Open mike 19/11/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, November 19th, 2012 - 101 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner).

Step right up to the mike…

101 comments on “Open mike 19/11/2012 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Jenny 1
    19 November 2012 at 4:55 am

    Coal Kills

    Kill Coal

    Coal kills people

    Coal kills planets

    Coal kills, Ban it

    From the US elections:

    One of the headlines of this election is how coal—the prime cause of man-made climate change—lost traction with voters, despite a huge influx of campaign spending by the fossil fuel industry. The industry was hoping to use coal to beat President Obama and win a Senate majority in coal states that also were swing states. In Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Montana, Democratic senators won against that onslaught of coal messaging and money. And the president won a majority in three of those states. On top of that, no senator who had voted against efforts in the Senate to strip the EPA of its ability to work on climate change ended up being punished at the polls. The coal money going into this campaign was a major effort to punish senators for voting for greenhouse gas controls and against coal and that effort failed—dramatically.

    Earth Justice

    http://earthjustice.org/blog/2012-november/climate-change-re-elected-as-political-issue

    [lprent: off topic. Sent to OpenMike ]

  2. Jenny 2
    19 November 2012 at 5:03 am

    No doubt, that at the secret pre-conference meeting on Friday held behind closed doors between business leaders and the Labour caucus, big coal was present.

    The message would have been, shut your traps, or else.

  3. Jenny 3
    19 November 2012 at 6:10 am

    A global call to arms from “anonymous” to all internet activists.

    Anonymous attacks 10,000 Israeli websites over Gaza

  5. KhandallaMan 5
    19 November 2012 at 7:14 am

    What happened this weekend?

    After a year of consultation and remits the members choose new Rules.
    Shearer/Robertson mis-interpreted the membership power as a threat: mistake; they should have embraced it. 
    Shearer let journos rattle him over Cunliffe stating the obvious.
    Shearer throws his toys out of the pram (and lost all the benefit of a good speech.)
    Shearer calls for a vote that ignores the process just agreed by the members.

    Shearer confirms all doubts about his ability under fire. 

    • Red Rosa 5.1
      19 November 2012 at 8:21 am

      Shearer needs to study Jack Marshall’s speech after he was rolled by Muldoon in 1974. No doubt a nice guy, but not up to the job.

      Clearly, he cannot energize caucus and bring forward the essential fresh faces. The Key government has been in chaos for months, yet rolls on almost unscathed due to incompetent Labour attacks. Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory, time after time.

      No wonder the rank & file are infuriated. It will take more than one mediocre speech to get them enthused.

    • David H 5.2
      19 November 2012 at 8:51 am

      Until you need a 5 second sound bite then he’s all at sea!

    • Greg Doolan 5.3
      19 November 2012 at 1:21 pm

      Totally agree. What Labour needs now, what the country needs now is transparent democracy. National are doing dodgy deals with Sky City and who knows who else behind the public’s back. But what alternative does Labour in its present form offer? We do not need a self interested, vision less cartel to be running Labour into the ground or to be running New Zealand. Shearer and his allies behave like members of the Chinese Communist Party, spreading disinformation, performing hatchet jobs on any perceived threat and conniving in the back room to retain central control of everything. Labour with its present leadership is unvotable, even for someone like myself who has NEVER voted for anyone else. If David Cunliffe does manage to wrestle control away from this bunch it will not be a moment too soon for both the party and New Zealand.

  6. bomber 6
    19 November 2012 at 7:20 am

    It looks like they aren’t just going to demote Cunliffe – they are going to expel him from the caucus?!?

    • felix 6.1
      19 November 2012 at 7:21 am

      Where’s that coming from, bomber?

    • BM 6.2
      19 November 2012 at 7:42 am

      Yep, looks like he’s getting the boot.
      No room for back stabbers.

    • mickysavage 6.3
      19 November 2012 at 7:44 am

      I have heard talk about disciplining and this is amazing.  If it occurs it will split the party in two.  

      The party despite intense pressure tells Caucus that they want to have a greater say in future leadership selection decisions including the endorsement next February.

      David Cunliffe has not said he will challenge.  He has not ruled it out in the future but there is a right for leadership to be reviewed.  A challenge is of course possible and perfectly within his rights under caucus rules.

      The ructions that have occurred are because of concern with Shearer’s performance.  He had a good day on Sunday and spoke very well.  Continued performances like this will mean that leadership issues will become moot.

      Shearer should also show leadership by dealing with errant members of caucus.  To the leaker who continuously undermines Cunliffe he should be dealt with summarily, Shane Jones undermining of relationships with the Green Party are something that should be dealt with.

      Shearer should also deal with caucus and seek to unite it and give positions on merit.

      • Nick 6.3.1
        19 November 2012 at 8:01 am

        Shearers response to launch the leadership bid within Caucus will (if he wins) tell the rank and file that they have no say on leadership (despite the remits). Key will laugh like crazy as Shearer and his Caucus allies tear the Labour party in two. Is that the mark of the man? Is that the mark of Parliamentary Labour?

        • BM 6.3.1.1
          19 November 2012 at 8:06 am

          Shearer needs to jump on Cunliffe with jackboots, he’s fighting for his political career.
          Time to get bloody.

          • Colonial Viper 6.3.1.1.1
            19 November 2012 at 8:14 am

            You mean Shearer should now get rid of a bunch of his MPs, leaving only his closest supporters left standing in caucus?

            I suppose it’s one way to win a 60% confidence vote, but for Labour it will be a disaster.

    • David H 6.4
      19 November 2012 at 8:42 am

      I noticed that on Firstline Shearer is all me me me, what happened to whatever is best for the party??? Didn’t take long for him to become a me person.

      So he we have Rachael talking to Cunliffe about leadership challenges. And now they say a member on Shearer’s side, (he is live on the phone to Patrick Gower,) is accusing Cunliffe of Treachery!! LIVE on TV3! What a colossal fuckwit! (Mallard comes to mind, he’s spiteful enough) the sooner, this bullshit and idiot that are fanning the flames are hunted down and ejected from the party the better for all.

      I mean No wonder the Nats are not losing in the polls, you couldn’t write comedy this good!!

  7. just saying 7
    19 November 2012 at 7:53 am

    More brilliance from Puddleglum. This time on Key’s “jocular” nature.

    http://www.thepoliticalscientist.org/?p=1138#more-1138

  8. just saying 8
    19 November 2012 at 8:10 am

    Little question maybe someone can help me with:

    Was any other caucus member asked if they would rule out a future leadership bid?

    Surely if Cunliffe was asked and Robertson was not (‘Do you support Shearer?’) is a completely different question) this must be proof of a deliberate stacking of the deck by the reporters concerned.

    So many lines appeared to be crossed the past few days, I’ve been wondering about the possibility of a complaint to the broadcasting standards committee. It’s worrying that the media circus appears to now have carte blanche to misrepresent the facts deliberately manipulate future events including public opinion.

    • muzza 8.1
      19 November 2012 at 2:30 pm

      Indeed JS – It is the propaganda circus making sure that the people of this country, (those who bother to pay attention), are kept removed from the information, in any way possible.

      Just keep confusing all/every message, perhaps people will give up, just to make sure, repeat, repeat, repeat, then litter lies with more lies and deflections, its terrible to see how low the NZ media has sunk over the years.

      What do these little cretins think they are achieving, and where are they trained to operate in such dishonest, underhand ways, printing, editing, “reporting” lies!

      The more you look at it, the more the media and its operators appear as nothing more than foreign agitators, which is pretty much what the political system is being run by anyway..

      The world is but a stage…..

  9. starlight 9
    19 November 2012 at 8:36 am

    Shearers speech is said to be a good one,however, one speech does not make the man,
    nothing changes, his ignorance of the internet world,ie commenters,bloggers,etc shows
    he has no inclusiveness in mind,he has not even appologized for his statements,neither have
    the other ministers.
    The wider membership back cunliffe and have for a long time and i am picking that if
    shearer stays on then the heart of labour will walk away.
    If Cunliffe is ejected from caucus,this will start a strong objection from members,activists,
    bloggers,commentators etc.
    Shearer needs to do the decent thing and step down,he keeps saying he will be the next
    PM, what a joker, no, he simply will be helping that ‘nice’ guy shonkey.

  10. The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 10
    19 November 2012 at 8:45 am

    Labour are really looking like they are the government in waiting.

    Dicks.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D5Sa2Yq-2g

  11. travellerev 11
    19 November 2012 at 9:21 am

    I thought you might like to know which companies are supporting Israel and its murderous policies towards the Palestinians. You might not want to buy their products to tell them what you think of them bombing and killing children and women and keeping the Gaza strip Palestinians starving year after year after year.

  13. Treetop 13
    19 November 2012 at 10:08 am

    It is all about egos between Shearer and Cunliffe.

    Shearer’s ego is, I will fight to remain the leader.

    Two problems here for me: Shearer cannot ignore what the Labour caucus and the Labour membership want.

    Shearer misinterprets political speak due to his inexperience being a politician, I think the misinterpreting makes him come across as being hesitant/indecisive.

    Cunliffe’s ego is, I have the ability to be the leader if voted in

    Cunliffe does not misinterpret political speak, he does not come across as being hesitant or indecisive.

  15. prism 15
    19 November 2012 at 10:23 am

    WTF Apparently Gaza doesn’t have underground shelters for its people. Surely this provision would be a basic, and they have tunnelling expertise which they use for transporting weapons. Which they then use to show Israelis that their opposition is still strong, they are not beaten down.
    Then as they send off their missiles they provoke reaction from the extreme firepower that is available to the Jewish state, which then rains down on Gaza and harms their own people. A really vicious circle.

    I thought that there was unemployment in Gaza and if so why couldn’t the young men have been assigned to practically help themselves, their families and communities. Maybe they could have something like Coober Pedy has, underground rooms that are cool in the heat. That would depend on their geology though.

    Wouldn’t it be great if the USA anounced to Israel that it was going to divert some of the funds and assistance that it gives to them, to development in Gaza to help this war-damaged state. And that every time Gaza attacked Israel, there would be a deduction from the aid funds. And that every time Israel actually used their weapons on the Palestinians there would be a deduction from the weapons assistance program they presently provide to Israel.

    As a weapons manufacturer the USA would probably not be allowed to do this because of lobbying opposition. And it is an important part of their economy. And because it also acts as a proxy war and proving ground for weapons, demonstrating USA might to the rest of the world.

    • Colonial Viper 15.1
      19 November 2012 at 10:31 am

      WTF Apparently Gaza doesn’t have underground shelters for its people.

      Not that it would help much. If a chosen target is assessed to be reinforced against attack, or has a bomb shelter, (US supplied) bunker buster munitions will be used instead of standard ones.

    • Uturn 16.1
      19 November 2012 at 11:42 am

      Re Joyce “threatening” UoA: Interesting to note how the Herald article paints the picture of the UoA being some sort of recalcitrant Leftist organisation. Nothing could be further from the truth. Apart from just talking bollocks, I don’t know how Joyce or a journalist could meet the VC there and decide that he needed guidance on how to understand what is going on.

      Leading on from the mindset of the Knowledge Czar, Simon Collins of the Herald is going to take a week to prove that there is no light at the end of tunnel for anyone:

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10848317

      This first introduction simply reflects the limitations of his own opinions and life experience of what is and isn’t possible. For it to be true, a certain number of people would have to cease to exist. People successfully shift industry and the single most influential element is the ability of the employer to possess the kinds of traits that an active affiliation with the arts and humanities encourage. More, not less of these things, will solve the imbalances our working environments tend to experience.

  17. gobsmacked 17
    19 November 2012 at 10:33 am

    Blimey, things have turned really nasty in caucus …

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/court/7942505/Shearer-hit-workmate-breaking-tooth

    😉

    (sorry, just needed a laugh this Monday morning …)

  18. lprent 18
    19 November 2012 at 10:33 am

    Site is getting a reboot for updates in 30 minutes. I was going to do it on Friday when fast-reacting tech support was available bearing in mind the outage that happened last time I did this, but the site was understandably too active.

    So we will be offline for a minute or two at about 11am is everything works ok.

    • lprent 18.1
      19 November 2012 at 11:34 am

      That was a bit more exciting that I’d prefer. I’m not sure yet, but it looks like there was a left over setting from the hardware repair 72 days ago that prevented a clean restart.

      One 30 minute outage later….

      • karol 18.1.1
        19 November 2012 at 11:38 am

        TS now working fine for me.

        Questions were asked on Twitter.

        • lprent 18.1.1.1
          19 November 2012 at 1:27 pm

          There was an active exploit that I needed to get plugged. Wasn’t able to do the reboot last week so I worried about it during the weekend. Did it this morning because I have the time to deal with an outage.

          I’ll do another reboot this evening with a hardware tech standing by to see if the restart is actually a real problem.

          Responded on twitter – thanks.

  19. Fortran 19
    19 November 2012 at 10:41 am

    Bumble Dee and Tumble Weed

    He is a former overseas Banker
    He lives in Central Auckland
    He lives in a multi million dollar house
    His children go to private schools
    He is a multi millionaire

    Guess who – Key yea, and ????? our new leader – check the difference

    • ad 19.1
      19 November 2012 at 11:01 am

      If you are imputing David Cunliffe in this, please say so plainly.

    • Uturn 19.2
      19 November 2012 at 11:49 am

      That description could be anyone who owns property in central auckland. If a guy visits Africa and lends someone money expecting interest, does that mean he’s an overseas banker? Maybe Aucklanders should be banned from being holding political positions. Probably do the country good.

  20. prism 20
    19 November 2012 at 10:59 am

    There was an interesting interview topic by Kathryn Ryan on 9toNoon this a.m. Morrisey you might be interested. It was about farmers and their problems with interest swop contrivances (better name than derivatives).

    It seems that the Australian banks don’t need to worry about a falling Australian economy, they will just milk our milk-based economy with legerdemain in front of farmers who come seeking capital. There will be farmers selling up because of the pressure from the interest rates of these things soon as many suffer a fall in dairy prices. I wonder who will buy their farms then?

    One farmer is said to have paid $4 million to get out of the break clause that most of us would know about through our house mortgagors. Mine was too high to change from fixed to floating at one time. The farmers are involved in huge costs to do so!

    Overseas they are suing banks about their deceptions or inadequate explanations of these financial instruments – of torture. Here we are just getting started but there are people working on it, despite Federated Farmers who apparently has an ex-banker leading its management team who is pushing the personal responsibility and liability line. Damen O’Connor is doing some sterling work on this.

    • Colonial Viper 20.1
      19 November 2012 at 11:32 am

      banks who sell high risk toxic products to their clients should be done for it.

    • muzza 20.2
      19 November 2012 at 3:17 pm

      Water Care – Loss 60m
      Auckland Council – Loss 167m

      Both these are only this years losses on the instruments, and who knows what the contract positions looks like!

      The farmer situations will force the farms into foreign hands, which it given the swaps were designed to reek havoc, one must conclude that this was the desired outcome.

  21. felix 21
    19 November 2012 at 11:08 am

    Time to tune in to radio nz to find out what Trevor’s been telling Matthyawn.

    • karol 21.1
      19 November 2012 at 11:33 am

      MH said “Cunliffe over-played his hand during the weekend.”

    • Anne 21.2
      19 November 2012 at 11:37 am

      Hooton said Cunliffe was following the TV cameras around. What I saw was the exact opposite. The TV cameras followed Cunliffe around and wouldn’t leave him alone. It was harassment.

      • mickysavage 21.2.1
        19 November 2012 at 11:44 am

        Aye.  Cunliffe sat ensconced with the New Lynn delegates for most of the conference.  On Saturday he did not move during the vote on the constitutional changes.  He did not lobby anyone. Every time he went for a pee the cameras jumped on him.

        Hooton should not channel Mallard so often and take his comments with a grain of salt …

        • lprent 21.2.1.1
          19 November 2012 at 11:56 am

          I didn’t see him lobbying anyone. I did not hear of him lobbying anyone.

          I did hear of a lot of lobbying by caucus members to prevent the 60% leadership trigger going through both directly and via the calls, mail and texts that people were sending through. Thank you for doing that and thank you for your trust. Us poor struggling psuedo-journalists like your support.

    • Colonial Viper 21.3
      19 November 2012 at 11:41 am

      Overplayed??? I didn’t see anyone threatening to instigate an early leadership vote during the weekend…uh, except Shearer’s team.

  22. just saying 22
    19 November 2012 at 11:41 am

    Some sober and wise ananlysis from gordon Campbell.

    http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2012/11/19/gordon-campbell-on-the-labour-party-ructions/

    He concludes:

    …This re-birthing process cannot be avoided for the sake of some short term show of “unity’ staged to please the political pundits. Of late, Labour has been led by someone who cannot manage either his party’s best talent or the rogue elements within his own caucus – while the alternative option as leader seems to be deeply resented by many of the senior Labour MPs. Too bad for the party faithful. Evidently, they will need to wait a little while longer for a leadership that’s able to get really tough on John Key, rather than on its own dissatisfied elements.

  23. Brett Dale 23
    19 November 2012 at 12:32 pm

    Is is true that Labour would like to lower the voting age to 16?

    • BM 23.2
      19 November 2012 at 12:52 pm

      Learning civics is a good idea
      Lowering the age to 16 is a shitty attempt at trying to increase the left vote.
      Gullible 16 year olds indoctrinated by left leaning teachers then going out and voting, just the sort of self serving BS you’d expect from Labour

      I’d prefer raising the voting age to 20, unless you’re working then you can vote from 18 onwards.

      • Rogue Trooper 23.2.1
        19 November 2012 at 3:14 pm

        the agenda of the first four lines are more than just a Bowel Movement

      • Karen 23.2.2
        19 November 2012 at 3:17 pm

        I would have thought that most 16 year olds haven’t got much knowledge of or interest in politics and would most likely follow their parent’s voting habits.

      • felix 23.2.3
        19 November 2012 at 7:38 pm

        “Lowering the age to 16 is a shitty attempt at trying to increase the left vote.”

        Highly debatable. It’s just as easy to make the case that a teenage mindset naturally aligns well with extreme right wing libertarianism. The entire philosophy can be pretty well summed up as “STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO I KNOW MY RIGHTS YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!!”

        Remember when you were a teenager and you wanted the freedom to make all your own decisions but you still expected your folks to supply you with a roof over your head and food in the fridge? That’s ACT policy.

        Most people go through a bit of that as a teen. Most of us grow out of it.

        “just the sort of self serving BS you’d expect from Labour”

        Uh huh, whatevs.

        “I’d prefer raising the voting age to 20”

        Hilar.

      • prism 23.2.4
        19 November 2012 at 9:11 pm

        Gullible 16 year olds indoctrinated by left leaning teachers

        Its a wonder teachers can seem to walk straight when so many of them are known by all to be left-leaning. Some probably have to be carried around reposing horizontally on a palanquin because of the way they are always sloping off.

      • karol 23.2.5
        19 November 2012 at 9:17 pm

        Have you ever taught 16-20 year olds?  You know many of them are as likely to want to say or do the opposite of what a teacher tells them, don’t you?

  24. aerobubble 24
    19 November 2012 at 3:00 pm

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/7966662/Financial-squeeze-goes-on-the-once-well-off
    How many of these people would still have their retirement funds had Key not have ended the deposit guarantee scheme? And why did they no hedge and put some of their funds into banks and secured investments in Australia where there is such a scheme. Now they need the welfare system, a salutatory tale indeed, that once high fliers rightly should get the safety net.

  25. aerobubble 25
    19 November 2012 at 3:04 pm

    Kiwis born in NZ, who never stepped foot in NZ, could be eligible for student loans when they attend NZ universities? And why would NZ want Kiwis in Australia to get citizenship for their children and so create a class of dual citizens who could quite easily bridge the tasman, owning rentals in Auckland why sunning it in Australia? How does that help our economy?

  26. Jackal 26
    19 November 2012 at 3:15 pm

    John Keys worst performance ever

    Dismissing the Reserve Bank’s projections, dismissing Statistics New Zealand and the current unemployment rate, lies concerning youth employment, confusion about interest rates, dishonesty concerning the CGT and dismissing the growing divide between rich and poor just to mention a bit of John Keys recent disingenuous propaganda…

    • ianmac 26.1
      19 November 2012 at 3:54 pm

      And consider the looming question of knowing or not knowing about Kim Dotcom. According to the wise Mr Hooton, If Key is proven to have known and been involved, then Key would have to resign from Parliament. March next year?

      • Jackal 26.1.1
        19 November 2012 at 9:55 pm

        Could be sooner… There’s the SkyCity convention centre deal, which is the subject of an inquiry by the Auditor-General that has Keys dirty mits all over it. Here’s an interesting exchange between Green MP Denise Roche and Steven Joyce from a few days ago.

  27. aerobubble 27
    19 November 2012 at 3:27 pm

    Key asked about CGT. Said he was open to debate. That its NO to a CGT. And that we already have one. All in one reply on Q&A. Key is irrelevant.

  28. ianmac 28
    19 November 2012 at 3:51 pm

    Do the rank and file have any say about choosing the Leader in the National Party?
    It seems that the rank and file decision to have a say is usual in most Western Democracies, and now in Labour. How about the Nats? Democratic are they?

  29. One Tāne Huna 29
    19 November 2012 at 3:54 pm

    Can someone please explain the meaning of “refutes” to Fairfax’s headline writers?

  30. Vicky32 30
    19 November 2012 at 4:54 pm

    In respect of unemployment – two stories – both of which make me frustrated and sad/angry.
    The first; the other night I set out to make an application to the ACC call centre (yes, but that’s how desperate I am). Through several pages on their website, save and continue, so far so good… Then, page 7, voice recording. The applicant must phone a number in any of the four main centres, and make a 30 second recording, entering a 5 digit ID code to do so. So, I disconnect, being that I am on dial up, make the recording, and return to the continue the application. Sadly, when I return, and re-connect, the page refreshes and gives me a new ID number – and tells me that I have not made a recording, having lost all the information I entered under the old ID number. So, I try again, same story. I phone their ‘if you have a problem’ number and leave a message for the HR bunny. She emailed me today, with the totally useless advice that I ‘use a friend’s phone’, or my ‘mobile phone’. Clearly, whatever someone’s reason for having to use dial up, someone with dial-up is excluded from applying for this job. 
    [The most amazing thing – I have just finished a phone screening by an ACC HR person, in response to my angry email! Wish me luck!]
    Story # 2 – which is sadder and more frustrating. I know a guy on Facebook, who I think is about 20 or 21 years old. He’s been unemployed for years, and has made as many applications as I have – 1000+. Now, he’s decided to join the IDF and go off to Israel. (To be fair, he has other reasons for choosing the IDF, reasons I find utterly incomprehensible, but still. My father did the same thing in 1938, for the same reasons – joining the British Army in  his case. The consequences for his life and ours, were horrendous. Granted, in his case he would probably have joined the army anyway. However these two incidents (my father and this guy) both demonstrate the kind of person who ends up actually being on the frontline in any war.

    • xtasy 30.1
      20 November 2012 at 3:27 am

      I sugges “worker volunteer brigades” to be established in NZ. Sadly most are too corrupted and complacent to even consider active resistance and to stand up for rights. They rather sell their bodies to make ends meet, as MSM tv media and so actualy encourage “alternative” lifestyles. Resistance is non existent in this dumbed down, manipulated and brainwashed country. They do not get it. So it is one against the other, shit on each other and the likes. I see it every day. Kiwis have become the worst cowards in the western world, no guts to even consider taking a stand, hence the flood to Australia. NO NATION, NO DIGNITY, NO WORTH: A SELL OUT COUNTRY IN SHORT!!!

  31. Draco T Bastard 31
    19 November 2012 at 8:30 pm

    In amongst all the beat up about/by Labour there’s this bit of news:

    * 75% of Aucklanders want integrated bus-rail improvements to their public transport
    * 64% support building the major City Rail Link (CRL) project, only 14% oppose
    * 64% of those who support the CRL want it built “as soon as possible”, 22% by 2020
    * Only 3% of CRL supporters think that it does not need to be complete by 2020
    * If the CRL increases train frequency to every 15 minutes in peak hours, 6% would switch to using rail to travel to work
    * Using conservative assumptions (see report), it is calculated that rail trips in the Auckland area could increase in peak by 5,230,000 trips a year and off peak trips by 1,640,000
    * The extra 6,870,000 trips would lift rail patronage 65% above current figures

  32. PlanetOrphan 32
    19 November 2012 at 9:27 pm

    Well that’s the MSM vindicated, sorry M8 )-: they were being played merrily.

    Another knee jerk assumption from some blogger with a pseudonym 😀

  33. xtasy 33
    20 November 2012 at 3:18 am

    Depression hit me today, or rather yesterday, about Labour and the left. But I had to get some senses together and chose some musical distractions, of which some are:

    Shit, this Opera browser is CRAP too, not showing links, I had enough of all this shit going on. Where are we heading? It is total big brother dictatorship and manipulation. I am starting to realise where not only “Che” came from but even more extreme ones of earlier days. NO faith in this society, that is my conclusion. Draw your own, but you will be an idiot to “trust”. I know too much, and some media may soon come out with some of that!

    NZ is an oligopoly commercial dictatorship, media included, that is the bloody truth. Never compromise with that, you may better commit suicide as it is NOT worth living in or under such dictatorship!

  34. xtasy 34
    20 November 2012 at 4:19 am

    Ananau Alborado Peru

    and others are ethnic music performance

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZYpGocxxfo

    something worth studying! Tihuanaco!

Recent Posts

  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
    Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    7 hours ago

  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
    Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
    Skeptical Science
    9 hours ago

  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
    The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    10 hours ago

  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    11 hours ago

  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    13 hours ago

  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    14 hours ago

  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    14 hours ago

  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    17 hours ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    19 hours ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    19 hours ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    19 hours ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    20 hours ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    20 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    21 hours ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    23 hours ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-19T17:19:26+00:00