This week has been Labour’s best week in a long, long time. Between a movement left against neoliberalism, and achieving (slightly) improved conditions for workers through the mondayising of Anzac day and Waitangi day and Louisa Wall’s wonderful achievement of Marriage equality they achieved a great deal.
National gives the impression of being on the ropes with the Dotcom and other fiascos and you get the feeling that Key’s reputation is finally being tarnished. And although one poll does not a summer make the latest Roy Morgan suggests that things are finally improving.
It was a good week for Labour-Green. Without the Green support, NZ Power would have had less impact. Some very good Green support for the marriage bill: especially liked Mojo Mather’s speech.
And the polls are promoting the possibility of a Labour-Green government.
Agreed entirely Karol. I concentrated on Labour because it has been a while since they have had a good week whereas the Greens have had a number of good weeks recently.
Aye! And there are one or two Plunkets who’ve had their wet little fingers in the air testing which way the most popular wind is blowing. I think they detect a change. Hopefully there’ll be morA.
Agreed re Labour (and the Greens) but I just hope that Labour – or rather certain Caucus members – don’t mess it up as has happened on too many previous occasions by shotting themselves and Labour in the foot.
IIRC both the TVNZ and TV3 polls are due out today, so here’s hoping the Roy Morgan results are reflected in these.
Just to add to Key’s week, he has been included in BuzzFeedâs selection of the â15 Most Ridiculous World Leaders Of All Timeâ for his three way handshake.
This change in the wind. Sensed as a slight and new fluttery movement in the air. Can we say its finally come?…
Rosie
The news that the Green Party are to host an all party conference on climate change is another sign that we may be witnessing a sea change in New Zealand politics. From conservative and timid to more left and bold.
This sea change in politics may not be limited to just New Zealand.
A sample poll of American Republican Party members carried out by George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, revealed that most conservative voters want action on Climate Change.
Only 52 per cent thought climate change was happening, but 62 per cent said the US should take steps to address the issue â suggesting that even some who are unsure about climate change still think it’s worth responding to the potential threat. Seventy-seven per cent thought the US should use more renewable energy.
Does this study say something for our politicians here?
It has been accepted wisdom for some time now, that raising the issue of climate change in an election campaign is a vote killer.
On this understanding, in 2011, an unspoken gentleman’s agreement made sure that climate change, was not made an election issue by any of the contending parties standing for parliament.
Could this be about to change?
Could a political party that made climate change an election plank, with a campaign demand to drastically cut Green House Gas emissions, do well in the polls?
Going on the US poll it is possible. Times have moved on, the signals are stronger and public awareness is greater.
Whatever the resulting fortunes, for individual parties, we need to hold this debate. Every election we put it off, means one more term of the government cycle without a mandate to act.
The government is fast rotting from the head down.
Blatant lies and dissembling are right in our faces from John Key, John Banks, Tony Ryall, Paula Bennett, Judith Collins to Susan Devoy.
Interestingly one of the questions was do you think Key is a liar!!!
Dv
Certainly a revealing departure from the usual bog standard sans-political, political poll questionnaires;
ie.
“Who is your preferred Prime Minister”,
“If an election was held tomorrow. Who would you vote for?”
etc, etc.
That such a question is being asked, shows that the government must be worried about their image. After all, that is all they have. When will we ever get a poll that actually asks about policy?
What I would like to see a poll where there is a polling question that asked;
“Would you vote for a party that advocated:
(a) No action against climate change
(b) Moderate action against climate change
(c) Extreme, or possibly extreme actions against climate change?”
Ah, but you see, it wasn’t their 8-year-old, it was an American 8-year-old, and for some of the above commentors the US is always going to be the Great White Satan. Not so easy to say when you have actually been touched by terrorism.
Oh God, Heather Roy. The Army Reservist buzz was something that she used to promote her “I won’t take any nonsense” tough commando girl image back in the day. It seems that militancy is a theme that right wingers are fond of. Think of those right wing extremist that are also survivalist nuts. Kyle Chapman springs to mind. They think that authoritarianism is the way to solve the worlds woes.
Touting dodgy charter schools, pouring money into elite private schools, while they can’t even ensure their state schools are open for the required time!
As a teacher this article annoys me. Obviously published at the beginning of the school holidays to generate more anti feeling towards teachers and imply that they are having even more time off. The facts are shoddy-I don’t know of any school that would have closed just for a meeting about Novopay. Under our collective agreement we are allowed to have 2 Paid Union Meetings a year and the one just taken was to discuss and be informed about our negotiations which have been ongoing since August last year and don’t seem to be progressing much. The parents interviewed seemed more upset that their children had to be looked after for a day rather than being concerned that the children were missing out on learning, showing that some look on school as a baby sitting service.
That article must have been written by a 10 year old. What a mess. I think this is the first time that Easter has fallen outside the term holiday. That would be easy to miss but easy to adjust. A pity Private Schools were not subject to the minimum number of days. They can start finish whenever they like.
“Security is not really a problem any more.”
The NZ Army has made Bamiyan safe—according to the NZ Army
Radio NZ National, Insight, Sunday 21 April 2013.
Presented by Belinda McCammon
There’s a brilliant scene in the TV series Friday Night Lights, where young Matt Saracen is talking with his dad, who’s just come back from Iraq. MATT SARACEN: How are things going over there? HIS FATHER:[long, uncomfortable pause]Great. We’re building schools, fixing roadsâŚ.
This is followed by a long long pause, as father and son acknowledge the unspoken truth behind the pat, formulaic lie.
I was reminded of that superb piece of television when I listened to Insight this morning. New Zealand is finally pulling out of its unwise, unhappy, shameful decade-long involvement in the occupation of Afghanistan. To finally get shot of it, the government sent over the Governor-General, the Minister of Defence and some compliant reporters, on this occasion required to fill the role of public relations people. One of those reporter/PR flacks was Belinda McCammonâŚ.
The mission to Afghanistan gets off to a very poor start with the planeload of New Zealand dignitaries stranded on the tarmac, unable to leave the plane because of “security concerns.”
Once they do get off the plane and into the heavily fortified New Zealand compound, the interviews are almost comical in their evasion of realityâŚ.
BELINDA McCAMMON: So is Bamiyan province making progress? COMMANDER SHOLTO STEPHENS: Oh, definitely. Around this area there were several documented massacres of Hazara people by the Taliban. They now have good governance, security and sealed roads. So that’s three major ticks that they’ve got. Don’t try to tell them that the New Zealand involvement hasn’t been a success!
One voice above all others is almost sublime in its glibness and hypocrisyâŚ.
JONATHAN COLEMAN: We’ve done a lot to get rid of corruption. There’s still a need to build up institutions, like the public service. There’s lots we can be proud of.
But all the assurances and and all of the spin has obviously not convinced Belinda McCammon. She is a lot brighter and less biddable than other officially approved “journalists” who have been sent over there. She actually has the courage to undermine the words of Coleman and Commander StephensâŚ.
BELINDA McCAMMON: But it’s hard to escape the feeling of uncertainty.
Then it’s back to the bullshit from the army spin merchantsâŚ.
ARMY SPOKESMAN: The atmosphere here is benign. We are reasonably confident that the local security forces can manage the situation.
This is promptly undermined by radio time pips, and recordings of a recent news broadcast: “The Minister of Defence says that reality has come home to New Zealand troops in Afghanistan, after two New Zealand soldiers were killed overnightâŚ.”
And then another one: “New Zealand has lost three more soldiers, just a few days after the deaths of two of their colleagues in BamiyanâŚ.”
Cut to a ceremony unveiling a memorial to New Zealanders who have died in Bamiyan. Belinda McCammon notes that the locals all have their faces covered. Obviously they do not share the bounding optimism of Jonathan Coleman and Sholto Stephens.
Somebody from the New Zealand Embassy vapors enthusiastically: “There’s a general air of prosperity here, you know. There’s endless possibility out there⌠a great WORLD of opportunity out thereâŚPresident Karzai remarked to us over lunch that the GDP per capita has increased TEN-FOLD over the last ten years and I like to think we have played our part in that.”
Then we hear the Governor-General, Sir Jerry Mateparae, talking platitudinous nonsense as always: “Many challenges remain for Bamiyan and AfghanistanâŚThe seeds we have sown together⌔
There are 29 interpreters, plus their families, coming to live in New Zealand. The young interpreter who spoke to Belinda McCammon obviously does not believe any of the talk about Afghanistan being safer. He wants to get out as fast as possible.
Some pompous nonsense by Lt. Gen. Rhys Jones, and some sober analysis by Robert Ayson from Victoria University.
Final “analysis” is by the ever-positive Commander Sholto Stephens. “The locals have got a good grasp of the security situation,” he states, still maintaining that diligent air of high seriousness. “In fact,” he goes on, “security is not really a problem any more.” (Perhaps he’d forgotten that planeload of New Zealanders too afraid to even leave the plane at the airport.) The fact is, continues Commander Stevens, Afghanistan is simply engulfed by crime, which makes it no different to other places around the world.
So there we have it. According to the New Zealand Defence Force, all the crime and all the killings are a POSITIVE SIGN. Things are getting better! Every killing, every bombing, every standover, every act of extortion is a step to true liberation!
——————————————————————————————-
There was not a mention of the shameful episodes of New Zealand soldiers being browbeaten by American goons into breaking the law and handing over captive civilians to possible torture and summary execution. Of course, there is one respected and knowledgeable New Zealand journalist in Afghanistan: Jon Stephenson. He was not even mentioned, let alone interviewed. Instead we got to hear the rigorously on-message voices of Jonathan Coleman, Lt. Gen. Rhys Jones, Sholto Stephens, a vapid diplomat, and the Governor-General.
Belinda McCammon, or her editors, did a splendid job of undermining these official lies by playing those radio news broadcasts straight after the lies; however, an assessment of New Zealand’s foreign policy requires robust and rigorous analysis, not ironic counterpointing. Irony is the resort of the weak, the fearful and the heavily censored. We need honest and forthright journalism. Belinda McCammon did a good job, but she is no Jon Stephenson.
There’s a documentary on Wednesday evening on Maori T.V. at 8.30 p.m. that ‘challenges New Zealandâs Role in Afghanistan.’ It’s called ‘He Toki Huna: New Zealand in Afghanistan’.
Glad to know it’s not just me who felt a warm glow reading that one North :). I received the link from my politically and environmentally active twenty year old daughter this morning and after quickly reading it thought, that’s my girl! I would have been more effusive and enthusiastic in my recommendation but reined myself in and went for dignified endorsement instead..
I was on brunch cooking duties this morning so I haven’t had a chance to trawl through the comments. I’ll have that pleasure this afternoon.
I guess the Right will attempt to tar the lot of them with the “commie academic” label. I was reading an article somewhere recently about a British born Marxian economist (can’t recall the name dammit) who has been teaching courses on Das Kapital since he arrived in the USA back in the sixties. Sounded fascinating but I doubt if I possess the intellectual heft to read and follow fellas like that.
Clockie: will be sourcing some David Harvey in book form (so many books, so little time) I was, as many know, a diesel / truck mechanic before I went mad and took up gardening and fear of the Lord đ
Heâs a social theorist rather than an economist but I guess in some ways the difference between those two things is, well, academic really.
The difference is that the economists are far lesser people as they’ve forgotten or purposefully dropped the fact that economics used to be part of philosophy. They forgotten the should part of economics.
Heh. David Harvey is a Geographer. I had a fair few of his readings in my Human Geography classes. I didn’t have the intellectual heft to fully understand him either. Heavy writing. I’m glad he started making videos, they’re so much easier to understand so I stick with those unless I need the detail.
“Heâs a social theorist rather than an economist but I guess in some ways the difference between those two things is, well, academic really.”
Imo the difference between a Human Geographer and an Economist is that the Geographer will take on any theoretical perspective that suits what they’re investigating – the scroungers of the academic world đ – and incorporate society, environment, economy and whatever else is needed to get a full picture of the research in question. It means they’re good academic and research collaborators. Human Geography went through the ‘lets be a science’ bent and came through it. Economists are still stuck in a reductionist mode, discarding any societal or environmental intrusion in their purist models.
It made it quite difficult to reconcile the two views as an undergrad studying both, so I stuck with geography, it made much more sense to me.
Thanks Ghost, pleased you enjoyed it. It’s unusual to have an opportunity to put in a word for Human Geography.
Karol, Social Justice and the City was my introduction to Harvey. It really hard work for me to understand the concepts because I had begun university years after leaving school at 15 and with no qualifications. I felt that book pretty much marked the end of Geography’s ‘scientific’ project, and gave me the sense I could take more of a holistic view of a topic than I otherwise would have.
The plant in West was inspected in 2011 by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), which issued a fine of $10,100 for missing placards and ânot having a security planâ in violation of Hazardous Materials Regulations. A compromise was reached in 2012 after corrective actions were taken, which included the plant admitting to the violations and paying a lowered penalty of $5,250.
Apparently the plant owners failed to self-report that they were holding massive quantities of ammonium nitrate on site to the regulatory agency the Department for Homeland Security.
Along with TNT, ammonium nitrate is a key ingredient in WW I / WWII / Korean War era high explosives.
This reminds me of the coolstore in the North Island where fighting a fire there killed a fireman. They were using stuff they shouldn’t have been.
These results underline that we have to have an active on the ground inspectorate. Let the government think of such plants as potential weapons of mass destruction!
And industries like forestry as potentially hazrdous and risky so that proper systems are followed and regularly inspected. (This wouldn’t mean there never would be deliberate or ignorant and stupid actions but they would be kept to a minimum.)
The explosion was estimated to be equivalent to about 1â2 kilotonnes of TNT and was heard as a loud bang in Munich, more than 300 km away. The pressure wave ripped roofs off up to 25 km away and destroyed windows even farther away. In Heidelberg (30 km from Oppau), traffic was stopped by the mass of broken glass on the streets
[…]
According to some descriptions, only 450 tonnes exploded, out of 4,500 tonnes of fertilizer stored in the warehouse.
Lovely to see Joyce on Q + A mouthing ” these (‘communist’) clowns……. ” as he tried to dismiss Parker.
Lovely because if that’s how National intends to counter (1) the smack to the head which Labour/Greens have delivered re electricity and (2) a seeming trend towards dissatisfaction generally, a great bunch of the public are going to hoot and say – ” So those clowns are calling everyone else clowns now……..What ? What ? ”
Additionally, significant numbers will identify and be repelled by the disgustingly arrogant look of it – ” Now don’t you worry about it you (dumb) people. Take it from us…….they’re just clowns “. Wanking on about North Korea and Albania and Chavez and communism is only gonna make National look more desperately bullshitty.
This is not 1975. Dancing Cossacks was a stunt which will not work today. Why ? Because in ’75 the Cold War spectre was Kiwis’ property being forcibly appropriated by the government into the hands of the government, a la communism. Today the Global Bankers’ Bonuses spectre is Kiwis’ property being forcibly appropriated by the government into the hands of fifty times millionaires and their foreign buddies. And this as the people get inexorably poorer and the already fabulously wealthy get inexorably richer.
So this government is left to deal in some other way with the incompetent clown equation already more or less set in stone: Key – “I don’t have a clue smirk smirk……..”, ” I don’t recall……..oh hang on, yes I do………as you were, I do, but differently “. Parata. My God who doubts it ? The dodgy Banks. Key put him there over a cuppa. He’s still there because Key won’t read official reports. The list goes on.
To the Gosman and the Chris73 and the King Kong and the BM and others – perceptions boys and girls. Perceptions. Your snorting arrogance has blinded you to the fact that perceptions cut both ways. And to the fact that lies and corruption while not capitalised quite yet are certainly in the frame. Simply, the public at large are not like your greedy hardcore neo-liberals or your snotty wee wannabee John Key cargo-cultists. The public smells the whiff of bullshit once, then twice, then again and again – Whanganui-like hoha at the cumulation of repeated whiffs producing stench. Add arrogance. As above – “What ?……What ?”
Can Gosman’s Mum please update her report that he/she was last seen in his/her room crying inconsolably ? Mum, you need to be warned. There’s a poll out tonight which apparently asks the question – ” Is John Key a liar ? “. Mum, there’s an 0800 number you can have.
Taxpayers are paying Cabinet Ministers their high salaries and want to see value for money; taxpayers expect them to govern for us and to do a lot more than abuse great policy ideas on prime time television.
Meanwhile, the power bosses should be coming out and be really strident – a lot more vocally nasty, given their obscene remunerations are being put at risk:
My conversations with investment advisors at social events have been that it is difficult for ‘mums and dads’ investors to get fuller information, unlike institutional investors. So Rod Oram is quite right.
My advice to the NZ public at this stage is to think very carefully about buying the MRP shares, especially if there are other investment options.
Looks like John Key is lining up mums and dads to be screwed.
With the general trend towards a new normal, the power market, taken together with the domestic and international economic climate, do not bode so well.
Funny thing is, if labour and the melons form the next government, I’d make a ton more money under them than what I’d do under National.
By the time the next election rolls around I should be making basically all my money overseas
With the dollar collapsed and all the wealth fleeing off shore, my money will be safe overseas gaining in value while all the other poor souls suffer with job losses collapsing house prices sky rocketing food bills etc.
I’d be amazed if they last a term and when Shearer and the rest of the communists do get the boot you won’t see a left party in government for a generation.
In the aftermath of the economic destruction, I will bring my money back and buy up properties etc at pennies on the dollar.
You really shouldn’t believe in the Apocolypse mate, it makes you seem like a nutter.
Especially since the greatest capitalist nation in the world the USA has just suffered massive house price collapses, rocketing unemployment, wages deflation, and people fleeing the USD into gold and also hard productive assets.
See isn’t that interesting, we haven’t experienced any of that.
I wonder why?
As for the apocalypse comment, that’s what Normans whole economic policy is based around which is the collapse of the worlds economies due to fossil fuel depletion,he’s bet the house on it.
The guy’s a dangerous religious zealot, he will try to disconnect NZ from the world economy and it will be a disaster.
Because Australia regulates banks far more than the US and A do. That’s the only reason I can see. Or is the right answer Obama Muslim Communist Kenyan?
BM – I wonder you could see your keyboard through your gales of tears. Gosman’s Mum is setting up a support group. Join it. But hang on…….all is not lost:
Para 1 – You’d make a ton more money under labour/melons.
There’s the answer that really attracts you BM.
Para 2 – Your money will be offshore safe and secure, gaining in value
You absolutely sure about that ? Don’t choose Cyprus.
Para 2 – Collapse collapse collapse in NZ
Because YOU would take your money out ? Thick self-centred fool you are.
Para 3 – Shearer and the rest of the communists…….
Well done Senator Joe McCarthy The Dancing Shitshack ! You must be 120 years old by now.
Para 4 – “I will come back and buy up properties etc at pennies in the dollar……..”
So you’ll be voting labour /melons then BM ?
Nothing you’ve ever said on this blog suggests the vaguest understanding of the concept of an economic common good so of course you’ll be voting for them labour/melon communists. If what you say is correct you’d shoot yourself in the foot if you didn’t wouldn’t you ?
I suspect the truth is this: you’ve made a bob (probably less than your blowhardish allusions imply) and you’re on this blog demanding congratulations. Don’t talk to the people on this blog BM. Without documented proof of the financial empire you’ve built you’re not likely to get the lionising and obedience you seek. Talk to Dunnokeyo. He’s got a few knighthoods left in his back pocket.
Imagine the thrill of first-class check-in out at the airport mate………..Sir Bowel Motion !!!!
With the dollar collapsed and all the wealth fleeing off shore, my money will be safe overseas gaining in value while all the other poor souls suffer with job losses collapsing house prices sky rocketing food bills etc.
Wow, you don’t even the delusional economic theory that you follow.
HINT: A lower dollar will boost demand of NZ goods on the world market and so demand for workers will also increase and thus wages will rise.
Iâd be amazed if they last a term and when Shearer and the rest of the communists do get the boot you wonât see a left party in government for a generation.
Keep dreaming – it’s National and their stooges that we won’t see in government for a generation. Same as what happened to the first Labour government.
Dreadful interviewing from Corin Dann, he let Joyce push him around. David Parker is terrible on TV, especially against a bully like Joyce.
Dann should have just said, “ok so you’re telling the public that you have no solution to higher electricity prices and that they should just suck it up?”
Parker is terrible but Shearer is much worse and must be kept out of sight even if the interviewer is a light-weight like Dann. Natz’ tactic would be to smoke out Shearer and then put his mumble, stumble and fumble on display.
Shearer is improving; practice makes an expert; even Joker’s can shape-shift; U seem either practiced or a quick learner yourself at this collectivity gig. đ Hope that you are enjoying your day and that lunch has settled.
“scales” lift from their eyes; Shearers assurance rises as NAct spokes people fall and foul;
Middle Earth may be a little naive but given enough time they catch on.(crosses fingers and prays three times)
I consistently watch the pollies presentation critically; Shearer is improving, both in the house and on the box.
Labour are playing a more restrained game it appears, for example moderation in exposure of Cunliffe, even Robertson appears settled (at the end of the day it is the perception of the potential voters that elect parties to power) and solidarity, co-operation, appears to be cementing their progress. It is definately the tory-shill MSM they have to be careful of and the incompetence and bias of interviewers like Wood and establishment commentator fools like Edwards and Ralston (what is it about wealth and privilage that generally makes it inversely proportional to real humanity?)
My gardening tip of the day: take deep slow belly breaths, in through the nose 1 2 3 4 5…out 2 3 4 5, it appears that those on the right of the political spectrum are less able to put this technique into practice and defer to instinct primarily; they cannot help themselves, as a generalization. (the political polls, and analysis of such that is to be found on The Standard is far superior to any image / sound bite to be entertained by on the 6 O’Clock News ;-D
16:8 Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice
16:7 When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.
Remember the days they used to leave hanged or crucified criminals or political enemies near the gateways of ancient cities to serve as visual warnings to all citizens?
Well, they’ve just done it with a post autopsy photo of the dead, older, badly disfigured Boston Marathon bombing suspect. Screw friends, family, due process, coroners report, etc.
Who says that the parallels between Imperial Rome and the US don’t hold?
I saw the photo, its not nice. Following link is just a text description of the leak.
assuming that picture is authentic, let’s hope that is not a symbolic cadaver of miranda caution, legal representation, and trial by jury and judge according to the laws of the land.
If Obama – or, say, anybody – were standing in front of banners of the bullet riddled corpse then yeah, that would seem to be an apt comparison. The fact that a photo was circulated among law enforcement and leaked, in this electronic media driven world we live in, is utterly unsurprising.
The photo sends a pretty clear signal. Did I say it was surprising? Where did I indicate surprise that officials would break their own rules and circulate images like this?
The photo sends a pretty clear signal that there are no secrets any more.
For God’s sake it isn’t even front page on Reddit, how much of a warning could it be? And by tomorrow no one will remember anyway, because Taylor Swift is going to wear something really interesting. Lighten up!
Evidence and documentation regarding investigations in process should not be forwarded to unauthorised persons. Especially where the dignity of otherwise unassociated friends and family members is involved.
Just listening to a piece on nat radio about the constitutional review going on. A Dr Maria Barge talked about Maori representation, how it arose and what it should be, etc. She was certainly correct about most everything she said but completely missed the elephant in the room, namely whether such racial separatism is any good for a modern society. Her entire piece was predicated on the existence of the Treaty and rights that existed pre-Treaty, which is all fine and dandy, but like pretty much every commentator in this area the question of the suitability of the Treaty and any pre-existing rights is completely and utterly ignored.
I think this is a major flaw in this area. The use of the Treaty and whether it actualy achieves what it needs to achieve today is simply not looked at. It is not discussed. It is not considered. It is like everyone just blindly goes on about the existence of the Treaty and what it contains, leading to the question f whether it has been honoured. Of course, those components are entirely legitimate. But the underlying value and quality of the Treaty is not considered and this is very poor form on our part as a country.
If the Treaty turns out to be flawed and it is unthinkingly set in even harder stone in our constitutional arrangements then it will clearly lead to trouble.
This subject is ignored. It is not the right approach.
And then dear old Geoff Palmer goes and does the exact same thing in relation to a question from the floor.
A person asked about equality / racial separatism in the constitution. Palmer answered by saying he disagreed with the person because various rights such as aboriginal title existed before the Treaty.
See? He missed the elephant in the room too.
Nobody disputes that various rights such as aboriginal title existed before the Treaty, but that was not at all what the question was about. The question was about the quality, value, usefulness of those various rights (and te tiriti), not whether they exist.
I would have thought at least Palmer would hae understood the difference. Bit disappointing.
ethnic / racial “trouble” is a’blowin in anyway vto; this constitutional reveiw, which is Excellently-timed, is just fueling the fire; listened to talk-back radio, read a right-wing blog lately, or the comments in The Herald?
Yes, no I don’t try to listen to or read them things, they just get depressing. But yep, unfortunately such a question as that posed does also drag in all the ugly yuckiness that throws itself up everytime such an issue arises.
I was kind of hoping that the clear air in such a forum as that on nat radio may have allowed some space to discuss the issue, particularly as it is about constitutional arrangememts in the future. It is about the most appropriate place ever for the issue to be well aired and considered – yet to date it is missing.
yes. one does have to have a strong constitution to be a witness to these times; still, nothing to be achieved by looking away; at least at The Standard many are on the same page literally, if not actually đ
comment 101, or not… Calling All Angels
(thanks for the guidance re a desktop folks, felix, Al1en, Lanth. DoSs, Draco and Lynn; hopefully a few others took notes; I wrote those components down Viper; $600 and bits left over, cheap as chips)
More Power To Ya. Yeeeeeeeeeeha!
Judy’ll be hosting a pregnantly “nudge nudge wink wink don’t mention Colmar-Brunton” Sunday supper out in Clevedon right now. Repeatedly excusing herself to call Steven J – “Kia Ora Steven…….just calling to see how you are……. who’s over at your place ?”. SJ’s not picking up.
Meanwhile over in Parnell Dunnokeyo’ll be taking solace in big-noting at a BBQ for Max’s adoring, entitled wee prat mates from down the street.
Gerry’ll be cruising the broken streets of Christchurch hazard-jacket clad looking for someone to witness a malodourously flatulent display of being on the job.
Banks’ll be manically swilling down botox pills with rare single malt.
Pointless you say ? Indeed not !
Out of this extraordinary phenomenon of hoi-polloi temeritousness will arise a record-grossing new tele-drama……… “Shonky Python”. I’m not kidding. Pete and Fran emailed the concept to Warners shortly after lunch.
Sorry……..failed to mention Gossie. According to hisher Mum heshe is still locked in hisher room, sonorous sobbing emanating therefrom. My God. This will not end well. It’s been 48 hours.
Meanwhile BM is running reds on the way to the airport in the BM?, sans chauffeur (to whom heshe owes holiday pay, the cad). Boarding the first flight bound for……..well anywhere really. Anywhere there’s no extradition treaty. Careful about that departure card declaration re the excess of $10K mate. You may not be able to come back to buy up all that threepenny real estate.
Oh how Cruel Chance has beset us and laboured our melons !
He is beyond training. Someone in the caucus must see that the Labour Party needs an effective spokesperson for their policies.
Compare and contrast with Norman.
This is too important to stuff up. NZ can’t afford 3 more years of the neo-liberal experiment. our schools, health system will be destroyed if change does not happen in 2014.
If the Labour Party are reading this, please act on behalf of NZ.
I must have missed the announcement that Labour/Greens was taking control of NZ’s monetary supply, and instead of borrowing itself into oblivion, was going to have the RBNZ issue any funds required to *keep the lights on*, build hospitals, schools etc…
We know that Norman has referenced *printing money*, but I am quite sure he does not want to be the victim of a *truncated existance*, being part of the governmment, that was going to turn the debt tap off, and pull the banksters a brown eye!
No, no….the neoliberal experiment will continue quite nicely, regardless of who is in charge!
Edit: Yes, Shearer is byond training, but filling his role beautifully!
Colmar Brunton usually favours the Nats. That they are now polling their lowest since 2005 in CB is the most significant sign yet that John Key has “jumped the shark”.
Let’s see what the next Digipoll says. If that confirms the trend, then knives sharpening indeed…
Nicky boy, you never got around to saying what your life experience actually consisted of, mentioning of mental health issues aside, and know it all, online demeanor, and part time blog tough guy…
Far as I can tell, you do not have anything which resembles *understanding*, which was gained by living outside what ever little place you inhabit!
Lets hear it sonny jim!
Or at least give me a rage fuelled rant, I so miss those of late…
Its got nothing to do with you, double standards, Open Mike or otherwise, you know that, and it was the best you could come up with to run interference for another clumsey interjection!
*groan* – now Key is picking himself up off the ropes, and, desperate to appear relevant, is promoting incentives to attract big spending tourists to NZ – via convention centres, etc. and targeting emerging economies in places like Indonesia, India and Latin America.
What planet is he on? Latin America? Wouldn’t they get more and bigger for their bigger bucks in the US and Canada? Indonesia? Wouldn’t Aussie be more attractive?
look forward to a cable-car being laid under the sea-bed to Beijing.
essentially karol, attracting more Asian migration and investment is the big picture for the business class.
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive  Melissa Lee â as may be discerned from the screenshot above â has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Governmentâs focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes –Â Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu â often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the governmentâs readiness to make urgent changes to âthe resource management systemâ through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes donât go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a âmedia summitâ to discuss âthe state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalismâ. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes –Â This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
 Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for âfast trackâ consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill â currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes-Â The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you arenât wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said âSince we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that âNew Zealandâs economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerfulâ. They also believe that âNew Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerfulâ. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
âYou talking about me?âThe neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hallâs âGlide Timeâ caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Our two-tiered system for veteransâ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veteransâ affairs spokesperson Greg OâConnor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxonâs management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last yearâs 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, Labourâs 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 countryâs 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 Governmentâs Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a âget out of jail freeâ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealandâs good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National governmentâs lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for TÄmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Governmentâs democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Governmentâs proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change thatâs great for the planet and great for consumers after her memberâs bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the countryâs books after Teanau Tuionoâs membersâ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his memberâs bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Todayâs advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Governmentâs newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealandâs urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. âOur Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealandâs hydrogen future, with the opening of the countryâs first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. âI want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealandâs own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealandâs energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. âThe report shows that New Zealandâs emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,â Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where heâll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Governmentâs work to restore law and order. âAttending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealandâs human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the worldâs largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. âThe reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealandâs wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin  NgÄ mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho  Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.  I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. âOur Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealandâs overseas missions.  âOur diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealandâs interests around the world,â Mr Peters says.  âI am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. Â âOver 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. âIt is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. âOur coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
âChina remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,â Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. âRecently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachersâ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.  âThe Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. âScience, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During todayâs meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. âThe Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in TaupĹ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the TaupĹ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. âAnticipation for the ITM TaupĹ Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. âThe coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. âThis project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sectorâs productivity,â Mr Jones says. âThe project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Governmentâs plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. âBenefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Governmentâs commitment to doubling New Zealandâs renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealandâs latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. âOur Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. âNew Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Governmentâs intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. âThe introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Todayâs announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Governmentâs plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. âInflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sectorâs role in the export-led recovery of the economy. âI am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Governmentâs support for the revitalisation the sector.  "New Zealandâs wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. âThe inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. âMy meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the publicâs democratic right to have âa fair sayâ and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard â in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
Iâm on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Heraâs help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener youâre likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
âNever again - No AUKUSâ was the message of the wreath laid at this morningâs national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now sheâs very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice â both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high schoolâs head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble. Â Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhireâs 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.  My World War I Poem  Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging.  Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihanâs gorgeous and sad debut KĹhine, Noelle McCarthyâs memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend NgÄhuia te ...
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Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australiaâs University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourneâs Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australiaâs inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and itâs now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this weekâs Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealandâs coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Leeâs spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammageâs Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australiaâs forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmersâs third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief â beyond the tax cuts â although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Leeâs recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmannâs defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Leeâs âforensicâ and ânuancedâ application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Itâs one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayersâ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of âsix decades of treacheryâ over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazineâs 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish Iâd writtenIf I wish Iâd written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
âThree Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.â ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunalâs report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallaceâs debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that heâs always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe itâs something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. Sheâs ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whÄnau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says âoutlook not greatâ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, itâs not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The âfinancial sustainability targetâ, which was âallocatedâ to Waitaha, is consistent with whatâs happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous governmentâs affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: Whatâs KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertsonâs valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Taiwanâs semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules â and costs â that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didnât know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race heâd dreamed ...
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The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist NgÄhuia te AwekĹtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
This week has been Labour’s best week in a long, long time. Between a movement left against neoliberalism, and achieving (slightly) improved conditions for workers through the mondayising of Anzac day and Waitangi day and Louisa Wall’s wonderful achievement of Marriage equality they achieved a great deal.
National gives the impression of being on the ropes with the Dotcom and other fiascos and you get the feeling that Key’s reputation is finally being tarnished. And although one poll does not a summer make the latest Roy Morgan suggests that things are finally improving.
It was a good week for Labour-Green. Without the Green support, NZ Power would have had less impact. Some very good Green support for the marriage bill: especially liked Mojo Mather’s speech.
And the polls are promoting the possibility of a Labour-Green government.
Agreed entirely Karol. I concentrated on Labour because it has been a while since they have had a good week whereas the Greens have had a number of good weeks recently.
True, micky. It has been a week when the political direction seems to have turned a little left.
With this form, Russel Norman should launch a leadership campaign next time DC bottles it đ
perceptive
Aye! And there are one or two Plunkets who’ve had their wet little fingers in the air testing which way the most popular wind is blowing. I think they detect a change. Hopefully there’ll be morA.
This change in the wind. Sensed as a slight and new fluttery movement in the air. Can we say its finally come? Can we begin to hope again?
Agreed re Labour (and the Greens) but I just hope that Labour – or rather certain Caucus members – don’t mess it up as has happened on too many previous occasions by shotting themselves and Labour in the foot.
IIRC both the TVNZ and TV3 polls are due out today, so here’s hoping the Roy Morgan results are reflected in these.
Just to add to Key’s week, he has been included in BuzzFeedâs selection of the â15 Most Ridiculous World Leaders Of All Timeâ for his three way handshake.
http://www.listener.co.nz/commentary/the-internaut/john-key-named-among-15-most-ridiculous-world-leaders-of-all-time/
http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/the-goofiest-world-leaders-of-all-time
The news that the Green Party are to host an all party conference on climate change is another sign that we may be witnessing a sea change in New Zealand politics. From conservative and timid to more left and bold.
This sea change in politics may not be limited to just New Zealand.
A sample poll of American Republican Party members carried out by George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, revealed that most conservative voters want action on Climate Change.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23365-republican-voters-want-action-on-climate-change.html
Does this study say something for our politicians here?
It has been accepted wisdom for some time now, that raising the issue of climate change in an election campaign is a vote killer.
On this understanding, in 2011, an unspoken gentleman’s agreement made sure that climate change, was not made an election issue by any of the contending parties standing for parliament.
Could this be about to change?
Could a political party that made climate change an election plank, with a campaign demand to drastically cut Green House Gas emissions, do well in the polls?
Going on the US poll it is possible. Times have moved on, the signals are stronger and public awareness is greater.
Whatever the resulting fortunes, for individual parties, we need to hold this debate. Every election we put it off, means one more term of the government cycle without a mandate to act.
Polling company rang us Reed?.
Interestingly one of the questions was do you think Key is a liar!!!
Crikey! Was there a 1-10 option (say 1 being Lance Armstrong, 10 being Goebbels)?
My wife answer and I think it was Yes or No only.
The government is fast rotting from the head down.
Blatant lies and dissembling are right in our faces from John Key, John Banks, Tony Ryall, Paula Bennett, Judith Collins to Susan Devoy.
smelly “fish” Phoebe đ
Reid Research do TV3’s polling and a poll is expected to be released tonight.
Hmmm …
A bad result will have them scurrying to renew the Crosby Textor contract quick as …
Certainly a revealing departure from the usual bog standard sans-political, political poll questionnaires;
ie.
“Who is your preferred Prime Minister”,
“If an election was held tomorrow. Who would you vote for?”
etc, etc.
That such a question is being asked, shows that the government must be worried about their image. After all, that is all they have. When will we ever get a poll that actually asks about policy?
What I would like to see a poll where there is a polling question that asked;
“Would you vote for a party that advocated:
(a) No action against climate change
(b) Moderate action against climate change
(c) Extreme, or possibly extreme actions against climate change?”
Oops Sorry. Not as blunt as that.
Do politician suffer from brain fade.
I made the wrong interpretation from my discussion with her!!!
The Slate, on why we should be worried the captured Boston (alleged) bomber is not being read his Miranda rights.
More on the public safety exceptions.
http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/law-enforcement-bulletin/february2011/legal_digest
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/dzhokhar-tsarnaev-miranda-and-the-public-safety-exception/
“Fine. Good, evenâthat gun could have put other people in danger.”
Replace gun with ‘possible associate terrorists’ and the author has sort of answered her as titled concern.
That, and..
When the truth gets bent out of shape, its easier to *remove morefreedoms*, and control larger swaths of people daily lives!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/17/fbi-federal-reserve-bomb-plot
Yup, lies, lots of them…
Too easy.
“Too easy.”
Said the guy caught on film placing a nail bomb next to an eight year old.
Ah, but you see, it wasn’t their 8-year-old, it was an American 8-year-old, and for some of the above commentors the US is always going to be the Great White Satan. Not so easy to say when you have actually been touched by terrorism.
Yes I seem to remember you crying about Iraqi and Afghanistan 8 year olds all the time.
I do, you son of a bitch, but I don’t feel the need to take out an add in the paper like I’m collecting merit badges like some people I could mention.
mention away…
The Boston bombers, Islam and America.
http://b.globe.com/11pNb0V
http://omidsafi.religionnews.com/2013/04/20/10-essential-points/
http://nyti.ms/YAwgHb
Watching Q+A and the on panel is Heather Roy, Army Reservist???? FFS how is that relevant? apart from the Army stories on the show.
Belligerent idiotic opinions have just as much right to be broadcast as thought through informed opinions …
Oh God, Heather Roy. The Army Reservist buzz was something that she used to promote her “I won’t take any nonsense” tough commando girl image back in the day. It seems that militancy is a theme that right wingers are fond of. Think of those right wing extremist that are also survivalist nuts. Kyle Chapman springs to mind. They think that authoritarianism is the way to solve the worlds woes.
ANZAC Day approaching.
National education policy in a total shambles.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/8577034/School-closures-hit-parents-pockets
Touting dodgy charter schools, pouring money into elite private schools, while they can’t even ensure their state schools are open for the required time!
As a teacher this article annoys me. Obviously published at the beginning of the school holidays to generate more anti feeling towards teachers and imply that they are having even more time off. The facts are shoddy-I don’t know of any school that would have closed just for a meeting about Novopay. Under our collective agreement we are allowed to have 2 Paid Union Meetings a year and the one just taken was to discuss and be informed about our negotiations which have been ongoing since August last year and don’t seem to be progressing much. The parents interviewed seemed more upset that their children had to be looked after for a day rather than being concerned that the children were missing out on learning, showing that some look on school as a baby sitting service.
That article must have been written by a 10 year old. What a mess. I think this is the first time that Easter has fallen outside the term holiday. That would be easy to miss but easy to adjust. A pity Private Schools were not subject to the minimum number of days. They can start finish whenever they like.
Keeping up with the Joneses?.
http://www.zdnet.com/cispa-passes-u-s-house-death-of-the-fourth-amendment-7000014205/
the Right’s amendment
“Security is not really a problem any more.”
The NZ Army has made Bamiyan safe—according to the NZ Army
Radio NZ National, Insight, Sunday 21 April 2013.
Presented by Belinda McCammon
There’s a brilliant scene in the TV series Friday Night Lights, where young Matt Saracen is talking with his dad, who’s just come back from Iraq.
MATT SARACEN: How are things going over there?
HIS FATHER: [long, uncomfortable pause]Great. We’re building schools, fixing roadsâŚ.
This is followed by a long long pause, as father and son acknowledge the unspoken truth behind the pat, formulaic lie.
I was reminded of that superb piece of television when I listened to Insight this morning. New Zealand is finally pulling out of its unwise, unhappy, shameful decade-long involvement in the occupation of Afghanistan. To finally get shot of it, the government sent over the Governor-General, the Minister of Defence and some compliant reporters, on this occasion required to fill the role of public relations people. One of those reporter/PR flacks was Belinda McCammonâŚ.
The mission to Afghanistan gets off to a very poor start with the planeload of New Zealand dignitaries stranded on the tarmac, unable to leave the plane because of “security concerns.”
Once they do get off the plane and into the heavily fortified New Zealand compound, the interviews are almost comical in their evasion of realityâŚ.
BELINDA McCAMMON: So is Bamiyan province making progress?
COMMANDER SHOLTO STEPHENS: Oh, definitely. Around this area there were several documented massacres of Hazara people by the Taliban. They now have good governance, security and sealed roads. So that’s three major ticks that they’ve got. Don’t try to tell them that the New Zealand involvement hasn’t been a success!
One voice above all others is almost sublime in its glibness and hypocrisyâŚ.
JONATHAN COLEMAN: We’ve done a lot to get rid of corruption. There’s still a need to build up institutions, like the public service. There’s lots we can be proud of.
But all the assurances and and all of the spin has obviously not convinced Belinda McCammon. She is a lot brighter and less biddable than other officially approved “journalists” who have been sent over there. She actually has the courage to undermine the words of Coleman and Commander StephensâŚ.
BELINDA McCAMMON: But it’s hard to escape the feeling of uncertainty.
Then it’s back to the bullshit from the army spin merchantsâŚ.
ARMY SPOKESMAN: The atmosphere here is benign. We are reasonably confident that the local security forces can manage the situation.
This is promptly undermined by radio time pips, and recordings of a recent news broadcast: “The Minister of Defence says that reality has come home to New Zealand troops in Afghanistan, after two New Zealand soldiers were killed overnightâŚ.”
And then another one: “New Zealand has lost three more soldiers, just a few days after the deaths of two of their colleagues in BamiyanâŚ.”
Cut to a ceremony unveiling a memorial to New Zealanders who have died in Bamiyan. Belinda McCammon notes that the locals all have their faces covered. Obviously they do not share the bounding optimism of Jonathan Coleman and Sholto Stephens.
Somebody from the New Zealand Embassy vapors enthusiastically: “There’s a general air of prosperity here, you know. There’s endless possibility out there⌠a great WORLD of opportunity out thereâŚPresident Karzai remarked to us over lunch that the GDP per capita has increased TEN-FOLD over the last ten years and I like to think we have played our part in that.”
Then we hear the Governor-General, Sir Jerry Mateparae, talking platitudinous nonsense as always: “Many challenges remain for Bamiyan and AfghanistanâŚThe seeds we have sown together⌔
There are 29 interpreters, plus their families, coming to live in New Zealand. The young interpreter who spoke to Belinda McCammon obviously does not believe any of the talk about Afghanistan being safer. He wants to get out as fast as possible.
Some pompous nonsense by Lt. Gen. Rhys Jones, and some sober analysis by Robert Ayson from Victoria University.
Final “analysis” is by the ever-positive Commander Sholto Stephens. “The locals have got a good grasp of the security situation,” he states, still maintaining that diligent air of high seriousness. “In fact,” he goes on, “security is not really a problem any more.” (Perhaps he’d forgotten that planeload of New Zealanders too afraid to even leave the plane at the airport.) The fact is, continues Commander Stevens, Afghanistan is simply engulfed by crime, which makes it no different to other places around the world.
So there we have it. According to the New Zealand Defence Force, all the crime and all the killings are a POSITIVE SIGN. Things are getting better! Every killing, every bombing, every standover, every act of extortion is a step to true liberation!
——————————————————————————————-
There was not a mention of the shameful episodes of New Zealand soldiers being browbeaten by American goons into breaking the law and handing over captive civilians to possible torture and summary execution. Of course, there is one respected and knowledgeable New Zealand journalist in Afghanistan: Jon Stephenson. He was not even mentioned, let alone interviewed. Instead we got to hear the rigorously on-message voices of Jonathan Coleman, Lt. Gen. Rhys Jones, Sholto Stephens, a vapid diplomat, and the Governor-General.
Belinda McCammon, or her editors, did a splendid job of undermining these official lies by playing those radio news broadcasts straight after the lies; however, an assessment of New Zealand’s foreign policy requires robust and rigorous analysis, not ironic counterpointing. Irony is the resort of the weak, the fearful and the heavily censored. We need honest and forthright journalism. Belinda McCammon did a good job, but she is no Jon Stephenson.
Here’s a more honest assessment of the situation in BamiyanâŚ.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203630604578072620297779196.html
And here’s why the Governor-General could be looking at a date with the International Criminal CourtâŚ.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1104/S00150/has-gov-general-designate-jerry-mateparae-misled-the-nation.htm
There’s a documentary on Wednesday evening on Maori T.V. at 8.30 p.m. that ‘challenges New Zealandâs Role in Afghanistan.’ It’s called ‘He Toki Huna: New Zealand in Afghanistan’.
Thanks for that, Paul. I shall watch with high interest.
Check out this rather sweet slap-down of a notable academic justification for austerity programmes. Very nice I thought.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/04/grad-student-who-shook-global-austerity-movement.html
Rather sweet slap-down Clockie ? You are an admirably calm fulla aren’t you ?
Magnificent, bloody magnificent I’d call it !
Thank you so, so much for the link.
Note the first of 253 comments at the foot of the article from one Glebec.
Just how much of the TINOW justification for austerity derives from negligence, clay feet, wilful fraud, variously ?
Glad to know it’s not just me who felt a warm glow reading that one North :). I received the link from my politically and environmentally active twenty year old daughter this morning and after quickly reading it thought, that’s my girl! I would have been more effusive and enthusiastic in my recommendation but reined myself in and went for dignified endorsement instead..
I was on brunch cooking duties this morning so I haven’t had a chance to trawl through the comments. I’ll have that pleasure this afternoon.
That grad student is from U Mass Amhurst. Which happens to be where the USA’s leading Marxian economist, RD Wolff, is emeritus professor đ
rdwolff.com
I guess the Right will attempt to tar the lot of them with the “commie academic” label. I was reading an article somewhere recently about a British born Marxian economist (can’t recall the name dammit) who has been teaching courses on Das Kapital since he arrived in the USA back in the sixties. Sounded fascinating but I doubt if I possess the intellectual heft to read and follow fellas like that.
don’t put your self down (plenty of people on the right of the political speculum to do that for you).
I know I’m not a total moron but neither am I a practised intellectual, so, just being realistic really :). Here is the guy I was trying to remember:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Harvey_(geographer)
He’s a social theorist rather than an economist but I guess in some ways the difference between those two things is, well, academic really. đ
There is a series of talks and interviews featuring him on you tube;
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=david+harvey+capital&oq=david+harvey&gs_l=youtube.1.4.0l10.2303.10835.0.15170.12.12.0.0.0.0.628.2937.1j1j9j5-1.12.0…0.0…1ac.1.eujZCiA5seo
which I dipped into one day. Very interesting guy.
Sorry, I’m a mechanical guy not digi-tech enough to know how to fix that link.
Clockie: will be sourcing some David Harvey in book form (so many books, so little time) I was, as many know, a diesel / truck mechanic before I went mad and took up gardening and fear of the Lord đ
The difference is that the economists are far lesser people as they’ve forgotten or purposefully dropped the fact that economics used to be part of philosophy. They forgotten the should part of economics.
Also they’ve created an economic theory which doesn’t involve people and their social wellbeing in the least.
Heh. David Harvey is a Geographer. I had a fair few of his readings in my Human Geography classes. I didn’t have the intellectual heft to fully understand him either. Heavy writing. I’m glad he started making videos, they’re so much easier to understand so I stick with those unless I need the detail.
“Heâs a social theorist rather than an economist but I guess in some ways the difference between those two things is, well, academic really.”
Imo the difference between a Human Geographer and an Economist is that the Geographer will take on any theoretical perspective that suits what they’re investigating – the scroungers of the academic world đ – and incorporate society, environment, economy and whatever else is needed to get a full picture of the research in question. It means they’re good academic and research collaborators. Human Geography went through the ‘lets be a science’ bent and came through it. Economists are still stuck in a reductionist mode, discarding any societal or environmental intrusion in their purist models.
It made it quite difficult to reconcile the two views as an undergrad studying both, so I stuck with geography, it made much more sense to me.
really enjoyed this comment rosy; hope that you get the feedback
Yes, I do like some of the developments in Human Geography over the last couple of decades.
I have been into David Harvey since I read his “Condition of Postmodernity”. I think he focuses a lot on urban geography.
His book “A Brief History of Neoliberalism” is my main reference point for my thinking on “neoliberalism”.
what led you to yesterdays OM, or do you rely on an RSS feed?
Thanks Ghost, pleased you enjoyed it. It’s unusual to have an opportunity to put in a word for Human Geography.
Karol, Social Justice and the City was my introduction to Harvey. It really hard work for me to understand the concepts because I had begun university years after leaving school at 15 and with no qualifications. I felt that book pretty much marked the end of Geography’s ‘scientific’ project, and gave me the sense I could take more of a holistic view of a topic than I otherwise would have.
Just do what Harvey himself did – re-read it. He didn’t get it the first time either.
Ha, guy with the ability to add a row of numbers together disproves theoretical pillar of austerity economics.
Also, I think someone has posted this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOP2V_np2c0
before, but it’s so good it bears being brought to the fore again.
Thanks Clockie, a nice plain language vid.
Moment of the Waco fertiliser plant explosion. Ouch. And notice how light travels faster than an atmosphere propagated shockwave.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROrpKx3aIjA
Texas, the best state to do business in.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/04/19/1893601/update-last-inspection-of-west-texas-fertilizer-plant-was-in-1985/
UPDATE
The plant in West was inspected in 2011 by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), which issued a fine of $10,100 for missing placards and ânot having a security planâ in violation of Hazardous Materials Regulations. A compromise was reached in 2012 after corrective actions were taken, which included the plant admitting to the violations and paying a lowered penalty of $5,250.
Apparently the plant owners failed to self-report that they were holding massive quantities of ammonium nitrate on site to the regulatory agency the Department for Homeland Security.
Along with TNT, ammonium nitrate is a key ingredient in WW I / WWII / Korean War era high explosives.
http://rt.com/usa/texas-blast-dhs-disclosure-149/
This reminds me of the coolstore in the North Island where fighting a fire there killed a fireman. They were using stuff they shouldn’t have been.
These results underline that we have to have an active on the ground inspectorate. Let the government think of such plants as potential weapons of mass destruction!
And industries like forestry as potentially hazrdous and risky so that proper systems are followed and regularly inspected. (This wouldn’t mean there never would be deliberate or ignorant and stupid actions but they would be kept to a minimum.)
I’d say there’s a little corporate buttock clenching going on.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/20/17838304-red-flag-texas-plant-had-1350-times-amount-of-chemical-that-would-trigger-oversight?lite
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/20/lawmaker-texas-fertilizer-plant-was-willfully-off-the-grid/
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Plant-was-cited-for-lack-of-permit-4445141.php
West was a baby compared to the Oppau explosion.
The explosion was estimated to be equivalent to about 1â2 kilotonnes of TNT and was heard as a loud bang in Munich, more than 300 km away. The pressure wave ripped roofs off up to 25 km away and destroyed windows even farther away. In Heidelberg (30 km from Oppau), traffic was stopped by the mass of broken glass on the streets
[…]
According to some descriptions, only 450 tonnes exploded, out of 4,500 tonnes of fertilizer stored in the warehouse.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oppau_explosion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonium_nitrate_disasters
joe90
Thought provoking wikipedia link- thoughts not good.
Lovely to see Joyce on Q + A mouthing ” these (‘communist’) clowns……. ” as he tried to dismiss Parker.
Lovely because if that’s how National intends to counter (1) the smack to the head which Labour/Greens have delivered re electricity and (2) a seeming trend towards dissatisfaction generally, a great bunch of the public are going to hoot and say – ” So those clowns are calling everyone else clowns now……..What ? What ? ”
Additionally, significant numbers will identify and be repelled by the disgustingly arrogant look of it – ” Now don’t you worry about it you (dumb) people. Take it from us…….they’re just clowns “. Wanking on about North Korea and Albania and Chavez and communism is only gonna make National look more desperately bullshitty.
This is not 1975. Dancing Cossacks was a stunt which will not work today. Why ? Because in ’75 the Cold War spectre was Kiwis’ property being forcibly appropriated by the government into the hands of the government, a la communism. Today the Global Bankers’ Bonuses spectre is Kiwis’ property being forcibly appropriated by the government into the hands of fifty times millionaires and their foreign buddies. And this as the people get inexorably poorer and the already fabulously wealthy get inexorably richer.
So this government is left to deal in some other way with the incompetent clown equation already more or less set in stone: Key – “I don’t have a clue smirk smirk……..”, ” I don’t recall……..oh hang on, yes I do………as you were, I do, but differently “. Parata. My God who doubts it ? The dodgy Banks. Key put him there over a cuppa. He’s still there because Key won’t read official reports. The list goes on.
To the Gosman and the Chris73 and the King Kong and the BM and others – perceptions boys and girls. Perceptions. Your snorting arrogance has blinded you to the fact that perceptions cut both ways. And to the fact that lies and corruption while not capitalised quite yet are certainly in the frame. Simply, the public at large are not like your greedy hardcore neo-liberals or your snotty wee wannabee John Key cargo-cultists. The public smells the whiff of bullshit once, then twice, then again and again – Whanganui-like hoha at the cumulation of repeated whiffs producing stench. Add arrogance. As above – “What ?……What ?”
Can Gosman’s Mum please update her report that he/she was last seen in his/her room crying inconsolably ? Mum, you need to be warned. There’s a poll out tonight which apparently asks the question – ” Is John Key a liar ? “. Mum, there’s an 0800 number you can have.
Taxpayers are paying Cabinet Ministers their high salaries and want to see value for money; taxpayers expect them to govern for us and to do a lot more than abuse great policy ideas on prime time television.
Meanwhile, the power bosses should be coming out and be really strident – a lot more vocally nasty, given their obscene remunerations are being put at risk:
http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/power-bosses-salaries-top-1m-5412754
And even if you did consider buying shares in MRP there may be a problem in getting advice as Rod Oram found.
“Professional advice on Mighty River Power is highly elusive. ”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/columnists/8577703/Tight-lips-over-Mighty-River-Power-analysis
My conversations with investment advisors at social events have been that it is difficult for ‘mums and dads’ investors to get fuller information, unlike institutional investors. So Rod Oram is quite right.
My advice to the NZ public at this stage is to think very carefully about buying the MRP shares, especially if there are other investment options.
Looks like John Key is lining up mums and dads to be screwed.
With the general trend towards a new normal, the power market, taken together with the domestic and international economic climate, do not bode so well.
Funny thing is, if labour and the melons form the next government, I’d make a ton more money under them than what I’d do under National.
By the time the next election rolls around I should be making basically all my money overseas
With the dollar collapsed and all the wealth fleeing off shore, my money will be safe overseas gaining in value while all the other poor souls suffer with job losses collapsing house prices sky rocketing food bills etc.
I’d be amazed if they last a term and when Shearer and the rest of the communists do get the boot you won’t see a left party in government for a generation.
In the aftermath of the economic destruction, I will bring my money back and buy up properties etc at pennies on the dollar.
You really shouldn’t believe in the Apocolypse mate, it makes you seem like a nutter.
Especially since the greatest capitalist nation in the world the USA has just suffered massive house price collapses, rocketing unemployment, wages deflation, and people fleeing the USD into gold and also hard productive assets.
See isn’t that interesting, we haven’t experienced any of that.
I wonder why?
As for the apocalypse comment, that’s what Normans whole economic policy is based around which is the collapse of the worlds economies due to fossil fuel depletion,he’s bet the house on it.
The guy’s a dangerous religious zealot, he will try to disconnect NZ from the world economy and it will be a disaster.
We’re a more socialist nation than the USA, with tighter regulations on our banking and financial sector.
Because Australia regulates banks far more than the US and A do. That’s the only reason I can see. Or is the right answer Obama Muslim Communist Kenyan?
Probably because John Key and National hadn’t yet got round to turning us into their financial hub of the South Seas?
BM – I wonder you could see your keyboard through your gales of tears. Gosman’s Mum is setting up a support group. Join it. But hang on…….all is not lost:
Para 1 – You’d make a ton more money under labour/melons.
There’s the answer that really attracts you BM.
Para 2 – Your money will be offshore safe and secure, gaining in value
You absolutely sure about that ? Don’t choose Cyprus.
Para 2 – Collapse collapse collapse in NZ
Because YOU would take your money out ? Thick self-centred fool you are.
Para 3 – Shearer and the rest of the communists…….
Well done Senator Joe McCarthy The Dancing Shitshack ! You must be 120 years old by now.
Para 4 – “I will come back and buy up properties etc at pennies in the dollar……..”
So you’ll be voting labour /melons then BM ?
Nothing you’ve ever said on this blog suggests the vaguest understanding of the concept of an economic common good so of course you’ll be voting for them labour/melon communists. If what you say is correct you’d shoot yourself in the foot if you didn’t wouldn’t you ?
I suspect the truth is this: you’ve made a bob (probably less than your blowhardish allusions imply) and you’re on this blog demanding congratulations. Don’t talk to the people on this blog BM. Without documented proof of the financial empire you’ve built you’re not likely to get the lionising and obedience you seek. Talk to Dunnokeyo. He’s got a few knighthoods left in his back pocket.
Imagine the thrill of first-class check-in out at the airport mate………..Sir Bowel Motion !!!!
Nope, I’m still voting National.
It’s much better for the country if I do.
I love your religious faith in the face of all facts
For you maybe. But for a hell of a lot of people it will be much much worse.
BM
Send your requirements to all the political leaders. I am sure they will tailor their policies for your particular benefit.
sour grapes then
Wow, you don’t even the delusional economic theory that you follow.
HINT: A lower dollar will boost demand of NZ goods on the world market and so demand for workers will also increase and thus wages will rise.
Keep dreaming – it’s National and their stooges that we won’t see in government for a generation. Same as what happened to the first Labour government.
It makes no difference, in the greater scheme of things, who the government of this country is.
We do not control our own country, and have not since 1961!
Control was ceded earlier than that, but the 1961 IMF loans, and conditionality’s policies which came with those loans, are still playing out!
Dreadful interviewing from Corin Dann, he let Joyce push him around. David Parker is terrible on TV, especially against a bully like Joyce.
Dann should have just said, “ok so you’re telling the public that you have no solution to higher electricity prices and that they should just suck it up?”
Dann repeatedly appears to be a light-weight.
Parker is terrible but Shearer is much worse and must be kept out of sight even if the interviewer is a light-weight like Dann. Natz’ tactic would be to smoke out Shearer and then put his mumble, stumble and fumble on display.
Shearer is improving; practice makes an expert; even Joker’s can shape-shift; U seem either practiced or a quick learner yourself at this collectivity gig. đ Hope that you are enjoying your day and that lunch has settled.
Shearer should have been practising on tv this morning then?
Still lots of time on this side of the let’s-give-him-another-six months.
“scales” lift from their eyes; Shearers assurance rises as NAct spokes people fall and foul;
Middle Earth may be a little naive but given enough time they catch on.(crosses fingers and prays three times)
I consistently watch the pollies presentation critically; Shearer is improving, both in the house and on the box.
Labour are playing a more restrained game it appears, for example moderation in exposure of Cunliffe, even Robertson appears settled (at the end of the day it is the perception of the potential voters that elect parties to power) and solidarity, co-operation, appears to be cementing their progress. It is definately the tory-shill MSM they have to be careful of and the incompetence and bias of interviewers like Wood and establishment commentator fools like Edwards and Ralston (what is it about wealth and privilage that generally makes it inversely proportional to real humanity?)
My gardening tip of the day: take deep slow belly breaths, in through the nose 1 2 3 4 5…out 2 3 4 5, it appears that those on the right of the political spectrum are less able to put this technique into practice and defer to instinct primarily; they cannot help themselves, as a generalization. (the political polls, and analysis of such that is to be found on The Standard is far superior to any image / sound bite to be entertained by on the 6 O’Clock News ;-D
Linking TDB posts into TS is catchy
Salt, and Light
16:8 Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice
16:7 When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.
Better to Give A Little Bit than a
Crime Of The Century
Remember the days they used to leave hanged or crucified criminals or political enemies near the gateways of ancient cities to serve as visual warnings to all citizens?
Well, they’ve just done it with a post autopsy photo of the dead, older, badly disfigured Boston Marathon bombing suspect. Screw friends, family, due process, coroners report, etc.
Who says that the parallels between Imperial Rome and the US don’t hold?
I saw the photo, its not nice. Following link is just a text description of the leak.
http://www.ibtimes.com/tamerlan-tsarnaev-death-photo-surfaces-autopsy-picture-reddit-slain-boston-bombing-suspect-no-1
Do you subscribe to reddit or was it a ghost protocol search?
Hows your day going?
assuming that picture is authentic, let’s hope that is not a symbolic cadaver of miranda caution, legal representation, and trial by jury and judge according to the laws of the land.
Cruising along, dreary day, bright spirits, thank you kindly
Who is “they”?
If Obama – or, say, anybody – were standing in front of banners of the bullet riddled corpse then yeah, that would seem to be an apt comparison. The fact that a photo was circulated among law enforcement and leaked, in this electronic media driven world we live in, is utterly unsurprising.
The photo sends a pretty clear signal. Did I say it was surprising? Where did I indicate surprise that officials would break their own rules and circulate images like this?
The photo sends a pretty clear signal that there are no secrets any more.
For God’s sake it isn’t even front page on Reddit, how much of a warning could it be? And by tomorrow no one will remember anyway, because Taylor Swift is going to wear something really interesting. Lighten up!
I had hoped you would take the actions of law enforcement and government officials more seriously.
Oh, you’d be unhappy about anything less than a full embrace of your empire-conspiracy-fetish narrative.
Evidence and documentation regarding investigations in process should not be forwarded to unauthorised persons. Especially where the dignity of otherwise unassociated friends and family members is involved.
Is that really so hard for you to understand?
Boston Red Sox fans and Neil Diamond.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqXyHon_hD8
coincidentally, was just listening to Neil Diamond singing
Last Thing On My Mind off the album “Stones”
Just listening to a piece on nat radio about the constitutional review going on. A Dr Maria Barge talked about Maori representation, how it arose and what it should be, etc. She was certainly correct about most everything she said but completely missed the elephant in the room, namely whether such racial separatism is any good for a modern society. Her entire piece was predicated on the existence of the Treaty and rights that existed pre-Treaty, which is all fine and dandy, but like pretty much every commentator in this area the question of the suitability of the Treaty and any pre-existing rights is completely and utterly ignored.
I think this is a major flaw in this area. The use of the Treaty and whether it actualy achieves what it needs to achieve today is simply not looked at. It is not discussed. It is not considered. It is like everyone just blindly goes on about the existence of the Treaty and what it contains, leading to the question f whether it has been honoured. Of course, those components are entirely legitimate. But the underlying value and quality of the Treaty is not considered and this is very poor form on our part as a country.
If the Treaty turns out to be flawed and it is unthinkingly set in even harder stone in our constitutional arrangements then it will clearly lead to trouble.
This subject is ignored. It is not the right approach.
And then dear old Geoff Palmer goes and does the exact same thing in relation to a question from the floor.
A person asked about equality / racial separatism in the constitution. Palmer answered by saying he disagreed with the person because various rights such as aboriginal title existed before the Treaty.
See? He missed the elephant in the room too.
Nobody disputes that various rights such as aboriginal title existed before the Treaty, but that was not at all what the question was about. The question was about the quality, value, usefulness of those various rights (and te tiriti), not whether they exist.
I would have thought at least Palmer would hae understood the difference. Bit disappointing.
ethnic / racial “trouble” is a’blowin in anyway vto; this constitutional reveiw, which is Excellently-timed, is just fueling the fire; listened to talk-back radio, read a right-wing blog lately, or the comments in The Herald?
Yes, no I don’t try to listen to or read them things, they just get depressing. But yep, unfortunately such a question as that posed does also drag in all the ugly yuckiness that throws itself up everytime such an issue arises.
I was kind of hoping that the clear air in such a forum as that on nat radio may have allowed some space to discuss the issue, particularly as it is about constitutional arrangememts in the future. It is about the most appropriate place ever for the issue to be well aired and considered – yet to date it is missing.
yes. one does have to have a strong constitution to be a witness to these times; still, nothing to be achieved by looking away; at least at The Standard many are on the same page literally, if not actually đ
comment 101, or not…
Calling All Angels
(thanks for the guidance re a desktop folks, felix, Al1en, Lanth. DoSs, Draco and Lynn; hopefully a few others took notes; I wrote those components down Viper; $600 and bits left over, cheap as chips)
More Power To Ya. Yeeeeeeeeeeha!
Colmar Brunton has Nats on 43%. Lowest since 2005. Labour is on 36%.
Key’s personal popularity has taken a hit too. Down five to 39%.
Good solid result for Labour. I can hear the sound of knives sharpening over in the National caucus. What did they have the Greens come in at?
Greens 13, Winston 3. Conservatives 2, others 1 each, except the MP, who have vanished, apparently.
I see Key lost 5 personal points, but Shearer’s own rating did not move.
As long as we fight the election on policy, it shouldn’t matter. Brand Key alone isn’t enough this time.
Judy’ll be hosting a pregnantly “nudge nudge wink wink don’t mention Colmar-Brunton” Sunday supper out in Clevedon right now. Repeatedly excusing herself to call Steven J – “Kia Ora Steven…….just calling to see how you are……. who’s over at your place ?”. SJ’s not picking up.
Meanwhile over in Parnell Dunnokeyo’ll be taking solace in big-noting at a BBQ for Max’s adoring, entitled wee prat mates from down the street.
Gerry’ll be cruising the broken streets of Christchurch hazard-jacket clad looking for someone to witness a malodourously flatulent display of being on the job.
Banks’ll be manically swilling down botox pills with rare single malt.
Pointless you say ? Indeed not !
Out of this extraordinary phenomenon of hoi-polloi temeritousness will arise a record-grossing new tele-drama……… “Shonky Python”. I’m not kidding. Pete and Fran emailed the concept to Warners shortly after lunch.
Sorry……..failed to mention Gossie. According to hisher Mum heshe is still locked in hisher room, sonorous sobbing emanating therefrom. My God. This will not end well. It’s been 48 hours.
Meanwhile BM is running reds on the way to the airport in the BM?, sans chauffeur (to whom heshe owes holiday pay, the cad). Boarding the first flight bound for……..well anywhere really. Anywhere there’s no extradition treaty. Careful about that departure card declaration re the excess of $10K mate. You may not be able to come back to buy up all that threepenny real estate.
Oh how Cruel Chance has beset us and laboured our melons !
SHONKEY PYTHON! You just made my day Northie, ta muchly
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/national-s-popularity-slips-seven-year-low-poll-5413152
However 3news not so good, as usual.
Shearer on 3 News: “That’s just John Key talking out of his…. mouth.”…?
PS; And Key saying it’s his “centre right” government versus the Labour Green’ “far left”…. somebody please get out there and call it the BS it is!
Yep, awful. The are other ways to say arse without looking lame.
Don’t call it bullshit. Laugh, and say ‘Look, John Key just doesn’t know where the centre is anymore’.
Damn, that’s a good line…
oooh, was talking into the wrong microphone; Germany may turn off the Fawcett; Far-out
http://www.ibtimes.com/german-debt-rises-dangerous-highs-1197869
Chinese are buying gold faster than cabbages đ
http://www.ibtimes.com/chinese-consumers-rush-buy-gold-global-gold-prices-plunged-last-week-1204823
He is beyond training. Someone in the caucus must see that the Labour Party needs an effective spokesperson for their policies.
Compare and contrast with Norman.
This is too important to stuff up. NZ can’t afford 3 more years of the neo-liberal experiment. our schools, health system will be destroyed if change does not happen in 2014.
If the Labour Party are reading this, please act on behalf of NZ.
I must have missed the announcement that Labour/Greens was taking control of NZ’s monetary supply, and instead of borrowing itself into oblivion, was going to have the RBNZ issue any funds required to *keep the lights on*, build hospitals, schools etc…
We know that Norman has referenced *printing money*, but I am quite sure he does not want to be the victim of a *truncated existance*, being part of the governmment, that was going to turn the debt tap off, and pull the banksters a brown eye!
No, no….the neoliberal experiment will continue quite nicely, regardless of who is in charge!
Edit: Yes, Shearer is byond training, but filling his role beautifully!
The Reid Research is a rogue.
Colmar Brunton usually favours the Nats. That they are now polling their lowest since 2005 in CB is the most significant sign yet that John Key has “jumped the shark”.
Let’s see what the next Digipoll says. If that confirms the trend, then knives sharpening indeed…
A bit odd at TV3. Reid poll:
Nat 49.4
Lab 30.2
Green 11.5
NZF 3.8
Trends and all that but differences a bit umm strange?
How do Reid source their poll?
Any difference between this poll’s methodology is different from the other companies’ technique?
http://crispian-jago.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/the-conspiracy-theory-flowchart-they.html
And muzza “believes” which ever ones get the best response :3
Nicky boy, you never got around to saying what your life experience actually consisted of, mentioning of mental health issues aside, and know it all, online demeanor, and part time blog tough guy…
Far as I can tell, you do not have anything which resembles *understanding*, which was gained by living outside what ever little place you inhabit!
Lets hear it sonny jim!
Or at least give me a rage fuelled rant, I so miss those of late…
or, you may both park up on a sandy knoll and enjoy a spot of surf-casting…
nor have you, muzza
I gotta ride; me movie is on I’m told. :-D.
How does my RFI to Nick, involve you, McFlock?
Open mike, fool. Just pointing out your double standard, just in case you want to correct it for the spectators.
Its got nothing to do with you, double standards, Open Mike or otherwise, you know that, and it was the best you could come up with to run interference for another clumsey interjection!
Let Nick speak for himself, if he can manage it!
Oh, I’m sure ‘the man’ muzz would like shut me up for speaking truth to lunacy, but I have the interwebz! I am invincible!
Come see the censorship inherent in the system!
đ
*goes back to Firefall*
*groan* – now Key is picking himself up off the ropes, and, desperate to appear relevant, is promoting incentives to attract big spending tourists to NZ – via convention centres, etc. and targeting emerging economies in places like Indonesia, India and Latin America.
What planet is he on? Latin America? Wouldn’t they get more and bigger for their bigger bucks in the US and Canada? Indonesia? Wouldn’t Aussie be more attractive?
look forward to a cable-car being laid under the sea-bed to Beijing.
essentially karol, attracting more Asian migration and investment is the big picture for the business class.
now, where were we before we got all hot and distracted, oh yes,
China’s State Council, or cabinet, examines US Human Rights Records (see, vinyl’s back in style)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-turns-the-tables-and-criticizes-the-us-for-its-own-human-rights-record/2013/04/21/f5c61b5c-aa3d-11e2-9e1c-bb0fb0c2edd9_story.html
How the West missed a chance to make peace with Tehran,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/10007603/Iran-how-the-West-missed-a-chance-to-make-peace-with-Tehran.html
oooh, Revolving Doors
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/10006992/The-debt-ridden-EU-stares-bankruptcy-in-the-face.html
oooh, declines in the EU Stockmarkets too; wonder what it all means đ
http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article40054.html