Labour had better wake up pronto – insipid and visionless policies that tinker around the edges are not going to win them the election. They owe their supporters a better effort than that.
The problem with vaping has been a clear growing problem over years. Very shortly before the election, after six years in power, it gets the "We're taking this seriously, we're going to do something about it," treatment.
But that is still faffing around the edges. They have to do something radical to get the phone back on the hook.
Here is a couple of ideas they can still throw out there:
A tax free income threshold of $10,000 and removing the tax exemption of churches – make them instead claim tax rebates based on their charity spending. That'd knock Peter Mortlocks and Bishop Brian's arse in and simultaneously show God's displeasure at prosperity doctrine by making them poorer in the realm of mammon.
The money could then be used to partially offset the income threshold change. You couldn't think of a more classic case of "applied Christianity", to quote MJ Savage.
Of course, from my perspective, I am happy with the TVNZ poll last night.
A couple of comments though:
Firstly, I hope that Chippy keeps his job whatever the outcome of the election. I don't think he is the reason for Labour's position at the moment. He has had a nightmare ride thus far with all the discipline issues etc. I still think he is the best person for the role.
Secondly, HDPA made an interesting comment last night about the rise of the extremes on both sides of the political perspective. She thought that voters are starting to see both of the main central parties as tweedle dum and tweedle dee, and if they want real change they need to move further in either direction.
Well, I can't recall exactly what S said so am unable to confirm he said anything particularly defamatory, but the overall drift was right on the money.
So you approve of calling someone a racist on the basis of no evidence, simply because you don't like them……. noted.
You have moved the goal-posts from not liking their politics, to something else.
Back in the Cold War day, those who criticised US foreign policy were called anti-American, and those in the USA who criticised their lack of social justice were called fellow travellers with commies.
Politicians are not above playing the race card.
Brash tried Kiwi vs iwi and proposed removing the Maori electorates – when the issue of the day was foreshore and seabed claims of Maori. Yet Key's government enabled whanu ora, signing us up to UNDRIP and agreed with TPM on "no ownership of the foreshore and seabed" (undoing Labour's public domain) – allowing private land owners to deny access more easily.
Now National foment concern about co-governance on water bodies and UNDRIP and oppose Maori Health and worse with ACT as partner.
Zoe Hobbes just missed out on the World Championship final with 11.02, the 2 runners 8th and 9th (11.01) into the final.
She was 4th in the fastest of the 3 semi-final heats – the winner Jackson was 2nd in the final, the 2nd placed Ta Lou was 4th in the final and the 3rd placed in her semi-final won the final (the three were the fastest in the semi-finals) – Shacarri Richardson in a very quick 9.65seconds.
3rd in her semi-final, she was given lane 9. SR had a real slow start in her semi-final and came home much faster than Jackson. In the final she had a better start and as she was on the outside, they were only aware of her late run when it was over.
Not just hundreds of South Asians also hundreds from South America – this will be thousands
This is the latest in a string of alleged exploitation linked to the AEWV scheme described by INZ as a “higher trust model” that replaced six visa options a year ago.
Is Mariela Ehijo of the charity Abroad NZ the same person, Mariela Andrea EHIJO CONTRERAS listed as the sole director of BuildHub?
Because if that is true then this is one horrible person. On one hand she is the CEO of a charity set up to help migrant workers, and on the other had she is the Director of BuildHub, the recruiting agency at the centre of alleged mass migrant exploitation. As a South American herself I cannot understand how she can treat these people so badly, people from her own continent that she ripped off with exorbitant fees and hollow promises of work, only to leave them destitute.
If it's not the same person, then I apologize in advance for any offense caused.
Looks like the Charity Abroad NZ is based at the same address as BuildHub.
Our History
Abroad Global existed before as an immigration advisory firm that helped the migrant community for 7 years. Our decision to become a Charitable Trust was inspired by the large potential in the charity sector to help other non-for-profit organisations and the migrant section of the community.
I can’t help but laugh when I hear scaremongering about the Māori elite coming to take over the country.
A nice reprise of the historic fear of Maori elites follows.
The reason I can make this statement is because the same vitriol is not pointed at so-called white elites. There does not seem to be the antagonism to white people who can be considered part of the financial elite, the political elite, and the cultural elite.
New Zealand’s 311 wealthiest families pay 8.8 per cent tax on their income compared to the 10.5 per cent paid by those on the minimum wage and there was only brief complaint about that from some left-leaning commentators.
The article responds to concerns not currently raised, and redirects into a classic whataboutery to conclude.
IF it is intended to alleviate some of the concerns re government policy and legislation, the author could at least attempt to describe some of those concerns accurately, and then address them.
Criminalising cancelling carbon corporates in Aotearoa.
Ms Penwarden was feeling gun-shy after having been convicted on fraud charges for sending a spoof letter pretending to be the organiser of a petroleum conference advising it was cancelled.
It is incomprehensible any self-respecting industry hack would have accepted this document at face value, nor admitted to anyone that they’d been taken in by such an obvious lark.
Parody is an act of free speech which, as a member of the Free Speech Union, I am committed to defending. And yet our police decided to devoted resources away from pursuing TikTok induced car thefts and persistent shoplifters to prosecute an irrepressible grandmother for trolling.
Penwarden was convicted by a jury, which demonstrates that the human desire to supplicate to the whims of authority is a more powerful force than a willingness to apply our own moral compass.
Following on from my comment yesterday about the climate change impacts of the wealthy:
Methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, is thought to be responsible for more than a quarter of global warming experienced to date. Controlling it is such an urgent priority that President Joe Biden recently hosted a “Methane Summit” at the White House.
Most of the problem stems from just a few kinds of places: natural gas wells and pipelines, cattle feedlots, coal mines, rice paddies, and landfills. But occasionally, the scientists who hunt for large methane releases find them in surprising spots. Such was the case on June 4, when a plume of the gas was detected at the sprawling ranch in West Texas where billionaire Jeff Bezos tests space rockets.
…
Ironically, one of the growth drivers for the commercial space sector is launching satellites for environmental monitoring of pollutants, including methane.
Whilst increased rain in winter and spring is actually producing greater fire risks, because of warmer winters and wetter springs stimulating much greater growth in foliage.
Once of the suspected causes of the fires in Maui was the failure of utility companies to cut power in high winds, causing arcing that sparked the conflagration.
And I was thinking, could that happen here? Much of our urban development in the Waitakere Ranges is predicated on it never turning into a massive tinder box.
Imagine this. Auckland, after nearly of year of constant rain thanks to La Nina, finally enters an El Nino phase. The rain stops in September, and a warm early spring and summer cause an explosion of plant growth. Vector, as usual, utterly neglect line maintenance in the Waitakere ranges.
December and Xmas are gorgeous, green, luxuriant, blue skies and hot.
By January, it hasn't rained for ten weeks and a glorious summer continues. Auckland is in a drought. Watercare is advising people to reduce use. In February a watering ban is introduced and a scandal around Watercare's failure to invest in storage infrastructure fills the MSM.
In a blistering February, Aucklanders start to fondly recall the great deluge of the previous year. People grumble about the lack of rain, and magazines run stories on how to save grey water for the garden. Mike Hosking devotes hours of his show to calling people who are starting to warn of the fire danger alarmist killjoys who don’t like people having fun at the beach. The Waitakeres go from dark green, to deep shades of brown and yellow and to lighter shades of green.
Summer stretches into March, temperatures remain in the mid twenties. The entire city is a tinderbox. An unseasonable, scorching high pressure system crosses the Tasman from the Australian deset bring record breaking temperatures and strong westerlies. Poorly maintained power lines cause a big scrub fire to break out above Piha. Attracted by the spectacle, a mentally disturbed arsonist decides this a good time to light a series of fires in the evening along the Upper Nihotupu Walkway. Within hours, a fire front stretching from Piha road to the Lower Nihotupu Dam Road is blazing, fanned by strong westerlies and tinder dry undergrowth. With little to no warning a huge fire sweeps down and destroys hundreds of homes along Scenic drive, and devastates Waiatarua. Firefighters can do nothing to stop it raging down West Coast Road and spreading down Forest Hill road. The next day, a firestorm erupts and the flames engulf Oratia, Laingholm and bite into Titirangi. By the time fire is contained, dozens of lives have been lost. Tens of thousands are evacuated, thousands lose everything, and hundreds of millions of dollars of damage has been done.
Entirely possible, IMHO. And perhaps sooner than we think.
I was in Lahaina 6 years ago in their mid summer and struck by the casual attitude to fire safety, with lots of bonfires and barbeques amongst the dried out scrub and a very large proportion of residents and visitors smoking and discarding still burning butts. There seems to be no fire restrictions or bans, probably because .. you know, FREEDOM.
Big grass fires and sugar cane fires are common in Maui all exacerbated by the huge downhill winds in summer like the South Island east coast. It is a large island with apparently only 13 fire engines and a few available helicopters surprisingly. It is the opposite of here, the east coast is wet and the west is very dry.
While there I made mention that the place, the west coast anyway, was ready made for a big devastating fire so therefore it was no surprise to me that the inevitable happened. Lahaina was a lovely old historic village and a loss but nowhere near as devastating as the loss of the people, some of whom we almost certainly met or stayed with.
Brief thoughts on the recent wildland-urban interface fire catastrophe on Maui
. . . . As much as it might surprise some folks, the Hawaiian islands are no stranger to fire. Nearly all ignitions today are caused by human activities (though most are accidental). Wildfire risk is rising, especially on the dry sides of the islands (which, in some cases, receive an annual average precipitation similar to that of Los Angeles), due to a combination of unmanaged invasive grasses building up huge fuel loads on abandoned plantations and climate change–which is likely increasing the duration and severity of droughts on the lee sides of the islands and the intensity of wet-dry cycling of precipitation (which favors extra vegetation growth, and then rapid drying of that extra growth during high risk periods). Here, too, as in so many other places, subdivisions have been built and expanded that increasingly extend into high fire risk zones. In fact, in County of Maui planning documents, nearly all of Lahaina was characterized as being at high to extreme wildfire risk.
"Since only the kiss of flame is needed to rouse dormant seeds from decadeslong sleep, is it not strange that botanists do not turn arsonists on occasion that some floral phoenix might arise from the ashes?" (John Thomas Howell).
***UPDATE*** Reports that a #Chinese Navy (PLAN) submarine, apparently a nuclear powered Type-093 Shang Class boat, has suffered a serious accident in the vicinity of the Taiwan Strait This is currently *unconfirmed*, treat with great caution. Been hearing it for a few hours.
Reports suggest all crew died. If so, RIP. However, again, caution that currently no evidence. And some reporting is less credible. But important to listen for more More info on this class of submarine http://hisutton.com/Chinese-Navy-T
·Should add, one thing which makes me doubt some of the accounts is that they have too much information, like crew dying, type of boat etc. However, that doesn't invalidate the underlying story. But waiting for more info, ideally credible sources (I may have missed some)
The Ministry of National Defense held a press conference in the morning. Spokesperson Major General Sun Lifang pointed out in an interview that the national military has carefully and carefully grasped the dynamics of all sea and airspace around the Taiwan Strait through joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance methods. This is what the Ministry of National Defense has been doing very seriously. .
Sun Lifang said that so far, he has not heard any relevant information confirming the wreck of the Chinese nuclear submarine. Such information is circulated from social media, and there is no other official statement to further confirm it.
It's not even intended as an expose of the entitlement mentality, but as preparation for an era of plutocracy entitlement under NACT.
Our home ownership is lower than the UK and falling.
Once upon a time they were known as the propertied class and working class society, now we are the colony with the precariat working class paying rent to the class above.
A cry baby story about a mum and dad investor since 1984, who never paid any income tax on rentals for near 4 decades – running them with 3/4 of the rent income as mortgage so there was no net income to tax. All for the untaxed CG.
Now with the looming loss of the mortgage cost deduction (this has been phased in over the past few years and is not yet fully established) has reduced the portfolio down to one last rental (being lived in) while building a new home.
He says that on moving into the new home, they will leave the house as a ghost home, rather than borrow $40,000 to get it up rental standards. Crying too poor to have a spare $40,000 to do this without debt – when it's just more of a habit to finance their rentals via debt and claim this as a cost against rent income.
He concludes that the loss of mortgage deduction is forcing mum and dad investors to sell their rentals – in this he ignores the fact that those who invest in new builds still qualify for the mortgage deduction as a cost. It is a policy to encourage investment in new builds to stop investors bidding up the price of existing property on borrowed money.
The parasitic class given a public voice.
National intends to restore the mortgage tax deduction to enable more of this (discourage new build investment, slow new supply and increase property values for those in it for the untaxed CG – while not paying any tax on their rent income).
TOP have a policy to stop that sort of thing: they would insist on a prospective landlord putting up a 100% deposit on purchasing a rental property. In that case, with no mortgage to repay the landlord would would either make a profit – and paying tax on it – or find himself providing his tenant with cheap rent.
Which suggests that 99% of the voting population have no real understanding of economics; or else that the don't care about the high rents that tenants are paying.
After the fuss about Seymour's joke regarding Guy Fawkes and the Pacific Peoples Ministry I suppose we are now going to get demands that the Labour Party dump Hipkins as leader?
How dare he will no doubt be Sepuloni's diatribe after Hipkins made a joke about Steve Hansen. Will Chippie be calling on the King to cancel Hansen's knighthood?
alwyn, It is not the same as wanting to blow up the Ministry for Pacific Peoples after two men had entered the building and harassed and intimidated staff.
People think that 29% is bad news for Labour but look at the slide in support for over 4 months. The mood for change is all around. How low will the support go? Will it reach 19%?
National/ACT have only 50%, according to that poll, which is not enough to govern. FNZ might have given them another 1% but FNZ has a snowball's chance in hell of making it into parliament. Success, or otherwise, for the right will probably depend on what happens with NZ1st, the Maori Party result, and to a lesser extent, on the Ilam result. I note also that 12% of those polled were "undecided".
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In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.‘It didn’t start out like, ‘This is a show about Nina,’” says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. I’m another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
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 The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
Labour had better wake up pronto – insipid and visionless policies that tinker around the edges are not going to win them the election. They owe their supporters a better effort than that.
The problem with vaping has been a clear growing problem over years. Very shortly before the election, after six years in power, it gets the "We're taking this seriously, we're going to do something about it," treatment.
It's all about perception.
But that is still faffing around the edges. They have to do something radical to get the phone back on the hook.
Here is a couple of ideas they can still throw out there:
A tax free income threshold of $10,000 and removing the tax exemption of churches – make them instead claim tax rebates based on their charity spending. That'd knock Peter Mortlocks and Bishop Brian's arse in and simultaneously show God's displeasure at prosperity doctrine by making them poorer in the realm of mammon.
The money could then be used to partially offset the income threshold change. You couldn't think of a more classic case of "applied Christianity", to quote MJ Savage.
The perception is labour is playing whack a mole with national, it might be fun but it sure isn't impressing me!!
Of course, from my perspective, I am happy with the TVNZ poll last night.
A couple of comments though:
Firstly, I hope that Chippy keeps his job whatever the outcome of the election. I don't think he is the reason for Labour's position at the moment. He has had a nightmare ride thus far with all the discipline issues etc. I still think he is the best person for the role.
Secondly, HDPA made an interesting comment last night about the rise of the extremes on both sides of the political perspective. She thought that voters are starting to see both of the main central parties as tweedle dum and tweedle dee, and if they want real change they need to move further in either direction.
The Greens are not extremists…the vast majority of their policies are common sense.
ACT on the other hand…..
Putting people and planet ahead of profit is extreme in some eyes!!
[deleted]
Is the standard encouraging slander these days ?
I don't know if that's a reasonable opinion, but please don't make potentially defamatory statements about public figures.
Well, I can't recall exactly what S said so am unable to confirm he said anything particularly defamatory, but the overall drift was right on the money.
So you approve of calling someone a racist on the basis of no evidence, simply because you don't like them……. noted.
You have moved the goal-posts from not liking their politics, to something else.
Back in the Cold War day, those who criticised US foreign policy were called anti-American, and those in the USA who criticised their lack of social justice were called fellow travellers with commies.
Politicians are not above playing the race card.
Brash tried Kiwi vs iwi and proposed removing the Maori electorates – when the issue of the day was foreshore and seabed claims of Maori. Yet Key's government enabled whanu ora, signing us up to UNDRIP and agreed with TPM on "no ownership of the foreshore and seabed" (undoing Labour's public domain) – allowing private land owners to deny access more easily.
Now National foment concern about co-governance on water bodies and UNDRIP and oppose Maori Health and worse with ACT as partner.
Zoe Hobbes just missed out on the World Championship final with 11.02, the 2 runners 8th and 9th (11.01) into the final.
She was 4th in the fastest of the 3 semi-final heats – the winner Jackson was 2nd in the final, the 2nd placed Ta Lou was 4th in the final and the 3rd placed in her semi-final won the final (the three were the fastest in the semi-finals) – Shacarri Richardson in a very quick 9.65seconds.
3rd in her semi-final, she was given lane 9. SR had a real slow start in her semi-final and came home much faster than Jackson. In the final she had a better start and as she was on the outside, they were only aware of her late run when it was over.
Those with a VPN can watch it here
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/athletics/65740172
Finals and semi-finals.
Zoe Hobbs, Jock not Thomas branch of the Hobbs/Hobbes dynasty.
And its Sha’Carri Richardson (how do people get the apostrophe as part of their name?).
Not just hundreds of South Asians also hundreds from South America – this will be thousands
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/migrant-workers-claim-they-have-been-duped-into-believing-they-were-getting-jobs-and-a-better-kiwi-life/BVW7KEQFUNGSJAHSI45S44ZTKI/
Off twitter.
Clip the ticket at both ends.
Our History
Abroad Global existed before as an immigration advisory firm that helped the migrant community for 7 years. Our decision to become a Charitable Trust was inspired by the large potential in the charity sector to help other non-for-profit organisations and the migrant section of the community.
https://www.abroad-global.com/what-we-do
Tax dodging all the way to the bank,
Mariela Ehijo is certainly represented in quite a number of charitable organisations. This one too…
please provide a link for your quote.
A nice reprise of the historic fear of Maori elites follows.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/anaru-eketone-theres-a-lot-of-scaremongering-about-maori-elite-but-what-about-the-pakeha-elite/TQOJX5T4LFGGJPUUWPLQOL6WMA/
The article responds to concerns not currently raised, and redirects into a classic whataboutery to conclude.
IF it is intended to alleviate some of the concerns re government policy and legislation, the author could at least attempt to describe some of those concerns accurately, and then address them.
Criminalising peaceful protest against carbon corporates in Oz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kecnSHmznic
Criminalising cancelling carbon corporates in Aotearoa.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/300952877/damien-grant-freedom-to-speak-and-to-listen-are-rights-we-should-cherish
Following on from my comment yesterday about the climate change impacts of the wealthy:
https://fortune.com/2023/08/21/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-rocket-tests-texas-emitting-methane-see-from-space-iss/
This can be fixed but it needs politicians prepared to take inequality and climate change seriously, tax the rich, party vote Green.
I was thinking about the Maui fires yesterday. Globally, fire weather seasons have increased in length by 27% since 1980.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/07/climate-change-wildfire-risk-has-grown-nearly-everywhere-but-we-can-still-influence-where-and-how-fires-strike/
Whilst increased rain in winter and spring is actually producing greater fire risks, because of warmer winters and wetter springs stimulating much greater growth in foliage.
Once of the suspected causes of the fires in Maui was the failure of utility companies to cut power in high winds, causing arcing that sparked the conflagration.
And I was thinking, could that happen here? Much of our urban development in the Waitakere Ranges is predicated on it never turning into a massive tinder box.
Imagine this. Auckland, after nearly of year of constant rain thanks to La Nina, finally enters an El Nino phase. The rain stops in September, and a warm early spring and summer cause an explosion of plant growth. Vector, as usual, utterly neglect line maintenance in the Waitakere ranges.
December and Xmas are gorgeous, green, luxuriant, blue skies and hot.
By January, it hasn't rained for ten weeks and a glorious summer continues. Auckland is in a drought. Watercare is advising people to reduce use. In February a watering ban is introduced and a scandal around Watercare's failure to invest in storage infrastructure fills the MSM.
In a blistering February, Aucklanders start to fondly recall the great deluge of the previous year. People grumble about the lack of rain, and magazines run stories on how to save grey water for the garden. Mike Hosking devotes hours of his show to calling people who are starting to warn of the fire danger alarmist killjoys who don’t like people having fun at the beach. The Waitakeres go from dark green, to deep shades of brown and yellow and to lighter shades of green.
Summer stretches into March, temperatures remain in the mid twenties. The entire city is a tinderbox. An unseasonable, scorching high pressure system crosses the Tasman from the Australian deset bring record breaking temperatures and strong westerlies. Poorly maintained power lines cause a big scrub fire to break out above Piha. Attracted by the spectacle, a mentally disturbed arsonist decides this a good time to light a series of fires in the evening along the Upper Nihotupu Walkway. Within hours, a fire front stretching from Piha road to the Lower Nihotupu Dam Road is blazing, fanned by strong westerlies and tinder dry undergrowth. With little to no warning a huge fire sweeps down and destroys hundreds of homes along Scenic drive, and devastates Waiatarua. Firefighters can do nothing to stop it raging down West Coast Road and spreading down Forest Hill road. The next day, a firestorm erupts and the flames engulf Oratia, Laingholm and bite into Titirangi. By the time fire is contained, dozens of lives have been lost. Tens of thousands are evacuated, thousands lose everything, and hundreds of millions of dollars of damage has been done.
Entirely possible, IMHO. And perhaps sooner than we think.
I was in Lahaina 6 years ago in their mid summer and struck by the casual attitude to fire safety, with lots of bonfires and barbeques amongst the dried out scrub and a very large proportion of residents and visitors smoking and discarding still burning butts. There seems to be no fire restrictions or bans, probably because .. you know, FREEDOM.
Big grass fires and sugar cane fires are common in Maui all exacerbated by the huge downhill winds in summer like the South Island east coast. It is a large island with apparently only 13 fire engines and a few available helicopters surprisingly. It is the opposite of here, the east coast is wet and the west is very dry.
While there I made mention that the place, the west coast anyway, was ready made for a big devastating fire so therefore it was no surprise to me that the inevitable happened. Lahaina was a lovely old historic village and a loss but nowhere near as devastating as the loss of the people, some of whom we almost certainly met or stayed with.
"Big grass fires and sugar cane fires are common in Maui all exacerbated by the huge downhill winds in summer like the South Island east coast"
From:
https://weatherwest.com/page/2
Brief thoughts on the recent wildland-urban interface fire catastrophe on Maui
. . . . As much as it might surprise some folks, the Hawaiian islands are no stranger to fire. Nearly all ignitions today are caused by human activities (though most are accidental). Wildfire risk is rising, especially on the dry sides of the islands (which, in some cases, receive an annual average precipitation similar to that of Los Angeles), due to a combination of unmanaged invasive grasses building up huge fuel loads on abandoned plantations and climate change–which is likely increasing the duration and severity of droughts on the lee sides of the islands and the intensity of wet-dry cycling of precipitation (which favors extra vegetation growth, and then rapid drying of that extra growth during high risk periods). Here, too, as in so many other places, subdivisions have been built and expanded that increasingly extend into high fire risk zones. In fact, in County of Maui planning documents, nearly all of Lahaina was characterized as being at high to extreme wildfire risk.
DOC commissioned a paper about controlled burnoffs in vulnerable areas – but NZ forests are evolved for a damp temperate climate, not extended droughts common in Australia and California.
Nothing to confirm this, yet.
H I Sutton
@CovertShores
***UPDATE*** Reports that a #Chinese Navy (PLAN) submarine, apparently a nuclear powered Type-093 Shang Class boat, has suffered a serious accident in the vicinity of the Taiwan Strait This is currently *unconfirmed*, treat with great caution. Been hearing it for a few hours.
[…]
@CovertShores
Reports suggest all crew died. If so, RIP. However, again, caution that currently no evidence. And some reporting is less credible. But important to listen for more More info on this class of submarine http://hisutton.com/Chinese-Navy-T
[…]
@CovertShores
·Should add, one thing which makes me doubt some of the accounts is that they have too much information, like crew dying, type of boat etc. However, that doesn't invalidate the underlying story. But waiting for more info, ideally credible sources (I may have missed some)
https://twitter.com/CovertShores/status/1693742634244710455
http://www.hisutton.com/Chinese-Navy-Type-093-Shang-Class-Submarine.html
HI Sutton is a pretty reliable source, although I am sure he could be taken in by rumour.
Taiwan MOD;
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202308220126.aspx
google translate
https://i.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/132782366/why-were-considering-leaving-our-rental-as-a-ghost-house
Landlord grizzling!
House prices cooling is a plus, and a ghost house tax should free a great doer upper for a motivated 1st home buyer!!
It's not even intended as an expose of the entitlement mentality, but as preparation for an era of plutocracy entitlement under NACT.
Our home ownership is lower than the UK and falling.
Once upon a time they were known as the propertied class and working class society, now we are the colony with the precariat working class paying rent to the class above.
Do they have a…'givealittle '….page for donations?
Feature story on Stuff
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/132782366/why-were-considering-leaving-our-rental-as-a-ghost-house
A cry baby story about a mum and dad investor since 1984, who never paid any income tax on rentals for near 4 decades – running them with 3/4 of the rent income as mortgage so there was no net income to tax. All for the untaxed CG.
Now with the looming loss of the mortgage cost deduction (this has been phased in over the past few years and is not yet fully established) has reduced the portfolio down to one last rental (being lived in) while building a new home.
He says that on moving into the new home, they will leave the house as a ghost home, rather than borrow $40,000 to get it up rental standards. Crying too poor to have a spare $40,000 to do this without debt – when it's just more of a habit to finance their rentals via debt and claim this as a cost against rent income.
He concludes that the loss of mortgage deduction is forcing mum and dad investors to sell their rentals – in this he ignores the fact that those who invest in new builds still qualify for the mortgage deduction as a cost. It is a policy to encourage investment in new builds to stop investors bidding up the price of existing property on borrowed money.
The parasitic class given a public voice.
National intends to restore the mortgage tax deduction to enable more of this (discourage new build investment, slow new supply and increase property values for those in it for the untaxed CG – while not paying any tax on their rent income).
Cries poverty without explaining how much untaxed capital gain they made on the houses they have sold – all paid for by their
own hard worktenants.Forgets also the period where you could offset your losses against your other income.
Doesn't explain what he has done with his capital gains that let his house get so run-down and unmaintained.
TOP have a policy to stop that sort of thing: they would insist on a prospective landlord putting up a 100% deposit on purchasing a rental property. In that case, with no mortgage to repay the landlord would would either make a profit – and paying tax on it – or find himself providing his tenant with cheap rent.
TOP are polling 1%.
TOP are polling 1%.
Which suggests that 99% of the voting population have no real understanding of economics; or else that the don't care about the high rents that tenants are paying.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/aug/21/rich-countries-trap-poor-nations-into-relying-on-fossil-fuels
A debt amnesty to help combat emmisions!
That'll have the wealthy bleating
Oh dear.
After the fuss about Seymour's joke regarding Guy Fawkes and the Pacific Peoples Ministry I suppose we are now going to get demands that the Labour Party dump Hipkins as leader?
How dare he will no doubt be Sepuloni's diatribe after Hipkins made a joke about Steve Hansen. Will Chippie be calling on the King to cancel Hansen's knighthood?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby-world-cup-2023/132789273/cancel-his-citizenship-chris-hipkins-jokes-as-steve-hansen-confirms-wallabies-role
alwyn, It is not the same as wanting to blow up the Ministry for Pacific Peoples after two men had entered the building and harassed and intimidated staff.
A debt amnesty to help combat emmisions!
Or they could repay the debt with fiat money, denominated in their own currency. That's what America would do if it found itself in that situation.
People think that 29% is bad news for Labour but look at the slide in support for over 4 months. The mood for change is all around. How low will the support go? Will it reach 19%?
Holy hell , what rock you been hiding under , fizzy??
National/ACT have only 50%, according to that poll, which is not enough to govern. FNZ might have given them another 1% but FNZ has a snowball's chance in hell of making it into parliament. Success, or otherwise, for the right will probably depend on what happens with NZ1st, the Maori Party result, and to a lesser extent, on the Ilam result. I note also that 12% of those polled were "undecided".
It's enough for 65 seats with NZF under 5%.