wrong, off-kilter, in the wrong place.
Nearing the trailhead, Peter’s mind death-spiralled: What’s next summer going to bring? How hot will it be in 10 years?…..
……To cool down, Peter, a climate scientist who studied coral reefs, had stood in a stream for an hour, like a man might stand at a morgue waiting to identify a loved one’s body, irritated by his powerlessness, massively depressed. He found no thrill in the fact that he’d been right…..
At least she recognises the cliff we are all running towards full speed.
we patently still need people ringing the alarm bell even if they don’t know how to stop the stampede. Others know but the bell still needs to be rung.
We have lots of good people here who know all that Jennyhtgt says – no need to fill the posts repeating it. And often with that mocking, all-knowing jibe at the pollies. It is really irritating. It's better to have one rant every now and then than trailing disappointment and discontent with whoever in the government in each comment.
What we need is keeping on with the next steps being talked about at length, discussed etc as has been done with the electricity thing below. Otherwise we end up with a lot of whining, and whys, and appearing like wimps who don't know their A from their E. Citizens need to be thinking up policy, stuff that will work, and not be too expensive. And show how we can get it going, and keep on about that. And notice when someone goes OTT with plans, and notice when something good does get done. And what we think about it, is it the best thing to be done at present, or is there another way.
How we can get out of the hole we are in is paramount. And arguing for sensible things, rather than just rushing out to protest all the time. If we can;t get good stuff going and show that we are not goofs that pollies can ignore or throw nice-sounding policies that meet some kindness criteria but are not practical, we are in deep doo-doo next election.
We don't want Labour going off on a n'uclear' path and leavng their rear undefended so that our pockets get pinched by fast-fingered-financial-finaglers like the nerds in Treasury and the right-wing think tanks as before. Now we have the sharpies using their tech education to build armaments and space weapons and trying to sell us robotics because employers can't get the trained people they want to employ. Great government – look what a f..k up you made, stepping back and leaving it to business to do the thinking and organise the educated people they would want for future employees/
And look what has happened to us by leaving others to run the country while we thought we could just skive off and were relaxing thinking we had it made. That's 20th century stuff, now Labour needs people who can think about social welfare, and business at the same time.
This has turned out a rant. So I will add something else I think we need. That is all pollies will have to go through an educational program, which includes humanities and social anthropology as well as business direction, and the environment looking at dairying destruction for one and desertification and desecration of the fertile areas of the earth for minerals etc. And rehashing the idea that progress is good, and physical work and the simple life are for losers and peasants. And perhaps the government terms will be four years, and the pollies must step down and out into private life after three terms – 12 years. And we will learn how to live simply and save up for things, and how to get a house when you have saved a certain amount, just a small one but your own to get started with. Lovely first aims, of what young adults want, achievable and not never-never land. With some happiness in just being and living in a country with people who are interested in each other doing good things, and all enjoy life and work together to cope with climate change and some sort of hostilities, two inevitabilities.
How to look into the abyss, fall in, and not have an idea of how to get out? Jenny How to Get There will show us the way.
I don't know if we fall into this abyss that there is a way to get out.
But what I do know, is that BAU cannot continue in the present.
Building a bridge for bicycles costing hudreds aof millions of dollars so as not to impinge on cars having untrammelled use of an eight lane motorway in the heart of our biggest city, is BAU folly of the highest order.
Does the design for this modern folly incorporate a storm cellar, or escape tunnel inside its structure?
Hopefully by the time the agrarian sector is driving around in electric utes and tractors, Huntly will be de-commissioned. Currently Huntly provides the backup when there's no wind and / or low lake levels.
Current best looking replacement is pumped hydro storage at Lake Onslow in Otago. I say hopefully because it's a project with a few tricky aspects, top of the list being how the hell we integrate it within the current current market of four publicly listed gentailers. It's logical owner would be Contact since it would draw most of it's power from Roxburgh and Clyde at high flows, Clyde has provision for two extra turbines intended for this, but it's so big that Contact would then dominate the electricity market. It's also at the wrong end of the country, but if the bulk of generation to power the fleet comes from Manapouri (see Andre below) the transmission issues will be dealt with.
Cockies often have lots of roof space to put PV panels on. They also tend to get seriously bent over by local lines companies. They often have a large supply of what is currently a problematic waste to dispose of, that could get digested into a gas supply for powering a generator for backup.
I think there might solutions that lower costs and increase independence for cockies …
Kinda missing the point ,about nz importing coal from Indonesia!!
Typical rich.country behaviour, shut you own dirty mines/factories/ behaviours down and offshore what you can and sneak around in the shadows do dirty shit while acting high and mighty,.
This is my issue we are off shoring our emissions and patting ourselves on the back, in reality we are are likely increasing global emissions.
Its a global problem that needs global solutions, best ROI to rapidly drop emissions globally would be to focus on the devloping world stop the deforestation, build renewables etc. Lots of currently available tech would make huge difference if we deploy it globally.
On average 80% of electricity is generated from renewables. Some perspective in the arguments would be helpful. These sort of antics don’t help either.
Overheard a very irate ute owner jabbering on about Indonesian coal getting trucked to huntly at 20 loads a day yesterday, and I thought to much fb for that butter sounds like they are telling the truth.
with tiwai point smelter shutting down, there will be plenty of electricity generation up for use. and as most ev's should be charged at night(off peak) there shouldnt be much for ute owners to jabber about. hopefully petrol and diesel prices will go through the roof and the last few ute jabberers can have that to whinge about. OR, the ute owners could be pro-active(for a change) and convert there petrol utes to lpg (gee, that sounds familiar) and have clean burning energy..nah, much easier to play the victim….
A quick calculation sez Tiwai Point uses something like 5.4 billion kWhr per year. A light vehicle can go around 7 km on a kWhr. So Tiwai Point's electricity use could drive a light vehicle 38 billion km. There's around 3.6 million light vehicles in NZ, averaging around 12000 km/year, or around 43 billion vehicle kilometres annually.
So shutting Tiwai Point would almost cover swapping all light vehicles in New Zealand over to electric.
Yeah, to cover the buses, trucks, trains etc as well we'd need to get a move on with building some of the already consented wind and geothermal projects that have been shelved because of flat demand and the ever-present threat of Tiwai Point shutting and dumping all that excess power into the market.
Probably also need some hefty pumped storage,like the Onslow-Manorburn basin and/or around Lake Moawhango and the headwaters of the Ngaruroro.
Most geothermal power technologies really don't like being ramped up and down. So they're great for continuous baseload power.
Yes, wind has its intermittency problem. Hence the merit in adding substantial pumped hydro storage. Overall, wind in NZ seems to operate at around 35% capacity factor on an annual basis. That should increase as installed turbines get larger, maybe getting up to around 40% fleet average.
So to add another Manapouri's worth of generation to supply electric buses, trucks etc would require installing maybe 1800MW of wind plus pumped hydro storage, or 700ish MW of geothermal. Or do both to have enough generation capacity to completely electrify NZ land transport plus shut down Huntly and Stratford. I only got a short way down the list of consented projects and there was well over 2000 MW of wind consented, together with around 300MW of geothermal.
It's all solvable, with changes in behaviour, living within our means, utilising local and owner generation as well as national grid, electricitysector regulation. But we're not having that conversation nationally atm. Instead we're having the green tech BAU, reductionist paradigm one, where we continue to think that the world is an unlimited resource.
(and that's not even getting to the issues of how much GHGs we're emitting to go down this cul de sac).
If EVs become more prevalent, Savonius rotors make a pretty readily managed home charge option. Crunches are likely in things like battery supply and disposal however.
Biggest constraint will be transmission, most of the bulk generation is in the south, especially wind. There's also distributed generation, solar roofs with batteries. All this will need / result in a rather different electricity generation and distribution market to what we have now.
I built a semi passive house in early 90's (suspended wooden floor so not quite the full thing) and am surprised at the quiet uptake of passive principles in building design. Often not that overt but you can see designers taking opportunities that present themselves.
Lol, no way will NZ go down that path (quakes, tsunamis, economics, waste disposal, indigenous sovereignty, and a very strong anti-nuke culture in the general population).
But it would go some way to explaining why so many people aren’t talking about EVs and power generation, the hope that we will have some inexhaustable source of power in the future.
If you do a search for an electric version of whatever kind of land vehicle you're interested in, your chances of getting hits are now pretty good. Scandinavian companies seem to be leading the way, at least in wealthy western countries.
There's a variety of options for 'refueling', from quick-swap batteries, to running electricity in to longer-term job sites.
Truck ,tractors, earth movers and forestry machines will have to be hydrogen surely
Not necessarily
All the biggest earth movers on the planet are electrically powered and connected to the grid with high tension trailing power cables, which are moved every day.
Ironic really, because they are used to dig for low grade lignite. Which is used for burning in electric power stations, to power, wait for it, electric excavators, connected to the grid by high voltage trailing cables.
yeah, I didn't get what you meant by increased use. I thought you were saying that if Tiwai closed today the freed up power wouldn't be enough to replace all the gas and coal currently burned. Is that right?
Have you seen any my many comments about the numerous consented and shelved renewable energy projects? Shelved at least partly because of the ever-present threat of Tiwai Point closing and that power flooding the current market?
That’s a regulatory issue right? The market can’t do the thing that society needs right now. Although I assume you and I disagree on what projects should happen.
Your quick calculation misses transmission & distribution losses (~7%), and losses in charging the ev battery (12-15%). That's about 20% of the energy wasted.
Then there's the consideration of whether allowing business as usual mobility is the best use of Manapouri's generation, because we also have to shut down our coal & gas generation. A lot of our mobility energy consumption can be significantly reduced by providing comprehensive public transport.
Another issue not often discussed is whether there will be a good supply of reasonably priced EVs. Most other countries are not in the position of having low emission generation. If they are to reduce their fossil generation they won't have electricity for vehicle charging, so there will not be a large demand for EVs and so efficiencies of mass production will not be achieved. NZ will never have enough sales to influence that.
EVs are unfortunately not quite there yet in terms of battery technology. The reason is the charging system and the hardware that demands high waste, high environmental damage and exploitation of people. But hey, who cares, right? I mean its colonization in a different way all over again. Maybe we can sell the rubbish battery waste back to those who were exploited and give them "work" to diassemble the stuff that rich countries so eagerly buy. So lets celebrate this and encourage more of the exploitation, degradation of a continent and pat ourselves on the shoulder how good we are doing the "right" thing.
Ah yes, no thinking required, just a cocktail in hand musing over a 100K car.
Waste is still an issue. NZ has no means of dismantling, separating metals etc.
Lithium batteries are hazardous materials and regulated except in NZ. The lifetime of a battery is about 2 years and they will most likely go to landfills.
Perhaps before we sponsor those rather expensive cars for the few who can afford it, we should start "sponsoring" a disposal plant first. Because you cannot just ship the batteries like pebbles around the globe.
When it comes to a fast-moving technical topic, it's probably best to scan the first couple of pages of google results for credible up-to-date articles, rather than just clicking the first hit which might be two years out of date from a mass-market msm publisher that doesn't really understand the topic.
Here's just one of the many efforts starting up now that there are starting to be significant quantities of used ev batteries to be recycled:
When it comes to disposal, what do you think would stop the shipment of end-of-life ev batteries? They would be much higher value than recyclable plastic or paper, and those are routinely shipped all around the world. Sure, the batteries would need to be fully discharged first for safety, but that's a very easy operation.
And once more, it seems exporting a problem and not dealing with the full cycle of a product is the preferred solution. As I have mentioned, NZ has no means of recycling lithium batteries. To ship them, special permits are needed. Not from NZ but the country of destination. Never mind, its not worth getting all upset about it.
with tiwai point smelter shutting down, there will be plenty of electricity generation up for use……
Hi Woodie, Did you know that aluminium can be used as a fuel?
It has heaps of embedded electrical energy in it, and has been used for generations in fireworks and explosives.
Powered and fed into a furnace it burns hotter than coal
Better yet, when aluminium powder is burnt as a fuel it releases zero green house gas emissiions.
And it's infinitely recyclable, no need to import any more bauxite from Aussie.
We could use the existing Tiwai Smelter to re-refine it, and ship it all over the country, and then return it when it is spent, in a closed cycle.
(The energy embedded in aluminium comes from the electricity in the refining process).
Could metal particles be the clean fuel of the future?
…. hydrogen requires big, heavy fuel tanks and is explosive, and batteries are too bulky and don’t store enough energy for many applications,” says Bergthorson, a mechanical engineering professor and Associate Director of the Trottier Institute for Sustainability in Engineering and Design at McGill. “Using metal powders as recyclable fuels that store clean primary energy for later use is a very promising alternative solution.”
Novel concept
The Applied Energy paper, co-authored by Bergthorson with five other McGill researchers and a European Space Agency scientist in the Netherlands, lays out a novel concept for using tiny metal particles – similar in size to fine flour or icing sugar – to power external-combustion engines.
Could we see the rebirth of the external combustion engine, (commonly and collectively known as steam engines), being used to power ships and trains and industrual boilers?
Could steam engine locomotives powered by aluminium powder one day be seen again on the Main Trumk Line?
Let's bring back the Kingston Flyer from retirement as a test bed. (See if it still flies.)
Refining aluminium is a pretty carbon heavy process – it relies on sacrificial carbon anodes that are cured at high temperatures for up to a month. The electricity only shifts the direction of the reaction so that the carbon reduces the alumina – the carbon still burns.
The aluminium industry produces 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
(this figure is inclusive of non-renewable electricity generation from coal and gas).
When carbon (or consumable) anodes are used, the reaction frees up the oxygen present in the alumina, but it immediately reacts with the carbon from the anode to form CO2….
Conventional carbon anodes have a limited life-span as they as ‘consumed’ during the smelting process. The oxidation (or consumption) of the carbon anode creates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions…..
The anode is used to carry the electrical energy to the cathode, which in this case is the molten aluminium bath. The anode which is connected to the electricity supply is driven into the molten aluminium which creates a high temperature arc which melts the aluminium, while eroding the anode, which has to be continually replaced.
Research is being carried out into non-eroding, or inert annodes, and/or low erosion anodes that don't bond with oxygen to form CO2. (or don't do so as much).
…..According to the IEA, 2008, “the ultimate technical feasibility of inert anodes is not yet proven, despite 25 years of research.” Additional fundamental R&D on materials is needed
However, all is not lost. coal produces 38% of green house gas emissions.
If all the coal burnt in the world was replaced with aluminium powder, and all that aluminium was reduced with renewable electricity. Even if aluminium production increased by a multiple of ten, we should still be better off.
So it’s a bit like the fabled electric utes. Introduce a car tax now, burn double to coal and the infrastructure will follow in 5 or so years time, maybe.
Wouldn't it be cheaper and quicker to convert the smelter into making aluminium fuel powder instead of ingots? All that needs to be done to create aluminium fuel power is to spray it when it is still molten.
The aluminium fuel could then be shipped around the country to replace coal in all our industrial processes, including the Huntly Power Station.
This was originally produced by mechanical means using a stamp mill to create flakes. Subsequently, a process of spraying molten aluminium to create a powder of droplets was developed by E. J. Hall in the 1920s.
Coal is a solid fuel – The combustion of coal in power plants and industrial processes is the number one source of the green house emissions responsible for global warming and climate change.
Aluminium powder like coal is a solid fuel – Aluminium powder burns hotter than coal, but unlike coal produces none of the emissions responsible for global warming and climate change.
What Are the Different Uses of Aluminum Powder?…
Rocket fuel is often made with aluminum, and many solid rocket fuels are based on chemical reactions involving this metal. In fact, this type of fuel was used to power the solid rocket boosters for the space shuttle.
We do it in small as well as big parcels. My 13 solar panels will produce some 5000 kw/h annually. My Leaf will use 1600 kw/h to travel 12000 km in a year.
Note: 1 in 4 Australian homes has solar panels. NZ has 32000 homes (there are 1.9 million households in NZ) with solar power at the end of March- that's 1:60! Australia has 10.2 million households and therefore 2.5 million houses with solar panels. In 2018 it had 1.96 million so equipped.
That kind of commitment to solar energy would power a lot of EVs.
Spoke to a fellow takeaways customer last night who enquired after my Leaf. He works in a vineyard where he could see possible expansive use of electric vehicles and machinery. No interest at all from management when he raised the topic.
Yet, as he said, we have driven electric forklifts for years.
Your solar panels and 5000 kw\h annually , The low user household number is 8000kWhr – when they no longer qualify for low user daily charges
You will cetainly be taking a grid feed – during peak hours, the 'worst time'- to keep your lights on
Australia is quite unique in its solar power uptake because it has a lot of sun, well ahead of most of NZ- dont forget the shorter daylight hours in winter , and the low level of the sun in the sky
Yes Huntly has been running for some months as there is a shortage of gas capacity due to a Taranaki NG processing site having long scheduled maintenance.
The Huntly site which has a gas turbine alongside the last 2 thermal coal boilers operating has been very high output, 600MW plus – as it was originally designed for as a baseload station, not feeding in for morning and night as many other stations do. Any fossil fuel used has to pay carbon taxes on that. As well the power consumption at Auckland which is fed by medium distance lines needs a generator not far away to cover the voltage drop from long distance lines, theres a small GT at Otara plus one at Huntly ( quick start ups)
By then the biggest emitters of most of the GHGs, China, Russia, India etc will probably not even have started cutting back on emissions and coal fired power stations will be springing up everywhere. Global emissions will be accelerating and little ole NZ will be chock full of EVs and will have made absolutely no difference.
Driving a country into the ground because our leaders want to virtue signal when it will have absolutely no effect is criminal.. So when our economy and society is completely destroyed, China, India, and Russia will decide to follow our example?
Can you provide any actual evidence that our economy is being driven into the ground,? Or are you just a staunch blue team member who thinks bring their moron memes here is going get you somewhere?
If you think topping up their EVs will be front and centre of people's minds. You have just not been paying attention.
There are people alive now who will experience the biggest biosphere collapse since the Chixilube extinction event.
Scrambling for higher ground, trying to reserve a space in a storm cellar. Trying to survive frequent extreme weather events, crop failures, might be the sort of things exercising people's minds more than topping up their EV.
Vulva owners*, what say ye? I say fuck the neoliberal capture of social justice and the planet burning machine it rode in on. Also Fuck the parts of the left sanctioning this.
It is a powerful image and well done to Robert Kitchin for capturing it, particularly as Sio appears to have finished his address is leaving the stage. He's taken his glasses off, picked up his notes, it's done. This is a dangerous time for photographers because you tend to down tools as something finishes.
His assignment that day would have been quite dry, shooting people talking in press conferences. He would have done this hundreds of times and constantly wondered how to make interesting, meaningful images from such familiar and structured circumstances.
Then just as it's all over, Alan Wendt produces such a simple, human gesture which we all immediately and emotionally connect with. Very, very easy to miss, and it requires a lot of skill and experience to keep alert in those crucial moments.
High praise from me for that, but the rest of the article is utter rubbish. It's anonymous, sniffy, hurt, self-indulgent, lazy, and hypocritical. The last is what makes me quietly rage. The anonymous Stuff gallery reporters claim the Facebook pages of Ardern and Robertson "ripped off" the image and failed to attribute it properly.
Well, cry me a fucking river.
At least Ardern and Roberston's social media handlers made an attempt to credit the photographer, despite committing the terrible crime of misspelling his name. Stuff and New Zealand media have an appalling culture of not crediting photographers. They almost never attribute or caption work properly outside of their own navel-gazing organisations. I see it every single day. It happens to me more weeks than not and I don’t shit the bed over it. Stuff and others are lazy in the extreme, and for them to act all huffy in this instance is hypocrisy in the extreme.
The idea of being captured by the government gives us an allergic reaction. Holding the powerful to account is now, and will remain, a core job of journalists.
A robust statement of and for the impartiality and objectivity of NZ journalism in general and Stuff’s journalism in particular.
Powerful to account ? media babble is always about (ordinary) peoples stories, as that gets readers eyeballs which is the most important part of their business
'news' is a bad word these days , as they want to talk 'stories, engagement, perspectives, conversations' and other buzz words.
Hard news is dead! The most 'read stories' on NT Times is the recipes, which anyone can see well positioned on their digital front page.
Hint: there’s a hint in the headline as to what the article is about and it is not about recipes.
This is at the top of the piece with the complete documentary of over 38 min.
Seven children are among 17 civilians killed or injured in incidents connected to unexploded ordnance left behind on New Zealand’s firing ranges, Stuff Circuit's documentary Life + Limb reveals.
If journalism was in the pockets of government, this would never have been aired.
I assume you don’t read TS for its recipes either, but it is a good idea for improving its readership statistics
the line quoted -'Holding the powerful to account is now, and will remain, a core job of journalists'
It just isnt true , the readers of a major 'new's site like NY Times show that the recipes come first. NZ news sites are even fuller of flim flam lifestyle stories and shilling for the property industry
The newer online only places like Newsroom and Spinoff are even more directly as 'copywriters' for their business supporters. Like this sponsored piece written by the very capable Russell Brown- wheres the investigative pieces from him – no sponsors ?
I disagree with you. Stuff is not the NY Times, Newsroom, nor Spinoff although it does cross-post regularly from Newsroom.
On top of Stuff Circuit’s investigations, we’ve had NZ on Air funding for podcasts such as Once a Panther and Collapse, and for video projects including Munted and Night Shift. Production companies can also seek funding for projects that will air on Stuff, such as Kea Kids News, made by Luke Nola & Friends.
None of these are “flim flam lifestyle stories and shilling for the property industry” or recipes. Sure, those are present as well, they have to make a living too, don’t they. It is actually mentioned in the article I quoted. A news site such as Stuff will (have to) do all of the above, the good, the bad, and the ugly. They don’t cater just for intellectual snobs, Thorndon bubble, foodies, house porn addicts, or what have you.
I really don’t see how you came to this description of Newsroom as “even more directly as 'copywriters' for their business supporters”, but I guess I’ve been reading a completely different Newsroom. I can only assume that you’re referring to its partners at the bottom of the home page.
The independence of our journalism is supported by our partners in the corporate and tertiary education sectors, as well as by private donations from New Zealanders. To add your support to our independent voice, make a donation using the Press Patron platform link here.
You seem to be insinuating the exact thing that the Stuff article was countering. Just as well, I try to avoid falling in the binary trap and see things differently, so we have to agree to disagree here.
"The idea of being captured by the government gives us an allergic reaction"
Excellent – so if they can add to that an allergy to being captured by their own funders and owners, and even by the interests of the social class to which they themselves belong – then we're really getting somewhere.
Note: Stuff seems much improved since the sell-off and I'm generally OK with it. Some others, not so much.
Yes, I also like to think that Stuff has improved and that they’re not sitting on their laurels.
However, you make the same unsupported and unfounded (IMO) accusations. There seems much bias against NZ journalism and not without some reason, may I add, but some are definitely trying harder than others.
Our journalism will remain free from political or commercial influences, as our company charter enshrines. Stuff’s sources of revenue do not affect the impartiality or objectivity of our journalism, the investigations we undertake, or how we scrutinise the powerful.
“We will fiercely protect our editorial independence from commercial interests, including our own, and any political influence. Our journalists will:
[followed by 4 bullet points]
We run stories that are unfavourable to advertisers, and we freely criticise the government. It wouldn’t even enter a journalist’s head to pull their punches to protect a funder.
And here’s the most relevant bit to your accusation:
In truth, we’re not politically partisan. Media outlets overseas – notably in the UK – will endorse or align themselves with particular political parties. We don’t. New Zealand is too small for a mass-market product such as Stuff or any of our newspapers to support a political party and still attract a general audience.
On trans women’s physiological advantage when competing in women’s sports. Look at the charts in the Twitter thread. The argument is often made that tw train harder than women and that’s why they jump to top ranking when shifting to women’s categories. Does this seem likely with these figures?
Not that 'amateur' sports medicine researcher Emma Hilton again. The one that has a published research on trans women which didnt include any trans women athletes
[please provide evidence (a cut and paste with link, not just a link) to back up your claim here, so we can all know what you are talking about rather than just being left with the ad hom – weka]
It was the link you asked us to read last time , and it included the actual online paper published . I made those same comments based on actual words in the paper then, which you dismissed . Surely you read relevant parts of the paper ?
Hilton works as a research technician in another area completely from sports medicine and has had no previous research published in sports medicine so she an amateur in my opinion
Its all very well to show stuff from twitter, but as we all found out during covid self appointed experts were very common who had an academic background but no knowledge of infectious diseases and their epidemiology. A court would never allow expert witness testimony from someone who was a proven expert ON a topic
[post a cut and paste and link explaining your claim about Hilton and “published research on trans women which didnt include any trans women athletes” or you will get a short ban so you don’t derail the discussion. – weka]
I have no idea what they're referring to, I read and comment so much on TS and twitter, few people can keep all that in their head. I'm also not doing someone else's work for them.
FYI, TS is not a Court but a place for supported opinions and arguments and robust debate, and the odd joke.
Dr Emma Hilton is a developmental biologist and Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, and teaches in her field. She has a particular interest in the science of biological sex and writes and speaks about this, including in the WSJ and runs the Nettie Project supported by many scientists and academics across a range of disciplines (who obviously don't have your prejudice about cross disciplinary work).
You appear to be saying that no-one can have an informed opinion about sports medicine other than sports medicine researchers. Which is obviously a stupid position to take because it would invalidate your own (I'm assuming you're not a sports medicine researcher).
If Hilton is making bad arguments, then address them and demonstrate how they are bad. That you think her being a lowly research technician (afaik she's not) is sufficient to write off her work says something about your own views on hierarchy and power. As a non-academic, I'm much more interested in whether what she says makes sense.
Sorry for the delay but had other things to attend to
Emma Hiltons amateur status regarding sports medicine. her other contributions in publications are her specialist area of infections and such https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/emma.hilton.html
Males with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation therapy provide a second avenue to examine training effects during testosterone suppression…
Males huh ?
It is acknowledged that the findings presented here are from healthy adults with regular or even low physical activity levels [91], and not highly trained athletes. Thus, further research is required in athletic transgender populations
The research conducted so far has studied untrained transgender women. Thus, while this research is important to understand the isolated effects of testosterone suppression, it is still uncertain how transgender women athletes [rest of quote missing]
In my view its junk science, while its not new researach undertaken and its merely a publications review, it has so many caveats that dont make it viable for drawing any conclusions about ‘transwomen athletes’
[formatting edited for clarity. Italicised emphaisis added by Ghost – weka]
Re Hilton's work, this from her twitter 2 years ago when challenged about her qualifications,
In response. Alice has the right Emma Hilton. I am currently being paid a basic wage by a colleague to bridge a funding gap after the MRC chucked back my last proposal, despite it garnering two 6s (internationally exceptional) and a 5 (internationally excellent). https://twitter.com/theAliceRoberts/status/1204737787888574464
Science funding is pretty dire right now <grumble Brexit> My scientific record is easily returnable on Web of Science, where metrics such as my h-index will demonstrate the impact of my research. I have received international prizes for my work.
I am not ashamed that I am struggling to my next funding deadline. I hope normal service will be resumed early next year 🙂
I am amazingly grateful to my colleagues, who have supported me during the first funding gap I've experienced in 15 years. They are ace. They also know what sex is 😉
Sorry, I should have spelled this out. Until this current funding gap, I was employed as a senior research fellow. This is the position my current funding application will (fingers crossed) restore to me 🙂
I get annoyed with unqualified researchers putting oar in . You seem to think shes an expert on this area and thus worth quoting her 'twitter'
Shes not even a post doc in sports medicine, which the bottom rung of the research ladder. A persons qualifications and background are important in academic research – that why their publications and university position are at very top of the paper.
Hilton is a scientist with enough expertise to comment on research. I also consider her an expert commentator on gender critical social issues and how those relate to sport. As I said, I don’t believe the only people who should be read are those with direct research experience. Eg science journalists have relevant experience to bridge between researchers and the public.
And, you seem to have misrepresented Hilton’s expertise.
What's your point? The research is looking at what physiological advantage biological males have over females, that is conferred at puberty.
Key Points
Given that biological males experience a substantial performance advantage over females in most sports, there is currently a debate whether inclusion of transgender women in the female category of sports would compromise the objective of fair and safe competition.
Here, we report that current evidence shows the biological advantage, most notably in terms of muscle mass and strength, conferred by male puberty and thus enjoyed by most transgender women is only minimally reduced when testosterone is suppressed as per current sporting guidelines for transgender athletes.
This evidence is relevant for policies regarding participation of transgender women in the female category of sport.
Seems pretty normal for researchers to suggest further research is needed. This is how science works, it builds on the work of previous research.
In my view its junk science, while its not new researach undertaken and its merely a publications review, it has so many caveats that dont make it viable for drawing any conclusions about ‘transwomen athletes’
And yet you don't explain how it is junk science or why it's not useful in the debate about whether TW should compete in all women's sports. All you've said is that it doesn't include TW, but studies on male physiology is relevant (most TW are born biologically male, most go through male puberty, and many have no or minimal medical transition), and research is still in the early stages.
Quoting results from one event at one (open entry) competition four years ago in the career of one trans athlete is called "cherry picking" and displays bias.
To show an opposite bias, one might point to the 2019 world champs where Hubbard pulled a similar weight to 2017 and came in sixth place. But that would be equally dishonest, because assuming one case to be typical of a population is stupid.
Remember this motorway that was cancelled by new government in 2018
The EWL was a $1.85 billion priority roading project of the last Government, connecting State Highway 20 at Onehunga and State Highway 1 at Mt Wellington
It was a massive vanity project , with incredible costs, of the last government, the cycling bridge – which I think is aspirational rather than practical- was about half that.
Its Open Mike isnt it , where the commenting is more free flowing
Its Open Mike isnt it , where the commenting is more free flowing
Sure it is, and when you post a flow of consciousness expect non-mind reading people to ask for clarification. I hope that’s ok with you
Essentially, what I believe you’re trying to convey here is that the walking & cycling bridge is a semi-massive vanity project or a massive semi-vanity project because, you know, it costs a lot of money.
No. I said the EW Motorway was an expensive project- twice that of the cycling bridge- that was cancelled.
Thats its relevance, is as the cost is what has 'aroused hearts and minds' over the cycling bridge.
No it didnt say 'the bridge' is a vanity project at all . Im still curious about the whole idea thus the aspirational tag.
Its easier if you leave the part about what I said to me.
The woman whom thousands of Canadians believe is their secret ruler isn’t afraid to tell her followers she’s calling for the executions of health care workers and politicians behind the vaccination rollout.
“At the firing squad, the military firing squad, you will receive not one, but two bullets on your forehead for each child that you have harmed as a result of injecting this experimental vaccine,” said Romana Didulo* to those involved in vaccination efforts in a recent video on Telegram. “So when you go home tonight, think about how many bullets.”
Tim Shadbolt facing off Deputy Mayor, in a physical challenge. Reminds me of Russia's President Putin wresting with a bear? Showing he was up to it, some years ago. Then married a young gymnast. What next for Shadbolt?
Hopefully retirement as new blood is needed for Invercargill. I am sick of hearing about the infighting that goes on in councils as it is unproductive for the region.
Tampons may need to be flushed down the toilet, and perhaps condoms too. They will both be carrying body fluids that if not disposed off quickly and correctly would be disease carriers. There isn't always a rubbish bin, and how often are they emptied?
Stop people from using wipes, ban them from supermarkets and pharmacies. People can cut up their old clothes and put them to some use instead of throwing them out when holey in one place. Use them instead of wipes, cut down waste, then thow them in a bin. Make the three-letter words fashionable language, like the four-letter ones!
Cotton tips are very useful and people will have to learn not to throw them down the toilet. Men as well as women need to learn. Many males regard all that hygiene business and carry-on about doing things right as just fussy stuff that women do.
Seems the only way to go but I think preaching about the three 'ps' and bad-mouthing for the others is the modern way. Thinking of efficiency first and foremost is the thing now. People have to be cut and moulded to fit the systems not the other way round. Makes sense – set a target, make people conform. Public service is going down the loo!
In 1979, just a couple of months into his stint with 20/20, ABC’s fledgling television news magazine, producer and documentarian Joseph Lovett was “beyond thrilled” to be assigned an interview with author James Baldwin, whose work he had discovered as a teen.
[…]
The finished piece is a superb, 60 Minutes-style profile that covers a lot of ground, and yet, 20/20 chose not to air it.
After the show ran Chase’s interview with Michael Jackson, producer Lovett inquired as to the delay and was told that no one would be interested in a “queer, Black has-been”:
I was stunned, I was absolutely stunned, because in my mind James Baldwin was no has-been. He was a classic American writer, translated into every language in the world, and would live on forever, and indeed he has. His courage and his eloquence continue to inspire us today.
Ministry of Transport spokesperson Ewan Delany said motorcycles were not considered at the start of the Clean Car Discount, because they were a small part of the emissions problem.
…
"While this vehicle segment was excluded from the initial Clean Car Standard and recently announced Clean Car Discount, it may be considered for inclusion as the scheme progresses, so that we can respond to the opportunity that new EV and low emission technologies in the motorcycle segment represent."
The scheme also excluded mopeds and motor tricycles, as well as all heavy vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes.
To me, this is odd not to say short-sighted and narrow-minded.
Why not encourage all alternatives for transport that are clean(er) while discouraging fuel cars? What is so different about a motorised 2-wheeler compared to 4-wheeler (AKA car)? Government wants to encourage cycling but not motorised 2-wheelers!? I suppose one would still require a special driver’s licence and all that.
I said it before, I reckon if e-bikes are subsidised quite a few people will make the switch. I see more and more of them around already. What’s not to like?
Possibly too much/hard for Government to handle all in one go …
This sounds like a good idea. I wonder if the countries and arms agents can give up their obssession with this horrible practice/drug. Can they go cold turkey?
World's Largest Arms Exporters:
Rank Supplier Arms Exp
(in billion TIV)
1 United States 9,372
2 Russia 3,203
3 France 1,995
4 Spain 1,232
5 Germany 1,201
6 South Korea 827
7 Italy 806
8 China 760
9 Netherlands 488
10 United Kingdom429
That is a good start to this comment. This sex thing has been around for ever, especially with winning sportsmen. It used to be talked about and then not forgotten but not become the issue it is now with the small cameras that everyone has now in their cellphones. It has now morphed into dirty, deceitful, disrespectful behaviour, and as someone has said, a matter to be bullied about and harassed and shamed. From foolish and unwise to a practice that is turning sexually naive students who are immature into porn actors and perverts with this photographic porn to blackmail and hurt others with.
What is needed in the short term I don't know. If parents concerned, and the school teachers and pupils had a formal meeting and discussed the problem and just put in words what is happening and how each speaker felt about it, and the long-term results of it, perhaps an agreement could be reached about setting a code of behaviour for individuals to keep to.
In the long term I am sure that we need some social anthopologists in the Education Department instead of thinking that all we need is to teach science, maths, and communication, and team thinking – to turn out the successful conformists of the future.
We need to teach philosophy, and how cultures build up, and what zeitgeist and leitmotif mean. We need to talk about individuals having a vision of what they want to be, and how to realise their strengths and weaknesses. And we need to teach the importance of delay of immediate gratification. That would cut out this idea of sex being a sort of drug that you have on a night out. You get blotto and anything can happen, wheee. And then when it happens everyone is shocked if someone cries rape when nobody seemed to be worrying about anything?
Where does the leadership for teaching personal standards and morality come from? Is there any talk at home/school about how to cope when temptation looms, when companions suggest a good time, no holds barred – are you up for it, to each other? Or is it boys will be boys and we don't impose rules on them, same with girls? How could a bright, intelligent girl get knifed 200 times by a man in a frenzy – of jealousy? What did she know about assessing someone's character and self-control? Who is teaching how to hold back on sex until it is something worthwhile with someone you both like and respect. That cuts right across this drift into decadence that we are in.
Think Grace Mullane and Tinder? What a dangerous past-time. No need to go puritan and extra-moralistic, just talk personal respect and standards, inner confidence, not being coerced by companions, and looking for real friends not just for the fun-loving, no-worries group.
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
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). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A new Commonwealth Prac Payment will provide students with $319.50 a week when they are on clinical and professional placements. The payment will be means tested and start from July 1 next year, which ...
Asia Pacific Report About 500 people honoured Palestinian journalists in the heart of the New Zealand city of Auckland today for their brave coverage of Israel’s War on Gaza, now in its seventh month with almost 35,000 people killed, mostly women and children. Marking the annual May 3 World Press ...
The Government Communications Security Bureau denies hosting a foreign spying capability flagged by the watchdog, differentiating it from the system recently criticised. ...
RNZ News A group of academic staff at New Zealand’s largest university have expressed concern at the administration’s move to block a protest encampment that was planned to take place on campus calling for support for the rights of Palestinians. This week, the University of Auckland warned that while it ...
Genterwocky After a hard days marching, Sir Doocey calls in at the Village Tavern For a pint of ale and a pork pie. The grim villagers stare at him. “Do not be travelling on the forest road,” warns a crusty old beak. “And why is that, antique peasant?” Grins Sir ...
Political conferences after a party returns to power are usually a chance for some healthy, even unhealthy backslapping. Yet National Party president Sylvia Wood’s address to its mainland representatives on Saturday hardly contained the unalloyed delight that one might have expected following National’s escape from the wilderness of opposition. Yes, ...
Comment: Almost half the world is voting in national elections this year and artificial intelligence is the elephant in the room. There are genuine fears AI-generated or AI-edited deepfakes will potentially manipulate election outcomes not just in the US and UK, but critically in countries such as India. For that ...
Ahead of the reality franchise’s return to New Zealand, allow us to introduce the eight brides and grooms. Chuck on a veil and tie back your man bun, because it’s time to say “I do” to a new season of Married at First Sight NZ. The reality TV “social experiment” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University Every year on June 1, student debt in Australia is indexed to inflation. In 2023, high inflation pushed the indexation rate to 7.1%, the highest since 1990. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Changes in the May 14 budget will cut the student debt of more than three million people, wiping more than $3 billion from what people owe. The government will cap the HELP indexation rate ...
Asia Pacific Report The prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed for an end to what it calls intimidation of its staff, saying such threats could constitute an offence against the “administration of justice” by the world’s permanent war crimes court. The Hague-based office of ICC Prosecutor ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A women’s union in New Caledonia has staged a sit-in protest this week to support senior Kanak indigenous journalist Thérèse Waia, who works for public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première, after a smear attack by critics. The peaceful demonstration was held on ...
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
We might be in Invercargill but all anyone can talk about is Gore. Specifically, Salford Street. That’s where three-year-old Lachlan Jones lived, south of the centre of town, between the A&P Showgrounds and the Mataura River. Roughly 1.2 km away from the single level home he lived in with his ...
MONDAY I lined up the latest round of civil servants from city hall against the wall, and signalled for the firing squad to drop their rifles. I stepped up onto a wooden crate to look at the office workers in the eye. But that didn’t feel right, so I found ...
Keen hiker and second-year MSc student Liam Hewson wears two hats when he’s in the great outdoors. “The scientist in me appreciates nature and goes, ‘Oh, there’s that thing and there’s another thing,’ but then the tramper and the outdoorsy person in me thinks, ‘Cool bush.’” Born and bred in ...
After a long and illustrious career as a goal kicker, Dan Carter’s favourite way to unwind is… kicking goals. Why can’t he get enough of it? And what it’s like to watch him do it for an hour straight? A semicircle of people wielding cameras and phones has formed in ...
Dame Susan Devoy takes us through her life in television, including late night ER debriefs, her proudest CTI moment and the show she watches in secret. Quite aside from her four world champion squash titles, Dame Susan Devoy will likely go down in history as one of the best Celebrity ...
Hera Lindsay Bird reveals the best places in Ōtepoti to score more for your apocalypse-prep book hoard.Sometimes I get the feeling I’ve been killed in a car crash, and this second half of my life is just the brain unspooling itself, like one of those episodes of a hospital ...
ThreeNow’s new murder mystery series takes us on a dark, damp journey into the Australian wilderness.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. High Country is ThreeNow’s new Australian eight-part crime drama, set in a remote part of the Victorian highlands. It tells ...
Introducing a new way to read The Spinoff every weekend. After nearly 10 years of being an online magazine, we’re finally embracing the weekend liftout. Despite our best efforts to convince you otherwise, writers and editors at The Spinoff don’t work weekend. It is through the sheer power of technology ...
Tip one: let yourself be nurtured by this big old man. Tip two: don’t ask him to adopt you. So, you’ve arrived at your first session with a new therapist. He tells you to make yourself comfortable and you opt for the tweed armchair, hoping it makes you look like ...
I didn’t know books could open you back up; that there were books that stayed with you, where reading was like a chemical event. I knew nothing.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Not too long ago, I was listening to the American ...
Former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has already started training for the Enhanced games, though says he won’t start taking performance enhancing substances until about nine months out from the competition. The Australian world champion was the first athlete to be announced by Enhanced, but he says the organisation has had ...
Everyone thinks he’s dead. Every day they expect his body to be washed up along the coast. Most likely up Karitane way, the way the tide’s running. But nobody’ll be too surprised if his body’s never found. Even in death he wouldn’t have wished for such attention. He would have ...
Council members voted 21 to 4 in favour of Ahluwalia returning to the Laucala campus following a much-awaited meeting in Vanuatu this week. It comes as USP and its two unions — the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) and the Administration and Support Staff Union ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Henry, Professor & Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University Shutterstock Following an emergency meeting of the National Cabinet this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a raft of measures to tackle the problem ...
Analysis - A poll showing the opposition is more popular than the government raises questions, politicians go through their 'trial by pay rise' and a Green MP loses her cool in the debating chamber. ...
The entire stretch of Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast will be subject to a joint customary marine title for two hapū, and extending up to four miles out to sea. A High Court judge has found the two groups, who during the case settled a dispute over boundaries for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Hall, Lecturer, Media & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University A longstanding feud between TikTok and Universal Music Group seems to have finally reached an end, with both parties signing a deal that will see Universal-backed music returned to the social media ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney After several highly publicised alleged murders of women in Australia, the Albanese government this week pledged more than A$925 million over five years ...
Political parties have now fully disclosed the donations they received last year - with National getting more than double the cash of any other party. ...
A Pacific regionalism expert has called out New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS military pact. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard de Grijs, Professor of Astrophysics, Macquarie University Bruno Scramgnon/Pexels All systems are “go” for tonight’s launch of China’s next step in a carefully planned lunar exploration program. Placed on top of a powerful Long March 5 rocket, the Chang’e 6 ...
National returned a massive donation the day after a Newsroom story linked the donors to a property being investigated for operating unlawfully as a migrant workers’ hostel. The party’s 2023 donation filings, released on Friday, show it returned a $200,000 donation from Buen Holdings on August 23. That was the ...
Pacific Media Watch New Zealand has slumped to an unprecedented 19th place in the annual Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index survey released today on World Press Freedom Day — May 3. This was a drop of six places from 13th last year when it slipped out of its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Political Historian and Administrator Officer, Australian Historical Association, Australian National University Australia has had its fair share of public record-keeping controversies in recent years. Some have been mere farce, as in the case of two formerly government-owned filing cabinets (containing ...
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated organization dedicated to fostering peace through civilian-led initiatives, has issued a statement in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. Key facts Marriages and civil unions In ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lennon Y.C. Chang, Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety ...
In this excerpt from her new memoir, Dame Susan Devoy remembers her turn as star contestant on the 2022 season of Celebrity Treasure Island. The most anxious time of every day was pre-elimination, when you knew this could be your final day on the show. I felt such contradictory emotions, ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
What’s to blame for the coalition’s choppy start? Six months in, and the mojo meter is in the doldrums. A new poll would put National out of power and sees its leader, Chris Luxon, sliding in popularity. How much is it about policy, how much coalition management and a perception ...
The striking report goes far beyond the proposed repeal of the Oranga Tamariki Act’s Treaty of Waitangi provision, and its impact should be felt far beyond the unique circumstances of the claim it addresses. Earlier this week, the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report on the government’s proposed repeal of ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Monash University Ken stocker/Shutterstock In the wake of numerous killings of women allegedly by men’s violence in 2024, thousands of Australians have joined rallies across the country to demand action ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Cutler, Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University Oleg Ivanov IL/Shutterstock Waiting times for public hospital elective surgery have been in the news ahead of this year’s federal budget. That’s the type of non-emergency surgery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Amna Artist/Shutterstock One of the earliest descriptions of someone with cancer comes from the fourth century BC. Satyrus, tyrant of the city of Heracleia on the Black Sea, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Rose, Professor of Sustainable Future Transport, University of Sydney LanaElcova/Shutterstock Electric vehicles are often seen as the panacea to cutting emissions – and air pollution – from transport. Is this view correct? Yes – but only once uptake accelerates. Despite the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Natassia Woodley, Researcher and Phd Candidate, Edith Cowan University There is widespread agreement Australia needs to do better when it comes to gender-based violence. Anger and frustration at the numbers of women being killed saw national rallies over the weekend and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Mark and Anna Photography/Shutterstock As home ownership moves further out of reach for many Australians, “rentvesting” is being touted as a lifesaver. Rentvesting is the practice of renting one property to live ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney Netflix The new season of Heartbreak High is garnering mixed reviews. Critics are writing about the racy story lines, comparing it to other coming-of-age series about teenage relationships and ...
Bob Carr intends to launch legal action against Winston Peters and Julie Anne Genter is facing a second allegation of bullying. Both sucked the air out of an announcement on education, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
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Is it time to look into the abyss yet?
How to look into the abyss, fall in, and not have an idea of how to get out? Jenny How to Get There will show us the way.
At least she recognises the cliff we are all running towards full speed.
we patently still need people ringing the alarm bell even if they don’t know how to stop the stampede. Others know but the bell still needs to be rung.
We have lots of good people here who know all that Jennyhtgt says – no need to fill the posts repeating it. And often with that mocking, all-knowing jibe at the pollies. It is really irritating. It's better to have one rant every now and then than trailing disappointment and discontent with whoever in the government in each comment.
What we need is keeping on with the next steps being talked about at length, discussed etc as has been done with the electricity thing below. Otherwise we end up with a lot of whining, and whys, and appearing like wimps who don't know their A from their E. Citizens need to be thinking up policy, stuff that will work, and not be too expensive. And show how we can get it going, and keep on about that. And notice when someone goes OTT with plans, and notice when something good does get done. And what we think about it, is it the best thing to be done at present, or is there another way.
How we can get out of the hole we are in is paramount. And arguing for sensible things, rather than just rushing out to protest all the time. If we can;t get good stuff going and show that we are not goofs that pollies can ignore or throw nice-sounding policies that meet some kindness criteria but are not practical, we are in deep doo-doo next election.
We don't want Labour going off on a n'uclear' path and leavng their rear undefended so that our pockets get pinched by fast-fingered-financial-finaglers like the nerds in Treasury and the right-wing think tanks as before. Now we have the sharpies using their tech education to build armaments and space weapons and trying to sell us robotics because employers can't get the trained people they want to employ. Great government – look what a f..k up you made, stepping back and leaving it to business to do the thinking and organise the educated people they would want for future employees/
And look what has happened to us by leaving others to run the country while we thought we could just skive off and were relaxing thinking we had it made. That's 20th century stuff, now Labour needs people who can think about social welfare, and business at the same time.
This has turned out a rant. So I will add something else I think we need. That is all pollies will have to go through an educational program, which includes humanities and social anthropology as well as business direction, and the environment looking at dairying destruction for one and desertification and desecration of the fertile areas of the earth for minerals etc. And rehashing the idea that progress is good, and physical work and the simple life are for losers and peasants. And perhaps the government terms will be four years, and the pollies must step down and out into private life after three terms – 12 years. And we will learn how to live simply and save up for things, and how to get a house when you have saved a certain amount, just a small one but your own to get started with. Lovely first aims, of what young adults want, achievable and not never-never land. With some happiness in just being and living in a country with people who are interested in each other doing good things, and all enjoy life and work together to cope with climate change and some sort of hostilities, two inevitabilities.
I don't know if we fall into this abyss that there is a way to get out.
But what I do know, is that BAU cannot continue in the present.
Building a bridge for bicycles costing hudreds aof millions of dollars so as not to impinge on cars having untrammelled use of an eight lane motorway in the heart of our biggest city, is BAU folly of the highest order.
Does the design for this modern folly incorporate a storm cellar, or escape tunnel inside its structure?
The answer is blowing in the wind
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/444472/new-zealand-s-use-of-coal-for-electricity-generation-surges
It's good to know that when us cockies buy all these ev Utes well have clean green power for them 😏
See a coal mine. Shut it down.
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/23/842807177/pandemic-shutdown-is-speeding-up-the-collapse-of-coal#:~:text=Since%20the%20coronavirus%20hit%20the%20U.S.%2C%20coal%20mines,a%20coal%20analyst%20at%20the%20firm%20Wood%20Mackenzie.
Hopefully by the time the agrarian sector is driving around in electric utes and tractors, Huntly will be de-commissioned. Currently Huntly provides the backup when there's no wind and / or low lake levels.
Current best looking replacement is pumped hydro storage at Lake Onslow in Otago. I say hopefully because it's a project with a few tricky aspects, top of the list being how the hell we integrate it within the current current market of four publicly listed gentailers. It's logical owner would be Contact since it would draw most of it's power from Roxburgh and Clyde at high flows, Clyde has provision for two extra turbines intended for this, but it's so big that Contact would then dominate the electricity market. It's also at the wrong end of the country, but if the bulk of generation to power the fleet comes from Manapouri (see Andre below) the transmission issues will be dealt with.
Huntly provided that backup in the first three months of this year – we burned more coal for electricity in the past ten years due to low lake levels! https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/climate-change-new-zealand-burns-most-coal-for-electricity-in-nearly-a-decade/MH6J3LMMFMMHRY2TH44G2PJSRU/
Maybe we should nationalise Contact, thus taking it out of the market.
Just before Onslow appeared in the media Contact's share price took a bit of a spike. May have been related… maybe not
Cockies often have lots of roof space to put PV panels on. They also tend to get seriously bent over by local lines companies. They often have a large supply of what is currently a problematic waste to dispose of, that could get digested into a gas supply for powering a generator for backup.
I think there might solutions that lower costs and increase independence for cockies …
Kinda missing the point ,about nz importing coal from Indonesia!!
Typical rich.country behaviour, shut you own dirty mines/factories/ behaviours down and offshore what you can and sneak around in the shadows do dirty shit while acting high and mighty,.
We're starting to be like Europe.
This is my issue we are off shoring our emissions and patting ourselves on the back, in reality we are are likely increasing global emissions.
Its a global problem that needs global solutions, best ROI to rapidly drop emissions globally would be to focus on the devloping world stop the deforestation, build renewables etc. Lots of currently available tech would make huge difference if we deploy it globally.
On average 80% of electricity is generated from renewables. Some perspective in the arguments would be helpful. These sort of antics don’t help either.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/121980237/meridian-involved-in-undesirable-trading-situation-says-electricity-authority-in-preliminary-decision
Overheard a very irate ute owner jabbering on about Indonesian coal getting trucked to huntly at 20 loads a day yesterday, and I thought to much fb for that butter sounds like they are telling the truth.
How will we power 2 million evs in 10 years? .
How will we power 2 million evs in 10 years? .
Who cares?
Time to stop playing games.
As someone who will put their body in front of the diggers if they try to dam another South Island river, I care, a great deal.
"How will we power 2 million evs in 10 years? ."
I think we can safely say we wont be.
Yep
I concur with that.
Even with the rebate, most of us still won't be able to afford them.
The infrastructure for them is not there.
Even if it was there, it would struggle to cope with 2 million of them.
Only vastly expanded public transport network could be converted to electricity at a speed and a cost that will make a difference.
Four for the price of one.
with tiwai point smelter shutting down, there will be plenty of electricity generation up for use. and as most ev's should be charged at night(off peak) there shouldnt be much for ute owners to jabber about. hopefully petrol and diesel prices will go through the roof and the last few ute jabberers can have that to whinge about. OR, the ute owners could be pro-active(for a change) and convert there petrol utes to lpg (gee, that sounds familiar) and have clean burning energy..nah, much easier to play the victim….
Do you have the numbers on what Tiwai uses compared to EV use? Is that more of a guess or hopeful thinking?
A quick calculation sez Tiwai Point uses something like 5.4 billion kWhr per year. A light vehicle can go around 7 km on a kWhr. So Tiwai Point's electricity use could drive a light vehicle 38 billion km. There's around 3.6 million light vehicles in NZ, averaging around 12000 km/year, or around 43 billion vehicle kilometres annually.
So shutting Tiwai Point would almost cover swapping all light vehicles in New Zealand over to electric.
(repeated from this 2019 comment: https://thestandard.org.nz/100-carbon-free-power-generation/#comment-1631961)
Ta! So interim partial supply but not enough for trucks, buses, trains, industry and increasing population.
Yeah, to cover the buses, trucks, trains etc as well we'd need to get a move on with building some of the already consented wind and geothermal projects that have been shelved because of flat demand and the ever-present threat of Tiwai Point shutting and dumping all that excess power into the market.
Probably also need some hefty pumped storage,like the Onslow-Manorburn basin and/or around Lake Moawhango and the headwaters of the Ngaruroro.
Wind ?
During last week at the morning peak the wind output was around 15% of its capacity in NI ( which is 700MW)., its currently at 23% – which is typical.
geothermal is more like 80% of capacity which is typical as they have to allow for reserve generation which can be accesed quickly
Most geothermal power technologies really don't like being ramped up and down. So they're great for continuous baseload power.
Yes, wind has its intermittency problem. Hence the merit in adding substantial pumped hydro storage. Overall, wind in NZ seems to operate at around 35% capacity factor on an annual basis. That should increase as installed turbines get larger, maybe getting up to around 40% fleet average.
So to add another Manapouri's worth of generation to supply electric buses, trucks etc would require installing maybe 1800MW of wind plus pumped hydro storage, or 700ish MW of geothermal. Or do both to have enough generation capacity to completely electrify NZ land transport plus shut down Huntly and Stratford. I only got a short way down the list of consented projects and there was well over 2000 MW of wind consented, together with around 300MW of geothermal.
what happens when that's not enough?
What about solar panels on homeowners roofs?
I know quite a few EV owners who use their own solar to charge their EVs
It's all solvable, with changes in behaviour, living within our means, utilising local and owner generation as well as national grid, electricitysector regulation. But we're not having that conversation nationally atm. Instead we're having the green tech BAU, reductionist paradigm one, where we continue to think that the world is an unlimited resource.
(and that's not even getting to the issues of how much GHGs we're emitting to go down this cul de sac).
If EVs become more prevalent, Savonius rotors make a pretty readily managed home charge option. Crunches are likely in things like battery supply and disposal however.
Biggest constraint will be transmission, most of the bulk generation is in the south, especially wind. There's also distributed generation, solar roofs with batteries. All this will need / result in a rather different electricity generation and distribution market to what we have now.
As well as reducing demand via such tech as passive solar building. We're still a long way from this conversation though.
I built a semi passive house in early 90's (suspended wooden floor so not quite the full thing) and am surprised at the quiet uptake of passive principles in building design. Often not that overt but you can see designers taking opportunities that present themselves.
Nukes.
(Ad, you can roast me now for giving RedLogix an entry to burbling on about them again)
Lol, no way will NZ go down that path (quakes, tsunamis, economics, waste disposal, indigenous sovereignty, and a very strong anti-nuke culture in the general population).
But it would go some way to explaining why so many people aren’t talking about EVs and power generation, the hope that we will have some inexhaustable source of power in the future.
Truck ,tractors, earth movers and forestry machines will have to be hydrogen surely
If you do a search for an electric version of whatever kind of land vehicle you're interested in, your chances of getting hits are now pretty good. Scandinavian companies seem to be leading the way, at least in wealthy western countries.
There's a variety of options for 'refueling', from quick-swap batteries, to running electricity in to longer-term job sites.
Heh, the Google algorithms are getting smarter, not better
Where will the hydrogen come from?
When a Mummy hydrogen and a Daddy hydrogen really love each other…
Sorry weka, it's one of my favourite lines, I couldn't resist.
Lol.
Oh. 🙂
Not necessarily
All the biggest earth movers on the planet are electrically powered and connected to the grid with high tension trailing power cables, which are moved every day.
Ironic really, because they are used to dig for low grade lignite. Which is used for burning in electric power stations, to power, wait for it, electric excavators, connected to the grid by high voltage trailing cables.
You'd power the freight and public transit first. Individual vehicles cannot be the priority in a carbon-focused future.
Here’s hoping we get smart enough to do that
Takes leadership.
That would be nice too.
If Tiwai point was not operating today,there would still be a shortfall of 300mw,without increased use from EV.
how come?
That is the amount of FF generation that needs to be replaced ie the EV will be running on FF electricity.
https://www.transpower.co.nz/power-system-live-data
yeah, I didn't get what you meant by increased use. I thought you were saying that if Tiwai closed today the freed up power wouldn't be enough to replace all the gas and coal currently burned. Is that right?
yep
did you see this? https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19-06-2021/#comment-1798935
If we want off FF, Tiwai closing will almost get us there. That's before the EV fleet upgrade.
Yes.
Have you seen any my many comments about the numerous consented and shelved renewable energy projects? Shelved at least partly because of the ever-present threat of Tiwai Point closing and that power flooding the current market?
That’s a regulatory issue right? The market can’t do the thing that society needs right now. Although I assume you and I disagree on what projects should happen.
If we want off FF, Tiwai closing will almost get us there.
That was weekend daytime ,night time demand has now increased by the size of manapouri (5.8 gw vs 4.9) very difficult to ban night time.
Your quick calculation misses transmission & distribution losses (~7%), and losses in charging the ev battery (12-15%). That's about 20% of the energy wasted.
Then there's the consideration of whether allowing business as usual mobility is the best use of Manapouri's generation, because we also have to shut down our coal & gas generation. A lot of our mobility energy consumption can be significantly reduced by providing comprehensive public transport.
Another issue not often discussed is whether there will be a good supply of reasonably priced EVs. Most other countries are not in the position of having low emission generation. If they are to reduce their fossil generation they won't have electricity for vehicle charging, so there will not be a large demand for EVs and so efficiencies of mass production will not be achieved. NZ will never have enough sales to influence that.
Yep. So many holes in the half arsed plan
EVs are unfortunately not quite there yet in terms of battery technology. The reason is the charging system and the hardware that demands high waste, high environmental damage and exploitation of people. But hey, who cares, right? I mean its colonization in a different way all over again. Maybe we can sell the rubbish battery waste back to those who were exploited and give them "work" to diassemble the stuff that rich countries so eagerly buy. So lets celebrate this and encourage more of the exploitation, degradation of a continent and pat ourselves on the shoulder how good we are doing the "right" thing.
Ah yes, no thinking required, just a cocktail in hand musing over a 100K car.
colonisation without the bothersome people dying/getting disabled/being poor or child labour in our backyard, but somewhere out of sight.
Lots going on in the battery world.
Bloomberg; The next generation of batteries.
QuantumScape says its technology is ready to move from the lab to VW’s dealerships. But this secretive startup is very familiar with failure.
https://archive.is/1MG9A (Bloomberg)
Solid state batteries are safer and use fewer raw materials. Are they the answer to technology’s power problem and a threat to Tesla’s dominance?
https://archive.is/n4H3n (FT)
Not to mention stuff like LFP (lithium ferro phosphate or LiFePO4). No cobalt or nickel. Already good enough for Tesla's lowest-spec made in China models and good enough for BYD electric trucks and electric buses.
Waste is still an issue. NZ has no means of dismantling, separating metals etc.
Lithium batteries are hazardous materials and regulated except in NZ. The lifetime of a battery is about 2 years and they will most likely go to landfills.
Perhaps before we sponsor those rather expensive cars for the few who can afford it, we should start "sponsoring" a disposal plant first. Because you cannot just ship the batteries like pebbles around the globe.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/111367821/what-happens-to-all-those-ev-batteries
When it comes to a fast-moving technical topic, it's probably best to scan the first couple of pages of google results for credible up-to-date articles, rather than just clicking the first hit which might be two years out of date from a mass-market msm publisher that doesn't really understand the topic.
Here's just one of the many efforts starting up now that there are starting to be significant quantities of used ev batteries to be recycled:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2021/06/14/redwood-materials-spending-hundreds-of-millions-to-speed-recycling-for-ev-batteries/?sh=58762e77b643
Or somewhat of a more technical overview of different recycling and materials recovery techniques:
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/05/millions-electric-cars-are-coming-what-happens-all-dead-batteries:
When it comes to disposal, what do you think would stop the shipment of end-of-life ev batteries? They would be much higher value than recyclable plastic or paper, and those are routinely shipped all around the world. Sure, the batteries would need to be fully discharged first for safety, but that's a very easy operation.
And once more, it seems exporting a problem and not dealing with the full cycle of a product is the preferred solution. As I have mentioned, NZ has no means of recycling lithium batteries. To ship them, special permits are needed. Not from NZ but the country of destination. Never mind, its not worth getting all upset about it.
[typo fixed in e-mail address]
Hi Woodie, Did you know that aluminium can be used as a fuel?
It has heaps of embedded electrical energy in it, and has been used for generations in fireworks and explosives.
Powered and fed into a furnace it burns hotter than coal
Better yet, when aluminium powder is burnt as a fuel it releases zero green house gas emissiions.
And it's infinitely recyclable, no need to import any more bauxite from Aussie.
We could use the existing Tiwai Smelter to re-refine it, and ship it all over the country, and then return it when it is spent, in a closed cycle.
(The energy embedded in aluminium comes from the electricity in the refining process).
Could we see the rebirth of the external combustion engine, (commonly and collectively known as steam engines), being used to power ships and trains and industrual boilers?
Could steam engine locomotives powered by aluminium powder one day be seen again on the Main Trumk Line?
Let's bring back the Kingston Flyer from retirement as a test bed. (See if it still flies.)
Steam Punk was begun in New Zealand.
Rather than a retro movement harking back to a long dead era, Steam Punks, might just possibly be, ahead of their time.
https://boingboing.net/2015/01/12/a-visit-to-steampunk-hq-new-z.html
Refining aluminium is a pretty carbon heavy process – it relies on sacrificial carbon anodes that are cured at high temperatures for up to a month. The electricity only shifts the direction of the reaction so that the carbon reduces the alumina – the carbon still burns.
You are right of course
The aluminium industry produces 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
(this figure is inclusive of non-renewable electricity generation from coal and gas).
The anode is used to carry the electrical energy to the cathode, which in this case is the molten aluminium bath. The anode which is connected to the electricity supply is driven into the molten aluminium which creates a high temperature arc which melts the aluminium, while eroding the anode, which has to be continually replaced.
Research is being carried out into non-eroding, or inert annodes, and/or low erosion anodes that don't bond with oxygen to form CO2. (or don't do so as much).
However, all is not lost. coal produces 38% of green house gas emissions.
If all the coal burnt in the world was replaced with aluminium powder, and all that aluminium was reduced with renewable electricity. Even if aluminium production increased by a multiple of ten, we should still be better off.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/03/26/climate-change-coal-still-king-global-carbon-emissions-soar/3276401002/
Of course you don’t just switch off the smelter and hey presto electricity for cars. Five to eight years of investment needed first.
https://www.google.co.nz/amp/s/amp.rnz.co.nz/article/7e5f0aae-6e75-4eb9-b627-f3690467b0ae
So it’s a bit like the fabled electric utes. Introduce a car tax now, burn double to coal and the infrastructure will follow in 5 or so years time, maybe.
Wouldn't it be cheaper and quicker to convert the smelter into making aluminium fuel powder instead of ingots? All that needs to be done to create aluminium fuel power is to spray it when it is still molten.
The aluminium fuel could then be shipped around the country to replace coal in all our industrial processes, including the Huntly Power Station.
Coal is a solid fuel – The combustion of coal in power plants and industrial processes is the number one source of the green house emissions responsible for global warming and climate change.
Aluminium powder like coal is a solid fuel – Aluminium powder burns hotter than coal, but unlike coal produces none of the emissions responsible for global warming and climate change.
We do it in small as well as big parcels. My 13 solar panels will produce some 5000 kw/h annually. My Leaf will use 1600 kw/h to travel 12000 km in a year.
Note: 1 in 4 Australian homes has solar panels. NZ has 32000 homes (there are 1.9 million households in NZ) with solar power at the end of March- that's 1:60! Australia has 10.2 million households and therefore 2.5 million houses with solar panels. In 2018 it had 1.96 million so equipped.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_New_Zealand
That kind of commitment to solar energy would power a lot of EVs.
Spoke to a fellow takeaways customer last night who enquired after my Leaf. He works in a vineyard where he could see possible expansive use of electric vehicles and machinery. No interest at all from management when he raised the topic.
Yet, as he said, we have driven electric forklifts for years.
Your solar panels and 5000 kw\h annually , The low user household number is 8000kWhr – when they no longer qualify for low user daily charges
You will cetainly be taking a grid feed – during peak hours, the 'worst time'- to keep your lights on
Australia is quite unique in its solar power uptake because it has a lot of sun, well ahead of most of NZ- dont forget the shorter daylight hours in winter , and the low level of the sun in the sky
My point really is that homes and businesses supplied by solar power can help with the greater demand imposed by EVs.
Produce 5 Mw and use 1.6 Mw in the EV.
Yes Huntly has been running for some months as there is a shortage of gas capacity due to a Taranaki NG processing site having long scheduled maintenance.
The Huntly site which has a gas turbine alongside the last 2 thermal coal boilers operating has been very high output, 600MW plus – as it was originally designed for as a baseload station, not feeding in for morning and night as many other stations do. Any fossil fuel used has to pay carbon taxes on that. As well the power consumption at Auckland which is fed by medium distance lines needs a generator not far away to cover the voltage drop from long distance lines, theres a small GT at Otara plus one at Huntly ( quick start ups)
By then the biggest emitters of most of the GHGs, China, Russia, India etc will probably not even have started cutting back on emissions and coal fired power stations will be springing up everywhere. Global emissions will be accelerating and little ole NZ will be chock full of EVs and will have made absolutely no difference.
Sorry to disappoint you you ya old curmudgeon, but just because other countries possible arnt acting is not a reason to not do the right thing,
Driving a country into the ground because our leaders want to virtue signal when it will have absolutely no effect is criminal.. So when our economy and society is completely destroyed, China, India, and Russia will decide to follow our example?
Can you provide any actual evidence that our economy is being driven into the ground,? Or are you just a staunch blue team member who thinks bring their moron memes here is going get you somewhere?
Grumpy, you sound like part of the choir, a year ago, screeching on behalf of 'the economy'.
The peril it faced with the lockdowns.
Turn the record over.
Hi Waghorn,
If you think topping up their EVs will be front and centre of people's minds. You have just not been paying attention.
There are people alive now who will experience the biggest biosphere collapse since the Chixilube extinction event.
Scrambling for higher ground, trying to reserve a space in a storm cellar. Trying to survive frequent extreme weather events, crop failures, might be the sort of things exercising people's minds more than topping up their EV.
Huh?
I thought we were trying to avoid a disaster!?
In any case, nobody can do anything about a big brick from space hitting Earth.
Bruce Willis can
I think Jenny is thinking more Mel Gibson.
lol
Well, that was an interesting and wide-ranging thread.
The "importing coal" reminds me of demands for migrant labour. Smacks of the same thing – outsourcing our unacceptable demands.
Vulva owners*, what say ye? I say fuck the neoliberal capture of social justice and the planet burning machine it rode in on. Also Fuck the parts of the left sanctioning this.
https://twitter.com/croneinamillion/status/1406024421467463685
*the class of humans formerly known as women.
A good little media roundup, which gives a glimpse of the frustrations and annoyances of the Stuff gallery reporters.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/125489106/points-of-order-there-are-wellqualified-and-incisive-political-commentators-and-there-is-peter-dunne
It is a powerful image and well done to Robert Kitchin for capturing it, particularly as Sio appears to have finished his address is leaving the stage. He's taken his glasses off, picked up his notes, it's done. This is a dangerous time for photographers because you tend to down tools as something finishes.
His assignment that day would have been quite dry, shooting people talking in press conferences. He would have done this hundreds of times and constantly wondered how to make interesting, meaningful images from such familiar and structured circumstances.
Then just as it's all over, Alan Wendt produces such a simple, human gesture which we all immediately and emotionally connect with. Very, very easy to miss, and it requires a lot of skill and experience to keep alert in those crucial moments.
High praise from me for that, but the rest of the article is utter rubbish. It's anonymous, sniffy, hurt, self-indulgent, lazy, and hypocritical. The last is what makes me quietly rage. The anonymous Stuff gallery reporters claim the Facebook pages of Ardern and Robertson "ripped off" the image and failed to attribute it properly.
Well, cry me a fucking river.
At least Ardern and Roberston's social media handlers made an attempt to credit the photographer, despite committing the terrible crime of misspelling his name. Stuff and New Zealand media have an appalling culture of not crediting photographers. They almost never attribute or caption work properly outside of their own navel-gazing organisations. I see it every single day. It happens to me more weeks than not and I don’t shit the bed over it. Stuff and others are lazy in the extreme, and for them to act all huffy in this instance is hypocrisy in the extreme.
Accuracy? Stuff are woefully off target here.
A robust statement of and for the impartiality and objectivity of NZ journalism in general and Stuff’s journalism in particular.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/about-stuff/125478666/the-backstory-why-government-money-doesnt-corrupt-our-journalism
Powerful to account ? media babble is always about (ordinary) peoples stories, as that gets readers eyeballs which is the most important part of their business
'news' is a bad word these days , as they want to talk 'stories, engagement, perspectives, conversations' and other buzz words.
Hard news is dead! The most 'read stories' on NT Times is the recipes, which anyone can see well positioned on their digital front page.
sigh
Hint: there’s a hint in the headline as to what the article is about and it is not about recipes.
This is at the top of the piece with the complete documentary of over 38 min.
If journalism was in the pockets of government, this would never have been aired.
I assume you don’t read TS for its recipes either, but it is a good idea for improving its readership statistics
the line quoted -'Holding the powerful to account is now, and will remain, a core job of journalists'
It just isnt true , the readers of a major 'new's site like NY Times show that the recipes come first. NZ news sites are even fuller of flim flam lifestyle stories and shilling for the property industry
The newer online only places like Newsroom and Spinoff are even more directly as 'copywriters' for their business supporters. Like this sponsored piece written by the very capable Russell Brown- wheres the investigative pieces from him – no sponsors ?
https://thespinoff.co.nz/partner/nz-post/14-06-2021/more-faster-how-nz-post-is-learning-growing-and-evolving/
I disagree with you. Stuff is not the NY Times, Newsroom, nor Spinoff although it does cross-post regularly from Newsroom.
None of these are “flim flam lifestyle stories and shilling for the property industry” or recipes. Sure, those are present as well, they have to make a living too, don’t they. It is actually mentioned in the article I quoted. A news site such as Stuff will (have to) do all of the above, the good, the bad, and the ugly. They don’t cater just for intellectual snobs, Thorndon bubble, foodies, house porn addicts, or what have you.
I really don’t see how you came to this description of Newsroom as “even more directly as 'copywriters' for their business supporters”, but I guess I’ve been reading a completely different Newsroom. I can only assume that you’re referring to its partners at the bottom of the home page.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/about
You seem to be insinuating the exact thing that the Stuff article was countering. Just as well, I try to avoid falling in the binary trap and see things differently, so we have to agree to disagree here.
You got this wrong, sorry to say. Out of some 60 minutes news, 26 are advertisements, 24 are sport, 5 are for local stories and 5 are for flim flam.
Its only 5 minutes flim flam, LOL.
"The idea of being captured by the government gives us an allergic reaction"
Excellent – so if they can add to that an allergy to being captured by their own funders and owners, and even by the interests of the social class to which they themselves belong – then we're really getting somewhere.
Note: Stuff seems much improved since the sell-off and I'm generally OK with it. Some others, not so much.
Yes, I also like to think that Stuff has improved and that they’re not sitting on their laurels.
However, you make the same unsupported and unfounded (IMO) accusations. There seems much bias against NZ journalism and not without some reason, may I add, but some are definitely trying harder than others.
And here’s the most relevant bit to your accusation:
On trans women’s physiological advantage when competing in women’s sports. Look at the charts in the Twitter thread. The argument is often made that tw train harder than women and that’s why they jump to top ranking when shifting to women’s categories. Does this seem likely with these figures?
https://twitter.com/wackypidgeon/status/1399432743314853889
Not that 'amateur' sports medicine researcher Emma Hilton again. The one that has a published research on trans women which didnt include any trans women athletes
[please provide evidence (a cut and paste with link, not just a link) to back up your claim here, so we can all know what you are talking about rather than just being left with the ad hom – weka]
mod note for you.
It was the link you asked us to read last time , and it included the actual online paper published . I made those same comments based on actual words in the paper then, which you dismissed . Surely you read relevant parts of the paper ?
Hilton works as a research technician in another area completely from sports medicine and has had no previous research published in sports medicine so she an amateur in my opinion
Its all very well to show stuff from twitter, but as we all found out during covid self appointed experts were very common who had an academic background but no knowledge of infectious diseases and their epidemiology. A court would never allow expert witness testimony from someone who was a proven expert ON a topic
[post a cut and paste and link explaining your claim about Hilton and “published research on trans women which didnt include any trans women athletes” or you will get a short ban so you don’t derail the discussion. – weka]
2nd mod note and warning. What I am asking for is not difficult.
FYI, TS is not a Court but a place for supported opinions and arguments and robust debate, and the odd joke.
There are very few mind readers among the TS readership and there are very few who remember the previous exchange on this exact issue.
I have no idea what they're referring to, I read and comment so much on TS and twitter, few people can keep all that in their head. I'm also not doing someone else's work for them.
Wrong end of the stick stuff.
It happens.
sorry, who has the wrong end of the stick?
Not you.
It was barely two weeks ago.
Two weeks is a long time in politics.
In any case, they could have linked to that instead of turning it into a tortuous teeth-pulling post.
Dr Emma Hilton is a developmental biologist and Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, and teaches in her field. She has a particular interest in the science of biological sex and writes and speaks about this, including in the WSJ and runs the Nettie Project supported by many scientists and academics across a range of disciplines (who obviously don't have your prejudice about cross disciplinary work).
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/emma-hilton-2bb86830
You appear to be saying that no-one can have an informed opinion about sports medicine other than sports medicine researchers. Which is obviously a stupid position to take because it would invalidate your own (I'm assuming you're not a sports medicine researcher).
If Hilton is making bad arguments, then address them and demonstrate how they are bad. That you think her being a lowly research technician (afaik she's not) is sufficient to write off her work says something about your own views on hierarchy and power. As a non-academic, I'm much more interested in whether what she says makes sense.
Sorry for the delay but had other things to attend to
Emma Hiltons amateur status regarding sports medicine. her other contributions in publications are her specialist area of infections and such
https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/emma.hilton.html
Division of Infection, Immunity & Respiratory Medicine
And from the article in 'Sports Medicine' direct quotes
Males huh ?
In my view its junk science, while its not new researach undertaken and its merely a publications review, it has so many caveats that dont make it viable for drawing any conclusions about ‘transwomen athletes’
[formatting edited for clarity. Italicised emphaisis added by Ghost – weka]
Re Hilton's work, this from her twitter 2 years ago when challenged about her qualifications,
See also https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19-06-2021/#comment-1798912
Edited.
that's why those of us that run online spaces based in debate culture get seriously annoyed with lazy ad homs.
I get annoyed with unqualified researchers putting oar in . You seem to think shes an expert on this area and thus worth quoting her 'twitter'
Shes not even a post doc in sports medicine, which the bottom rung of the research ladder. A persons qualifications and background are important in academic research – that why their publications and university position are at very top of the paper.
Too bad if that raised as a problem
Your annoyance is noted.
Hilton is a scientist with enough expertise to comment on research. I also consider her an expert commentator on gender critical social issues and how those relate to sport. As I said, I don’t believe the only people who should be read are those with direct research experience. Eg science journalists have relevant experience to bridge between researchers and the public.
And, you seem to have misrepresented Hilton’s expertise.
"Males huh ?"
What's your point? The research is looking at what physiological advantage biological males have over females, that is conferred at puberty.
Seems pretty normal for researchers to suggest further research is needed. This is how science works, it builds on the work of previous research.
And yet you don't explain how it is junk science or why it's not useful in the debate about whether TW should compete in all women's sports. All you've said is that it doesn't include TW, but studies on male physiology is relevant (most TW are born biologically male, most go through male puberty, and many have no or minimal medical transition), and research is still in the early stages.
Are her facts not acceptable to you?
Quoting results from one event at one (open entry) competition four years ago in the career of one trans athlete is called "cherry picking" and displays bias.
To show an opposite bias, one might point to the 2019 world champs where Hubbard pulled a similar weight to 2017 and came in sixth place. But that would be equally dishonest, because assuming one case to be typical of a population is stupid.
Interviews with Michael Wood and Julie Anne Genter on that Bridge.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/06/cycling-bridge-opponents-would-be-angry-if-lane-on-existing-bridge-was-used-instead-green-mp-julie-anne-genter.html
After reading this and Sam Stubb’s opinion piece yesterday, I’m almost inclined to write a full post on it but “who cares?”.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/300333655/i-should-be-a-fan-of-aucklands-proposed-cycle-and-pedestrian-bridge–but-im-not
Remember this motorway that was cancelled by new government in 2018
The EWL was a $1.85 billion priority roading project of the last Government, connecting State Highway 20 at Onehunga and State Highway 1 at Mt Wellington
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/98489560/defunct-eastwest-link-cost-taxpayers-50-million
What is your point?
What does it have to do with my comment?
What is the relevance to the latest plan to build a new walking & cycling bridge?
It was a massive vanity project , with incredible costs, of the last government, the cycling bridge – which I think is aspirational rather than practical- was about half that.
Its Open Mike isnt it , where the commenting is more free flowing
sigh
Sure it is, and when you post a flow of consciousness expect non-mind reading people to ask for clarification. I hope that’s ok with you
Essentially, what I believe you’re trying to convey here is that the walking & cycling bridge is a semi-massive vanity project or a massive semi-vanity project because, you know, it costs a lot of money.
No. I said the EW Motorway was an expensive project- twice that of the cycling bridge- that was cancelled.
Thats its relevance, is as the cost is what has 'aroused hearts and minds' over the cycling bridge.
No it didnt say 'the bridge' is a vanity project at all . Im still curious about the whole idea thus the aspirational tag.
Its easier if you leave the part about what I said to me.
Thank you for your clear and concise clarification.
I still have no idea why you brought up the cancelled EW M-way, but I can live with this for another day.
I have no idea what you mean by “aspirational” but my will to ask and find out has disappeared.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Billy's heir.
The woman whom thousands of Canadians believe is their secret ruler isn’t afraid to tell her followers she’s calling for the executions of health care workers and politicians behind the vaccination rollout.
“At the firing squad, the military firing squad, you will receive not one, but two bullets on your forehead for each child that you have harmed as a result of injecting this experimental vaccine,” said Romana Didulo* to those involved in vaccination efforts in a recent video on Telegram. “So when you go home tonight, think about how many bullets.”
https://www.vice.com/en/article/3aqvkw/qanons-are-harassing-people-at-the-whim-of-a-woman-they-say-is-canadas-queen-romana-didulo
I Am Our Donald*
Tim Shadbolt facing off Deputy Mayor, in a physical challenge. Reminds me of Russia's President Putin wresting with a bear? Showing he was up to it, some years ago. Then married a young gymnast. What next for Shadbolt?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/125485790/sir-tim-shadbolts-deputy-accepts-challenge-to-fitness-duel-at-athletics-track
What next for Shadbolt?
Hopefully retirement as new blood is needed for Invercargill. I am sick of hearing about the infighting that goes on in councils as it is unproductive for the region.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/125486915/kiwisavers-stand-to-lose-hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars-in-government-contributions
Before end of June!
There is money for free to go into your Kiwisaver account if you can at least temporarily, boost your savings.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018800400/used-condoms-tampons-being-flushed-onto-wellington-beaches
Tampons may need to be flushed down the toilet, and perhaps condoms too. They will both be carrying body fluids that if not disposed off quickly and correctly would be disease carriers. There isn't always a rubbish bin, and how often are they emptied?
Stop people from using wipes, ban them from supermarkets and pharmacies. People can cut up their old clothes and put them to some use instead of throwing them out when holey in one place. Use them instead of wipes, cut down waste, then thow them in a bin. Make the three-letter words fashionable language, like the four-letter ones!
Cotton tips are very useful and people will have to learn not to throw them down the toilet. Men as well as women need to learn. Many males regard all that hygiene business and carry-on about doing things right as just fussy stuff that women do.
Could be worse it could be alligators.
Its time councils just accepted that people are going to flush more shit than just shit down the pipes, and engineered for the problem ,
Seems the only way to go but I think preaching about the three 'ps' and bad-mouthing for the others is the modern way. Thinking of efficiency first and foremost is the thing now. People have to be cut and moulded to fit the systems not the other way round. Makes sense – set a target, make people conform. Public service is going down the loo!
They're a sensitive mob.
In 1979, just a couple of months into his stint with 20/20, ABC’s fledgling television news magazine, producer and documentarian Joseph Lovett was “beyond thrilled” to be assigned an interview with author James Baldwin, whose work he had discovered as a teen.
[…]
The finished piece is a superb, 60 Minutes-style profile that covers a lot of ground, and yet, 20/20 chose not to air it.
After the show ran Chase’s interview with Michael Jackson, producer Lovett inquired as to the delay and was told that no one would be interested in a “queer, Black has-been”:
https://www.openculture.com/2021/06/watch-a-never-aired-tv-profile-of-james-baldwin-1979.html
Big:
https://twitter.com/jacktame/status/1406140675913965572
We need more leaders articulating this sort of vision to get us through the next 20 years.
https://twitter.com/SachaDylan/status/1406153082979766273
Here’s more: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300333582/rogernomics-not-on-the-watch-of-ganesh-nana-new-head-of-the-productivity-commission
(link was in tweet)
So it was. I’m not on Twitter but I do read Stuff 😉
You might enjoy the twitrs
Yes, but life is (about) making choices.
Just written a wee Post for tomorrow 🙂
From incognito link – lovely line from Mr Ganesh Nana.
But Nana concedes the painful economic reforms of the 1980s did not deliver what was promised.
On Rogernomics, “we got sold a lemon”, he says.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/06/ev-rebates-might-eventually-include-motorbikes-and-mopeds-just-not-for-now.html
To me, this is odd not to say short-sighted and narrow-minded.
Why not encourage all alternatives for transport that are clean(er) while discouraging fuel cars? What is so different about a motorised 2-wheeler compared to 4-wheeler (AKA car)? Government wants to encourage cycling but not motorised 2-wheelers!? I suppose one would still require a special driver’s licence and all that.
I said it before, I reckon if e-bikes are subsidised quite a few people will make the switch. I see more and more of them around already. What’s not to like?
Possibly too much/hard for Government to handle all in one go …
Motorcycles and mopeds have generally spectacular fuel efficiency
edit
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/445111/myanmar-coup-un-calls-for-arms-embargo-against-military Another 36 countries abstained, including Russia and China – Myanmar military's two biggest arms suppliers.
This sounds like a good idea. I wonder if the countries and arms agents can give up their obssession with this horrible practice/drug. Can they go cold turkey?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_industry
2020 (Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs) – and
SIPRI is Stockholm International Peace Research Institute)
World's Largest Arms Exporters:
Rank Supplier Arms Exp
(in billion TIV)
1 United States 9,372
2 Russia 3,203
3 France 1,995
4 Spain 1,232
5 Germany 1,201
6 South Korea 827
7 Italy 806
8 China 760
9 Netherlands 488
10 United Kingdom429
"Much better sex ed would a be a good start."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/445096/images-of-sexual-assaults-shared-among-dunedin-teens
That is a good start to this comment. This sex thing has been around for ever, especially with winning sportsmen. It used to be talked about and then not forgotten but not become the issue it is now with the small cameras that everyone has now in their cellphones. It has now morphed into dirty, deceitful, disrespectful behaviour, and as someone has said, a matter to be bullied about and harassed and shamed. From foolish and unwise to a practice that is turning sexually naive students who are immature into porn actors and perverts with this photographic porn to blackmail and hurt others with.
What is needed in the short term I don't know. If parents concerned, and the school teachers and pupils had a formal meeting and discussed the problem and just put in words what is happening and how each speaker felt about it, and the long-term results of it, perhaps an agreement could be reached about setting a code of behaviour for individuals to keep to.
In the long term I am sure that we need some social anthopologists in the Education Department instead of thinking that all we need is to teach science, maths, and communication, and team thinking – to turn out the successful conformists of the future.
We need to teach philosophy, and how cultures build up, and what zeitgeist and leitmotif mean. We need to talk about individuals having a vision of what they want to be, and how to realise their strengths and weaknesses. And we need to teach the importance of delay of immediate gratification. That would cut out this idea of sex being a sort of drug that you have on a night out. You get blotto and anything can happen, wheee. And then when it happens everyone is shocked if someone cries rape when nobody seemed to be worrying about anything?
Where does the leadership for teaching personal standards and morality come from? Is there any talk at home/school about how to cope when temptation looms, when companions suggest a good time, no holds barred – are you up for it, to each other? Or is it boys will be boys and we don't impose rules on them, same with girls? How could a bright, intelligent girl get knifed 200 times by a man in a frenzy – of jealousy? What did she know about assessing someone's character and self-control? Who is teaching how to hold back on sex until it is something worthwhile with someone you both like and respect. That cuts right across this drift into decadence that we are in.
Think Grace Mullane and Tinder? What a dangerous past-time. No need to go puritan and extra-moralistic, just talk personal respect and standards, inner confidence, not being coerced by companions, and looking for real friends not just for the fun-loving, no-worries group.