Had a little birdie whisper in my ear…..the great Clare Curran spent her entire time on the Parliamentary trip to the US….at Disneyworld playing with bugs bunny.
Anyone want to write a eulogy to Fisher and Paykel?
It won’t die of course, but it was our last locally formed, high value-add, high design quality, proudly Pakuranga originated, globally renowned company with New Zealand designs and engineering of any global scale.
Of course it had offshored much of its manufacturing over the last five years, but for the previous 50 years they were mostly here.
It made some New Zealanders rich, domiciled dividends to local owners, but many thousands were given good jobs here too.
This feels far sicker to me than Navman being sold and disembowelled. This is just sad. People are free to sell, no complaints. It’s still really sad.
Huge praise to the Fishers and the Paykels and all the originating families. You made your mark on the world.
Of course those on the right say that it is the mythical magical hand of the free market that creates intellectual property and technology and the State has no role to play but this ignores history and the actions of states like Japan and China who with major state planning created a high tech industry.
It’s selling off the economy making the country poorer but this government (and probably the last government as well considering that they were the ones that opened up the barn door) doesn’t care just so long as their rich mates get more money.
The Maori Council is off to Court to seek an injunction to stop MRP’s share sale.
Good on them. This sort of action has occurred before. In 1987 the Maori Council successfully injuncted the Government from selling various parcels of land.
The principles here seem to me to be pretty clear. Maori had an interest in water pre treaty, this was never taken away because as Key said the common law thought that no one owned water, and Maori’s interests are preserved. It was a taonga under article two.
Of course the Government will not settle this. They will be hoping that court action will fail. But if they do fail they will look weak and powerless and the red neck brigade will be up in arms.
And dunno who it was saying on RNZ this morning (could’ve been Flavell) when asked this is part of the confidence and supply agreement with MP and it’s been broken he said it’s not a deal breaker.
What flexible morals they have or maybe we’re just being pedantic.
Poor DunnoKeyo, he is exhibiting all the symptoms of early onset dementia. The short term memory loss coupled with the historic memory of exchange rates of 25 years ago are all warning signs for family and party members to take note. Soon there will be an exhibition of not remembering that he couldn’t remember something, and he will accuse the media/opposition of getting it wrong. From here it will be all downhill – a jar of jellybeans in the office and sending Bronagh off to consult astrologers……
What’s the difference between John Key and a tasty snack of haddock and chips enjoyed in the blissful bucolic ambience of a small Merseyside village near Sefton?
Shane Jones settles back on the hotel bed after putting in the tape Winston has just given him, pushes play, and it’s grainy footage of some lunchroom and a guy up the front who appears to have lost all syllabic precision …
‘I dunno and i just can’t think,hey, did anyone tell fossy to sort super out?’
‘Yes it was you boss,you can’t do it,cos it will cost you your job boss’ say’s gerry
‘Why,what could i have said to put my job on the line ?’
‘Your words boss,you wont touch super,or you will resign’ says gerry
‘FFS i didn’t say that, did i, surely not,how stupid,how silly,i’ll just ignore it
and it will go away then ‘
‘Where is Bennett, has anyone seen her today,we need a diversion,NOW’
‘I will sort it’ says gerry.
NZs economic plight and much mismanagement leading to our poor situation being discussed right now on Radionz by one of the Fletcher family. Is making points that sound like sense from a businessman with nous. And is criticising present ideologyeconomic .
From RNZ site “Hugh Fletcher steps down at the end of this month from the board of Fletcher Building, he is the former chief executive of Fletcher Challenge and has had a 34-year involvement with the family firm.”
Pity he did nothing to stop Fletcher Challenge from being dismantled. That could have been a New Zealand company that could have held its own in a globalised world.
As plans for the day (gardening, lawns etc) have been frustrated by the rain, have read a couple of interesting articles this morning.
While a somewhat ignoramus when it comes to the history/timelines etc for the internet, blogging etc, I could not believe my ears earlier in the week when Maurice Williamson spoke in the urgent debate on the WINZ kiosk debacle. Williamson said amongst other things that blogging had only been around for about 5 years ….. Hello? His speech is here.
I am pleased to see that Toby Manhire has raised this in his Herald opinion piece today “MPS out of touch”. .
Bloggers”, Uncle Maurice? They sound just awful. “Yeah, blogging only came into fashion just towards the end of the Labour Government. Blogging has been around only four or five years now.”
Toby’s article covers more than just this and is worth a read.
Level 19 of Bowen House will be swept and fumigated from midday, forcing Attorney General Chris Finlayson, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne and around 15 staff out.
Headline in the Herald: Who is to Blame for Armstrong Myth?
“Strewth,” I thought. “Now they are seeing the truth about poor old John.”
Oops. It was the other Armstrong, Lance Armstrong. Sorry John.
Can’t say that I’m surprised as the US seems to dislike anything that may topple the entrenched two party system and give choice and voice to the many.
DTB
I was interested to hear someone from Germany criticising MMP. The new head of the Roundtable agency thought we’d made a mistake. It seems to me that right wingers like the two party system.
The RWNJs don’t like democracy so they try to maintain the least democratic system they can. If we brought in full participatory democracy they’d be jumping up and down saying that it was a total failure (even if it wasn’t) and demanding that we bring back MMP.
Mike Giddey
Committee Secretary
Democracy Services
Auckland Council
OPEN LETTER/ REQUEST FOR SPEAKING RIGHTS AT THE AUCKLAND COUNCIL GOVERNING BODY MEETING – THURSDAY 25 OCTOBER 2012
– 10AM RECEPTION LOUNGE, AUCKLAND TOWN HALL.
Dear Mike,
The subject matter will be the following ‘Open Letter’ of complaint to the Office of the Auditor-General, of which Sarah Lineham ( Local Government Sector Manager), has verbally confirmed receipt, Friday 19 October 2012:
OPEN LETTER TO THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL
Under s.18 of the Public Audit Act 2001, we the undersigned request that you please conduct an urgent investigation into the following matters:
1) The allegedly corrupt ‘conflict of interest’ of the CEO of Auckland Council, Doug McKay, who is also a member of the extremely powerful private lobby group – the Committee for Auckland.
2) Please investigate how many contracts have been awarded by Auckland Council and/or any of the following Auckland Council Controlled Organisations to member companies of the Committee for Auckland:
a) Watercare Services Ltd
b) Auckland Transport
c) ATEED (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development Ltd)
d) ACIL (Auckland Council Investment Ltd)
e) AWDA (Auckland Waterfront Development Agency Ltd)
f) RFA (Regional Facilities Auckland)
g) APL (Auckland Property Ltd)
3) Please investigate the following potential ‘conflicts of interest’:
a) The CEO of Watercare Services Ltd, is Committee for Auckland member – Mark Ford.
b) The Chair of the Board of ATEED – David McConnell, and Deputy Chair Norm Thompson are both members of the Committee For Auckland.
c) Directors on the Board of ACIL, Pauline Winter and Brian Corban are both members of the Committee for Auckland.
d) Director Evan Davies and CEO John Dalzell of AWDA, are both members of the Committee for Auckland.
e) Deputy Chair Dame Jenny Gibbs, and CEO Robert Domm of RFA, are both members of the Committee for Auckland.
4) Please also investigate the failure of Auckland Council to ensure that CEO Doug McKay carry out his statutory duties under s.42 (2) (e) of the Local Government Act 2002:
(2)A chief executive appointed under subsection (1) is responsible to his or her local authority for—
(c)ensuring that all responsibilities, duties, and powers delegated to him or her or to any person employed by the local authority, or imposed or conferred by an Act, regulation, or bylaw, are properly performed or exercised; and
(d)ensuring the effective and efficient management of the activities of the local authority; and
(e)maintaining systems to enable effective planning and accurate reporting of the financial and service performance of the local authority;
A Local Government Official Information Act reply from Auckland Council dated 21 November 2011, from Darryl Griffin, (Auckland Council Manager for Democracy Services), confirms the lack of transparency in the spending of public monies by Auckland Council, in refusing to make available for public scrutiny the ‘devilish detail’ ie: the names, the scope, term and value of 5000 contracts related to 12,500 suppliers contracted to Auckland Council, on the basis that:
‘To collate and publish these would be a major exercise logistically and cost-wise’.
Further evidence to support this request for an urgent inquiry is:
A) The LGOIMA reply from Wendy Brandon, General Counsel for Auckland Council, dated 10 February 2012 – re: Committee for Auckland – CE membership.
B) The LGOIMA reply from Wendy Brandon, General Counsel for Auckland Council, dated 14 March 2012 – re: Register of Interests and contracts.
Oh look, it turns out that the MoJustice:
A)has computer kiosks; and
B)has shut them down due to insecurities.
Took them long enough to check, after all it’s not like Ng didn’t explain what the vulnerabilities were. It appears that no manager in MoJ had the immediate inclination to follow the instructions and see if they’d fucked up, too.
this country is turning into the laughing stock of nations.
the whole place is being run by post moderns who think that only their own truths count and what is even worse if they talk about it then it is done.
the whole place has become completely infantilised and run by overfed mental midgets with overweening faith in their own stupidity.
they are becoming dangerous!
Yeah, I certainly agree this country is becoming good fodder for a laughing stock, though not a laughing stock “of nations”.
I don’t consider many other countries are in a position to be laughing at us. i.e. the whole Western world is turning into a Mickey Mouse outfit. (Don’t know so much about other cultures so will stick to focussing on the fiascos of the western nations.). The whole western world is being over-run by mentally challenged power-tripping midgets; not solely NZ.
And like Muzza said, the more undesirable traits you have the more desirable you are in this culture of avarice we are being sold.
Seems to me someone is looking for reasons to outsource more jobs!
Ill say it again, the kiosk issues would not have been missed my major development and testing gates!
HOOK – These people running our country, are simply the corruptable minions of those with more power. The more undesirable traites you have as a human being, the more desireable you are to those who feel the need to control us.
It all went past dangerous a very long time back, you just have to look at how many people globally are being totally dominated, killed, mamed, pushed into poverty, bombed, slaugtered, removed off their lands, imprisoned, poisoned, polluted to death, medicated to death, sent ot war, sentenced to die..
Still I reckon blogging on the net should fix it up!
…anyone ask the Otago flake Claire Curran what she was doing at Disneyworld when she was on the Speakers tour?…no UFB briefings there unless Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck have something else to say about it.
[lprent: Moved to OpenMike as it was clearly deliberately offtopic. Just had a look at your 12 comments to date. You look like one of those boring idiots who swallowed a book that should be entitled “Boring bloggers for Dummies” on how to push memes on dat social media. We’ve seen all of this stupid rap before, just say what you want to say and explain why.
Make your pushing a lot more interesting, and lose the half-arsed leading question style that was so 2008 (and reminds everyone of stupid ACToids they have known). I usually decide that people using it are merely trolling because they obviously have never formed a opinion that they can argue for. And do read the policy so you don’t do something really stupid that triggers a reflexive moderating action. ]
What these two factors mean, I think, is that if baby boomers abuse their demographic power (which they already are to some extent), then they risk alienating younger generations to the point where the latter simply leave New Zealand. I think this kind of “demographic purge” is a real risk, and may have already begun.
The author is going on more about the declining use of cars in the younger generations but it can certainly be generalised to other aspects such as education where the older generations got free education while the younger are having to pay. Maybe the reason why our young are leaving is because NZ has become so static that there’s nothing interesting to do (and, no, I’m not just talking about going out to party).
Nothing interesting to do, and even if there were, no opportunities to do it.
You should see what my upper middle class friends are doing with their 4 day Labour Weekend. A boat trip, cruising around out of town in their new MX-5, doing a winery and restaurant tour of the provinces.
What recession? What unemployment? What child poverty? All that bad stuff is in an irrelevant universe far far away.
I’m beginning to think that they have planned al lthis shit.
If people realise that their privacy is up for grabs and open slather then they wont bother troubling the boorokrats anymore.
q.e.d.
Certainly makes it easier to demonise the local serivces, if you had an agenda which involved outsourcing, just like the IRD have done. How surprising will the KPMG report be I wonder…
If you own the legislative and the money system, you can do what you want eh, pretty staight forward really!
The ‘explosives’ had already been made safe by undercover agents who had supplied them to him.
That line right there, tells all thats needed about what a fix up this is!
In his conversations with the undercover agent he had spoken of how he had wanted to “destroy America” by attacking its economy and of his “beloved Sheikh Osama bin Laden”.
Oh look another undercover intelligence sting this time using the “on behalf of AQ”, to link those who speak against the money system as being terrorists..How convenient!
Australia has been handing key intelligence on Julian Assange to Washington for over two years. Newly-released cables indicate the US conducted an “active and vigorous enquiry” as early as 2010 to ascertain if they could try Assange for espionage.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) revealed it had been in cahoots with the US over the Assange case for over two years, saying it had turned over documents as early as 2010 that pertained to the whistleblower’s activities.
I’m not really surprised but it does show that TPTB get really irritated and nasty when things they want to be kept hidden get released to the general public. IMO, this keeping things hidden is the actions of dictators.
I note that Master Key attempted to assure those from Yaldhurst School today:
“We take on board fully their concerns. I give them my word we’ll be looking at what they say, I can’t guarantee we’ll agree with them, we haven’t made any decisions yet,” he said.
Heck, they’ve been given his word….they must feel so much better now…
Perhaps his advisors could tell him as well as keeping off the blatent porkies, that references to “words” or “promises” need to be avoided for for a wee while…after the last few months such statements from our PM are laughable.
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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 ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
“Show us the bird,” I found myself muttering at times while reading Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker, a deeply thoughtful, often hilarious, at times rambling – but somehow delightfully so – search for the story of a big bird. But not just any bird: the bird. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition DPVUE .images/Shutterstock Your home was probably designed for a climate that no longer exists. As long as humanity continues to burn fossil fuel, padding the heat-trapping blanket of gases in Earth’s atmosphere, the ...
A senior lawyer has filed a complaint about tikanga becoming a required law school module. Law lecturer Carwyn Jones explains what he’s getting wrong. “…the first law of Aotearoa, a law that served the needs of tangata whenua for a thousand years before the arrival of tauiwi.”– Ani Mikaere ...
In 2019, an Auckland woman woke up from surgery to find that she had undergone a treatment she didn’t consent to. She tells Alex Casey about her experience. From her very first period at the age of 14, Laura experienced “debilitating” levels of pain that forced her to withdraw from ...
Comment: Concerns about the state of the economy are creeping up to the top of firms’ list of challenges. That’s evident in both surveys and the tone of our recent client discussions. Skimming the past few weeks of eco-news, it’s not hard to see why. – Retail card spending fell ...
Opinion: Could former co-leader James Shaw still make a difference to working with National? The post How the Greens could be contenders appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: What if we got rid of our existing drug laws and replaced them with a new law that legalised and carefully regulated all psychoactive substances, from cannabis to MDMA, methamphetamine and LSD to magic mushrooms? And which also included legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. “Wow,” you might ...
In the gloom following director-general Al Morrison’s job cuts in 2013, the Department of Conservation restructured its operations arm. Eleven conservancy districts were whittled into six new “conservation delivery” regions, under which the Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands area, comprising 40 scattered islands more than 800km east of Christchurch, was tethered to the ...
One of th e country’s top litigation lawyers says New Zealand is seeing a lift in court action between companies. Chapman Tripp partner Justin Graham, who oversees a team of around 80 litigation specialists, says the courts are now so log-jammed that it’s taking over two years to get cases ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 9 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is talking up the crucial role of gas as a transition fuel “through to 2050 and beyond”. In a gas strategy to be released on Thursday, the government envisages the fuel’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...
The Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...
PNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books.The book I wish I’d writtenI have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...
The final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington. Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...
RNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...
With funding set to be scrapped for the Hamilton-Auckland commuter train, Te Huia enthusiast Georgie Dansey argues for it to be thrown a lifeline. It’s 5.45am and the chain of my crappy old bike falls off slugging up the one hill in Hamilton. I contemplate yeeting the bike into the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Cooke, Honorary Fellow, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland We feel ecological grief when we lose places, species or ecosystems we value and love. These losses are a growing threat to mental health and wellbeing globally. We all see ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shauna Brail, Associate Professor, Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto A shift to hybrid and remote work continues to affect worker presence in Toronto’s downtown.(Shutterstock) Downtown Toronto, the core of Canada’s largest city, continues to reel from the lingering ...
Responding to an Auditor-General's report slamming failures in the administration of the 2023 General Election, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ...
Productivity apps now make up a big chunk of the software market. But do they work? And why do they all have AI integrations?Despite being firmly on the record as a physical planner fan, I sometimes dream of something better than my pretty diary and its scrawled, ugly, interior ...
The Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...
An objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney ShutterstockThis article contains information on deaths in custody and the names of deceased people, and describes ongoing colonial violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. First Nations people in Australia ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University Netflix Baby Reindeer’s phenomenal success has much to do with its writer and lead, Richard Gadd, who plays Donny in a tender semi-autobiographical account of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking. Gadd’s story has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle KarolinaGrabowska/Pexels If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Ans Westra, self-portrait, c. 1963. National Library ref AWM-0705-F They try but invariably fail – those writers who believe they are capable of encapsulating in prose or verse the essence of ...
Stewart Sowman-Lund looks at the growing concern around the world in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. What’s all this? When Covid-19 arrived on our shores in early 2020, some argued we were too slow, or crucially, ill-prepared for a pandemic. So ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Franco Montalto, Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and Director, Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University Water runs into a storm drain in a Los Angeles alley on Aug. 19, 2023, during Tropical Storm Hilary.Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images ...
The inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones has turned up a new witness who says he saw two teenagers and a small child in a high vis vest in the area where the boy’s body was found the day he died. Lachie’s body was discovered face up ...
Stories from the tenancy trenches, featuring spider infestations, cupboard rats and same-sex discrimination. Lucy’s brother was living in a damp 1930s building in Mt Eden where “he had to tie the cupboard doors closed so the rats didn’t get in”. Although he shared custody of his six-year-old son, his property ...
Simeon Brown, Chris Luxon, and Wayne Brown climbed into a hole and announced a plan to solve Auckland’s water woes. This is how it’ll work. New Zealand’s pipes are munted. They’re cracked and leaking, and struggling to handle all the extra poos excreted by our rising population. It’s a big, ...
I knew Taika Waititi quite well when he was a kid. His mother lived in a tall narrow house in Aro St, and my youngest sister had a similar house two doors along. They were both single mums, they each had a son aged seven. Taika and my nephew Stepan ...
Opinion: “As time passes, knowledge of the circumstances of the August 2016 outbreak will fade and its immediate impact will be lost.” This statement is from the 2017 report of the Official Inquiry into the Havelock North campylobacteriosis outbreak. The then National-led government established the inquiry after the outbreak left ...
Opinion: Nicholas Khoo looks at two key points in the high-stakes foreign policy pact debate – and asks if NZ can engage with as little drama as possible. The post Where to next for the Aukus ruckus? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 8 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: ‘Reference-class forecasting’ is at the heart of improving pricing a project and identifying the expected timeframe but it doesn’t appear to be in use here The post ‘Think fast and act slowly’ is failing big projects appeared first on Newsroom. ...
What do a sombrero in Argentina and cognitive driving tests have in common? Don’t worry, we’re not setting up a bad joke. Hinengaro Clinic dementia clinician Gregory Winkelman has the answer on today’s episode of The Detail. “We ask a patient’s spouse or son or daughter: If you went to ...
Wellington long jumper Phoebe Edwards is back and she’s having fun again. Until this year, Edwards, a top athlete in her teens, had never competed as a senior athlete in New Zealand. In March, the 26-year-old won a national long jump title in a lifetime best of 6.28m after ...
Had a little birdie whisper in my ear…..the great Clare Curran spent her entire time on the Parliamentary trip to the US….at Disneyworld playing with bugs bunny.
Anyone want to write a eulogy to Fisher and Paykel?
It won’t die of course, but it was our last locally formed, high value-add, high design quality, proudly Pakuranga originated, globally renowned company with New Zealand designs and engineering of any global scale.
Of course it had offshored much of its manufacturing over the last five years, but for the previous 50 years they were mostly here.
It made some New Zealanders rich, domiciled dividends to local owners, but many thousands were given good jobs here too.
This feels far sicker to me than Navman being sold and disembowelled. This is just sad. People are free to sell, no complaints. It’s still really sad.
Huge praise to the Fishers and the Paykels and all the originating families. You made your mark on the world.
Yep and where is the sign of the next F&P?
And what is the Government doing about this?
Of course those on the right say that it is the mythical magical hand of the free market that creates intellectual property and technology and the State has no role to play but this ignores history and the actions of states like Japan and China who with major state planning created a high tech industry.
Its nuts to say Government can do nothing about situations like this.
In Germany, the Board has to give the factory’s unions 12 months of notice that they are planning to offshore production.
That usually stops it.
Yet another example of the Chinese purchasing New Zealand assets.
Where will it stop?
Does the governmnet not realise what China is doing here
It’s selling off the economy making the country poorer but this government (and probably the last government as well considering that they were the ones that opened up the barn door) doesn’t care just so long as their rich mates get more money.
This really pisses me off. Each and every shareholder and the Board of Directors is guilty of treason and being unpatriotic.
The Maori Council is off to Court to seek an injunction to stop MRP’s share sale.
Good on them. This sort of action has occurred before. In 1987 the Maori Council successfully injuncted the Government from selling various parcels of land.
The principles here seem to me to be pretty clear. Maori had an interest in water pre treaty, this was never taken away because as Key said the common law thought that no one owned water, and Maori’s interests are preserved. It was a taonga under article two.
Of course the Government will not settle this. They will be hoping that court action will fail. But if they do fail they will look weak and powerless and the red neck brigade will be up in arms.
Interesting times …
And dunno who it was saying on RNZ this morning (could’ve been Flavell) when asked this is part of the confidence and supply agreement with MP and it’s been broken he said it’s not a deal breaker.
What flexible morals they have or maybe we’re just being pedantic.
How many John Keys does it take to change a light bulb?
I forget.
ak. I need a new light bulb. I would not trust him with the replacement!
Poor DunnoKeyo, he is exhibiting all the symptoms of early onset dementia. The short term memory loss coupled with the historic memory of exchange rates of 25 years ago are all warning signs for family and party members to take note. Soon there will be an exhibition of not remembering that he couldn’t remember something, and he will accuse the media/opposition of getting it wrong. From here it will be all downhill – a jar of jellybeans in the office and sending Bronagh off to consult astrologers……
Two John Keys walk into a bar with an Englishman, an Irish man and a Scotsman.
No one recalls ever being briefed on what happens next.
Dave shearer walks into a bar. The barman says “who are you…”
oh my aching sides.
John key walks into a bar. The barman asks “what are you…”
John Key walks into a bar.
Key says,” Ouch!, I dont remember a bar being there, does anybody have video evidence of a bar being there”
David Shearer does, (but a spy deleted it, or his dog ate it)
John Key walks into a bar.
Do I have to be 18 or 20 to drink here?
Let me see split age 18 to drink here and 20 to purchase alcohol or is that 20 to drink here?
What’s the difference between John Key and a tasty snack of haddock and chips enjoyed in the blissful bucolic ambience of a small Merseyside village near Sefton?
One’s a kai in Lunt.
lol …. 😀
The gap keeps narrowing.
http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/horse-race-watch/
Nicely shows labour’s progress, and national’s faltering.
I’ll be intrigued to see what it’s like in six months time – that line for labour has to flatten sometime 🙂
Shane Jones settles back on the hotel bed after putting in the tape Winston has just given him, pushes play, and it’s grainy footage of some lunchroom and a guy up the front who appears to have lost all syllabic precision …
Ah well.
At least Shane enjoyed it.
‘I dunno and i just can’t think,hey, did anyone tell fossy to sort super out?’
‘Yes it was you boss,you can’t do it,cos it will cost you your job boss’ say’s gerry
‘Why,what could i have said to put my job on the line ?’
‘Your words boss,you wont touch super,or you will resign’ says gerry
‘FFS i didn’t say that, did i, surely not,how stupid,how silly,i’ll just ignore it
and it will go away then ‘
‘Where is Bennett, has anyone seen her today,we need a diversion,NOW’
‘I will sort it’ says gerry.
NZs economic plight and much mismanagement leading to our poor situation being discussed right now on Radionz by one of the Fletcher family. Is making points that sound like sense from a businessman with nous. And is criticising present ideologyeconomic .
Hugh Fletcher.
From RNZ site “Hugh Fletcher steps down at the end of this month from the board of Fletcher Building, he is the former chief executive of Fletcher Challenge and has had a 34-year involvement with the family firm.”
Hugh is married to Chief Justice Sian Elias.
Yes its a “family firm” alright.
Pity he did nothing to stop Fletcher Challenge from being dismantled. That could have been a New Zealand company that could have held its own in a globalised world.
millsy I think he talked about that on the interview. Could be interesting to hear his views on it.
As plans for the day (gardening, lawns etc) have been frustrated by the rain, have read a couple of interesting articles this morning.
While a somewhat ignoramus when it comes to the history/timelines etc for the internet, blogging etc, I could not believe my ears earlier in the week when Maurice Williamson spoke in the urgent debate on the WINZ kiosk debacle. Williamson said amongst other things that blogging had only been around for about 5 years ….. Hello? His speech is here.
http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/15500
I am pleased to see that Toby Manhire has raised this in his Herald opinion piece today “MPS out of touch”. .
Bloggers”, Uncle Maurice? They sound just awful. “Yeah, blogging only came into fashion just towards the end of the Labour Government. Blogging has been around only four or five years now.”
Toby’s article covers more than just this and is worth a read.
Manhire’s article here.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7838696/Flies-spark-ministerial-evacuation
Level 19 of Bowen House will be swept and fumigated from midday, forcing Attorney General Chris Finlayson, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne and around 15 staff out.
So the Bull shit levels are causing difficulties.
You know the government is fucked when God starts sending plagues…
Ha
Watch out for toads
Oops sorry Toad.
Locust’s in Dunnokeyo’s back yard would be a telling sign.
dv
Boils better.
McFlock. Awesome.
In supporting our elderly, National is underfunding our future:
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/government-prioritises-elderly-before.html
Headline in the Herald:
Who is to Blame for Armstrong Myth?
“Strewth,” I thought. “Now they are seeing the truth about poor old John.”
Oops. It was the other Armstrong, Lance Armstrong. Sorry John.
.
WTF!!!
Jill Stein arrested outside presidential debate.
Can’t say that I’m surprised as the US seems to dislike anything that may topple the entrenched two party system and give choice and voice to the many.
DTB
I was interested to hear someone from Germany criticising MMP. The new head of the Roundtable agency thought we’d made a mistake. It seems to me that right wingers like the two party system.
The RWNJs don’t like democracy so they try to maintain the least democratic system they can. If we brought in full participatory democracy they’d be jumping up and down saying that it was a total failure (even if it wasn’t) and demanding that we bring back MMP.
TAKING ON THE 1% IN AUCKLAND!
19 October 2012
Mike Giddey
Committee Secretary
Democracy Services
Auckland Council
OPEN LETTER/ REQUEST FOR SPEAKING RIGHTS AT THE AUCKLAND COUNCIL GOVERNING BODY MEETING – THURSDAY 25 OCTOBER 2012
– 10AM RECEPTION LOUNGE, AUCKLAND TOWN HALL.
Dear Mike,
The subject matter will be the following ‘Open Letter’ of complaint to the Office of the Auditor-General, of which Sarah Lineham ( Local Government Sector Manager), has verbally confirmed receipt, Friday 19 October 2012:
OPEN LETTER TO THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL
Under s.18 of the Public Audit Act 2001, we the undersigned request that you please conduct an urgent investigation into the following matters:
1) The allegedly corrupt ‘conflict of interest’ of the CEO of Auckland Council, Doug McKay, who is also a member of the extremely powerful private lobby group – the Committee for Auckland.
http://www.committeeforauckland.co.nz/membership/member-organisations
2) Please investigate how many contracts have been awarded by Auckland Council and/or any of the following Auckland Council Controlled Organisations to member companies of the Committee for Auckland:
a) Watercare Services Ltd
b) Auckland Transport
c) ATEED (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development Ltd)
d) ACIL (Auckland Council Investment Ltd)
e) AWDA (Auckland Waterfront Development Agency Ltd)
f) RFA (Regional Facilities Auckland)
g) APL (Auckland Property Ltd)
3) Please investigate the following potential ‘conflicts of interest’:
a) The CEO of Watercare Services Ltd, is Committee for Auckland member – Mark Ford.
b) The Chair of the Board of ATEED – David McConnell, and Deputy Chair Norm Thompson are both members of the Committee For Auckland.
c) Directors on the Board of ACIL, Pauline Winter and Brian Corban are both members of the Committee for Auckland.
d) Director Evan Davies and CEO John Dalzell of AWDA, are both members of the Committee for Auckland.
e) Deputy Chair Dame Jenny Gibbs, and CEO Robert Domm of RFA, are both members of the Committee for Auckland.
4) Please also investigate the failure of Auckland Council to ensure that CEO Doug McKay carry out his statutory duties under s.42 (2) (e) of the Local Government Act 2002:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2002/0084/latest/DLM171859.html
42 Chief executive
(2)A chief executive appointed under subsection (1) is responsible to his or her local authority for—
(c)ensuring that all responsibilities, duties, and powers delegated to him or her or to any person employed by the local authority, or imposed or conferred by an Act, regulation, or bylaw, are properly performed or exercised; and
(d)ensuring the effective and efficient management of the activities of the local authority; and
(e)maintaining systems to enable effective planning and accurate reporting of the financial and service performance of the local authority;
A Local Government Official Information Act reply from Auckland Council dated 21 November 2011, from Darryl Griffin, (Auckland Council Manager for Democracy Services), confirms the lack of transparency in the spending of public monies by Auckland Council, in refusing to make available for public scrutiny the ‘devilish detail’ ie: the names, the scope, term and value of 5000 contracts related to 12,500 suppliers contracted to Auckland Council, on the basis that:
‘To collate and publish these would be a major exercise logistically and cost-wise’.
Further evidence to support this request for an urgent inquiry is:
A) The LGOIMA reply from Wendy Brandon, General Counsel for Auckland Council, dated 10 February 2012 – re: Committee for Auckland – CE membership.
B) The LGOIMA reply from Wendy Brandon, General Counsel for Auckland Council, dated 14 March 2012 – re: Register of Interests and contracts.
____________________________________________________________________
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
Oh look, it turns out that the MoJustice:
A)has computer kiosks; and
B)has shut them down due to insecurities.
Took them long enough to check, after all it’s not like Ng didn’t explain what the vulnerabilities were. It appears that no manager in MoJ had the immediate inclination to follow the instructions and see if they’d fucked up, too.
this country is turning into the laughing stock of nations.
the whole place is being run by post moderns who think that only their own truths count and what is even worse if they talk about it then it is done.
the whole place has become completely infantilised and run by overfed mental midgets with overweening faith in their own stupidity.
they are becoming dangerous!
Well done, MoJ. And great timing for the announcement, pre-long weekend.
You do your political bosses proud.
@ captain hook
Yeah, I certainly agree this country is becoming good fodder for a laughing stock, though not a laughing stock “of nations”.
I don’t consider many other countries are in a position to be laughing at us. i.e. the whole Western world is turning into a Mickey Mouse outfit. (Don’t know so much about other cultures so will stick to focussing on the fiascos of the western nations.). The whole western world is being over-run by mentally challenged power-tripping midgets; not solely NZ.
And like Muzza said, the more undesirable traits you have the more desirable you are in this culture of avarice we are being sold.
Seems to me someone is looking for reasons to outsource more jobs!
Ill say it again, the kiosk issues would not have been missed my major development and testing gates!
HOOK – These people running our country, are simply the corruptable minions of those with more power. The more undesirable traites you have as a human being, the more desireable you are to those who feel the need to control us.
It all went past dangerous a very long time back, you just have to look at how many people globally are being totally dominated, killed, mamed, pushed into poverty, bombed, slaugtered, removed off their lands, imprisoned, poisoned, polluted to death, medicated to death, sent ot war, sentenced to die..
Still I reckon blogging on the net should fix it up!
…anyone ask the Otago flake Claire Curran what she was doing at Disneyworld when she was on the Speakers tour?…no UFB briefings there unless Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck have something else to say about it.
[lprent: Moved to OpenMike as it was clearly deliberately offtopic. Just had a look at your 12 comments to date. You look like one of those boring idiots who swallowed a book that should be entitled “Boring bloggers for Dummies” on how to push memes on dat social media. We’ve seen all of this stupid rap before, just say what you want to say and explain why.
Make your pushing a lot more interesting, and lose the half-arsed leading question style that was so 2008 (and reminds everyone of stupid ACToids they have known). I usually decide that people using it are merely trolling because they obviously have never formed a opinion that they can argue for. And do read the policy so you don’t do something really stupid that triggers a reflexive moderating action. ]
Thanks you righteous bastard!
The governments No pay, sorry, Novo pay payroll system in the education sector is continuing to be shambolic.
Question for me, why didn’t they test it first before rolling it out. Surely the likes of MSD IT folk could have done that work.
Oh, by the looks of it maybe MSD staff DID test the system first.
An interesting point:
The author is going on more about the declining use of cars in the younger generations but it can certainly be generalised to other aspects such as education where the older generations got free education while the younger are having to pay. Maybe the reason why our young are leaving is because NZ has become so static that there’s nothing interesting to do (and, no, I’m not just talking about going out to party).
🙂
+1 Draco.
Nothing interesting to do, and even if there were, no opportunities to do it.
You should see what my upper middle class friends are doing with their 4 day Labour Weekend. A boat trip, cruising around out of town in their new MX-5, doing a winery and restaurant tour of the provinces.
What recession? What unemployment? What child poverty? All that bad stuff is in an irrelevant universe far far away.
I’m beginning to think that they have planned al lthis shit.
If people realise that their privacy is up for grabs and open slather then they wont bother troubling the boorokrats anymore.
q.e.d.
Certainly makes it easier to demonise the local serivces, if you had an agenda which involved outsourcing, just like the IRD have done. How surprising will the KPMG report be I wonder…
If you own the legislative and the money system, you can do what you want eh, pretty staight forward really!
Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis was arrested in an undercover operation by the FBI after he parked a van containing what he believed to be explosives outside New York’s Federal Reserve.
That line right there, tells all thats needed about what a fix up this is!
Oh look another undercover intelligence sting this time using the “on behalf of AQ”, to link those who speak against the money system as being terrorists..How convenient!
America fcuk yeah!
US and Australia in cahoots for years over Assange intel
Murkier and murkier.
I’d be surprised if five eyes hadn’t been looking at him from the time Wikileaks started. No surprise.
I’m not really surprised but it does show that TPTB get really irritated and nasty when things they want to be kept hidden get released to the general public. IMO, this keeping things hidden is the actions of dictators.
I note that Master Key attempted to assure those from Yaldhurst School today:
“We take on board fully their concerns. I give them my word we’ll be looking at what they say, I can’t guarantee we’ll agree with them, we haven’t made any decisions yet,” he said.
~TVNZ News Item
Heck, they’ve been given his word….they must feel so much better now…
Perhaps his advisors could tell him as well as keeping off the blatent porkies, that references to “words” or “promises” need to be avoided for for a wee while…after the last few months such statements from our PM are laughable.