He is talking sense, it’s a pity no-one is talking the same sense on immigration.
I’ve been wondering for a while how many state houses have been used for housing refugees and what percentage have stayed long term. I’d expect refugee families at least to be given a state house, they have no job or income to pay market rents.
For every state house used to home refugees the Crown should have been building one more just to maintain the housing stock levels for domestic demand.
It seems like more neolibs me me mentality. Not enough houses is utter bullshit – how about setting that people can only have 3 max houses – oh no that will stop the profiteering. Meanwhile PEOPLE who are refugees are put on hold. I’m ashamed of this backtrack and those that want to put the boot into helpless people. SHAME. SHAME. SHAME!
There’s that.
But also among Nat voters there’s a genuine perplexity as to why the Greens think this way. Most of the Nats I know consider themselves ‘environmentalists’ – which basically means that they are keen to preserve nice places for well-off people and tourists to use as playgrounds. And that it’s OK to compromise non-scenic stuff like lowland rivers to keep the economy growing because nobody (or nobody like them) really goes there or cares.
It’s quite old-fashioned, how most of us thought actually when we mobilised 50 years ago to save Manapouri.
Notions of the sustainability of all human activity – and the economic relations between people that might be needed to guarantee that sustainability – don’t really figure.
In this case between the words ‘conservation’ (aka the late 19th century and early 20th idea about national parks to provide juice places to do.paintings jn) and that of ‘enviromentalism’ which looks forward to potential problems.
Hell I think that many of the right wing greenies hark back to the ideas of the royal and state reserves. Places to allow the growth of trees for the navy.
Well when you consider the kermadecs sanctuary, water bottling, cameras on boats and mining with a dolphin sanctuary then yeah it does make sense to question why the Greens wouldn’t consider a deal with National
Greens won’t deal with National because National has a) a tendency to lie, b) a tendency to pass law that only benefits the rich, and c) passes law that damages the environment (ETS undermining for a prime example).
And National are then surprised that people with an actual set of ethics won’t deal with them.
In which case the Greens could claim bad faith from National and there’d be another election and the general population would not look favourably on National
The Guardian really is a bit of cock over Brexit, it’s determination to be fanatically pro remain, anti-Corbyn and the voice of pink neoliberals everywhere means it is publishing increasing hilarious and hysterical anti-Brexit stories, like this one –
without the faintest understanding that prior to the UK’s entry to the common market and Common Agricultural Policy the UK had a major competitive edge over Europe with cheap food prices from deals for efficiently produced food with countries in their old empire like NZ. I am pretty sure NZ, Australia and Canada can replace European dairy products with a product of the same or better quality and at better price. And the idea that buying food produced in NZ is somehow going to lower standards of food safety would strike anyone who compares the food quality in both countries as ridiculous.
Someone needs to grab the Guardian by the shoulders and slap it.
From New Zealand’s point of view we should see Brexit as a massive opportunity to get back unfettered access to a market of 65 million rich consumers who like dairy and meat. The biggest advantage of diversifying our export markets to somewhere like the UK is we will no longer be reliant on those authoritarian butchers in Beijing who run China, and we can tell the Chinese to fuck off with impunity.
Sp from our point of view, all I can say is long live a hard Brexit!!!
I agree with all that. Brexit wouldn’t have happened if the Eurocrats hadn’t gone empire-building, but instead hewed to the common-interest basis of the union design that was floated as the rationale at the time. When the reality got sufficiently divergent from the dream, the Brits woke up.
Whether the economics of trade between us & Britain gets back on a semblance of the colonial track post-Brexit is an interesting question. A soft Brexit seemed feasible, given that politics is the art of compromise, so it might hinge on how the cost of sending our stuff over there weighs up against any Euro tarriffs that kick in. People think market forces prevail over politicians, but history renders a mixed verdict.
Totally with you re independence from China. Free Tibet!!
You may be right about food quality in terms of what reaches the table, but if you consider environmental impact of getting milk products from New Zealand to Britain, not so much. Firstly, you add some 20,000 “carbon-km” to everything. And even worse, your “efficiently produced” food is efficient because it doesn’t account for environmental cost to our rivers and lowlands. I’ve traveled through much of western Europe and nowhere have I seen rivers in the state they are in here, with dairy cows standing in them. Or fertiliser flung 100 m into the air from a truck.
Just this morning I’ve observed the dairy farmer down the road burn his plastic silage wrappers, huge cloud of black smoke all over the valley. And guess what? It’s not actually illegal to do so.
So no, the absolute last thing we need here is more dairy exports.
“Elephants don’t step on jungle crickets” (The Southland Times)
Winston Peters’ spokesperson when asked why he wouldn’t bother responding to the grizzles of Southland National Party MPs.
That he has, temporarily, but eventually he’ll become irrelevant and then what does he do?
Like how for some wealthy people they’ll never have enough money so they’re never truly happy I think that’s where Winston is, he’ll never be truly happy because he’ll never be able to hold onto long enough what he really wants
We’ll all become irrelevant, Pucky, if we’re not already. Everything in life is temporary; are you struggling with the impermanence of life? You sound as though the issue is live with you.
I’ve come to terms with the fact that, ultimately, I am essentially completely irrelevant in the scheme of things
Once I’m gone it’ll probably only be two or three generations before anyone knows I was ever lived have passed away and even those generations will only comprise of a handful of people
Puckish Rogue, like Shakespeare you too can achieve fame beyond the generations that knew you. Keep writing those paeans of praise, those anthems of unspoken but articulate unrequited love, those poems plighting your troth to Judith, the Fair Lady. In art is immortality!
Hi Robert. This is a curve ball question but…the last few years I’ve been getting Pink Fir Apple seed potatoes from the excellent Diacks in Invercargill. They don’t have any this year as it seems it was a poor season last year? They mentioned you as a possible source?? Cheers
Hi Scott – our own supply of Pink Fir is low also. You could call the Environment Centre and ask if they have a few in their seed collection, but it’ll be only for multiplication (032348717) office@sces.org.nz
Cheers Robert, thank you. I’ll give them a call. I might have to go with La Ratte instead this year, they’re just a bit miserly on the yield front compared to the bumper crops you get from the PFA!
Fake employee’s … now you have to pay big bucks to be a ‘non employee’…
“who buy their vans, pay to have their vans decorated in company colours, pay for their uniforms, scanners and other equipment, and drive for courier companies like Freightways and PBT. ”
“The drivers are not considered employees, but they cannot drive for other companies, so do not get the protections even the lowest-paid employee enjoys. ”
Scary stuff – new words to explain how someone who has to pay for and use a company uniform and branding but is not an employee… aka “dependent contractors” Shouldn’t we keep it simple and if they are ‘dependant” and are branded as an employee, they are an employee????
No wonder the rise in inequality and the top 1% making more and more profits at the expense of those at the bottom and middle (who have to pay taxes to subsidise these immoral employment practises via hardship grants, accomodation supplements and WFF effectively giving over $5000+ a year top ups to minimum wage employers instead of to schools and hospitals and welfare to those who actually need it…
“And we hear from Workplace Relations minister Iain Lees Galloway, who says the government “needs to find a new set of protocols that apply to these dependent contractors”.”
I have been listening to Campbelltown RNZ @5pm covering this courier/employment story.
The spokesman from NZ Post was fairly straight with his answers. He ended up painting a grim picture.
This issue has the potential to grow and help a lot of members in the precariat. Especially with a sympathetic sounding minister in Ian Lees Galloway.
Public opinion is running six to one in favour of Eden Park’s first-ever proposed concert, as the submission process prepares to close.
…
The highest-profile opponent so far is former Prime Minister Helen Clark who lives three blocks away from the stadium.
She said the trust was using Sir Ray Avery’s charity event as a “Trojan Horse” to help its prospects of being allowed to stage future concerts.
I live further from Eden Park but in hearing distance, and am not keen on big concerts being stage there. I hear cheers and fireworks from EP quite loudly. I can live with those as they are momentary noises.
But I can also hear big concerts from Western Springs which is further away. The loudest go on for an hour or two and can drown out anything I am trying to listen to in my flat. Must be unbearable for people living closer.
Yeah. You notice that while they say support is running for it, they don’t divide that into people who have to live with it and those who don’t. After having lived near it for most of my life, Eden Park is just a collosal pain in the arse.
Western Springs was bad enough for concerts.
I could frequently hear that when I lived closer.
These days we get crazy car parking and even worse driving from the big games at Eden Park – and I live up by the end of K Rd kilometers away. Not to mention the drunk fans walking to their cars or the local bars on Ponsonbh or K Rds.
Basically Eden Park needs to be shut down rather than being expanded. At heb very least they should be required to.provide their own damn multi-story parking buildings. And any license they get should have a short review period so they can be shut down whe yheh fuck up.
But from my reading he has never been convicted. So he is not guilty of breaking the law, perhaps bad/immoral behaviour but there are most /if not all (bar JC) that are at fault there 😇 it was there something reported that I have missed. Even our current speaker of the house has been found fowl of the law a few times .
Umm, guys…Robert Mueller just submitted his list of evidence for the Paul Manafort trial and look whose name is all over the first 30 items.Tad Devine. Bernie Sanders' Chief Strategist. pic.twitter.com/EmFMp7dTVB— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) July 19, 2018
Hop skipped and jumped from that twitter thread and landed here…
Know how I’ve gone on before about mainstream elevating prats like Le Penn or who-ever to scare the horses back to the centre?
Seems the Democrats deliberately sought to elevate Trump, Cruz or Carson as (what they called) “Pied Piper” candidates with the aim of shoving the Republican Party to the right. Apparently, that would make them unelectable.
From Salon...(email from Clinton Campaign to the DNC that’s reproduced in the article through the link)
At the time, there were more than a dozen Republican presidential candidates. The “variety of candidates is a positive here,” the Clinton campaign said.
“Many of the lesser known can serve as a cudgel to move the more established candidates further to the right,” the memo noted.
“In this scenario, we don’t want to marginalize the more extreme candidates, but make them more ‘Pied Piper’ candidates who actually represent the mainstream of the Republican Party,” the Clinton campaign wrote.
As examples of these “pied piper” candidates, the memo named Donald Trump — as well as Sen. Ted Cruz and Ben Carson).
“We need to be elevating the Pied Piper candidates so that they are leaders of the pack and tell the press to them seriously,” the Clinton campaign concluded.
Apparently, Tad Devine was/is “one of the Democratic Party’s leading consultants and a former high-level campaign aide to Al Gore, John Kerry, and Michael Dukakis.”
No matter who’s running, or their convictions one way or the other, US politics is a thoroughly corrupt in game, mired in money.
A percentage of every advertisement purchased was paid to Old Towne Media and Devine Mulvey Longabough for brokering the media contracts. The latter was run by Sanders’ senior strategist, Tad Devine, who also received a cut for deals brokered through Old Towne. Devine’s cut totaled at least $10 million by the end of May 2016, according to an investigative report by Slate—in addition to over $5 million paid to his firm. (This would be over half a million average donations to the Sanders campaign.)
Every now and then I muse about what kind of reaction the purity politics preachers would have if any of their heroes ever actually got elected – and then found that either they have to spend most of their time making the same shitty compromises the regular pollies they’re so contemptuous of spend most of their time making or end up achieving precisely nothing.
I don’t expect politicians, or anyone else for that matter, to be “pure.” Of course compromise is the life blood of politics.
What I’m talking about is the commission of massive crimes, such as destroying whole countries, and overseeing horrifying terror campaigns such as the drone assassination programme. Opposing such crimes is not demanding some impossible standard of purity, it’s opposing crime.
“EU antitrust regulators hit Google with a record €4.34 billion ($NZ7.4 billion) fine and ordered it to stop using its Android mobile operating system to block rivals.”
“Vestager also ordered Google to halt anti-competitive practices with smartphone makers and telecoms providers within 90 days or face additional penalties of up to 5 percent of parent Alphabet’s average daily worldwide turnover.
The illegal behavior dating back to 2011 includes forcing manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and its Chrome browser together with its Play Store of apps on their devices, paying them to pre-install only Google Search and blocking them from using rival Android systems.
“Google has used Android as a vehicle to cement the dominance of its search engine. These practices have denied rivals the chance to innovate and compete on the merits,” Ms Vestager said.”
Oh look, Southern and Molyneaux have been granted a visa to enter NZ and spread their venal, hate-filled views. So much for the howling of rage, gnashing of teeth and puerile legal threats/actions from the newly formed Free Speech Coalition – or whatever they call themselves.
In the name of democracy we allow them to speak – yes. But we don’t have to provide them with forums which were paid for by ratepayers and taxpayers. If they come, I hope other mayors (and their councillors) will follow Phil Goff’s courageous example and refuse them their venues. Let them go private.
All the outrage drives up the sales. If nobody has done a thing in particular Goff, it would have been better and they would have got no publicity, nobody would have gone and they could have had police stand by if they do actually “incite a riot” and charge them.
No doubt now, the whole event will be filled with Journo’s reporting their every word and making more publicity for them as well as the legal action which I’m guessing the ratepayers have to pay for…. The councils should stick to providing services for ratepayers and their personal views (and the actions resulting from that) they can fund themselves including the million dollar stadium report, so secret it needed to be kept from the councillors.
Southern has been hit with a $A68,000 ($NZ74,000) bill by Victorian police for protecting her Melbourne event…
…She told Sky News Australia’s Andrew Bolt last night that the police were participants in protests against her because the bill for protection would encourage protests at other events and shut them down.
What a load of rubbish – are you really that gullible? The splutters and dribbling from their supporters puts paid to that outlandish spin from you puck.
Goff has done good service to the people of New Zealand. The wider these views are spread, the greater the derision of those views will be. The tiny audience that would have turned out had Goff’s people not put the kibosh on the venue would have been “the converted” anyway and no-one with an open mind would have had the chance to hear just how awful these two (probably) are 🙂
Had Goff not said, or claimed, anything then yeah it probably would have been a small turnout, now it may well be an even bigger turnout thanks to all the free publicity
Thats open-minded of you, I’m basically not really interested in what either of them have to say but I support their right to say it and not have some arbitrary decision made by Goff…or not made by Goff depending on what day it is
No sunlight in the redacted billion dollar stadium report that ratepayers and other councillors don’t get to read in full. Plenty of sunlight and publicity for white supremacists. Not sure Goff’s getting his role right.
I was going to post a youtube clip of a Hyena sticking its head up a dead elephants butt to make the point of what I consider the medias involvement in this, and in general, to be (hint its not the elephant) but then I thought it might have got removed
I don’t wanna know your search criteria or whether it was bookmarked – what happens in your workspace stays in your workspace – unless the courts are involved of course.
‘Auckland Live, which runs the Bruce Mason Centre where the event was scheduled to take place, said the event was cancelled due to “security concerns” around the “health and safety” of the presenters, staff and patrons of the event.’
I think the clowns are the ones handing out ‘Allah is gay’ flyers in Trafalgar Square. (Personally, I’d be insisting on a stab proof vest.) The elephant is all the rumble in the jungle.
I think they’re clowns because spitting in a face is not a good way to induce anyone to behave as we’d like. ‘Allah is Gay’ claims take us no closer to a softening of Islam outlooks around issues like homosexuality. Satire takes a back-seat when somebody else’s saliva is dripping off our chin.
I’m disappointed Goff has appointed himself gatekeeper at our hall. It’s no more his than it is Cam Stater’s. Let the clowns hand out their brochures. They’re fish out of water in our country and their elephant stomping through town nothing more than annoying noise.
Lees-Galloway: “Neither had been convicted of a crime, nor banned from the United Kingdom or Australia as had been reported”. Can’t even trust journalists to get basic facts right now…
Apparently, in March she was detained at the border and refused entry into Britain.
Whether that counts as “excluded” and violates the visa good character requirements (h/t Ovid) is the problem – apparently INZ now feel that being denied entry doesn’t constitute actual “exclusion”.
Apparently, in March she was detained at the border and refused entry into Britain.
But we just have her word which conflicts with what INZ have said and I’m sure that they’d do their job of contacting their corresponding department in the UK and simply asking them.
Someone must be lying and I don’t think that it’s two government departments of two different nations.
No she’s not. To parse her eye widening faux-innocent look as a “horrified” reaction is nothing more than wishful thinking on your part and especially by the fool who wrote that Herald headline.
Of course, such a “horrified reaction” would be far more appropriate when she met Barack Obama, who for eight bloody years oversaw the massive, illegal programme of extra-judicial drone murders in Yemen, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan.
And remember that she’s married to Donald Trump. How shocked would she be by ANYTHING?
Oh I’m sure everyone realizes poor old marty is at the end of his tether, and incapable of a coherent response. I was, rather meanly perhaps, reminding him how just how useless his answer was.
Sorry, I should leave the poor fellow alone, I know.
Ground control to major tom. Take your protein pill and put your helmet on….
Morrie your limp responses show where your problem is my friend – read more widely and really think m9re before writing – that will help you improve. You’re well below your usual (to be fair quite low) standards. Cliches and foolhardiary won’t cut it with these whippersnappers – just buck up will you.
Patricia, look at the post that instigated this little contre-temps: it’s an unbelievably naive declaration of support for, of all people, Melania Trump (“Melania is awesome”). Even worse than that, he’s declaring his support for her on the basis of a wild claim that she was “horrified” by Putin.
I reminded our bewildered friend that if Saint Melania was going to be horrified, then surely she would have been horrified by her own husband, and by Barack Obama.
His incoherent response is disappointing; the fact that I pointed that out is not “trolling”, it’s an attempt to get him to engage in debate. So far he has shown little sign of any ability to do so, sadly.
Wasn’t the “derangement syndrome” meme tested here by Key’s “dags” Farrar and Slater?
edit – oops! No, I see it was older than that. Farrar and Slater aren’t original thinkers…my bad.
Will there be a big a protest about this as there was when the idea was initially proposed by the former government? Mining in land reserved for conservation under consideration again…
“Just as the oil and gas reforms in Taranaki left intact people’s existing use rights, I am imagining any future changes to the mineral regime will not have an adverse impact on people’s existing use rights.”
Is that to complex for you understand, Indiana?
Israel doesn’t control the U.S. any more than another apartheid regime, the South African one, did. And the blood-soaked Philippines regime does not control the United States, and neither does Saudi Arabia.
The United States supports Israel and other pariah regimes for various reasons, but it could stop doing so immediately if it chose. The U.S. eventually stopped its support for apartheid South Africa, for Saddam’s Iraq, and for the Suharto regime in Indonesia. It will eventually abandon Israel too, but not while this imbecile is in the White House.
“There has never been a just war that was started over a kite”
Israel, Land of Miracles
by Gideon Levy, Haaretz, July 19, 2018
The days of kites abound with miracles here. The fact that more Israelis were scratched while shaving in recent months than from kite fires is attributed entirely to miracles….
If the Palestinians thought torching fields and crops was going to end well, they might want to wonder why El Salvador and Honduras went to war for several days during the quarterfinal stages of the 1969 football world cup. Of course there were more rational reasons inside it, but there are plenty of petty people who will step you out for fuck-all good reason.
Their Poll of Polls was last updated in 30th May 2017.
Been many polls since then including the most important one that changed the government. Emails to the authors don’t appear to get a change.
Newshub Nation I disagree with one of your panel batteries in electric cars are more than capable to provide the power to get people around in Aotearoa . One just has to plan more have a charge options when you get to work and charge it when you get home a 3 pronged plug like the one on all the appliances we use not so hard to put those in car parks ka kite ano
And as for electricity generation and supply for transportation well that’s not really a problem in Atoearoa just have to build more geothermal power plants windpower plants solar power plants we could direct our hydo plants to keep enough water storage to be back up power when other renewable energy plants are not generating so what she/act said on Nation is nonsense.
We also could have hydrogen for transport energy as well. It the usual story don’t have all your eggs in one kite so we should go for all the alternative energy sources that stack up economically and environmentally. Ka kite ano
The sandflys are still playing marbles and spinning out my private personal information to anyone who will believe there lies . Get this strait New Zealand is a raciest society how much time the media reports on negative Maori associated story’s verses the positive storys will be 100 to 01 . When there are negative story’s about other cultures they give the story the kid glove treatment you know what I had already seen there problem in there people sticking out a mile just buy observing the news on that culture . Look at how the army is treating these two Maori men not very Honorable they are treating them like second class people .
There was a sports star who is Maori was asked if he had a job on air well what do you call that no respect Eco Maori says .I watch the move Waru that’s a eye opener you see people will say things in front of maori wahine that they won’t say in front of tane .
The link to the story is below Ka kite ano.
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The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
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. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Lili Tokaduadua was only 15 when she left her family in Fiji to pursue her netball dream in New Zealand. She’d been playing the sport for 10 years and was offered a netball scholarship at Auckland’s Howick College. Now, in her first year out of high school, the 19-year-old defender ...
The beloved local grocers lost a legal challenge to stop a new cycleway outside their store. Joel MacManus reports. In the annals of New Zealand legal history, there are a few brave people who have dared to stand up to the powers that be, no matter how bleak the odds ...
How what we produce and what we eat connects us to the world beyond our shores, visualised. Walking around a supermarket or vege shop, it might be obvious that everything on the shelves came from somewhere. But you might ...
Professor Jemma Geoghegan, of the University of Otago, Otakou Whakaihu Waka, co-leads a Te Niwha project aimed at understanding how and where avian influenza could affect Aotearoa New Zealand, as the highly infectious H5N1 virus spreads globally. The virus has now spread to all continents except Oceania and was recently ...
Thirty years on from Rwanda’s genocide, is guilt over the atrocities is blinding the world to the true nature of its current leadership? The post The repressive underside of Rwanda’s regime appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: Last week, important recommendations for our criminal justice system were made by the international community. Every five years, each member of the United Nations has its human rights practices reviewed. This rolling event – the Universal Periodic Review – is the culmination of a government reporting on its human ...
Highly pathogenic avian influenza – H5N1, or bird flu – has been flying around the world since the late 1990s. New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands are so far free of it, but now it’s been discovered in mainland Antarctica and scientists say it’s only a matter of time ...
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The following interview with auto electrician and former caver Stu Berendt, 68, of Charleston on the West Coast, came about because he was part of the caving team that found the rare and amazing fossil remains of the giant Haast eagle, the subject of one of the year’s best books, ...
A $1.8b funding boost for Pharmac still won’t enable it to buy more drugs, raising questions about the Government’s approach to the agency The post Can Pharmac do more with the same pot of money? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Stokan, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Maryland, Baltimore County If you live in one of the most economically deprived neighborhoods in your city, you might think the government is directing a smaller share of public funds to your community. ...
Wansolwara The news media’s crucial role in climate change and environment journalism was the focus of The University of the South Pacific’s Journalism Programme 2024 World Press Freedom Day celebrations. The European Union Ambassador to the Pacific, Barbara Plinkert, and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna were the chief ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Adams, Professor of Corporate Law & Academic Director of UNE Sydney campus, University of New England Last August, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched legal proceedings against Qantas. The consumer watchdog accused the airline of selling thousands of tickets ...
This episode of A View From Afar was recorded LIVE on May 6, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, May 5, 2024 at 8:30pm (USEST). In an analytical essay titled ‘A moment of friction’ political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan wrote how we are living within a decisive moment ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Taylor, Assistant Professor, Bond University Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures At the crux of the critical response to Luca Guadagnino’s new movie Challengers is one word: “sexy”. The film charts a love triangle between three up-and-coming tennis players: Tashi (Zendaya), ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Stewart, Professor of Public Policy, ADFA Canberra, UNSW Sydney For years, First Nations people have been telling governments they want to be listened to. In particular, they want more ownership of the programs and services that are supposed to help them. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Why do trees have bark? Julien, age 6, Melbourne. This is a great question, Julien. We are so familiar with bark on trees, that most of us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Nasser, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of Technology Sydney PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is an important ligament in the knee. It runs from the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia) and helps stabilise ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne I covered the May 2 United Kingdom local government elections for The Poll Bludger. The Blackpool South parliamentary byelection was also held, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deanna Grant-Smith, Professor of Management, University of the Sunshine Coast The federal government has announced a “Commonwealth Prac Payment” to support selected groups of students doing mandatory work placements. Those who are studying to be a teacher, nurse, midwife or social ...
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you love a dark comedy: Bodkin (Netflix, May 9)An English podcaster, an Irish podcaster and American podcaster walk into a pub and…make a TV show? ...
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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, Monday 6 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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Here’s the text of the new Israeli “Jewish Nation State Law”, covered in RNZ this morning.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Read-the-full-Jewish-Nation-State-Law-562923
I would actually donate to get Netanyahu out.
Cheers for the link Ad, have been following via Al Jaz.
We’ve boycotted HP products at our house for years now, our way of donating to get bibi out of power. 🙂
The more people that boycott HP….. snowballs… check this out 🙂
Hewlett Packard (HP) Faces $120 Million in Potential Losses Due to its Complicity in Israel’s Violations of Palestinian Human Rights
June 12, 2018
Four million-strong Indian student federation joins the BDS movement & pledges to boycott HP
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/07/exclusive-housing-crisis-stalls-govt-s-plan-to-double-refugee-quota.html
Finally someone talking sense.
He is talking sense, it’s a pity no-one is talking the same sense on immigration.
I’ve been wondering for a while how many state houses have been used for housing refugees and what percentage have stayed long term. I’d expect refugee families at least to be given a state house, they have no job or income to pay market rents.
For every state house used to home refugees the Crown should have been building one more just to maintain the housing stock levels for domestic demand.
Why not re-open resettlement in Christchurch when we have no shortage of houses here?
It seems like more neolibs me me mentality. Not enough houses is utter bullshit – how about setting that people can only have 3 max houses – oh no that will stop the profiteering. Meanwhile PEOPLE who are refugees are put on hold. I’m ashamed of this backtrack and those that want to put the boot into helpless people. SHAME. SHAME. SHAME!
Well, he said “predominantly” housing. Everything else is newshrub projection.
But if that’s politician code for “I think so but I won’t be caught out if I equivocate a little bit”, +1 your comment 🙂
That was amusing. mark richardson had a little tanty on the telly because James Shaw told him Greens would never work with national.
Entitled middle class male throws a tanty when he can’t see a way to power?
Colour me surprised!
Mark Richardson has got quite bitter since Jacinda wagged her finger at him and stylishly humiliated his machismo.
There’s that.
But also among Nat voters there’s a genuine perplexity as to why the Greens think this way. Most of the Nats I know consider themselves ‘environmentalists’ – which basically means that they are keen to preserve nice places for well-off people and tourists to use as playgrounds. And that it’s OK to compromise non-scenic stuff like lowland rivers to keep the economy growing because nobody (or nobody like them) really goes there or cares.
It’s quite old-fashioned, how most of us thought actually when we mobilised 50 years ago to save Manapouri.
Notions of the sustainability of all human activity – and the economic relations between people that might be needed to guarantee that sustainability – don’t really figure.
This might give you a chuckle AB;
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/105550076/exclusive-marlborough-sounds-holiday-jetty-must-be-open-to-everyone
The guy is getting an absolute hammering in the comments section, it’s quite pleasing to see how many people understood what it was really about.
They are called ‘conservatives’ for a reason.
In this case between the words ‘conservation’ (aka the late 19th century and early 20th idea about national parks to provide juice places to do.paintings jn) and that of ‘enviromentalism’ which looks forward to potential problems.
Hell I think that many of the right wing greenies hark back to the ideas of the royal and state reserves. Places to allow the growth of trees for the navy.
Well when you consider the kermadecs sanctuary, water bottling, cameras on boats and mining with a dolphin sanctuary then yeah it does make sense to question why the Greens wouldn’t consider a deal with National
Greens won’t deal with National because National has a) a tendency to lie, b) a tendency to pass law that only benefits the rich, and c) passes law that damages the environment (ETS undermining for a prime example).
And National are then surprised that people with an actual set of ethics won’t deal with them.
Good thing that neither Labour or NZFirst lie, pass laws that benefit the rich or pass laws that damage the environment then isn’t it
You could argue that the Greens could have gotten a much better deal with National given that National had no other options
Except that National would lie so much any deal would be meaningless.
In which case the Greens could claim bad faith from National and there’d be another election and the general population would not look favourably on National
Small parties die if they’re that stupid.
It’s taken Winston twenty years to recover from supporting Bolger and thus providing a path to power for the execrable Shipley junta.
Case in point the Maori Party. Their supporters didn’t blame the Gnats – they deserted the folk who had failed them.
I’ve never seen Labour purposefully lie. Make mistakes – sure. NZFirst, well, they are populists.
The Greens will never get a good deal from National because of National’s lack of ethics.
Great you have forgiven Roger Douglas then DTB
The Guardian really is a bit of cock over Brexit, it’s determination to be fanatically pro remain, anti-Corbyn and the voice of pink neoliberals everywhere means it is publishing increasing hilarious and hysterical anti-Brexit stories, like this one –
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/18/dairy-products-may-become-luxuries-after-uk-leaves-eu
and this one from last year –
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/17/uk-sleepwalking-into-food-insecurity-after-brexit-academics-say
without the faintest understanding that prior to the UK’s entry to the common market and Common Agricultural Policy the UK had a major competitive edge over Europe with cheap food prices from deals for efficiently produced food with countries in their old empire like NZ. I am pretty sure NZ, Australia and Canada can replace European dairy products with a product of the same or better quality and at better price. And the idea that buying food produced in NZ is somehow going to lower standards of food safety would strike anyone who compares the food quality in both countries as ridiculous.
Someone needs to grab the Guardian by the shoulders and slap it.
From New Zealand’s point of view we should see Brexit as a massive opportunity to get back unfettered access to a market of 65 million rich consumers who like dairy and meat. The biggest advantage of diversifying our export markets to somewhere like the UK is we will no longer be reliant on those authoritarian butchers in Beijing who run China, and we can tell the Chinese to fuck off with impunity.
Sp from our point of view, all I can say is long live a hard Brexit!!!
I agree with all that. Brexit wouldn’t have happened if the Eurocrats hadn’t gone empire-building, but instead hewed to the common-interest basis of the union design that was floated as the rationale at the time. When the reality got sufficiently divergent from the dream, the Brits woke up.
Whether the economics of trade between us & Britain gets back on a semblance of the colonial track post-Brexit is an interesting question. A soft Brexit seemed feasible, given that politics is the art of compromise, so it might hinge on how the cost of sending our stuff over there weighs up against any Euro tarriffs that kick in. People think market forces prevail over politicians, but history renders a mixed verdict.
Totally with you re independence from China. Free Tibet!!
You may be right about food quality in terms of what reaches the table, but if you consider environmental impact of getting milk products from New Zealand to Britain, not so much. Firstly, you add some 20,000 “carbon-km” to everything. And even worse, your “efficiently produced” food is efficient because it doesn’t account for environmental cost to our rivers and lowlands. I’ve traveled through much of western Europe and nowhere have I seen rivers in the state they are in here, with dairy cows standing in them. Or fertiliser flung 100 m into the air from a truck.
Just this morning I’ve observed the dairy farmer down the road burn his plastic silage wrappers, huge cloud of black smoke all over the valley. And guess what? It’s not actually illegal to do so.
So no, the absolute last thing we need here is more dairy exports.
+111
Our farming isn’t efficient – it’s massively polluting with the costs not being appropriately applied as needed in a market economy.
“Elephants don’t step on jungle crickets” (The Southland Times)
Winston Peters’ spokesperson when asked why he wouldn’t bother responding to the grizzles of Southland National Party MPs.
They are scared of mice though:
Winston’s not scared of anything, it seems.
I’d suggest that the one thing Winston is scared of is being considered irrelevant
Given that he’s now Acting Prime Minister, I think he’s dealt with his fears pretty well!
That he has, temporarily, but eventually he’ll become irrelevant and then what does he do?
Like how for some wealthy people they’ll never have enough money so they’re never truly happy I think that’s where Winston is, he’ll never be truly happy because he’ll never be able to hold onto long enough what he really wants
Or not
We’ll all become irrelevant, Pucky, if we’re not already. Everything in life is temporary; are you struggling with the impermanence of life? You sound as though the issue is live with you.
I’ve come to terms with the fact that, ultimately, I am essentially completely irrelevant in the scheme of things
Once I’m gone it’ll probably only be two or three generations before anyone knows I was ever lived have passed away and even those generations will only comprise of a handful of people
I’m also all good with that
Puckish Rogue, like Shakespeare you too can achieve fame beyond the generations that knew you. Keep writing those paeans of praise, those anthems of unspoken but articulate unrequited love, those poems plighting your troth to Judith, the Fair Lady. In art is immortality!
Oh don’t worry about that as I’m working on my magnum opus, its going to take awhile I feel but when the time is right I’ll sure it’ll come right
Heres what I’ve got so far…”Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah”
Hi Robert. This is a curve ball question but…the last few years I’ve been getting Pink Fir Apple seed potatoes from the excellent Diacks in Invercargill. They don’t have any this year as it seems it was a poor season last year? They mentioned you as a possible source?? Cheers
Hi Scott – our own supply of Pink Fir is low also. You could call the Environment Centre and ask if they have a few in their seed collection, but it’ll be only for multiplication (032348717) office@sces.org.nz
Cheers Robert, thank you. I’ll give them a call. I might have to go with La Ratte instead this year, they’re just a bit miserly on the yield front compared to the bumper crops you get from the PFA!
Fake employee’s … now you have to pay big bucks to be a ‘non employee’…
“who buy their vans, pay to have their vans decorated in company colours, pay for their uniforms, scanners and other equipment, and drive for courier companies like Freightways and PBT. ”
“The drivers are not considered employees, but they cannot drive for other companies, so do not get the protections even the lowest-paid employee enjoys. ”
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018654352/nz-post-defends-conditions-for-contract-courier-drivers
Scary stuff – new words to explain how someone who has to pay for and use a company uniform and branding but is not an employee… aka “dependent contractors” Shouldn’t we keep it simple and if they are ‘dependant” and are branded as an employee, they are an employee????
No wonder the rise in inequality and the top 1% making more and more profits at the expense of those at the bottom and middle (who have to pay taxes to subsidise these immoral employment practises via hardship grants, accomodation supplements and WFF effectively giving over $5000+ a year top ups to minimum wage employers instead of to schools and hospitals and welfare to those who actually need it…
“And we hear from Workplace Relations minister Iain Lees Galloway, who says the government “needs to find a new set of protocols that apply to these dependent contractors”.”
Rogernomics 2.0
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018654368/we-need-new-protocol-for-dependent-contractors-minister
I have been listening to Campbelltown RNZ @5pm covering this courier/employment story.
The spokesman from NZ Post was fairly straight with his answers. He ended up painting a grim picture.
This issue has the potential to grow and help a lot of members in the precariat. Especially with a sympathetic sounding minister in Ian Lees Galloway.
Possibly ‘jobs’ like these leading to so many people needing hardship assistance top ups…
“Meanwhile, the figures also show that Work and Income was handing out more hardship assistance grants.
They increased by more than 50,000 to 321,000 at the end of the June quarter.
Demand for food assistance has been one of the biggest contributors to the growth in hardship assistance, the ministry said.”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/362193/benefit-sanctions-drop-20-percent-hardship-grants-up
Ugly – I think Clark should pull her head in – you have no extra rights just cos of your previous jobs.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12092202
It is interesting isn’t it when a former PM wades into situations, like she has every right to but she also wields a lot of influence
Called Freedom of Speech.
Thats a topic thats had plenty of airing as of late
Clark is using her previous PM profile, but her opposition to some recent Eden Park moves is because she lives very near the park.
This article from July 2018 says:
I live further from Eden Park but in hearing distance, and am not keen on big concerts being stage there. I hear cheers and fireworks from EP quite loudly. I can live with those as they are momentary noises.
But I can also hear big concerts from Western Springs which is further away. The loudest go on for an hour or two and can drown out anything I am trying to listen to in my flat. Must be unbearable for people living closer.
Yeah. You notice that while they say support is running for it, they don’t divide that into people who have to live with it and those who don’t. After having lived near it for most of my life, Eden Park is just a collosal pain in the arse.
Western Springs was bad enough for concerts.
I could frequently hear that when I lived closer.
These days we get crazy car parking and even worse driving from the big games at Eden Park – and I live up by the end of K Rd kilometers away. Not to mention the drunk fans walking to their cars or the local bars on Ponsonbh or K Rds.
Basically Eden Park needs to be shut down rather than being expanded. At heb very least they should be required to.provide their own damn multi-story parking buildings. And any license they get should have a short review period so they can be shut down whe yheh fuck up.
So, he engaged in bribery, fraud and general dishonesty as found by the Australian courts.
Shouldn’t we be sending him back to Australia because he doesn’t meet the Good Character test?
Clark is right on this.
But from my reading he has never been convicted. So he is not guilty of breaking the law, perhaps bad/immoral behaviour but there are most /if not all (bar JC) that are at fault there 😇 it was there something reported that I have missed. Even our current speaker of the house has been found fowl of the law a few times .
Down the rabbit hole….
https://twitter.com/HoarseWisperer/status/1019970082812940289
So the Red scear is alive and well.
Who would have thought it ah, that the investigation into trump would have ended up attacking socialists and progressives.
Hop skipped and jumped from that twitter thread and landed here…
Know how I’ve gone on before about mainstream elevating prats like Le Penn or who-ever to scare the horses back to the centre?
Seems the Democrats deliberately sought to elevate Trump, Cruz or Carson as (what they called) “Pied Piper” candidates with the aim of shoving the Republican Party to the right. Apparently, that would make them unelectable.
From Salon...(email from Clinton Campaign to the DNC that’s reproduced in the article through the link)
At the time, there were more than a dozen Republican presidential candidates. The “variety of candidates is a positive here,” the Clinton campaign said.
“Many of the lesser known can serve as a cudgel to move the more established candidates further to the right,” the memo noted.
“In this scenario, we don’t want to marginalize the more extreme candidates, but make them more ‘Pied Piper’ candidates who actually represent the mainstream of the Republican Party,” the Clinton campaign wrote.
As examples of these “pied piper” candidates, the memo named Donald Trump — as well as Sen. Ted Cruz and Ben Carson).
“We need to be elevating the Pied Piper candidates so that they are leaders of the pack and tell the press to them seriously,” the Clinton campaign concluded.
Apparently, Tad Devine was/is “one of the Democratic Party’s leading consultants and a former high-level campaign aide to Al Gore, John Kerry, and Michael Dukakis.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2014/11/11/tad-devine-signs-on-to-work-with-bernie-sanders-on-potential-2016-run/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.2841eb75d409
No matter who’s running, or their convictions one way or the other, US politics is a thoroughly corrupt in game, mired in money.
A percentage of every advertisement purchased was paid to Old Towne Media and Devine Mulvey Longabough for brokering the media contracts. The latter was run by Sanders’ senior strategist, Tad Devine, who also received a cut for deals brokered through Old Towne. Devine’s cut totaled at least $10 million by the end of May 2016, according to an investigative report by Slate—in addition to over $5 million paid to his firm. (This would be over half a million average donations to the Sanders campaign.)
http://observer.com/2016/08/this-political-consultant-made-millions-off-of-sanders-campaign/
Yep imo there is no ‘clean’ in politics – just less or more clean in relation to some other politician.
And how “clean” is Barack Obama, in your learned opinion? You seemed upset recently when you were reminded of his actual record.
As clean as an all black legend son and don’t you forget it.
You’re sounding ott morrie – it was only 4 comments back you were apologising to me for getting it wrong – take a hike numbnuts.
Every now and then I muse about what kind of reaction the purity politics preachers would have if any of their heroes ever actually got elected – and then found that either they have to spend most of their time making the same shitty compromises the regular pollies they’re so contemptuous of spend most of their time making or end up achieving precisely nothing.
I don’t expect politicians, or anyone else for that matter, to be “pure.” Of course compromise is the life blood of politics.
What I’m talking about is the commission of massive crimes, such as destroying whole countries, and overseeing horrifying terror campaigns such as the drone assassination programme. Opposing such crimes is not demanding some impossible standard of purity, it’s opposing crime.
Gotta admit, I didn’t have you in mind as one of the purity politics preachers. You’re just filed under “stupid wanker”.
That’s a clever answer. Nothing less is expected from you, my challenged friend.
“EU antitrust regulators hit Google with a record €4.34 billion ($NZ7.4 billion) fine and ordered it to stop using its Android mobile operating system to block rivals.”
“Vestager also ordered Google to halt anti-competitive practices with smartphone makers and telecoms providers within 90 days or face additional penalties of up to 5 percent of parent Alphabet’s average daily worldwide turnover.
The illegal behavior dating back to 2011 includes forcing manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and its Chrome browser together with its Play Store of apps on their devices, paying them to pre-install only Google Search and blocking them from using rival Android systems.
“Google has used Android as a vehicle to cement the dominance of its search engine. These practices have denied rivals the chance to innovate and compete on the merits,” Ms Vestager said.”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/362137/google-hit-with-record-7-billion-eu-antitrust-fine
Oh look, Southern and Molyneaux have been granted a visa to enter NZ and spread their venal, hate-filled views. So much for the howling of rage, gnashing of teeth and puerile legal threats/actions from the newly formed Free Speech Coalition – or whatever they call themselves.
In the name of democracy we allow them to speak – yes. But we don’t have to provide them with forums which were paid for by ratepayers and taxpayers. If they come, I hope other mayors (and their councillors) will follow Phil Goff’s courageous example and refuse them their venues. Let them go private.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12092243
All the outrage drives up the sales. If nobody has done a thing in particular Goff, it would have been better and they would have got no publicity, nobody would have gone and they could have had police stand by if they do actually “incite a riot” and charge them.
No doubt now, the whole event will be filled with Journo’s reporting their every word and making more publicity for them as well as the legal action which I’m guessing the ratepayers have to pay for…. The councils should stick to providing services for ratepayers and their personal views (and the actions resulting from that) they can fund themselves including the million dollar stadium report, so secret it needed to be kept from the councillors.
Never heard of these people before Goff put on his dictator hat.
Then you should thank Phil Goff, BM, for introducing you to your new bff’s.
First they come for the council owned venues, then slightly smaller council owned venues, then your bathroom… the horror, the horror…
Go Victorian police!
Love the conspiracy theory response from Southern. So funny, but oh so predictable.
Yep this, Goff and the media played completely into their plans, in fact I’d suggest that LS & SM couldn’t have planned this better
Thre’s a lot of anti-Goff attitudes in attacking Goff’s statements.
Of course the Canadian couple and their ilk plan to stir up controversy by being provocative in order to attract mainstream media attention.
I think the time is right for a concerted campaign in support of Auckland’s diversity – carnivals and entertainment at the grass roots.
As long as its within the bounds of law (and free speech 😉 ) then thats all good with me
What a load of rubbish – are you really that gullible? The splutters and dribbling from their supporters puts paid to that outlandish spin from you puck.
Goff has done good service to the people of New Zealand. The wider these views are spread, the greater the derision of those views will be. The tiny audience that would have turned out had Goff’s people not put the kibosh on the venue would have been “the converted” anyway and no-one with an open mind would have had the chance to hear just how awful these two (probably) are 🙂
Had Goff not said, or claimed, anything then yeah it probably would have been a small turnout, now it may well be an even bigger turnout thanks to all the free publicity
Yep and sunlight is the best disinfectant. Goff’s done the country a great favour and now many more of us can (perhaps) hear this dribble first hand.
The righties should be giving Goff a medal – funny how lefties defend him and righties benefit???
Thats open-minded of you, I’m basically not really interested in what either of them have to say but I support their right to say it and not have some arbitrary decision made by Goff…or not made by Goff depending on what day it is
Pucky – you’re banging on and on about Goff – it’s not entertaining and makes you look…petty.
Well Goff overstepped his boundary, or maybe he didn’t, on this one and at least its got people talking
No sunlight in the redacted billion dollar stadium report that ratepayers and other councillors don’t get to read in full. Plenty of sunlight and publicity for white supremacists. Not sure Goff’s getting his role right.
Yep, the most cost effective publicity a circus could hope for is to leave an elephant cage unlatched as they enter town.
I was going to post a youtube clip of a Hyena sticking its head up a dead elephants butt to make the point of what I consider the medias involvement in this, and in general, to be (hint its not the elephant) but then I thought it might have got removed
Too much information – what you do and search for is your business as long as living entities don’t get hurt for your pleasure.
Don’t worry, the elephant was very dead
I don’t wanna know your search criteria or whether it was bookmarked – what happens in your workspace stays in your workspace – unless the courts are involved of course.
🙂
“or maybe he didn’t”
Indeed.
Well its hard to say, theres this 10.07.18:
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/361479/phil-goff-defends-blocking-far-right-speakers-who-spout-racist-nonsense
‘He said he made the decision himself in line with council policy which sets out that Auckland is an inclusive society.’
“I’m not going to aid and abet people who spout racist nonsense by providing them with a venue.”
Theres this at 20.07.18:
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/07/group-urges-govt-to-refuse-entry-to-alt-right-speakers.html
‘Auckland Live, which runs the Bruce Mason Centre where the event was scheduled to take place, said the event was cancelled due to “security concerns” around the “health and safety” of the presenters, staff and patrons of the event.’
So was it Phil Goff or not, who can say…
Although in this instance, David Mac, we’re talking clowns, not elephants.
I think the clowns are the ones handing out ‘Allah is gay’ flyers in Trafalgar Square. (Personally, I’d be insisting on a stab proof vest.) The elephant is all the rumble in the jungle.
I think they’re clowns because spitting in a face is not a good way to induce anyone to behave as we’d like. ‘Allah is Gay’ claims take us no closer to a softening of Islam outlooks around issues like homosexuality. Satire takes a back-seat when somebody else’s saliva is dripping off our chin.
I’m disappointed Goff has appointed himself gatekeeper at our hall. It’s no more his than it is Cam Stater’s. Let the clowns hand out their brochures. They’re fish out of water in our country and their elephant stomping through town nothing more than annoying noise.
Lees-Galloway: “Neither had been convicted of a crime, nor banned from the United Kingdom or Australia as had been reported”. Can’t even trust journalists to get basic facts right now…
Now that’s interesting.
How did thus get reported around the world that Southern had been banned from the UK?
Someone must have been lying.
Well, apparently she was the one making the claim she’d been banned. That link is to the source article for the appropriate claim in Wikipedia.
Apparently, in March she was detained at the border and refused entry into Britain.
Whether that counts as “excluded” and violates the visa good character requirements (h/t Ovid) is the problem – apparently INZ now feel that being denied entry doesn’t constitute actual “exclusion”.
But we just have her word which conflicts with what INZ have said and I’m sure that they’d do their job of contacting their corresponding department in the UK and simply asking them.
Someone must be lying and I don’t think that it’s two government departments of two different nations.
google does have some articles where the Home Office I think said she was turned away, but she definitely monetised any rejection lol
But the main point is if she went in and was just turned away but not “banned”, she might not fail the character tests in the immigration act.
Melania is awesome.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12091827
No she’s not. To parse her eye widening faux-innocent look as a “horrified” reaction is nothing more than wishful thinking on your part and especially by the fool who wrote that Herald headline.
Of course, such a “horrified reaction” would be far more appropriate when she met Barack Obama, who for eight bloody years oversaw the massive, illegal programme of extra-judicial drone murders in Yemen, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan.
And remember that she’s married to Donald Trump. How shocked would she be by ANYTHING?
Oh shut it you wanker.
Translation: “I got nuthin’.”
Lol classic – it doesn’t need a translation you knob.
It kind of does….
seems pretty self-explanatory. Which bit did you feel was prone to misunderstanding?
Oh I’m sure everyone realizes poor old marty is at the end of his tether, and incapable of a coherent response. I was, rather meanly perhaps, reminding him how just how useless his answer was.
Sorry, I should leave the poor fellow alone, I know.
Ground control to major tom. Take your protein pill and put your helmet on….
Morrie your limp responses show where your problem is my friend – read more widely and really think m9re before writing – that will help you improve. You’re well below your usual (to be fair quite low) standards. Cliches and foolhardiary won’t cut it with these whippersnappers – just buck up will you.
Morrissey, your’e predictable in your trolling of Marty.
Bloody boorish of you .
Patricia, look at the post that instigated this little contre-temps: it’s an unbelievably naive declaration of support for, of all people, Melania Trump (“Melania is awesome”). Even worse than that, he’s declaring his support for her on the basis of a wild claim that she was “horrified” by Putin.
I reminded our bewildered friend that if Saint Melania was going to be horrified, then surely she would have been horrified by her own husband, and by Barack Obama.
His incoherent response is disappointing; the fact that I pointed that out is not “trolling”, it’s an attempt to get him to engage in debate. So far he has shown little sign of any ability to do so, sadly.
I think she’d been holding her breath.
Is that a hurled link marty?
It’s a recycled complex meme, posing as original: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_Derangement_Syndrome
Wasn’t the “derangement syndrome” meme tested here by Key’s “dags” Farrar and Slater?
edit – oops! No, I see it was older than that. Farrar and Slater aren’t original thinkers…my bad.
Will there be a big a protest about this as there was when the idea was initially proposed by the former government? Mining in land reserved for conservation under consideration again…
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12091952
“Just as the oil and gas reforms in Taranaki left intact people’s existing use rights, I am imagining any future changes to the mineral regime will not have an adverse impact on people’s existing use rights.”
Is that to complex for you understand, Indiana?
“Turns out the people who are always influencing the US president and government are Israel”
Israel doesn’t control the U.S. any more than another apartheid regime, the South African one, did. And the blood-soaked Philippines regime does not control the United States, and neither does Saudi Arabia.
The United States supports Israel and other pariah regimes for various reasons, but it could stop doing so immediately if it chose. The U.S. eventually stopped its support for apartheid South Africa, for Saddam’s Iraq, and for the Suharto regime in Indonesia. It will eventually abandon Israel too, but not while this imbecile is in the White House.
Nuttyyahoo claims all sorts of bollix piney.
I support this protest – this cycleway is rubbish – dont desecrate urupā or mahinga kai areas or the surf break – thanks.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/362149/kaikoura-cycleway-plan-upsets-local-iwi-there-has-been-no-consultation
If you’ve been wondering why the left are so averse to getting a hate-speech law enacted here, this may give you a couple of clues: http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2018/07/zionist-inspired-definition-of.html
“There has never been a just war that was started over a kite”
Israel, Land of Miracles
by Gideon Levy, Haaretz, July 19, 2018
The days of kites abound with miracles here. The fact that more Israelis were scratched while shaving in recent months than from kite fires is attributed entirely to miracles….
http://normanfinkelstein.com/2018/07/19/there-has-never-been-a-just-war-that-was-started-over-a-kite/
There are plenty of really petty reasons Mr Finkelstein might want to acquaint himself with for humans starting wars:
https://www.grunge.com/23589/wars-started-ridiculously-petty-reasons/
If the Palestinians thought torching fields and crops was going to end well, they might want to wonder why El Salvador and Honduras went to war for several days during the quarterfinal stages of the 1969 football world cup. Of course there were more rational reasons inside it, but there are plenty of petty people who will step you out for fuck-all good reason.
Anyone have the ear of those over at Pundit. https://www.pundit.co.nz ?
Their Poll of Polls was last updated in 30th May 2017.
Been many polls since then including the most important one that changed the government. Emails to the authors don’t appear to get a change.
Newshub Nation I disagree with one of your panel batteries in electric cars are more than capable to provide the power to get people around in Aotearoa . One just has to plan more have a charge options when you get to work and charge it when you get home a 3 pronged plug like the one on all the appliances we use not so hard to put those in car parks ka kite ano
And as for electricity generation and supply for transportation well that’s not really a problem in Atoearoa just have to build more geothermal power plants windpower plants solar power plants we could direct our hydo plants to keep enough water storage to be back up power when other renewable energy plants are not generating so what she/act said on Nation is nonsense.
We also could have hydrogen for transport energy as well. It the usual story don’t have all your eggs in one kite so we should go for all the alternative energy sources that stack up economically and environmentally. Ka kite ano
The sandflys are still playing marbles and spinning out my private personal information to anyone who will believe there lies . Get this strait New Zealand is a raciest society how much time the media reports on negative Maori associated story’s verses the positive storys will be 100 to 01 . When there are negative story’s about other cultures they give the story the kid glove treatment you know what I had already seen there problem in there people sticking out a mile just buy observing the news on that culture . Look at how the army is treating these two Maori men not very Honorable they are treating them like second class people .
There was a sports star who is Maori was asked if he had a job on air well what do you call that no respect Eco Maori says .I watch the move Waru that’s a eye opener you see people will say things in front of maori wahine that they won’t say in front of tane .
The link to the story is below Ka kite ano.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/105626884/emotional-ron-mark-has-misgivings-about-defence-force-treatment-of-injured-nepata-brothers P.S link to Waru
https://www2.1movies.se/search_all/waru