Hot cup of morning ideological coffee, from Bernie Sanders’ speech yesterday on what democratic socialism means for him:
“In that remarkable speech this is what Roosevelt said, and I quote: ‘We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. Necessitous men are not free men.’ In other words, real freedom must include economic security. That was Roosevelt’s vision 70 years ago. It is my vision today. It is a vision that we have not yet achieved. It is time we did…The right to a decent job at decent pay, the right to adequate food, clothing, and time off from work, the right for every business, large and small, to function in an atmosphere free from unfair competition and domination by monopolies. The right of all Americans to have a decent home and decent health care. What Roosevelt was stating in 1944, what Martin Luther King, Jr. stated in similar terms 20 years later and what I believe today, is that true freedom does not occur without economic security.”
Yep, Ad, Thanks for the interesting quote. The Roosevelts were definitely on the right track. (Eleanor included – she was instrumental in setting up the UN Decl of Human rights, i think).
Its a pity America lost sight of that vision. Interesting to see the comments on the role of corporations even way back then. A major difference between then and now is that the corporate lobby groups have become even more entrenched with respect to their political influence and power. Bernie Sanders will be in for a hard ride, alas.
“For nearly four years you have had an Administration which instead of twirling its thumbs has rolled up its sleeves. We will keep our sleeves rolled up.
We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace—business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.
They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.
Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred.
I should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master.“
worth remembering that the only feason FDR was any good was because of massive riots, demonstrations and sit down protests which forced him to confrobt the capitalist class and tell them that if they didn’t conceede a few things to workers and citizens, they might end up losing it all.
The only riots started in Auckland these days are when wrinkly white guys start yelling about Unitary Plan provisions and rates increases. Mention either density, heritage features, or your Council bill going up more than 5%, and it’s A Fistful of Dollars and rotating handbag Hail Mary’s at the Howick Bowling Club.
No one from Labour came to TPPA marches last week.
Pathetic.
I shall help campaign to remove them on the TPPA in electorates where they can be beaten by the Greens or New Zealand First.
Only Green MPs in Auckland.
Wonder who will turn up for Climate March.
Clearly not Bill English, who thinks climate change is ‘speculative.’
Pity he doesn’t listen to his spiritual leader, the Pope.
3 Labour MPs at the Auckland Hikoi for Homes today – Jenni Salesa, Phil Twyford and Jacinda Adern did the whole 3 hours in spite of heavy rain at times. Jan Logie and Marama Davidson were there from the Greens. I saw lots of positive interaction between Greens and Labour supporters.
I find it very hard to understand what Little thought he was up to.
He didn’t have to say anything and he shouldn’t have.
Anyone like to estimate what the Labour Party supporters in South Auckland might think about Little? I don’t know the area but I would have thought the Pacific Island population might just be a little peeved.
You can say that again. Mass hysteria of the worst kind. Reminds me a bit of the Princess Diana death manic behaviour. I have no doubt Jonah Lomu was a decent bloke and a great footballer but a state funeral? Jesus the world’s going nuts.
I’m going to upset a few people with the following but who cares:
Jonah Lomu is of Tongan extraction. Among the poorest families in NZ are Tongan families and what did Lomu do? He came out publicly supporting John Key as prime minister even though his government has made the living conditions of many of his own kinsmen/women a damm sight worse than they were 8 years ago.
Riddillusion
You’re the one politicising Jonah and this discussion about him by making your cheap shots. They don’t come much cheaper than the brand you adopt.
Personally I think that Andrew Little should have been supportive of a state funeral. Jonah was a good guy apparently, made a success of himself, lived a short life that many sportspeople now seem to, but in his time carved out an amazing place for himself in people’s minds and hearts. He was a role model for tryers who are willing to work on their skills and for PI people who are pleased to see someone get out from the factory and cleaning jobs.
He also appealed to the working man. There were a lot of guys who liked Shane Jones for being a mans man and Jonah was someone they held in high regard.
tinfoilhat
Pot meet kettle then. Actually Anne is one of the nicest most thoughtful people on this blog. So don’t try and bring her down to your level you jerk.
You have some good points there Anne. The voice of reason, like the little boy who was brave enough to point out the emperor had no clothes when everyone else was bowing and scraping because they didn’t want to stand out. Yes he was a good rugby player. Yes he had a right to his politics but I think he is very like John Key in that he had advantages that enabled him to get to where he did and he was happy to support an ideology which pulled the ladder up for those who came after.
If you looked at the Stuff poll 65% were opposed. Neither are valid polls however.
I agree with Little. Ed Hillary got a state funeral because of what he did after he climbed Everest. Giving Lomu a state funeral for being a very good at rugby is a stupid idea that Little rightly dismissed .
hi anne and karen, i agree about no state funeral for a mere good rugby player, however, jonah was a great all black in a hugely transformative time in rugby and world politics.
he was a big influence in the change to professional rugby, both how the game was played on the field, and on the business side.
jonah was so often the last player to leave the field, signing for children.
he was generous with his time with charities and humble to the bone.
i say this not to change your minds but to perhaps shed a little light as to how others view a good father, great all black, hero to many, and a decent man.
There are many, many people who have achieved very well in sport and gone on to do far more charity work than Lomu ever did, and I have no idea of what you mean by his being a great All Black in a transformative time in “world politics.” Hardly any countries play rugby – it isn’t even a world sport let alone having any influence on world politics.
No denying Lomu was a great All Black, and for that he received a lot of kudos in his life time.
He was also generally thought to be a decent human being. That is not enough to warrant a state funeral. If it were we would be having them every week, but they are actually very rare.
No denying Lomu was a great All Black, and for that he received a lot of kudos in his life time.
Precisely, and there’s no denying he was a decent bloke too if, in my view, a little lacking in insight. But to counter that, he did have more than his fair share of health issues.
There are plenty pf people who would qualify for the same sort of kudos but they would not expect a “state funeral”. Indeed I doubt Jonah Lomu envisaged such a farewell. State funerals are confined to the truly greatest in our land. Sir Edmond Hillary was a truly great man.
As for you tinfoilhat. I suggest you reflect on your occasional faulty perceptions and your [sometime] attitude.
not rationed per se, but in my experience one would perhaps expect one in their lifetime…as outstanding as Jonah Lomu was, a comparable case could be made for many in a range of endeavors and I suspect we may end up having State funerals on a monthly roster.
Jonah Lomu went beyond merely playing rugby. He was involved in charity work and became an ambassador for the game and in effect country.
Nevertheless, whether or not Lomu secured a state service is totally out of Littles hands. He’s not the PM, thus has no say on the matter. Therefore, why comment on it?
As leader of the opposition, Little has far more pressing matters to focus on rather than risk upsetting a number of voters commenting on a hypothetical.
I for one would rather know if Labour plan to back their running down of Paula with an announcement that they will reverse what Little termed her nasty policy?
“I shall help campaign to remove them on the TPPA in electorates where they can be beaten by the Greens or New Zealand First.”
What’s the strategy there Paul? Because as far as I can tell the only change of govt we will get will be a Labour-led one. And if NZF’s vote peaks, then that lessens the chances of a change. Even if NZF choose to support Labour, it’s going to create problems for any left-wing coalition because of Peters’ animosity towards the GP. We might end up with a centrist government that gives a few sops to Peters but basically doesn’t support the kinds of changes I assume you want.
Winston has always sought to marginalise the Greens for what appears to be a few of reasons;
– Personal dislike of some Green MP’s
– The similarity of policy in some areas, specifically where the Greens wish to strengthen and increase the diversity of NZ manufacturing and small local businesses (NZF does not want to share the votes those policies bring).
– NZF is the go-to party for disillusioned National voters. Pretty sure rhetoric in support of the Greens will drive some (most?) of these back to National.
So, once Winston is gone, will NZF retain the same level of support?
And would Ron Mark be keen to work with the Greens?
The answer to both of these is likely to be no.
But, to address Labours problem; to govern it requires the support of two political parties. One of whom wants power, and one that wants change.
By marginalising the Greens Labour sets itself up for a situation where, should it get an opportunity to form a government with NZF and the Greens, the membership of the Green Party might just tell Labour to go fuck themselves and work in opposition while continuing to build the grassroots support that will eventually eat Labours lunch.
The Greens and NZ First are more left than Labour in a number of areas, thus Labour will be the hurdle when it comes to getting left policy through in such a coalition.
My point is that getting the actual coalition together will be far, far more difficult.
Primarily due to NZF politics, and secondarily due to Labours response to how NZF positions itself.
The more Labour head down the centrist path and align with National, the more they distance themselves from their potential coalition partners.
The more the public perceive this distancing the more they struggle to see such a coalition working (as National depicted so well in their last general election campaign).
Getting voter support, thus the numbers required, heavily relies on the three convincing voters they can work together. Labour chasing the centre undermines that.
Labour chasing this mythical “centre” is an explicitly weak strategy which most people I think recognise on one level or another.
It’s an admission that the policies that National follow are the correct ones. Labour would just implement them in a kinder gentler way*.
I.e. We stand for our bums on the govt benches instead of those guys.
* I think that there is a constituency for this among some who wield large amounts of capital.
Though not because Labour are kinder, but because they possesses more competent technocrats than National does.
Labour endorses the fundamental economic, social and security frameworks that National endorses, which leads to general agreement on broad policy between the two large parties.
Implementation of that policy tends to differ but not just because Labour has “more competent” technocrats (a good observation on your part). But because National is more willing to push through ‘bad policy’ if it benefits their core constituency.
In contrast Labour won’t do fuck all to bend policy to benefit their self professed core constituency (working class/precariat) if their technocrats advise against it.
The facts are that on matters of pure policy National and Labour should go into coalition together.
The only reason they do not is because of long held historical and cultural animosity between the two parties.
But its not because of fundamental policy differences.
“It’s an admission that the policies that National follow are the correct ones”
Indeed. Their buckling on the TPP is an example of this. Telling voters it passes 4 of their bottom lines gives an impression the deal isn’t that bad. Effectively implying National were right in signing up.
@ Paul @ 2.1.1…re “No one from Labour came to TPPA marches last week”….how do you know this Paul?
…my sister went to the TPPA marches and she ALWAYS votes Labour….just because you dont walk under a banner or wear a t-shirt saying who you vote for doesnt mean you dont vote Labour
…we had a number of speakers and from unions and I would say they would be Labour voters … certainly not Green because there were so many NZ flags flying all around them and they spoke under NZ flag banners
(btw it is no one’s business who you vote for unless you choose to tell them who you vote for …and you may not know yourself until polling day)
..I really dislike the way the Greens are trying to organise and manoeuvre people into marching with them as a group…eg. “Will you be marching with us on Climate Change Day….so and so? ( not bloody likely)
..they are not fooling anyone in their desperate grab for votes and Green Party members…least of all the young
… infantile!…reminds me of school prefects and peer group pressure …it should be called the the Green Infant School Party…mind you walk in crocodile lines children and stick with your teachers…while we go on this jolly hockey sticks march for climate change….there’s good little kiddies ( and dont forget to bring your Green badges)
Key normally listens to focus groups and polls.
However, his core responsibility is to international finance and to get this corporate deal over the line.
He’ll ignore the numbers and distract people to other issues.
” primary caregiver simply doesn’t give enough of a shit.”
Or they don’t know how to give a shit in a constructive way – for example shaken baby syndrome is not malice, it’s desperation. Even druggies understand desperation, but may not know how to deal with it.
Moreover, poverty stricken, and/or desperate parents (for whatever reason – lack of support, money, education, exposure to babies, time, tiredness) are some of the hardest to reach parents out there.
The montage of photos in the article I linked to…click on each photo and it gives the name of the child and the circumstances of their death and the name of the killer(s). In most cases.
Read ALL of them. Google the names and read articles from the archives about these children and their sad lives. Get a bit of detail, context.
Then let us know how many of these children’s deaths were due solely to poverty and deprivation, social isolation….
Its too easy to blame poverty.
We should have looked at drug and alcohol use, mental illness, NZ’s adulation of the “hard man” culture.,. the ingrained violence.
And shitty government departments who are incompetent, biased, politically and ideologically constipated….and just don’t bloody well listen.
Yes, we should look at all that. That is not simplistic.
“The child is a burden and a nuisance…”
That is not simplistic?
There are not many people out there, imo, who have kids with the desire to get rid of them – that is not to say it doesn’t happen, it;s just not more likely in a country like NZ, than say, Australia, imo.
There are many more parents that simply don’t realise what having a child entails, if support is not provided (whether that is wider family, or other health or social services).
Yes, I agree with what you said about context. But what is that context? As for poverty – Do you not think it is more difficult to access support when poor? Do you not think it is much harder for social service to provide support to financially deprived people?
Having said that I do believe parent socially disconnected from an extended family are more likely to be parents who don’t have the first clue about being parents do really bad stuff. So poor treatment of children is much greater than poverty alone. My issue was your accusation that poverty as a cause of child abuse was simplistic when you then went on to assume that ‘not giving enough of a shit’ was the cause.
So which parents don’t have a clue (or give a shit)? Which ones will have someone to rally around when things turn to custard? Which ones are more likely to take up with partners who don’t give a shit/don’t have a clue about kids – in your opinion?
“We should have looked at drug and alcohol use, mental illness, NZ’s adulation of the “hard man” culture.,. the ingrained violence.
And shitty government departments who are incompetent, biased, politically and ideologically constipated….and just don’t bloody well listen.” yes, rather than saying primary caregivers just don’t give enough of a shit.
One of the problems for poorly supported parents is the 24/7 aspect of it. Never having time for oneself, hardly able to go to the toilet because of some feeding or waking or demand problem. Having to take the child everywhere you go so no freedom any more to just be yourself, be an individual, not be under the duty of care to the vulnerable and demanding child.
A child who vomits, cries, won’t sleep, so intruding into the time the parent needs to rest and restore themself. Tiredness, disappointment, feelings of failure to satisfy the needs of the child, despair, anger, red rage….
If it is one parent only, or a parent with an irresponsible, immature partner, or a parent forced to give access to somebody who doesn’t want to take on a father/mother role and resents it and is unreliable, unstable who is inconsistent, erratic, even capricious (says they will be available and then is not, promises and doesn’t fulfil, promises the child attention then doesn’t turn up, turns up at a different, not scheduled time and wants immediate access, turns up drunk), then it can be a burden beyond bearing at times.
People’s opinions about what should be, are often far away from the reality that parents without good and happy support face and I would like to see parents given far more opportunity to gain support on request, and be assured they were well-thought of members of the community. Which is not how parents on benefits are presently thought of. Hate is more the correct description, discriminated in general, discounted as people, and derided and disparaged particularly by men who know they are never likely to be in that status.
The Stuff analysis of 187 victims of child homicide since 1992 found that the majority of victims (73.5%) were from suburbs with a Social Deprivation Index score of 6 or greater.
It’s not that it’s too easy to blame poverty, it’s more of a case that poverty clearly sticks out.
and on the other side of coin millions have not been murdered. the number is so small could you really make a difference by addressing any of the above, considering these issues will always be with us to some degree, no matter what you do. Changing government may make you feel better but really would much change, answer, no
standard reaction. Why bother your beautiful mind when you can make up just so many reasons to not go outside and check. But at least they could have called the Blueberry Muffin Brigade.
Mind, the time I called them for a young intoxicated female who appeared to be Downs Syndrom I got nothing.
She was out on the streets, drunk as but very lovely soft demeanor and quite pretty, begging and generally being a bit of a nuisance. But my worry was more a. who got her that pissed, b. and anyone could just easily lure her in the car and then there was a good chance of sexual assault given.
So I call the Popo around 1pm in the afternoon, I also called her ‘caretaker’ at the institution where she lived (she gave me the number). The ‘caretaker’ could not come and pick her up because she was with a different ‘client’ and Popo just said we gonna send someone.
I told her to sit in front of my shop and not move, stay and I was pleased that she did. The police and the ‘caretaker’ arrived at the same time, almost 4 hours later.
Anyone could have lured that girl into a car with the help of a cute puppy or some more booze, what would have happened to her in that case, i don’t even want to contemplate.
We are creating a very nasty, very fearful, and very lonely society.
No, failure (again) of the Misery Of Health Contracted Service Providers who are paid BIG$$$ to provide care and support.
And a certain level of ideological claptrap that encourages people with disabilities to live “normal, everyday lives”, which includes (in the happy clappy documentation) the right to take risks.
No, it’s that people really don’t know what to do in those situations. That combined with the teachings that we should just mind our own business leaves people incapable of acting.
If you call the police the first thing you have to supply is your own name and address, so it becomes personal. Then you will be questioned to give as much information as possible, questioned again later, and perhaps be called to give evidence. You might not want to be identified as an informant to the police in some areas.
You may have media calling you for voice quotes. I was phoned asking if I was related to someone with the same surname who I had never heard of. Later I checked on google and it was a little girl who had been injured by a caregiver. This type of trawling would be a put-off.
edited
“That’s what happens when an ideology like neo-liberalism takes over a country for 31 years.”
The neo-lib bit …yes. They cut their teeth on the disabled…contracting out the “too hard” care and support structures to contracted providers…who a quick google of “disability abuse and neglect…NZ” will show have done a pretty shit job. “Reforms” have seen not more “choice”,(another common word in their Happy clappy docs) but less.. as the smaller hometown providers have been sucked out of existence by the Big (some multi national) companies.
The ideology bit….no area is as fraught and sensitive as disability politics.
Years and years of genocide, imprisonment, institutionalisation, abuse, neglect, murder, marginalisation, and every other oppression society can inflict on a minority group has seen some discussions on how best to care for and support vulnerable and at risk people disintegrate into ideological pissing contests.
This sounds harsh…but it does really seem that way. Add in large amounts of government money for ‘charities’, token seats around the table with ministers and bureaucrats discussing “strategies” and “plans”, a divide and rule culture from government…wedge politics….the waving around of the UNCRPD when it suits….sad head -shaking here…’outcomes’ are not much better.
Parents are encouraged to ‘allow’ their adult children with learning disabilities to have more freedom and take risks…like ‘ordinary’ people. Great…as this gives the Contracted Service Providers an ‘out’ when a vulnerable person in their care comes to grief.
This is a very complicated area.
(But good on you Sabine for making contact with this young woman and keeping her safe and giving a shit.)
Chairman. In November 2013 a woman in our neighbourhood was heard screaming at 1pm one morning. Before that residents heard glass smashing, which was the ranch slider door being smashed through for the attacker to gain entrance to her house.
It was quite a ways from our house so we didn’t hear her otherwise we would have acted immediately.
No one did though.
Sarwen Lata Singh was being stabbed to death by her ex husband who she had a protection order against. She lived in area of infill housing so there were plenty of neighbours around who could have called 111. The call to 111 came from her, as she was dying and after he had left. It was too late though. She had died by the time they got there only 10 minutes later.
I will never forgive those residents for not doing anything. We don’t know, but perhaps her life could have been saved had someone intervened. I have no idea how they can live themselves for their lack of action.
The alleged sexual assault in the case I highlighted may have also been averted if only somebody (other than the alleged victim) called the police when they first heard the call for help.
I wonder how those residents feel now knowing what took place?
Yes, I read through that article and thats what brought back what happened in our neighbourhood. I’m really pissed off at those Hamilton residents who did nothing. I’m pissed off at their lame rationale hearing the screaming and calls for help and deliberately choosing not to help. Some were too scared but why didn’t they call the Police?
and b)pissed off at them not thinking through the consequences of their non action.
A number of folks I know who lean right are all for concreting everything so as to avoid having to mow the lawn (much to the embarrassment of their wives and children who quite like their lawn and garden).
You stole my thoughts on this so called lawn Naturesong, as far as his painting prowess, Delusion wouldn’t know which end too hold the brush, but most likely pay someone under the table, for a couple of bucks.
Yes, it’s well known that RWNJs much prefer their beliefs to the reality around them and so will do everything in their power not to learn anything about that reality.
An analysis of Bernie Sanders’ “socialism” speech. It was an amazing speech and Bernie is not going to shy away from proudly using the term socialism. Many are comparing it to JFK’s speech on being a Catholic, and Obama’s speech in 2008 on race. He’s the ‘outsider’ candidate – like JFK and Obama were – and he’s explaining his positions to the American people. And he’s doing it very well.
Michael Woodhouse has a piece coming out in the Listener soon where he describes himself of having come from abject poverty, which is an abject fucking lie. Both his parents had good jobs and brought up children in a warm dry safe house.
perhaps it seems like abject poverty compared to his life now? all relative, and many of us live in “abject poverty” comapred to the people making all the decisions about how we are governed
Once never thinks back, never looks ahead. Once knows the world’s just a theme park that closes tomorrow. That’s why we drink tomorrow, today. No consequences, no regrets. Someone else can clean up our mess.
Sums up the destruction of capitalism and consumerism quite nicely.
La Belle Trevett is doing Robertson’s dirty work again: rubbishing Sepuloni, who has actually won a seat and has impact in the house, while puffing Ardern who never won a seat and never landed a punch in the house.
Has the party learned nothing? Why is Little letting his deputy continue with the behaviour he started under Goff and continued under the vacuous Shearer?
Does Little not get it that the behavior of Robertson and his ABC friends are what lost us credibility and the last election? That type of politics are what turn the public, and the members, off.
Worse still La Belle Trevett puffs that despicable arse Nash while suggesting Cunliffe has no role to play in the Labour Party.
By using press briefings to attack a leader who was elected by the membership is an extremely disappointing approach. Andrew Little will be seen as a pawn of Robertson and King if he lets this type of behaviour become dominant again.
Little promised a fair and united party. He indicated that he would not accept the undermining of colleagues. Cunliffe has been an excellent servant of the party, one of its best ministers and fully deserves the opportunity to continue making a contribution.
Nash over Cunliffe!! The day that happens Little will loose a lot of respect.
Remember that it is Trevett doing the speculating here. Andrew Little is not likely to base his decisions on whatever it is she purports to think. I was also taken aback by the dismissal of Sepuloni, who I have seen as doing very well, not to mention Cunliffe, who has shown a lot of grace under pressure. But I thought, that’s The NZ Herald for you – exerting pressure from outside and stirring the pot is just what they do.
her piece does stink of leaks from within caucus or from Labour staffers. Trevett will have based her speculations on inside sources, not on random tea leaves.
He most assuredly wouldn’t. My understanding is that Josie Pagani is almost persona-non-gratis among the Labour elite and that is unsurprising given some of her past public statements.
As for Trevett. I imagine her standing in the Labour Party is close to the bottom of the barrel.
You don’t understand the relationship between the Parliamentary staff and King. She is the master enforcer.
By setting such a clear reshuffle script into the public like this, Little has been set up for a further story if he deviates from it.
With the List conferences now done away with, a fairly weak President and a Secretary ready to go, King has the floor to herself. Unfortunately, she’s King of a smaller and smaller island every year. Naturally I hope I am wrong and the government changes to something substantial in 2017. Its just the same tiresome shit that continues to make me want to have nothing to do with politics ever again.
The careerists, for the sake of their careers, would rather be in charge of a losing party, than not be in control of a winning party.
And why is that?
i see part of the reasoning of the leaker as being to tie Little’s hands, and also to signal the continued ascendancy of the Robertson and Right factions. Actually it signals the fact that Cunliffe is still feared by them and that Little’s success at “unifying” the caucus is nothing more than him coming in line with the wishes of those major factions.
Olwyn,
It is not speculation by Trevett.
Ignore the silly stuff here saying she is biased.
She is a pro and would not write this story without having actually been explicitly briefed by a Senior Labour Source.
Robertson picks who does this style of briefing: he is a coward and will always push someone else to do his dirty work: he tacitly let Marieanne Street lead the putsch on conman Shearer.
I would like to think Andrew Little had no hand in this…………..
In any case, the important point is that with those names being eye-rollingly promoted up the ranking, the careerist faction strengthens in caucus. Robertson tightens his network around Little and King will be Robertson’s king-maker.
Andrew Little said that he is not interested in political parlour games, and I like to think he is as good as his word. Those who still want to play such games have to be a bit more cautious these days, and Andrew Little seems quite capable of making his own judgements.
….imo the Labour Party is stuffed unless it can listen to its grassroots/ flaxroots membership eg bold action on TPPA…bold action on issues that concern New Zealanders eg ownership of their housing stock and land and country and assets
…and amongst other things this means rolling out a rejuvenated David Cunliffe (the overwhelming rank and file membership choice)
…a high profile David Cunliffe could stick it home to jonkey and nactional…he has electoral appeal …which does not mean Little relinquishes his leadership organising role
imo NZF is the closest natural coalition partner for Labour ( this coalition has worked very successfully in the past)
…the Greens will probably come on board also …despite their competitive and coalitiion splitting and dumping behaviours of late
(eg support for Red Peak flag and John Key and against the NZ flag included in the first referendum and against the wishes of Labour and NZF…and support for Jonkey nacts framing the housing crisis in Auckland as “crude racial profiling”by Labour ( not helpful) and Ron Marks as being racist …also their continued sniping at Winston Peters as unable to work with them…imo a projection of their own competitiveness and antipathy towards Peters and NZF)
…the Greens will probably come on board also …despite their competitive and coalitiion splitting and dumping behaviours of late
The Greens position on coalition has been explicit and unchanging.
The membership vote on it. Thats it.
That means not discounting any coalition partners including National (technically possible but I expect hell to freeze over before this happens), and not assuming the Greens membership won’t vote to tell the Labour party to fuck off if they believe it to be in New Zealands best interest. (also extremely remote)
The fact she goes on about the Turnbull Obama chat shows that this articles are the twitterings of a pointless little shit.
She’s wrong about Cunnliffe I reckon Littles had him on the back burner till things blow over, English has proved that just because someone misses the top job they can’t have a big input.
Wellington-based MPs and their staffers leaking stuff like MP Performance Review metrics and potential Shadow rankings only hurts their potential to gain government. Centralising power to their rightist clique means an homogenized and cowed caucus agreeing to no bold policies. Like last time. One of the others was disunity and leaks. We will have the same mediocre candidate and policy shite to sell to the punters that we had last time if this continues.
Plus, Wellington MPs and staffers signaling they want to slide Auckland MPs down the list shows they still fear Auckland. Labour’s anti-Midas touch with Auckland business means, as their President noted in his speech to the Conference, that they will be fundraising one meat pack raffle at a time, hundreds and hundreds of times for the next two years. Love him or hate him, Cunlilffe has really good fundraising access to the highly salaried professional services classes in Auckland. If Wellington keeps screwing him over he’ll walk – which they will love – until they run out of money.
Trevett’s article simply shows the Usual Suspects scorching the earth using the election as a pretext for cleanout. It simply continues to damage their 2017 chances.
Oh but wait, Nash could come onto The Standard again and remind us it was actually all our fault. Yeah right pal.
“”Labour’s anti-Midas touch with Auckland business means, “”
Just to clarify are you pro Auckland big business being courted to fund labour ,or just agreeing because Ads comment points out past problems in Labour.
Read the piece closely. Claire Trevett, despite being a Nat tool, is still doing her job and ‘reporting’ on a number of things that clearly have been communicated to her from someone in the know in Labour/with the Labour leadership. The language is definite and unambiguous, going into detail, not speculative or made up. Scrutinise the piece and see, for eg:
* “Expect Kelvin Davis to leapfrog over Nanaia Mahuta to be the highest ranked Maori MP and for Mahuta to drop down.”
* “Little’s focus will be instead on bringing forward talented newcomers from the 2011 and 2014 intakes, such as Jenny Salesa, Davis and Stuart Nash.”
* “That is David Shearer’s gain, effectively guaranteeing he will keep his foreign affairs portfolio and possibly pick up defence as well.”
And a whole paragraph focusing on Cunliffe. ABC-ing at work, as usual. The careerist faction is alive and well, and are determined to cement their own “Jobs. Jobs. Jobs.” What has Andrew Little got – no electorate (a deal has been struck with Annette?), last choice for leadership (read: preferentials went through to the final round before he emerged), i.e. no strong power base. And now, this leak. Again.
Little made a strategic error in failing to live up to his promise of replacing King after twelve months.
The members, who were willing to accept his placings in the post leadership week for the sake of unity, will be less willing to swallow rats when they see that King and Robertson are back running the show.
Liabilities like Nash and Shearer and weaklings like Ardern and Faafoi will be seen to be in the ascendant!!
If any elements of this story are true we are fucked.
“The ABC club never died when Cunliffe became leader – they just retired to the corner and got more bitter and twisted. It’s no secret who they are: Trevor Mallard is the life president, Clayton Cosgrove, chief plotter, David Shearer, general-secretary, Stuart Nash, head of communications, Annette King, camp mother, Grant Robertson the uncle, Phil Goff, kaumatua, and the errant ABC kids are Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins and Kris Faafoi.”
Little’ mistake in giving in to the Wellington set will cause Labour to be in opposition for another term. Remember Robertson came THIRD in Wellington Central, King Faafoi Hipkins had bigger reductions in their majorities than Auckland MPs. This group of loosing delusionists now seem to have Little’s ear.
God this makes me angry! http://transportblog.co.nz/2015/11/21/hamilton-bypass-to-be-bypassed/
I cannot imagine a more shortsighted, stupid, and incompetent decision by a government ever! We cannot feed or house our children, we have one of the worst rates of child abuse in the western world, we emit on average 17 tonnes of Carbon each when the global average is 8 (making us the 5th worst on the planet), but we can spent $1B on a by-pass to by pass the Hamilton by-pass (on which we have just spent $200M!). But don’t worry folks – all up it will save you a whole 35 mins on your trip from Wellington to Auckland.
AND!!!
By 2041…. if there are any cars left…. some sections will carry up to 10000 vehicles!
Why not just stand on a hill top some place on a windy day and throw the whole lot, in $100 bills, into the air. At least someone might benefit.
Yep I think that’s it! I used to live in Auckland for about 30 years after growing up in Wellington. I did the trip from Auckland to Wellington many times. Hardly ever did I find it necessary to drive thru Hamilton- the 1b from Cambridge to Taupari was much quicker and far less traffic. It still is. Or Hwy 27 from Tirau to Pokeno. Up grading 1b would cost about the cost of a flag referendum and serve just as well, in the interim until we transitioned to rail.
Am in Perth at the moment. The light rail from Perth to Mandjurah travels about the same distance as Auck to Hamilton. It does the trip – stopping at all 12 stations in about 45 mins at speeds up to 150 kmph – quicker and more convenient than a car. There is a train during the day every 10 – 15 mins and no need to worry about catching this or that train. just go and there will be one in 5 mins. For us Kiwis the cost of traveling around Perth for a day is $12 – Less if you buy a Smart ticket. If you are an Australian pensioner you can travel almost any time of the day apart from the rush hours for free. Want to take a family out for the day? travel with up to 7 for less than 12 dollars – ANYWHERE.
Spending $1 B on building an efficient fast light rail between Auckland and Hamilton would make much more sense.
I just happen to live in the Waikato … So yes I do know about it. As for the growth areas – that’s just where you do need a fast efficient public transport system. Visit south Perth sometime if you want to see massive development.
Trains carry everything that road carries and does it faster and more efficiently. Self driving vehicles are just the RWNJs such as yourself clutching for a saviour but it doesn’t change the figures at all.
Really, you’re arguing that we should continue to use inefficient transportation.
Well said Macro @12, could not agree with you more. All these roads are being built for the very vocal and pro National trucking lobby. Lets face it was National’s policy to stuff rail for their trucking mates.
Had to go to Tauranga last Thursday. We counted going over the Kaimai’s only, not SH 1, 101 heavy trucks and trailers, like container trucks not your local delivery lorries coming in the opposite direction. I guess we can say possibly the same number were going in the same direction as us as I managed to overtake at lest 10. This is a trip we do often, In all the times we have done this trip at different times of the day, we I have yet to see a train on that stretch of rail track that goes through the tunnel.
Don’t worry we have 100 years of oil left, not. The cheap oil comes from where were looking for it in the great south basin and the arctic, not. auckland and hamilton will become mega cities where everyone drives between them. Our only oil refinery can’t refine the oil we produce in Taranaki. They will make statues of Min. Bridges for outstanding vision. What do you reckon we can do with a billion dollars of smooth asphalt when the trucking industry collapses and people can’t afford to fill up…
Hell yes once all that pescky fucking ice is gone we can drill the poles,
Us one wannabee 1%ers can live under a dome of plastic and our money will buy guns to keep the peasants at bay.
Don’t spoil my fun.
My three scenarios are
Cc and rampant capitalism will combine to bring a dark age .
CC will go into feed back and we’re all fucked.
We’ll get it together and after a final period of deep instability humans will realise money should just be the grease that lubricates existence instead of the rock dragging us to the bottom of the ocean.
So we cant know we will need this bypass til we actually need it… and then e can just borrow the money then, right BM. Or have you abandoned that “reasoning” from yesterday?
You launched into macro for questioning our addiction to the car, given the precarious state of our planet. I ask you whether you accept the Science on climate change. You call me weird.
There’s an old guy in his late 80s who trials ,he lives in a retirement village, I’ve been told he trains his dog in a park on rubbish tins. There is a web site
NZDTA that will tell you where and when trials are happening .
I’m pretty sure Turnbull is confused when he calls Key a role model and really just assumes he’ll be able to get away with the same rubbish in Australia as Key pulls off here. Maybe I’m giving them too much credit, but I think the Australians would not have been bought off by the ‘scumbag journalist’ trope that worked in the teapot case.
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 ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rachael Potter, Research Associate and Lecturer in Work and Organisational Psychology, University of South Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Pregnant women and workers with children are often unfairly treated by their bosses and colleagues, despite laws to protect against workplace discrimination ...
Hot cup of morning ideological coffee, from Bernie Sanders’ speech yesterday on what democratic socialism means for him:
“In that remarkable speech this is what Roosevelt said, and I quote: ‘We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. Necessitous men are not free men.’ In other words, real freedom must include economic security. That was Roosevelt’s vision 70 years ago. It is my vision today. It is a vision that we have not yet achieved. It is time we did…The right to a decent job at decent pay, the right to adequate food, clothing, and time off from work, the right for every business, large and small, to function in an atmosphere free from unfair competition and domination by monopolies. The right of all Americans to have a decent home and decent health care. What Roosevelt was stating in 1944, what Martin Luther King, Jr. stated in similar terms 20 years later and what I believe today, is that true freedom does not occur without economic security.”
Full text here:
http://www.vox.com/2015/11/19/9762028/bernie-sanders-democratic-socialism
Yep, Ad, Thanks for the interesting quote. The Roosevelts were definitely on the right track. (Eleanor included – she was instrumental in setting up the UN Decl of Human rights, i think).
Its a pity America lost sight of that vision. Interesting to see the comments on the role of corporations even way back then. A major difference between then and now is that the corporate lobby groups have become even more entrenched with respect to their political influence and power. Bernie Sanders will be in for a hard ride, alas.
FDR 1936 campaign speech in Madison Square Garden:
“For nearly four years you have had an Administration which instead of twirling its thumbs has rolled up its sleeves. We will keep our sleeves rolled up.
We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace—business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.
They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.
Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred.
I should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master.“
worth remembering that the only feason FDR was any good was because of massive riots, demonstrations and sit down protests which forced him to confrobt the capitalist class and tell them that if they didn’t conceede a few things to workers and citizens, they might end up losing it all.
TLDR…FDR saved capitalism.
OK that’s just depressing.
The only riots started in Auckland these days are when wrinkly white guys start yelling about Unitary Plan provisions and rates increases. Mention either density, heritage features, or your Council bill going up more than 5%, and it’s A Fistful of Dollars and rotating handbag Hail Mary’s at the Howick Bowling Club.
LOL Ad
Latest 3 News Reid Research poll – 52 percent don’t support the TPPA.
http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/kiwis-still-to-be-convinced-on-tpp-2015112017#axzz3rxU8w74P
Almost a quarter (23%) of National supporters say they don’t want the agreement.
73% of Labour supporters are against it.
Yet, where do Labour stand?
No one from Labour came to TPPA marches last week.
Pathetic.
I shall help campaign to remove them on the TPPA in electorates where they can be beaten by the Greens or New Zealand First.
Sue Moroney spoke at the start of the Hamilton march….
Greens out in force.
Only saw one Union prominent….the staunch Meatworkers.
Only Green MPs in Auckland.
Wonder who will turn up for Climate March.
Clearly not Bill English, who thinks climate change is ‘speculative.’
Pity he doesn’t listen to his spiritual leader, the Pope.
3 Labour MPs at the Auckland Hikoi for Homes today – Jenni Salesa, Phil Twyford and Jacinda Adern did the whole 3 hours in spite of heavy rain at times. Jan Logie and Marama Davidson were there from the Greens. I saw lots of positive interaction between Greens and Labour supporters.
Nobody from NZF turned up. Says it all really.
Forgot – Louisa Wall was on the Hikoi as well – so 4 labour MPs.
Clearly, there are votes to be gained. Labour (with their questionable positioning) are wasting this opportunity.
The latest headline I seen about Little had him shutting down the notion of a state service for Jonah.
It was a kind of dumb hysterical notion.
This poll indicates it was a popular notion. 74% in support.
http://www.radiolive.co.nz/DUNCAN-GARNER-POLL-Should-Jonah-Lomu-get-a-state-funeral/tabid/131/articleID/108381/Default.aspx
Nevertheless, there are far more vital issues the Leader of the opposition should be commenting on.
I find it very hard to understand what Little thought he was up to.
He didn’t have to say anything and he shouldn’t have.
Anyone like to estimate what the Labour Party supporters in South Auckland might think about Little? I don’t know the area but I would have thought the Pacific Island population might just be a little peeved.
Going off the poll above, Little and his consultants seem to be on the wrong side of public opinion in this regard.
“He didn’t have to say anything and he shouldn’t have.”
Requires both nous and discipline.
And not just of Little, but also of the cadre of paid Labour Party strategists who seem demonstrably shit at their job.
Well okay, a dumb mass hysterical notion. Honestly, people need to get a grip.
Ha, I wouldn’t recommend Little conveying that sentiment (people need to get a grip).
+1
@ Gabby.
a dumb mass hysterical notion.
You can say that again. Mass hysteria of the worst kind. Reminds me a bit of the Princess Diana death manic behaviour. I have no doubt Jonah Lomu was a decent bloke and a great footballer but a state funeral? Jesus the world’s going nuts.
I’m going to upset a few people with the following but who cares:
Jonah Lomu is of Tongan extraction. Among the poorest families in NZ are Tongan families and what did Lomu do? He came out publicly supporting John Key as prime minister even though his government has made the living conditions of many of his own kinsmen/women a damm sight worse than they were 8 years ago.
pathetic Anne politicising some ones death
Lomu had just as much right to form his own views in life as we all do.
Your comment is bordering on racist
I was born in Tonga. No, my parents were not Tongan but I felt a strong bond with them.
A few people seems to politicising his death but mostly it seems to be the RWNJs as they look for a poll bounce from his death.
Riddillusion
You’re the one politicising Jonah and this discussion about him by making your cheap shots. They don’t come much cheaper than the brand you adopt.
Personally I think that Andrew Little should have been supportive of a state funeral. Jonah was a good guy apparently, made a success of himself, lived a short life that many sportspeople now seem to, but in his time carved out an amazing place for himself in people’s minds and hearts. He was a role model for tryers who are willing to work on their skills and for PI people who are pleased to see someone get out from the factory and cleaning jobs.
He also appealed to the working man. There were a lot of guys who liked Shane Jones for being a mans man and Jonah was someone they held in high regard.
You really are a nasty piece of work Anne.
steady on tinfoil, put your hat back on.
Yes Anne, my best friend are…. But
tinfoilhat
Pot meet kettle then. Actually Anne is one of the nicest most thoughtful people on this blog. So don’t try and bring her down to your level you jerk.
You may have seen this already Anne. From Morgan Godfery.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/18/jonah-lomu-made-polynesian-physicality-something-we-could-cheer?CMP=soc_568
You have some good points there Anne. The voice of reason, like the little boy who was brave enough to point out the emperor had no clothes when everyone else was bowing and scraping because they didn’t want to stand out. Yes he was a good rugby player. Yes he had a right to his politics but I think he is very like John Key in that he had advantages that enabled him to get to where he did and he was happy to support an ideology which pulled the ladder up for those who came after.
If you looked at the Stuff poll 65% were opposed. Neither are valid polls however.
I agree with Little. Ed Hillary got a state funeral because of what he did after he climbed Everest. Giving Lomu a state funeral for being a very good at rugby is a stupid idea that Little rightly dismissed .
hi anne and karen, i agree about no state funeral for a mere good rugby player, however, jonah was a great all black in a hugely transformative time in rugby and world politics.
he was a big influence in the change to professional rugby, both how the game was played on the field, and on the business side.
jonah was so often the last player to leave the field, signing for children.
he was generous with his time with charities and humble to the bone.
i say this not to change your minds but to perhaps shed a little light as to how others view a good father, great all black, hero to many, and a decent man.
There are many, many people who have achieved very well in sport and gone on to do far more charity work than Lomu ever did, and I have no idea of what you mean by his being a great All Black in a transformative time in “world politics.” Hardly any countries play rugby – it isn’t even a world sport let alone having any influence on world politics.
No denying Lomu was a great All Black, and for that he received a lot of kudos in his life time.
He was also generally thought to be a decent human being. That is not enough to warrant a state funeral. If it were we would be having them every week, but they are actually very rare.
Thank-you Karen.
Precisely, and there’s no denying he was a decent bloke too if, in my view, a little lacking in insight. But to counter that, he did have more than his fair share of health issues.
There are plenty pf people who would qualify for the same sort of kudos but they would not expect a “state funeral”. Indeed I doubt Jonah Lomu envisaged such a farewell. State funerals are confined to the truly greatest in our land. Sir Edmond Hillary was a truly great man.
As for you tinfoilhat. I suggest you reflect on your occasional faulty perceptions and your [sometime] attitude.
world politics refers to sth africa/mandela and also the mega bucks .01% ‘owning’ a sport globally. murdoch etc.
@ Anne, on reflection you are a sanctimonious nasty piece of work.
a question…..if there was to be only one state funeral in your lifetime would that be for Jonah Lomu?
hi pat,
good question, probably not if state funerals are to be rationed.
not rationed per se, but in my experience one would perhaps expect one in their lifetime…as outstanding as Jonah Lomu was, a comparable case could be made for many in a range of endeavors and I suspect we may end up having State funerals on a monthly roster.
must admit, this started a slightly grim conversation here.
as to who is living, we would honour in this way.
i feel it wise not to speculate.
@ Karen.
Jonah Lomu went beyond merely playing rugby. He was involved in charity work and became an ambassador for the game and in effect country.
Nevertheless, whether or not Lomu secured a state service is totally out of Littles hands. He’s not the PM, thus has no say on the matter. Therefore, why comment on it?
As leader of the opposition, Little has far more pressing matters to focus on rather than risk upsetting a number of voters commenting on a hypothetical.
I for one would rather know if Labour plan to back their running down of Paula with an announcement that they will reverse what Little termed her nasty policy?
“I shall help campaign to remove them on the TPPA in electorates where they can be beaten by the Greens or New Zealand First.”
What’s the strategy there Paul? Because as far as I can tell the only change of govt we will get will be a Labour-led one. And if NZF’s vote peaks, then that lessens the chances of a change. Even if NZF choose to support Labour, it’s going to create problems for any left-wing coalition because of Peters’ animosity towards the GP. We might end up with a centrist government that gives a few sops to Peters but basically doesn’t support the kinds of changes I assume you want.
It seems Labour’s positioning would be the largest hurdle in a Greens, NZ First and Labour coalition.
NZF is the largest hurdle.
Winston has always sought to marginalise the Greens for what appears to be a few of reasons;
– Personal dislike of some Green MP’s
– The similarity of policy in some areas, specifically where the Greens wish to strengthen and increase the diversity of NZ manufacturing and small local businesses (NZF does not want to share the votes those policies bring).
– NZF is the go-to party for disillusioned National voters. Pretty sure rhetoric in support of the Greens will drive some (most?) of these back to National.
So, once Winston is gone, will NZF retain the same level of support?
And would Ron Mark be keen to work with the Greens?
The answer to both of these is likely to be no.
But, to address Labours problem; to govern it requires the support of two political parties. One of whom wants power, and one that wants change.
By marginalising the Greens Labour sets itself up for a situation where, should it get an opportunity to form a government with NZF and the Greens, the membership of the Green Party might just tell Labour to go fuck themselves and work in opposition while continuing to build the grassroots support that will eventually eat Labours lunch.
The Greens and NZ First are more left than Labour in a number of areas, thus Labour will be the hurdle when it comes to getting left policy through in such a coalition.
I agree.
My point is that getting the actual coalition together will be far, far more difficult.
Primarily due to NZF politics, and secondarily due to Labours response to how NZF positions itself.
The more Labour head down the centrist path and align with National, the more they distance themselves from their potential coalition partners.
The more the public perceive this distancing the more they struggle to see such a coalition working (as National depicted so well in their last general election campaign).
Getting voter support, thus the numbers required, heavily relies on the three convincing voters they can work together. Labour chasing the centre undermines that.
Labour chasing this mythical “centre” is an explicitly weak strategy which most people I think recognise on one level or another.
It’s an admission that the policies that National follow are the correct ones. Labour would just implement them in a kinder gentler way*.
I.e. We stand for our bums on the govt benches instead of those guys.
* I think that there is a constituency for this among some who wield large amounts of capital.
Though not because Labour are kinder, but because they possesses more competent technocrats than National does.
Labour endorses the fundamental economic, social and security frameworks that National endorses, which leads to general agreement on broad policy between the two large parties.
Implementation of that policy tends to differ but not just because Labour has “more competent” technocrats (a good observation on your part). But because National is more willing to push through ‘bad policy’ if it benefits their core constituency.
In contrast Labour won’t do fuck all to bend policy to benefit their self professed core constituency (working class/precariat) if their technocrats advise against it.
The facts are that on matters of pure policy National and Labour should go into coalition together.
The only reason they do not is because of long held historical and cultural animosity between the two parties.
But its not because of fundamental policy differences.
@ Naturesong
“It’s an admission that the policies that National follow are the correct ones”
Indeed. Their buckling on the TPP is an example of this. Telling voters it passes 4 of their bottom lines gives an impression the deal isn’t that bad. Effectively implying National were right in signing up.
I saw two Labour flags at Auckland march.
@ Paul @ 2.1.1…re “No one from Labour came to TPPA marches last week”….how do you know this Paul?
…my sister went to the TPPA marches and she ALWAYS votes Labour….just because you dont walk under a banner or wear a t-shirt saying who you vote for doesnt mean you dont vote Labour
…we had a number of speakers and from unions and I would say they would be Labour voters … certainly not Green because there were so many NZ flags flying all around them and they spoke under NZ flag banners
(btw it is no one’s business who you vote for unless you choose to tell them who you vote for …and you may not know yourself until polling day)
..I really dislike the way the Greens are trying to organise and manoeuvre people into marching with them as a group…eg. “Will you be marching with us on Climate Change Day….so and so? ( not bloody likely)
..they are not fooling anyone in their desperate grab for votes and Green Party members…least of all the young
… infantile!…reminds me of school prefects and peer group pressure …it should be called the the Green Infant School Party…mind you walk in crocodile lines children and stick with your teachers…while we go on this jolly hockey sticks march for climate change….there’s good little kiddies ( and dont forget to bring your Green badges)
No Labour MP
not a politician in sight on the demonstration I went on…neither Labour or Green or NZF…just ordinary NZers
Just shows you how unrepresentative the media is of popular opinion.
The MSM isn’t there to represent popular opinion but the opinions of the rich and powerful.
Key normally listens to focus groups and polls.
However, his core responsibility is to international finance and to get this corporate deal over the line.
He’ll ignore the numbers and distract people to other issues.
He only listens when it suits.
didn’t listen to the asset sales referendum
Indeed. Clearly it didn’t suit his agenda.
Special Stuff Report on Child Homicide in New Zealand
http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/73717177/Special-investigation-New-Zealand-s-shameful-record-of-child-abuse
So far this year, thirteen children have been murdered.
Poverty and inequality, mental illness…
Violent men, drugs, absurdly cheap and ridiculously available alcohol.
The most deprived parts of New Zealand are overwhelmingly represented in the country’s child homicide statistics.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/74019083/is-there-a-link-between-poverty-and-child-homicide-in-new-zealand
I think it is simplistic to ascribe child abuse and murder to poverty.
Some yes, but I believe that in many cases the primary caregiver simply doesn’t give enough of a shit.
The child is a burden and a nuisance…
http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/73755086/fathers-pleas-for-his-babys-life-fell-on-death-ears
and the authorities don’t listen when others wave big red flags…
The repeal of section 59 achieved nothing for these children did it?
Kia ora, Rosemary
Sec. 59 was never going to impact on the type of behaviours that kill or violently abuse children. Did we really think that it would? Seriously?
I wasn’t totally ascribing child abuse and murder to poverty. Merely highlighting the compelling result of the analysis.
And from that, it’s clear poverty plays a large role.
Perhaps addressing that would have had more effect than the removal of section 59?
Simplistic?
” primary caregiver simply doesn’t give enough of a shit.”
Or they don’t know how to give a shit in a constructive way – for example shaken baby syndrome is not malice, it’s desperation. Even druggies understand desperation, but may not know how to deal with it.
Moreover, poverty stricken, and/or desperate parents (for whatever reason – lack of support, money, education, exposure to babies, time, tiredness) are some of the hardest to reach parents out there.
The montage of photos in the article I linked to…click on each photo and it gives the name of the child and the circumstances of their death and the name of the killer(s). In most cases.
Read ALL of them. Google the names and read articles from the archives about these children and their sad lives. Get a bit of detail, context.
Then let us know how many of these children’s deaths were due solely to poverty and deprivation, social isolation….
Its too easy to blame poverty.
We should have looked at drug and alcohol use, mental illness, NZ’s adulation of the “hard man” culture.,. the ingrained violence.
And shitty government departments who are incompetent, biased, politically and ideologically constipated….and just don’t bloody well listen.
Yes, we should look at all that. That is not simplistic.
“The child is a burden and a nuisance…”
That is not simplistic?
There are not many people out there, imo, who have kids with the desire to get rid of them – that is not to say it doesn’t happen, it;s just not more likely in a country like NZ, than say, Australia, imo.
There are many more parents that simply don’t realise what having a child entails, if support is not provided (whether that is wider family, or other health or social services).
Yes, I agree with what you said about context. But what is that context? As for poverty – Do you not think it is more difficult to access support when poor? Do you not think it is much harder for social service to provide support to financially deprived people?
Having said that I do believe parent socially disconnected from an extended family are more likely to be parents who don’t have the first clue about being parents do really bad stuff. So poor treatment of children is much greater than poverty alone. My issue was your accusation that poverty as a cause of child abuse was simplistic when you then went on to assume that ‘not giving enough of a shit’ was the cause.
So which parents don’t have a clue (or give a shit)? Which ones will have someone to rally around when things turn to custard? Which ones are more likely to take up with partners who don’t give a shit/don’t have a clue about kids – in your opinion?
“We should have looked at drug and alcohol use, mental illness, NZ’s adulation of the “hard man” culture.,. the ingrained violence.
And shitty government departments who are incompetent, biased, politically and ideologically constipated….and just don’t bloody well listen.” yes, rather than saying primary caregivers just don’t give enough of a shit.
One of the problems for poorly supported parents is the 24/7 aspect of it. Never having time for oneself, hardly able to go to the toilet because of some feeding or waking or demand problem. Having to take the child everywhere you go so no freedom any more to just be yourself, be an individual, not be under the duty of care to the vulnerable and demanding child.
A child who vomits, cries, won’t sleep, so intruding into the time the parent needs to rest and restore themself. Tiredness, disappointment, feelings of failure to satisfy the needs of the child, despair, anger, red rage….
If it is one parent only, or a parent with an irresponsible, immature partner, or a parent forced to give access to somebody who doesn’t want to take on a father/mother role and resents it and is unreliable, unstable who is inconsistent, erratic, even capricious (says they will be available and then is not, promises and doesn’t fulfil, promises the child attention then doesn’t turn up, turns up at a different, not scheduled time and wants immediate access, turns up drunk), then it can be a burden beyond bearing at times.
People’s opinions about what should be, are often far away from the reality that parents without good and happy support face and I would like to see parents given far more opportunity to gain support on request, and be assured they were well-thought of members of the community. Which is not how parents on benefits are presently thought of. Hate is more the correct description, discriminated in general, discounted as people, and derided and disparaged particularly by men who know they are never likely to be in that status.
+1 A recipe for disaster. So many people/organisations watch it unfolding like a slow motion car crash.
The Stuff analysis of 187 victims of child homicide since 1992 found that the majority of victims (73.5%) were from suburbs with a Social Deprivation Index score of 6 or greater.
It’s not that it’s too easy to blame poverty, it’s more of a case that poverty clearly sticks out.
and on the other side of coin millions have not been murdered. the number is so small could you really make a difference by addressing any of the above, considering these issues will always be with us to some degree, no matter what you do. Changing government may make you feel better but really would much change, answer, no
Residents heard a female voice screaming for help during the night, yet did nothing?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/74227899/screams-for-help-heard-before-car-crash-in-hamilton
Thoughts?
standard reaction. Why bother your beautiful mind when you can make up just so many reasons to not go outside and check. But at least they could have called the Blueberry Muffin Brigade.
Mind, the time I called them for a young intoxicated female who appeared to be Downs Syndrom I got nothing.
She was out on the streets, drunk as but very lovely soft demeanor and quite pretty, begging and generally being a bit of a nuisance. But my worry was more a. who got her that pissed, b. and anyone could just easily lure her in the car and then there was a good chance of sexual assault given.
So I call the Popo around 1pm in the afternoon, I also called her ‘caretaker’ at the institution where she lived (she gave me the number). The ‘caretaker’ could not come and pick her up because she was with a different ‘client’ and Popo just said we gonna send someone.
I told her to sit in front of my shop and not move, stay and I was pleased that she did. The police and the ‘caretaker’ arrived at the same time, almost 4 hours later.
Anyone could have lured that girl into a car with the help of a cute puppy or some more booze, what would have happened to her in that case, i don’t even want to contemplate.
We are creating a very nasty, very fearful, and very lonely society.
The new, uncaring face of NZ?
“The new, uncaring face of NZ?”
No, failure (again) of the Misery Of Health Contracted Service Providers who are paid BIG$$$ to provide care and support.
And a certain level of ideological claptrap that encourages people with disabilities to live “normal, everyday lives”, which includes (in the happy clappy documentation) the right to take risks.
I was referring to the fact that no one called the police after hearing a young woman call out for help.
No, it’s that people really don’t know what to do in those situations. That combined with the teachings that we should just mind our own business leaves people incapable of acting.
It’s not that difficult.
When one hears someone calling out for help, either investigate it or call for assistance. It may actually save a life.
However, in saying that, I also largely agree society has been condition to the ways of individualism.
If you call the police the first thing you have to supply is your own name and address, so it becomes personal. Then you will be questioned to give as much information as possible, questioned again later, and perhaps be called to give evidence. You might not want to be identified as an informant to the police in some areas.
You may have media calling you for voice quotes. I was phoned asking if I was related to someone with the same surname who I had never heard of. Later I checked on google and it was a little girl who had been injured by a caregiver. This type of trawling would be a put-off.
edited
One can contact Crimestoppers anonymously.
That’s what happens when an ideology like neo-liberalism takes over a country for 31 years.
“That’s what happens when an ideology like neo-liberalism takes over a country for 31 years.”
The neo-lib bit …yes. They cut their teeth on the disabled…contracting out the “too hard” care and support structures to contracted providers…who a quick google of “disability abuse and neglect…NZ” will show have done a pretty shit job. “Reforms” have seen not more “choice”,(another common word in their Happy clappy docs) but less.. as the smaller hometown providers have been sucked out of existence by the Big (some multi national) companies.
The ideology bit….no area is as fraught and sensitive as disability politics.
Years and years of genocide, imprisonment, institutionalisation, abuse, neglect, murder, marginalisation, and every other oppression society can inflict on a minority group has seen some discussions on how best to care for and support vulnerable and at risk people disintegrate into ideological pissing contests.
This sounds harsh…but it does really seem that way. Add in large amounts of government money for ‘charities’, token seats around the table with ministers and bureaucrats discussing “strategies” and “plans”, a divide and rule culture from government…wedge politics….the waving around of the UNCRPD when it suits….sad head -shaking here…’outcomes’ are not much better.
Parents are encouraged to ‘allow’ their adult children with learning disabilities to have more freedom and take risks…like ‘ordinary’ people. Great…as this gives the Contracted Service Providers an ‘out’ when a vulnerable person in their care comes to grief.
This is a very complicated area.
(But good on you Sabine for making contact with this young woman and keeping her safe and giving a shit.)
I would argue hiding of domestic violence, acceptance of violence was far more prevalent in the past than it is today
There is a clear link between drugs, alcohol, poverty, violent men and domestic abuse.
Chairman. In November 2013 a woman in our neighbourhood was heard screaming at 1pm one morning. Before that residents heard glass smashing, which was the ranch slider door being smashed through for the attacker to gain entrance to her house.
It was quite a ways from our house so we didn’t hear her otherwise we would have acted immediately.
No one did though.
Sarwen Lata Singh was being stabbed to death by her ex husband who she had a protection order against. She lived in area of infill housing so there were plenty of neighbours around who could have called 111. The call to 111 came from her, as she was dying and after he had left. It was too late though. She had died by the time they got there only 10 minutes later.
I will never forgive those residents for not doing anything. We don’t know, but perhaps her life could have been saved had someone intervened. I have no idea how they can live themselves for their lack of action.
It just sickens me to the core.
That’s extremely sad, and disappointing.
The alleged sexual assault in the case I highlighted may have also been averted if only somebody (other than the alleged victim) called the police when they first heard the call for help.
I wonder how those residents feel now knowing what took place?
Yes, I read through that article and thats what brought back what happened in our neighbourhood. I’m really pissed off at those Hamilton residents who did nothing. I’m pissed off at their lame rationale hearing the screaming and calls for help and deliberately choosing not to help. Some were too scared but why didn’t they call the Police?
and b)pissed off at them not thinking through the consequences of their non action.
Two articles I thought Standardistas may be interested in reading over the weekend:
One by the excellent Susan St. John about welfare reform was actually posted mid week but I missed and some others may have also.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/11/18/national-does-not-understand-what-a-work-incentive-requires/
The other is an article by Giovanni Tiso and Hilary Stace about special needs and education in NZ.
http://ips.ac.nz/publications/files/9b740870cdf.pdf
@Karen. Both excellent articles which were read and appreciated by some of us.
Thank you for trying to bring them to wider attention.
😉
Sorry Karen I have more pressing priorities watching my lawn grow and the paint dry
No one could accuse you as an intellectual heavy lifter could they Red.
Is that what passes for intelligent debate on the Right?
‘They’ no longer care. Except for their lawns and painted surfaces.
Not so sure about the lawns.
A number of folks I know who lean right are all for concreting everything so as to avoid having to mow the lawn (much to the embarrassment of their wives and children who quite like their lawn and garden).
lol.
‘they’ can have their concrete tombs after ‘they’ inter the sight of nature’s life-giving powers.
You stole my thoughts on this so called lawn Naturesong, as far as his painting prowess, Delusion wouldn’t know which end too hold the brush, but most likely pay someone under the table, for a couple of bucks.
All I was highlighting is that I can’t believe anyone in their right mind would contemplate reading those two reports as a good use of your weekend
On the right that passes for genius. He can spell! That’s three standard deviations above their mean right there.
Yes, it’s well known that RWNJs much prefer their beliefs to the reality around them and so will do everything in their power not to learn anything about that reality.
http://www.salon.com/2015/11/20/bernie_sanders_just_gave_the_most_powerful_speech_of_his_campaign_why_his_socialism_address_was_a_defining_moment/
An analysis of Bernie Sanders’ “socialism” speech. It was an amazing speech and Bernie is not going to shy away from proudly using the term socialism. Many are comparing it to JFK’s speech on being a Catholic, and Obama’s speech in 2008 on race. He’s the ‘outsider’ candidate – like JFK and Obama were – and he’s explaining his positions to the American people. And he’s doing it very well.
Meanwhile, he’s just reached an all-time high in the Democratic primary polls: http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/poll-hillary-clinton-holds-steady-support-among-democrats-n466641
He has a more than 20-point lead among those under 30.
Full speech here: http://www.vox.com/2015/11/19/9762028/bernie-sanders-democratic-socialism
While Trump is proposing a database of Muslims, there is a progressive candidate on the other side. And in the general election, Sanders would beat Trump by 12 points. http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/poll-shocker-bernie-sanders-leads-trump-and-bush-double-digits
Michael Woodhouse has a piece coming out in the Listener soon where he describes himself of having come from abject poverty, which is an abject fucking lie. Both his parents had good jobs and brought up children in a warm dry safe house.
Cmon they probably only had one car and one house, that is poverty to a right winger.
perhaps it seems like abject poverty compared to his life now? all relative, and many of us live in “abject poverty” comapred to the people making all the decisions about how we are governed
Spoof captures how advertisers approach millennials and consumerism
Sums up the destruction of capitalism and consumerism quite nicely.
I note that Mike Moore is returning home from his post in DC.
Looks like we will be getting a torrent of op-ed from him urging Labour to support the TPPA.
La Belle Trevett is doing Robertson’s dirty work again: rubbishing Sepuloni, who has actually won a seat and has impact in the house, while puffing Ardern who never won a seat and never landed a punch in the house.
Has the party learned nothing? Why is Little letting his deputy continue with the behaviour he started under Goff and continued under the vacuous Shearer?
Does Little not get it that the behavior of Robertson and his ABC friends are what lost us credibility and the last election? That type of politics are what turn the public, and the members, off.
Worse still La Belle Trevett puffs that despicable arse Nash while suggesting Cunliffe has no role to play in the Labour Party.
By using press briefings to attack a leader who was elected by the membership is an extremely disappointing approach. Andrew Little will be seen as a pawn of Robertson and King if he lets this type of behaviour become dominant again.
Little promised a fair and united party. He indicated that he would not accept the undermining of colleagues. Cunliffe has been an excellent servant of the party, one of its best ministers and fully deserves the opportunity to continue making a contribution.
Nash over Cunliffe!! The day that happens Little will loose a lot of respect.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11548766
Remember that it is Trevett doing the speculating here. Andrew Little is not likely to base his decisions on whatever it is she purports to think. I was also taken aback by the dismissal of Sepuloni, who I have seen as doing very well, not to mention Cunliffe, who has shown a lot of grace under pressure. But I thought, that’s The NZ Herald for you – exerting pressure from outside and stirring the pot is just what they do.
her piece does stink of leaks from within caucus or from Labour staffers. Trevett will have based her speculations on inside sources, not on random tea leaves.
Sounds like something from Pagani, who likes to think of herself as an insider. In fact, it could have been written by Pagani.
Perhaps. But even if that is true, there is no reason whatsoever for Andrew Little to follow Trevett’s suggestions, however she came to them.
I doubt very much that Little would follow suggestions from Trevett or Pagani.
He most assuredly wouldn’t. My understanding is that Josie Pagani is almost persona-non-gratis among the Labour elite and that is unsurprising given some of her past public statements.
As for Trevett. I imagine her standing in the Labour Party is close to the bottom of the barrel.
You don’t understand the relationship between the Parliamentary staff and King. She is the master enforcer.
By setting such a clear reshuffle script into the public like this, Little has been set up for a further story if he deviates from it.
With the List conferences now done away with, a fairly weak President and a Secretary ready to go, King has the floor to herself. Unfortunately, she’s King of a smaller and smaller island every year. Naturally I hope I am wrong and the government changes to something substantial in 2017. Its just the same tiresome shit that continues to make me want to have nothing to do with politics ever again.
The careerists, for the sake of their careers, would rather be in charge of a losing party, than not be in control of a winning party.
And why is that?
i see part of the reasoning of the leaker as being to tie Little’s hands, and also to signal the continued ascendancy of the Robertson and Right factions. Actually it signals the fact that Cunliffe is still feared by them and that Little’s success at “unifying” the caucus is nothing more than him coming in line with the wishes of those major factions.
Olwyn,
It is not speculation by Trevett.
Ignore the silly stuff here saying she is biased.
She is a pro and would not write this story without having actually been explicitly briefed by a Senior Labour Source.
Robertson picks who does this style of briefing: he is a coward and will always push someone else to do his dirty work: he tacitly let Marieanne Street lead the putsch on conman Shearer.
I would like to think Andrew Little had no hand in this…………..
Interesting.
In any case, the important point is that with those names being eye-rollingly promoted up the ranking, the careerist faction strengthens in caucus. Robertson tightens his network around Little and King will be Robertson’s king-maker.
Andrew Little said that he is not interested in political parlour games, and I like to think he is as good as his word. Those who still want to play such games have to be a bit more cautious these days, and Andrew Little seems quite capable of making his own judgements.
+100…hope so Olwyn…that Little is his own man!
….imo the Labour Party is stuffed unless it can listen to its grassroots/ flaxroots membership eg bold action on TPPA…bold action on issues that concern New Zealanders eg ownership of their housing stock and land and country and assets
…and amongst other things this means rolling out a rejuvenated David Cunliffe (the overwhelming rank and file membership choice)
…a high profile David Cunliffe could stick it home to jonkey and nactional…he has electoral appeal …which does not mean Little relinquishes his leadership organising role
imo NZF is the closest natural coalition partner for Labour ( this coalition has worked very successfully in the past)
…the Greens will probably come on board also …despite their competitive and coalitiion splitting and dumping behaviours of late
(eg support for Red Peak flag and John Key and against the NZ flag included in the first referendum and against the wishes of Labour and NZF…and support for Jonkey nacts framing the housing crisis in Auckland as “crude racial profiling”by Labour ( not helpful) and Ron Marks as being racist …also their continued sniping at Winston Peters as unable to work with them…imo a projection of their own competitiveness and antipathy towards Peters and NZF)
…the Greens will probably come on board also …despite their competitive and coalitiion splitting and dumping behaviours of late
The Greens position on coalition has been explicit and unchanging.
The membership vote on it. Thats it.
That means not discounting any coalition partners including National (technically possible but I expect hell to freeze over before this happens), and not assuming the Greens membership won’t vote to tell the Labour party to fuck off if they believe it to be in New Zealands best interest. (also extremely remote)
Wouldn’t bet on it CV, Trevett is a Nat party lacky doing her bosses (Daughter of Norm) dirty work.
Peroxide Blonde +100….”Nash over Cunliffe!! The day that happens Little will loose a lot of respect”
….isnt Nash a friend of the infamous Lusk?…who is a friend of Slater? ….who is a friend of jonkey? …( Dirty Politics?) Labour needs to be rid of Nash
http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/story/nash-embarassed-by-links-to-simon-lusk-2015111718#axzz3s6PRJaeg
Smeagol, he smells
The fact she goes on about the Turnbull Obama chat shows that this articles are the twitterings of a pointless little shit.
She’s wrong about Cunnliffe I reckon Littles had him on the back burner till things blow over, English has proved that just because someone misses the top job they can’t have a big input.
Wellington-based MPs and their staffers leaking stuff like MP Performance Review metrics and potential Shadow rankings only hurts their potential to gain government. Centralising power to their rightist clique means an homogenized and cowed caucus agreeing to no bold policies. Like last time. One of the others was disunity and leaks. We will have the same mediocre candidate and policy shite to sell to the punters that we had last time if this continues.
Plus, Wellington MPs and staffers signaling they want to slide Auckland MPs down the list shows they still fear Auckland. Labour’s anti-Midas touch with Auckland business means, as their President noted in his speech to the Conference, that they will be fundraising one meat pack raffle at a time, hundreds and hundreds of times for the next two years. Love him or hate him, Cunlilffe has really good fundraising access to the highly salaried professional services classes in Auckland. If Wellington keeps screwing him over he’ll walk – which they will love – until they run out of money.
Trevett’s article simply shows the Usual Suspects scorching the earth using the election as a pretext for cleanout. It simply continues to damage their 2017 chances.
Oh but wait, Nash could come onto The Standard again and remind us it was actually all our fault. Yeah right pal.
Bullseye, Ad.
“”Labour’s anti-Midas touch with Auckland business means, “”
Just to clarify are you pro Auckland big business being courted to fund labour ,or just agreeing because Ads comment points out past problems in Labour.
Read the piece closely. Claire Trevett, despite being a Nat tool, is still doing her job and ‘reporting’ on a number of things that clearly have been communicated to her from someone in the know in Labour/with the Labour leadership. The language is definite and unambiguous, going into detail, not speculative or made up. Scrutinise the piece and see, for eg:
* “Expect Kelvin Davis to leapfrog over Nanaia Mahuta to be the highest ranked Maori MP and for Mahuta to drop down.”
* “Little’s focus will be instead on bringing forward talented newcomers from the 2011 and 2014 intakes, such as Jenny Salesa, Davis and Stuart Nash.”
* “That is David Shearer’s gain, effectively guaranteeing he will keep his foreign affairs portfolio and possibly pick up defence as well.”
And a whole paragraph focusing on Cunliffe. ABC-ing at work, as usual. The careerist faction is alive and well, and are determined to cement their own “Jobs. Jobs. Jobs.” What has Andrew Little got – no electorate (a deal has been struck with Annette?), last choice for leadership (read: preferentials went through to the final round before he emerged), i.e. no strong power base. And now, this leak. Again.
Little made a strategic error in failing to live up to his promise of replacing King after twelve months.
The members, who were willing to accept his placings in the post leadership week for the sake of unity, will be less willing to swallow rats when they see that King and Robertson are back running the show.
Liabilities like Nash and Shearer and weaklings like Ardern and Faafoi will be seen to be in the ascendant!!
If any elements of this story are true we are fucked.
Fucked
Fucked
Fucked.
Call me crazy but King is necessary.
They needed an internal enforcer.
It’s just that it comes at a very high strategic price.
Duncan Garner: refresh your memory with this:
http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Duncan-Garner-Narcissistic-Labour-proves-voters-were-bang-on/tabid/674/articleID/55918/Default.aspx
“The ABC club never died when Cunliffe became leader – they just retired to the corner and got more bitter and twisted. It’s no secret who they are: Trevor Mallard is the life president, Clayton Cosgrove, chief plotter, David Shearer, general-secretary, Stuart Nash, head of communications, Annette King, camp mother, Grant Robertson the uncle, Phil Goff, kaumatua, and the errant ABC kids are Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins and Kris Faafoi.”
Little’ mistake in giving in to the Wellington set will cause Labour to be in opposition for another term. Remember Robertson came THIRD in Wellington Central, King Faafoi Hipkins had bigger reductions in their majorities than Auckland MPs. This group of loosing delusionists now seem to have Little’s ear.
There is no upside to having King there.
The ship leaks a whole lot less and is coherent.
Conference in particular was down to her.
Little has her at Number 2 to good effect.
And remember hager thanked nat staffers in his last book so despite the lack of light shone on nat party probs, they to exist.
God this makes me angry!
http://transportblog.co.nz/2015/11/21/hamilton-bypass-to-be-bypassed/
I cannot imagine a more shortsighted, stupid, and incompetent decision by a government ever! We cannot feed or house our children, we have one of the worst rates of child abuse in the western world, we emit on average 17 tonnes of Carbon each when the global average is 8 (making us the 5th worst on the planet), but we can spent $1B on a by-pass to by pass the Hamilton by-pass (on which we have just spent $200M!). But don’t worry folks – all up it will save you a whole 35 mins on your trip from Wellington to Auckland.
AND!!!
By 2041…. if there are any cars left…. some sections will carry up to 10000 vehicles!
Why not just stand on a hill top some place on a windy day and throw the whole lot, in $100 bills, into the air. At least someone might benefit.
Maybe the RWNJs are out to gut Hamilton by making sure that nobody ever visits there.
Yep I think that’s it! I used to live in Auckland for about 30 years after growing up in Wellington. I did the trip from Auckland to Wellington many times. Hardly ever did I find it necessary to drive thru Hamilton- the 1b from Cambridge to Taupari was much quicker and far less traffic. It still is. Or Hwy 27 from Tirau to Pokeno. Up grading 1b would cost about the cost of a flag referendum and serve just as well, in the interim until we transitioned to rail.
Am in Perth at the moment. The light rail from Perth to Mandjurah travels about the same distance as Auck to Hamilton. It does the trip – stopping at all 12 stations in about 45 mins at speeds up to 150 kmph – quicker and more convenient than a car. There is a train during the day every 10 – 15 mins and no need to worry about catching this or that train. just go and there will be one in 5 mins. For us Kiwis the cost of traveling around Perth for a day is $12 – Less if you buy a Smart ticket. If you are an Australian pensioner you can travel almost any time of the day apart from the rush hours for free. Want to take a family out for the day? travel with up to 7 for less than 12 dollars – ANYWHERE.
Spending $1 B on building an efficient fast light rail between Auckland and Hamilton would make much more sense.
Seriously, you have no idea about Hamilton and the surrounding areas.
All growth in NZ over the next 25 years will be in the Auckland, Hamilton Tauranga triangle.
That’s why these roads are getting built and about fucking time.
I just happen to live in the Waikato … So yes I do know about it. As for the growth areas – that’s just where you do need a fast efficient public transport system. Visit south Perth sometime if you want to see massive development.
Roads work better in NZ, they’re multi use.
Cars, trucks, buses they all work on roads, trains are so one dimensional.
Add in self driving vehicles and roads are by far the better choice, and no I don’t think the world is going to collapse because of peak oil.
but then you don’t think full stop BM…
Trains carry everything that road carries and does it faster and more efficiently. Self driving vehicles are just the RWNJs such as yourself clutching for a saviour but it doesn’t change the figures at all.
Really, you’re arguing that we should continue to use inefficient transportation.
peak oil was 10 years ago. It’s one of the reasons that the world economy is not going to recover again.
Yep, no matter how much money that the banks create the economy isn’t actually going to grow any more.
Well said Macro @12, could not agree with you more. All these roads are being built for the very vocal and pro National trucking lobby. Lets face it was National’s policy to stuff rail for their trucking mates.
Had to go to Tauranga last Thursday. We counted going over the Kaimai’s only, not SH 1, 101 heavy trucks and trailers, like container trucks not your local delivery lorries coming in the opposite direction. I guess we can say possibly the same number were going in the same direction as us as I managed to overtake at lest 10. This is a trip we do often, In all the times we have done this trip at different times of the day, we I have yet to see a train on that stretch of rail track that goes through the tunnel.
Don’t worry we have 100 years of oil left, not. The cheap oil comes from where were looking for it in the great south basin and the arctic, not. auckland and hamilton will become mega cities where everyone drives between them. Our only oil refinery can’t refine the oil we produce in Taranaki. They will make statues of Min. Bridges for outstanding vision. What do you reckon we can do with a billion dollars of smooth asphalt when the trucking industry collapses and people can’t afford to fill up…
How are they funding it?
who has shares in the road construction companies?…again?
Fuck off with your doomer peak oil bull shit.
Hell yes once all that pescky fucking ice is gone we can drill the poles,
Us one wannabee 1%ers can live under a dome of plastic and our money will buy guns to keep the peasants at bay.
Crystal ball gazing is for fools.
No one has any idea what will happen in the future,
Don’t spoil my fun.
My three scenarios are
Cc and rampant capitalism will combine to bring a dark age .
CC will go into feed back and we’re all fucked.
We’ll get it together and after a final period of deep instability humans will realise money should just be the grease that lubricates existence instead of the rock dragging us to the bottom of the ocean.
🙂
Yeah, we have a very good idea of what will happen in the future based on sound science.
So we cant know we will need this bypass til we actually need it… and then e can just borrow the money then, right BM. Or have you abandoned that “reasoning” from yesterday?
You know currency trading involves an element of predicting the future aye?
Of course it does.
Same as any investment, could go up, could go down, it’s how you ride the winners and minimize your losses, that’s what makes a successful trader.
Very few people have that skill.
Also ,certain bankruptcy awaits the individual not willing to re access and adjust their position.
So you agree the PM must be fool, according to your own “reasoning”
Are you bankrupt?
You are kidding, right?
No.
Are you a climate denier?
You’re a very weird individual Paul.
Ad Hominem attacks do not an argument make, BM.
You launched into macro for questioning our addiction to the car, given the precarious state of our planet. I ask you whether you accept the Science on climate change. You call me weird.
Go figure.
Trans-Tasman Trade
‘Russian cruise missiles hit ISIS from Mediterranean & Caspian; 600 killed in one strike’
https://www.rt.com/news/322881-russia-cruise-missiles-isis/
‘UN calls on world to fight ISIS as Security Council unanimously adopts French-drafted resolution’
https://www.rt.com/news/322931-un-resolution-fight-terrorism-isis/
Yeha for the kiwi team in the dog trial test ,run on Aratiatia station Taupo.
“”The Trans Tasman test has been won by New Zealand. Very well done to the guys and congratulations.
Results as follows: Australia 1st round 356.00 – 2nd round 380.0
New Zealand 1st round 376.5 – 2nd round 385.5
Aggregate = Australia 726.0
New Zealand 762.0 “”
As the besotted owner of a couple of tricolour heading dogs and no stock, marvelous,
There’s an old guy in his late 80s who trials ,he lives in a retirement village, I’ve been told he trains his dog in a park on rubbish tins. There is a web site
NZDTA that will tell you where and when trials are happening .
John Roughan has to relinquish Key interview recordings and transcripts for the Bradley Ambrose defamation case:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11548827
I’m pretty sure Turnbull is confused when he calls Key a role model and really just assumes he’ll be able to get away with the same rubbish in Australia as Key pulls off here. Maybe I’m giving them too much credit, but I think the Australians would not have been bought off by the ‘scumbag journalist’ trope that worked in the teapot case.
Thanks for the link. Interesting times