Former environment Minister Nick Smith provided $180,000 for meetings to resolve disputes over the Mackenzie Basin, despite officials advising it was expensive and unlikely to work.
Smith resigned from Cabinet this year over scandals at ACC, and the Sunday Star-Times has learned ministry chief executive Paul Reynolds has met new minister Amy Adams over concerns about the funding applications.
The Mackenzie Sustainable Futures Trust, set up to mediate between farmers and environmentalists clashing over projects in the Mackenzie Basin and Waitaki Valley, was chaired by National MP Jacqui Dean.
And Ecologic, a firm run by Smith’s friend Guy Salmon, received about $87,000 in consultancy fees from the “collaborative process”, documents released under the Official Information Act show.
Meetings cost around $25,000 each, of which around $18,000 a time went to Ecologic.
Labour environment spokesman Grant Robertson said the documents showed: “Money for mates and special treatment.”
How has this government got any credibility with, even a small percentage, of NZ voters?
And any return to cabinet by Nick Smith looks likely to be later, not sooner.
I’m sure he used to be, Fortran – I was surprised, to say the least when he turned up as a Nat candidate. I always look sideways at converts, be it politics, religion or health issues. I used to be a relatively heavy smoker but threw it away, cold turkey in 1991. I’m now extremely intolerant of any smoker and nearly always gag at the smell of cigarette smoke, but I digress. Over the last 20 odd years there has been heaps of ‘converts’ on the political stage, some these make me gag too!
Isn’t he leading the auckland Council’s report into alternative transport funding? So he can’t be a mate of Brownlee (which gives him some credibility)
Perhaps the stuff’s “story” is an underhanded way by one Nats faction to undermine the Council’s work and take a shot at Smith’s camp at the same time. The timing is too perfect.
An extraordinarily radical, and optimistic series of articles from the Financial Times.
Financial Times, 3:40pm Tuesday June 12th, 2012
[Beyond scarcity] Redefining labour
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Izabella Kaminska
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This is the third installment in FT Alphaville’s “Beyond Scarcity” series, a somewhat radical look at the impact of technological progress
Which is why I’m not watching The Nation. Is he blaming Labour still, and talking about “Planet Labour”, while saying his (distorted) figures are the basis for building a brighter future?
I know I’ll just get angry and start shouting at the screen.
I understand how you might feel Carol, but just keep up your incisive comments in the comment pages, and you will be doing a most effective thing, have confidence in what you are doing for it will count in the end.
Dr Terry, I agree with your sentiment to Carol to keep posting her posts are throughtful and interesting, but the comment about it coming right in the end, is likely to be incorrect.
Something I have wondered about having been on this site among others for some time, is that there are some clever people, who seem to have common sense about them. Sure not all of us will agree on everything, nor should it be that way, but on the core components of what NZ needs to function, and for communiities to reconnect, and propser again, all of them, not just the ruling/corporate class.
What might it take for some of those people of common sense and logic to begin to work together in a way that might lead to some actual “coming right” of the political landscape?
Supporting any part of the current system is, in my opinion supporting the accellerating misery, of more and more sectors of society. As greater numbers drop off the bottom rungs, including people who thought their life was comfortable.
Until the people take back, through active political participation, not just voting or protesting, and certainly not just blogging, the coming right, was lost decades ago.
What might it take for some of those people of common sense and logic to begin to work together in a way that might lead to some actual “coming right” of the political landscape?
You my man, are on the money.
1) A media organisation
2) Financing
3) The attention and support of interest groups from across the political spectrum who value a strong, independent, livable NZ.
Some analysis of slim margin electorate seats, at either regional or national level, depending on where one would target.
A well thought out , delivered speech or intervention at an opportune moment, which could grab some media attention, as I feel it would only require something fleeting to “catch a break”
Behind that none the less would require some time and planning, no question, but I believe it can be done, with the right core start up.
Which interest groups would be necessary you think?
Some analysis of slim margin electorate seats, at either regional or national level, depending on where one would target.
Absolutely. You apply co-ordinated pressure from the grass roots from the start, to both sitting MPs and aspiring candidates. I found this recent exchange relevant (not sure if you caught it).
Behind that none the less would require some time and planning, no question, but I believe it can be done, with the right core start up.
Which interest groups would be necessary you think?
Sure can. You will already know a few capable people who would be in. As do I. As do many here.
As for the specific interest groups. That’s a bit tricky to answer, and in reality depends on who is leading the group and the nature of their exec, as to how productive discussions might be. It would have to be a cross section of provincial/rural and city interests without doubt, however.
Undoubtedly we will know some capable people, and there are a number on this site for sure.
Can’t understand why people who put their energy into supporting failed parties. which no longer represent them, or most of this country, would not want to put that energy into trying something very different.
The way to get in, is to be able to relate to all people, know what it is thats important to them, should be the same things important to you and me, which would make it wasy enough to tap into. Representing exactly what the current system does not, would be straight forward enough, and picking a small number of key facets that one would stand for, a start for ten.
Not so much that it would require “negative campaining”, because that can always be turned into positive easily enough, just that any independents, or working in tandem, would not require a full policy set in order to appeal.
x2. I’ve learned a lot here from contributors like Carol and the informative links and analysis they provide. If I can learn new stuff, so can the hundreds of other readers. Learning makes (and is) a difference.
Muzza below, I don’t see anyone claiming things will “come right”, just that Carol’s contribution can and will “count”
edit – Muzza’s post has turned out to be above rather than below.
JS – for something to count, to me would imply that things come right, and I guess there are a couple of points I would make.
If anyone does a good deed, or gives wise information or knowledge etc, whatever it might be that is positive, or leads to a positive outcome, means that action has counted. The other side can also be that , it counted, but in a way which may not have been intended, either way all actions count in the end, its what that end, or the journey towards it becomes…
With politics still playing such big part in affecting negatively, and the media supporting in its role, in order to make it count, things have to change, they have to come right, but how will that happen?
Its a very broad query, with many possible ansers, but ultimately only a small number really matters, like people finding out what really natters in life, not just to them, but to all of us. Those things which really matter to sustain life are relatively few, we all need them, the rest is simply not necessary, the reason people are not getting what they need, greed!
DT’s comment on it counting is correct, what it might count for if we dont all inspire in some way, is the variable.
Going by those parts of the speech which were broadcast on The Nation, he seems not to have mentioned Labour at all. In fact within the limitations of the neoliberal outlook it was a reasonably sensible speech, stressing the need to reduce NZ’s high indebtedness, the “black clouds” on the horizon overseas etc.
When I heard the Nats conference was being held at Sky City, I was overcome with joy. Finally, the nastiest criminals in NZ are off our streets for a few hours.
Which must be why the Nats needed 80 Police officers.
80 Police to stand guard inside a private commercial premises? (to keep the riffraff in?)
80 sworn Officers paid from the public purse to stand guard in Sky City ???
Is that not a job for, i don’t know, the Security Guards of Sky City? Why are NZ Police being used as security guards for a private meeting of a radical and dangerous political group that is threatening to overthrow the sovereignty of Aotearoa? Is this a good use of public funds?
It’s not like anyone ever gets got robbed or raped or hurt or runover or damaged or threatened in Auckland so i guess they were just lucky there were plenty of spare hands to help out.
Exactly freedom. I had the same thought. National want to privatise everything but when it comes to shielding themselves against protests over their nasty policies they rely on our tax-payer funded Police Force. It’s par for the course for them though, they happily call other people bludgers while they themselves shove their snouts into as many troughs as they can.
Thank you to the moderators for creating a pfree zone this week – i have enjoyed it a lot and i’ve found I have much more inclination to enter debates, instead of dissipating energy on unowho – my choice of course but thanks.
i wonder about macrons. If we are going to use te reo Māori then surely macrons need to be used, even if just in the original post. Please I am not getting at anyone because I slip up as much as anyone else. For me, I cut and paste from a document into the comment. āĀ ēĒ īĪ ōŌ ūŪ. I am just raising this for discussion and i wonder what others think and i repeat i’m not getting at anyone.
I’d love to know how to make my computer do macrons. I feel guilty omitting them. In the meantime, I’ve often wondered if doubling the letter that should have a macron is equivalent, (for example Maaori)?
cut and paste is old school but it works – for instance if someone cut and pasted the letters with macrons in my comment above into a doc and then added common macroned words to that file then they have it sorted, apart from knowing what macron, and where. For that i check with the Māori dictionary where I cut and paste words into that doc. The comments area can take cut and paste direct from the doc or the dictionary – but as i say – old school but works.
Making a file of copied macroned words, good lateral thinking.
Once in the file, I guess you can change the font etc. to match that in the text you are writing?
Bit complicated for a non-whizz like me. But if that’s how it’s done…
On a windows operating system, you can find macrons and much much more in the “character map”. Look for it in the “system tools” submenu, in the “accessories” folder on your “start” menu. I keep a link to it in the task bar.
Thanks Kotahi Tane Huna.
Wow, so many interesting things in ‘accessories’.
I’ve found the macroned letters. How do I transfer them to the text I’m writing?
Click on whichever special character you want to use, and press “select” and “copy” – then go to whatever you are typing and hold the “ctrl” (control) key down and press “v”. Alternatively right-click and choose “paste”.
That is a brilliant short-cut. For other novices, Win + R allows you to browse (and run) all your computer’s programmes, documents and folders, – instantly.
I really appreciate these sort of tips. I’ve got a notebook…
I’ve also been enjoying the PG-free week. The debate has felt quite different this week. I wonder how people are going to deal with him when he returns.
Ditto about the PG free week. I commented to Clare Curran on her Facebook page [about buying shares in Mighty River Power] and guess who sprung up with a typical comment, yep Pete George.
Just heard on the radio news that weet-bix brain Crusher Collins has told the pro-gambling skyshity brown nosers that crime in NZ always increases when there is a Labour Govt in power.
I hope one of those pokie machines malfunctions real soon and takes the roof off.
Analysis of Earth’s geologic record can reveal how the climate has changed over time. Scientists in New Zealand are examining samples from the rocky landscape once dominated by glaciers. They are employing a new technique called surface exposure dating, which uses chemical analysis to determine how long minerals within rocks have been exposed to the air since the glaciers around them melted. Comparisons of this data with other climate records have revealed a link between glacial retreat and rising levels of carbon dioxide in the air, findings that are informing scientists’ understanding of global climate change today.
The authors conclude that climate change has become perceived as a form of cultural affiliation for most people: their acceptance of it is mostly a way of reinforcing their ties to the political and ideological communities they belong to. And, since temperatures have become the primary thing the public associates with climate change, people now interpret the temperatures through a filter based on their affiliations, a process termed “cultural cognition.” In other words, we tend to interpret the temperatures in a way that reinforces our identity, and our connections with others who share similar political persuasions.
On June 19, in a final bid to avoid extradition to Sweden, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange requested asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Credible commentators argue that Assange has good reason to fear extradition to the United States from Sweden. Ray McGovern, who was a CIA analyst for 30 years, commented: ‘Not only is Julian Assange within his rights to seek asylum, he is also in his right mind. Consider this: he was about to be sent to faux-neutral Sweden, which has a recent history of bowing to U.S. demands in dealing with those that Washington says are some kind of threat to U.S. security.’
Former US constitutional and civil rights lawyer Glenn Greenwald supplied some detail: ‘The evidence that the US seeks to prosecute and extradite Assange is substantial. There is no question that the Obama justice department has convened an active grand jury to investigate whether WikiLeaks violated the draconian Espionage Act of 1917. Key senators from President Obama’s party, including Senate intelligence committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, have publicly called for his prosecution under that statute. A leaked email from the security firm Stratfor – hardly a dispositive source, but still probative – indicated that a sealed indictment has already been obtained against him. Prominent American figures in both parties have demanded Assange’s lifelong imprisonment, called him a terrorist, and even advocated his assassination.’
Greenwald argued that smaller countries like Sweden are more vulnerable to American manipulation. Moreover, Sweden ‘has a disturbing history of lawlessly handing over suspects to the US. A 2006 UN ruling found Sweden in violation of the global ban on torture for helping the CIA render two suspected terrorists to Egypt, where they were brutally tortured.’
Greenwald concluded that Assange’s ‘fear of ending up in the clutches of the US is plainly rational and well-grounded’.
Michael Ratner, president emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights and attorney for Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, explained the risks associated with extradition to Sweden:
‘Sweden does not have bail. Now, these are on allegations of sex charges — allegations, no charges — and they’re to interrogate Julian Assange. But despite that, he would have been in prison in Sweden. At that point, our view is that there was a substantial chance that the U.S. would ask for his extradition to the United States.
‘So here you have him walking the streets in London – sure, under bail conditions – going to a jail in Sweden, where he’s in prison, almost an incommunicado prison; U.S. files extradition; he remains in prison; and the next thing that happens is whatever time it takes him to fight the extradition in Sweden, he’s taken to the United States. There’s no chance then to make political asylum application any longer. In addition, once he comes to the United States—we just hold up Bradley Manning as example one of what will happen to Julian Assange: a underground cell, essentially abuse, torture, no ability to communicate with anybody, facing certainly good chance of a life sentence, with a possibility, of course, of one of these charges being a death penalty charge…
‘So, he was in an impossible situation… This is what Julian Assange was facing: never to see the light of day again, in my view, had he gone to Sweden.’
Journalist Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers, stated:
‘Political asylum was made for cases like this. Freedom for Julian in Ecuador would serve the cause of freedom of speech and of the press worldwide. It would be good for us all; and it would be cause to honor, respect and thank Ecuador.’
In considering Assange’s plight, it is also worth considering the tremendous good he has done at extreme personal risk. Coleen Rowley, a former FBI Special Agent and Division Counsel, commented:
‘WikiLeaks’ efforts combating undue secrecy, exposing illegal cover-ups and championing transparency in government have already benefited the world. And I’m convinced, more than ever, that if that type of anti-secrecy publication had existed and enabled the proper information sharing in early 2001, it could have not only prevented the 9/11 attacks but it could have exposed the fabricating of intelligence and deceptive propaganda which enabled the Bush Administration to unjustifiably launch war on Iraq.’
Newsweek recently placed Assange first in its list of ‘digital revolutionaries’.
Consideration of the hideous suffering inflicted on Bradley Manning, who is alleged to have leaked information to WikiLeaks, should generate further concern for Assange’s plight. A UN investigation found that Manning’s pre-trial conditions of severe solitary confinement were ‘cruel, inhuman and degrading’.
As a serving US soldier, rather than a journalist, Manning was certainly more vulnerable to this type of punishment. But consider the ferocity with which US elites are pursuing Assange. A leading article in the Washington Post commented of Ecuador’s president Rafael Correa:
‘There is one potential check on Mr. Correa’s ambitions. The U.S. “empire” he professes to despise happens to grant Ecuador (which uses the dollar as its currency) special trade preferences that allow it to export many goods duty-free. A full third of Ecuadoran foreign sales ($10 billion in 2011) go to the United States, supporting some 400,000 jobs in a country of 14 million people. Those preferences come up for renewal by Congress early next year. If Mr. Correa seeks to appoint himself America’s chief Latin American enemy and Julian Assange’s protector between now and then, it’s not hard to imagine the outcome.’
On Fox News, Roger Noriega, US Ambassador to the Organization of American States from 2001-2003 and Assistant Secretary of State from 2003-2005, observed:
‘It remains to be seen whether Correa will grant Assange asylum in Ecuador. If he does, it will put his country on a collision course with Britain, Sweden, and the United States, which has spoken publicly of charging Assange with crimes for publishing classified government documents.’
‘The Most Massive Turd’ Goes To Harrods
The evidence, then, that Assange has plenty to fear is overwhelming. But not for the great and the good of liberal journalism. The Guardian’s Suzanne Moore set the tone on Twitter on June 19:
‘Seems like Assange’s supporters did not expect him to skip bail? Really? Who has this guy not let down?’
She added: ‘I bet Assange is stuffing himself full of flattened guinea pigs. He really is the most massive turd.’
Moore later complained that, after writing articles about Assange, she had suffered ‘vile abuse’. We wrote to her:
‘That’s a real shame, sorry to hear that. But how would you describe calling someone “the most massive turd”? Vile abuse?’
Moore replied: ‘no I wouldnt call that vile abuse. I mean nasty threats etc.’
She added: ‘also I would advise you to stop sounding so bloody patronising’.
Moore later commented to Deborah Orr of the Guardian and ‘Victoria Peckham’ (Janice Turner) of The Times: ‘I never met him [Assange]. Did you?’
Journalists found Assange’s predicament endlessly amusing. The Guardian’s Luke Harding commented:
‘Assange’s plight seems reminiscent of the scene in Monty Python where…..
IIRC, you’ve been pulled up before about such massive copy/paste. Also, you got the format wrong disregarding all of the quotes in the stuff you did quote (the article you quoted was quoting other articles).
Really, we don’t need the full thing, just a teaser paragraph or two and your own comments on it.
IIRC, you’ve been pulled up before about such massive copy/paste.
It was actually much bigger than this one. And I wasn’t just “pulled up”, I was banned for a month.
Also, you got the format wrong disregarding all of the quotes in the stuff you did quote (the article you quoted was quoting other articles).
You mean I missed out the hyperlinks. The article still reads perfectly well without them.
Really, we don’t need the full thing, just a teaser paragraph or two and your own comments on it.
Fair comment, except in this case, there was a long first part to the article, quoting serious and intelligent commentators (Ray McGovern, Glenn Greenwald, Michael Ratner, Daniel Ellsberg, Colleen Rowley) before contrasting their rigorous arguments with the ridiculous, cynical attacks on dissent by the hounds of the Murdoch empire, the Grauniad, and the rest of the “liberal” media.
In other words, to appreciate just how atrocious and intellectually impoverished the herd behaviour of the corporate media is, some context was necessary. Those who want a context-free, unchallenging read, should read the Herald on Sunday.
You mean I missed out the hyperlinks. The article still reads perfectly well without them.
Nope, I mean you fucked up the formatting and no it doesn’t. Here’s the second paragraph with it’s own quote:
Credible commentators argue that Assange has good reason to fear extradition to the United States from Sweden. Ray McGovern, who was a CIA analyst for 30 years, commented:
‘Not only is Julian Assange within his rights to seek asylum, he is also in his right mind. Consider this: he was about to be sent to faux-neutral Sweden, which has a recent history of bowing to U.S. demands in dealing with those that Washington says are some kind of threat to U.S. security.’
Quite significantly different from how you have it. Formatting is really quite important especially when you’re quoting an article quoting others. It makes it far more readable and shows who said what.
Fair comment, except in this case, there was a long first part to the article,
But that’s just it – you didn’t need to quote the entire first part. One paragraph is enough.
Those who want a context-free, unchallenging read, should read the Herald on Sunday.
What we really wanted was your own thoughts and comments which you didn’t supply. If I was just after a ‘read’ I’d go read a book (sci-fi or fantasy) but on the blogs I’m looking for discussion.
Quite significantly different from how you have it.
No it’s not. I missed nothing. If that article was to be reproduced in a book, it would be reproduced as I did it.
Formatting is really quite important especially when you’re quoting an article quoting others. It makes it far more readable and shows who said what.
I made it more concise, actually. You are being quite ornery and willful here, but I think you can appreciate my point perfectly well.
But that’s just it – you didn’t need to quote the entire first part. One paragraph is enough.
In this case, one paragraph was not enough. As I’ve already explained to you, the entire first part of the article was necessary, in order to establish something of the weight of intellectual and legal backing for Julian Assange. It puts into perspective just how insultingly trivial, vicious and lightweight the corporate media attack on him has been, and continues to be.
If that article was to be reproduced in a book, it would be reproduced as I did it.
This blog isn’t a book and, considering the books I’ve read, it probably wouldn’t be done that way there either. It may have been years ago to keep costs down.
As I’ve already explained to you, the entire first part of the article was necessary, in order to establish something of the weight of intellectual and legal backing for Julian Assange.
No it wasn’t. A single paragraph should suffice to get people to go and read the article you linked to.
Boag discovers that education in our schools isn’t as bad as her leaders would have us believe. What a shame they don’t all visit the classrooms instead of listening to phone-in radio to establish their arguments.
55 seconds into the Panel on Friday, listen to what the wind bag has to say. (leaving aside the fact that she was probably visiting Bayfield Primary School and not Bayview which is on the North Shore somewhere – can’t expect her to get it 100 pcnt right.
After that brief dose of realism, however, Boag was back to her very worst for the rest of the programme, indulging in her trademark swingeing rants against democratic institutions. Her “Soapbox” contribution consisted of a denunciation of the very idea of protesting against the government. It’s “way out of proportion”, according to Boag, and what the HELL are celebrities like Lucy Lawless THINKING of?
But that’s what we expect from Michelle Boag. Far worse was to hear Brian Edwards eagerly endorsing and amplifying every single thing she said. After Boag’s condemnation of celebrity protestors, Edwards named a couple more: “We see Sue Bradford and John Minto at every single protest, whatever the issue,” he said, untruthfully.
“Rent-a-mob!” said Boag.
“Exactly!” shouted Edwards. “That’s exactly what they are! They’re a rent-a-mob!”
You know, I think all those people at the protest should now take a class action defamation suit against both of them. Bankrupt the bastards while showing that they’re amoral.
Boag (the dominant one in this case) and Edwards (her sycophant) are entitled to say what they like. The way to challenge people like them is, for a start, to ask them to back up what they say with at least some evidence.
The person whose job it was to do that was the host, Jim Mora. He failed to do his job, again.
…the protesters need to do it and that’s where the defamation suit comes in.
In this case, however, all Boag did was spray her customary abuse. There was nothing defamatory—unlike Dr Michael Bassett calling Nicky Hager a “holocaust denier” on Mora’s programme a few years ago.
I would call being called rent a mob defamatory as it’s an attack upon your credibility.
It’s patently absurd and untruthful, but it’s about as defamatory as calling someone a bastard.
Bassett’s brutal slander, on the other hand, was defamatory, not only because it was malicious and untruthful, but because he alleged that Hager had said or written something that is not only morally repellent, but possibly a cause for prosecution.
Boag and Edwards truly reflect the values of the different political parties they support.
On Friday, every single thing Edwards said was in support of the National Party. He was so desperate to earn the approbation of Michelle Boag that he even parroted the prime minister’s lie about there being “little opposition to asset sales.”
“What a heart breaking story,” writes Pearce. “Had someone been prepared and armed they could have stopped this `bad’ man from most of this tragedy. He was two and three feet away from folks, I understand he had to stop and reload. Where were the men of flight 93???? Someone should have stopped this man. Someone could have stopped this man.
“Lives were lost because of a bad man, not because he had a weapon, but because noone [sic] was prepared to stop it. Had they been prepared to save their lives or lives of others, lives would have been saved. All that was needed is one Courages/Brave [sic] man prepared mentally or otherwise to stop this it could have been done.”
The by stander effect or Genovese syndrome is when a group of people expect someone else to help the victim or assume that help is on the way. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect
What I see in the latest gunman going beserk is that someone else is expected to stop the offender. Due to these awful firearm killings and woundings, research/education is required to equip people on how to react, providing this can be done with a high level of success.
When carrying a concealed weapon for self-defense is understood not as a failure of civil society, to be mourned, but as an act of citizenship, to be vaunted, there is little civilian life left.
I will read the supplied link as I have only skimmed through it.
On World Watch this morning after 7.30 am on RNZ in Honduras someone is killed every 72 minutes; with help from the US a couple of drug lords have been killed. People in Honduras are too frightened to leave their home and there are some suburbs where you do not stop your car.
As lethal as class 1 drugs are in Honduras and that they end up in the US, guns are just as lethal in the US. I find it interesting how the US can see the damage that class 1 drugs cause, but not the damage of legally owning a firearm.
Um Treetop, the US sees how good the drug trade is around the world, because their military machine props it up, and in many cases actively participates in the trade.
By the time you throw in the arming of drug gangs in Mexico for example, and the laundering of hundreds of billions of dollars in drug cash, I reckon what you have in america, is exactly what the fa*cists which have run the place for decades, will be pretty pleased with!
America is a very sick country, and they are heading in a direction which is going to a severe impact globally, as if its administrators have not done enough damage of late!
Yep but the corruption is trans-national. Look at the stories recently about HSBC washing drug money
And then, given our lax company and tax laws we’ve now earnt the reputation as a grubby little nation too. Not to worry though, as it’s good for the PM’s mates
Good stuff joe – i wouldn’t have believed this unless i read it. Seems like the senator wanted people men to jump the gunman, while he was shooting potentially 50 to 60 rounds a minute out of that drum magazine, whether they had weapons or not.
As a mother I cannot get my head around this abomination from dear Paula, blood still boiling. Thank God for the Standard so I can vent a little.
“We will be introducing social obligations, so they will have to enrol their child in early childhood education and get well checks at the doctor by enrolling the local PHO,” says Paula Bennett.
So if you’re on the DPB not only will you be expected to go back to work, but from next year you must fulfil these new obligations or you will be punished..
“If you have kids, then you will lose 50 percent of your benefit,” says Ms Bennett. “That’s the worst case scenario. We hope it doesn’t get to that.”
No chance of choosing to keep your child with you. Not every one is qualified at the early childhood centres, thanks to Anne Tolley, and parents who find themselves in a difficult situation i.e. suddenly alone with a very young child/children who they would do anything to protect,are being forced to hand them over to strangers ( possibly unqualified) whether they want to or not.
As a mother I would find that very hard to do. And now parents in dire straits will have to make a diabolical choice between this or starvation. Workhouse anyone?
No chance of choosing to keep your child with you. Not every one is qualified at the early childhood centres, thanks to Anne Tolley, and parents who find themselves in a difficult situation i.e. suddenly alone with a very young child/children who they would do anything to protect,are being forced to hand them over to strangers ( possibly unqualified) whether they want to or not.
Exactly! I was fortunate to have a proper pre-school just up the road *when my son was small, and I went with him for the first year… it was not a day care centre masquerading as an early childhood place, but genuinely educational. If DPB mums can actually find a place like that near them now, it’ll be a miracle.
(* The Aro Valley parents co-operative, 1987-90, I wonder if it still exists? It was lovely!)
… and this comes from the woman who has been a major beneficiary of what the state has had to offer for decades and is now being paid mega-bucks (again from taxation) to lessen the chances of others getting on.
People who have taken in their neglected grandchildren are among the $2000-a-week beneficiaries who will be returning to work under welfare reforms, passed through Parliament this week…
It included a 60-year-old East Coast grandparent, the second highest paid, with nine grandchildren – several of whom have disabilities. Their partner works full-time so the couple do not receive any unemployment benefits.
The grandparent receives $1822 each week in Unsupported Child Benefit, for people caring for children who are not their own.
Apart from the thousands of hours a year in lost productivity this will cost NZ, are not the tobacco products going to be constantly and repetitively in breach of the law when the roller door is lifted for every single sale hour after hour day in day out that in a world on the brink of major War and a thousand other horrors is little more than an accommodation of pointless mindless nimby bullshit. How many new ACC cases will there be from RSI or damaged hands as these roller mechanisms are simply not designed for that sort of repitative tasking, especially the cheap stuff that will be the most commonly type installed.
At least all the holier than thou’s will be free to drive their carbon spewing barely maintained combustion engines along bitumen soaked highways arriving at the local store to select their fresh hypocrisy from aisle after aisle of wine and beer and gaze lovingly at the ever present GM tainted products filling the anti-competitively priced goods spewing from the shelves at their local supermarket before retiring to their central bank debt traps to enjoy some heartwarming vouyerism on their flatscreen guilt machine that was put together by a migrant worker whose once rich life on the land is now a mash up of drudgery and despair that keeps them one knockoff sneaker ahead of destituion.
So glad the right Honourable Tariana Turia is looking out for New Zealand, how’s that TPP coming?
“Most dairies will have a roller door which comes down to cover the displays.”
Which explained why my local dairy had one today! The locums for the usual owner, did not look very happy about it, as it seemed to be very unwieldy and uncomfortable…
Excellent post, Freedom! I wonder who much the dairy owners had to pay for this unnecessary piece of nonsense? I can bet they’re unhappy about it, they’re on thin ice anyway..
Couple of supermarkets I’ve been to already have the solution and have had it for years – a closed cylinder with a sliding door and an internal turnstile that the check-out person operates when someone asks for cigarettes.
a little better locus, but it has more to do with what is actually outlined in the rant as i for one have very good control of my addiction(s) be it tobacco or Family Guy or that source of all life’s goodness, coffee 🙂 (ok I admit I have no control over coffee )
Why do people believe tobacco is an incredibly unique mass that somehow affects our world and its inhabitants independant of all other matter in the Universe? Mainly though, the real power for that rant came from the exessant hypocrisy ignorance greed and violence that is fuelling the destruction of the few vestiges of human potential left on this f’d up little planet.
Loved the woman who was protesting outside Skycity on TVNZ news to night who said many of our forefathers had come to New Zealand to get away from the inhumanity that was Victorian England, and now Nastional has almost replicated those hellish times again for us here and now – unfortunately with no Charles Dickens in sight! http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/security-cost-conference-questioned-4979230/video
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – 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 is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
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. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
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Political conferences after a party returns to power are usually a chance for some healthy, even unhealthy backslapping. Yet National Party president Sylvia Wood’s address to its mainland representatives on Saturday hardly contained the unalloyed delight that one might have expected following National’s escape from the wilderness of opposition. Yes, ...
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By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
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More crony capitalism, this time from Nick Smith?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7324559/Money-for-mates-claim
How has this government got any credibility with, even a small percentage, of NZ voters?
And any return to cabinet by Nick Smith looks likely to be later, not sooner.
This Government knows just one thing – that New Zealanders, in large part, give not a toss about “credibility”.
Carol
I always thought that Salmon was an out and out Greenie – opposed to National in every way ?
Am I wrong ?
He was on the National party list in 2002 (I think). Missed out narrowly because of English’ and National’s abysmal showing.
I’m sure he used to be, Fortran – I was surprised, to say the least when he turned up as a Nat candidate. I always look sideways at converts, be it politics, religion or health issues. I used to be a relatively heavy smoker but threw it away, cold turkey in 1991. I’m now extremely intolerant of any smoker and nearly always gag at the smell of cigarette smoke, but I digress. Over the last 20 odd years there has been heaps of ‘converts’ on the political stage, some these make me gag too!
Isn’t he leading the auckland Council’s report into alternative transport funding? So he can’t be a mate of Brownlee (which gives him some credibility)
Perhaps the stuff’s “story” is an underhanded way by one Nats faction to undermine the Council’s work and take a shot at Smith’s camp at the same time. The timing is too perfect.
An extraordinarily radical, and optimistic series of articles from the Financial Times.
Financial Times, 3:40pm Tuesday June 12th, 2012
[Beyond scarcity] Redefining labour
—
Izabella Kaminska
—
This is the third installment in FT Alphaville’s “Beyond Scarcity” series, a somewhat radical look at the impact of technological progress
Read the full article at: http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2012/06/12/1037001/redefining-labour
They got English on the Nation spouting the same old bullshit that I have heard every time he has opened his mouth in the last 20 years.
Which is why I’m not watching The Nation. Is he blaming Labour still, and talking about “Planet Labour”, while saying his (distorted) figures are the basis for building a brighter future?
I know I’ll just get angry and start shouting at the screen.
I understand how you might feel Carol, but just keep up your incisive comments in the comment pages, and you will be doing a most effective thing, have confidence in what you are doing for it will count in the end.
Dr Terry, I agree with your sentiment to Carol to keep posting her posts are throughtful and interesting, but the comment about it coming right in the end, is likely to be incorrect.
Something I have wondered about having been on this site among others for some time, is that there are some clever people, who seem to have common sense about them. Sure not all of us will agree on everything, nor should it be that way, but on the core components of what NZ needs to function, and for communiities to reconnect, and propser again, all of them, not just the ruling/corporate class.
What might it take for some of those people of common sense and logic to begin to work together in a way that might lead to some actual “coming right” of the political landscape?
Supporting any part of the current system is, in my opinion supporting the accellerating misery, of more and more sectors of society. As greater numbers drop off the bottom rungs, including people who thought their life was comfortable.
Until the people take back, through active political participation, not just voting or protesting, and certainly not just blogging, the coming right, was lost decades ago.
Cheers
You my man, are on the money.
1) A media organisation
2) Financing
3) The attention and support of interest groups from across the political spectrum who value a strong, independent, livable NZ.
Indeed CV, I will add to the list..
Some analysis of slim margin electorate seats, at either regional or national level, depending on where one would target.
A well thought out , delivered speech or intervention at an opportune moment, which could grab some media attention, as I feel it would only require something fleeting to “catch a break”
Behind that none the less would require some time and planning, no question, but I believe it can be done, with the right core start up.
Which interest groups would be necessary you think?
Absolutely. You apply co-ordinated pressure from the grass roots from the start, to both sitting MPs and aspiring candidates. I found this recent exchange relevant (not sure if you caught it).
http://thestandard.org.nz/an-auckland-view-on-labours-changes/comment-page-1/#comment-495717
Sure can. You will already know a few capable people who would be in. As do I. As do many here.
As for the specific interest groups. That’s a bit tricky to answer, and in reality depends on who is leading the group and the nature of their exec, as to how productive discussions might be. It would have to be a cross section of provincial/rural and city interests without doubt, however.
Undoubtedly we will know some capable people, and there are a number on this site for sure.
Can’t understand why people who put their energy into supporting failed parties. which no longer represent them, or most of this country, would not want to put that energy into trying something very different.
The way to get in, is to be able to relate to all people, know what it is thats important to them, should be the same things important to you and me, which would make it wasy enough to tap into. Representing exactly what the current system does not, would be straight forward enough, and picking a small number of key facets that one would stand for, a start for ten.
Not so much that it would require “negative campaining”, because that can always be turned into positive easily enough, just that any independents, or working in tandem, would not require a full policy set in order to appeal.
x2. I’ve learned a lot here from contributors like Carol and the informative links and analysis they provide. If I can learn new stuff, so can the hundreds of other readers. Learning makes (and is) a difference.
Muzza below, I don’t see anyone claiming things will “come right”, just that Carol’s contribution can and will “count”
edit – Muzza’s post has turned out to be above rather than below.
JS – for something to count, to me would imply that things come right, and I guess there are a couple of points I would make.
If anyone does a good deed, or gives wise information or knowledge etc, whatever it might be that is positive, or leads to a positive outcome, means that action has counted. The other side can also be that , it counted, but in a way which may not have been intended, either way all actions count in the end, its what that end, or the journey towards it becomes…
With politics still playing such big part in affecting negatively, and the media supporting in its role, in order to make it count, things have to change, they have to come right, but how will that happen?
Its a very broad query, with many possible ansers, but ultimately only a small number really matters, like people finding out what really natters in life, not just to them, but to all of us. Those things which really matter to sustain life are relatively few, we all need them, the rest is simply not necessary, the reason people are not getting what they need, greed!
DT’s comment on it counting is correct, what it might count for if we dont all inspire in some way, is the variable.
Going by those parts of the speech which were broadcast on The Nation, he seems not to have mentioned Labour at all. In fact within the limitations of the neoliberal outlook it was a reasonably sensible speech, stressing the need to reduce NZ’s high indebtedness, the “black clouds” on the horizon overseas etc.
You make Labour irrelevant by not mentioning Labour.
When I heard the Nats conference was being held at Sky City, I was overcome with joy. Finally, the nastiest criminals in NZ are off our streets for a few hours.
Which must be why the Nats needed 80 Police officers.
80 Police to stand guard inside a private commercial premises? (to keep the riffraff in?)
80 sworn Officers paid from the public purse to stand guard in Sky City ???
Is that not a job for, i don’t know, the Security Guards of Sky City? Why are NZ Police being used as security guards for a private meeting of a radical and dangerous political group that is threatening to overthrow the sovereignty of Aotearoa? Is this a good use of public funds?
It’s not like anyone ever gets got robbed or raped or hurt or runover or damaged or threatened in Auckland so i guess they were just lucky there were plenty of spare hands to help out.
(p.s. loving the new comments editor)
Exactly freedom. I had the same thought. National want to privatise everything but when it comes to shielding themselves against protests over their nasty policies they rely on our tax-payer funded Police Force. It’s par for the course for them though, they happily call other people bludgers while they themselves shove their snouts into as many troughs as they can.
That’s pretty blatant!
Kia ora koutou
Thank you to the moderators for creating a pfree zone this week – i have enjoyed it a lot and i’ve found I have much more inclination to enter debates, instead of dissipating energy on unowho – my choice of course but thanks.
i wonder about macrons. If we are going to use te reo Māori then surely macrons need to be used, even if just in the original post. Please I am not getting at anyone because I slip up as much as anyone else. For me, I cut and paste from a document into the comment. āĀ ēĒ īĪ ōŌ ūŪ. I am just raising this for discussion and i wonder what others think and i repeat i’m not getting at anyone.
I’d love to know how to make my computer do macrons. I feel guilty omitting them. In the meantime, I’ve often wondered if doubling the letter that should have a macron is equivalent, (for example Maaori)?
cut and paste is old school but it works – for instance if someone cut and pasted the letters with macrons in my comment above into a doc and then added common macroned words to that file then they have it sorted, apart from knowing what macron, and where. For that i check with the Māori dictionary where I cut and paste words into that doc. The comments area can take cut and paste direct from the doc or the dictionary – but as i say – old school but works.
http://www.maoridictionary.co.nz/
Making a file of copied macroned words, good lateral thinking.
Once in the file, I guess you can change the font etc. to match that in the text you are writing?
Bit complicated for a non-whizz like me. But if that’s how it’s done…
On a windows operating system, you can find macrons and much much more in the “character map”. Look for it in the “system tools” submenu, in the “accessories” folder on your “start” menu. I keep a link to it in the task bar.
Thanks Kotahi Tane Huna.
Wow, so many interesting things in ‘accessories’.
I’ve found the macroned letters. How do I transfer them to the text I’m writing?
Click on whichever special character you want to use, and press “select” and “copy” – then go to whatever you are typing and hold the “ctrl” (control) key down and press “v”. Alternatively right-click and choose “paste”.
Testing: Māori.
Cool. Thanks KTH and marty mars. The letter seems to just transform into the correct form and size. Learning this is long overdue.
On windows, hit [Win]+[R] then type “charmap”, the keyboard is the fastest way to do anything
That is a brilliant short-cut. For other novices, Win + R allows you to browse (and run) all your computer’s programmes, documents and folders, – instantly.
I really appreciate these sort of tips. I’ve got a notebook…
Nothing like an old fashioned command line.
Nice one. Thanks.
this site seems to convert automatically to Times New Roman the text when copied, but i haven’t checked too many fonts
Thank you to the moderators for creating a pfree zone this week
You beat me to it by a few minutes marty mars. My thoughts entirely. I find I’m now incentivised to read all the comments.
Fiddling around with some of the alt codes myself with no success, yet.
.http://usefulshortcuts.com/alt-codes
http://www.personal.psu.edu/ejp10/psu/gotunicode/macron.html
I agree, using macrons would be a good thing. Here is a resource on setting up macrons on computer keyboards and in emails.
http://kupu.maori.nz/Show.aspx?page=10
I’ve also been enjoying the PG-free week. The debate has felt quite different this week. I wonder how people are going to deal with him when he returns.
Ditto about the PG free week. I commented to Clare Curran on her Facebook page [about buying shares in Mighty River Power] and guess who sprung up with a typical comment, yep Pete George.
Just heard on the radio news that weet-bix brain Crusher Collins has told the pro-gambling skyshity brown nosers that crime in NZ always increases when there is a Labour Govt in power.
I hope one of those pokie machines malfunctions real soon and takes the roof off.
rofl at the thought!!! thanks fender
Why we need Greens in the next government: http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/07/save-fiordland-green-perspective.html
Here we go. Anyone care to comment on the legality of Key’s share loyalty package?
would love to but the excessive profanity would make the comment unintelligible 🙂
Something else to ignore.
http://www.desmogblog.com/black-day-july-greenland-ice-sheet?utm
Oh great. Another positive feedback kicks in much earlier than expected.
Science Bulletins: Shrinking Glaciers—A Chronology of Climate Change
Analysis of Earth’s geologic record can reveal how the climate has changed over time. Scientists in New Zealand are examining samples from the rocky landscape once dominated by glaciers. They are employing a new technique called surface exposure dating, which uses chemical analysis to determine how long minerals within rocks have been exposed to the air since the glaciers around them melted. Comparisons of this data with other climate records have revealed a link between glacial retreat and rising levels of carbon dioxide in the air, findings that are informing scientists’ understanding of global climate change today.
Interesting, it’s the high altitudes that are showing that drop while the lower altitudes track close to normal.
Thought so.
http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/07/ideology-clouds-how-we-perceive-the-temperatures/
The authors conclude that climate change has become perceived as a form of cultural affiliation for most people: their acceptance of it is mostly a way of reinforcing their ties to the political and ideological communities they belong to. And, since temperatures have become the primary thing the public associates with climate change, people now interpret the temperatures through a filter based on their affiliations, a process termed “cultural cognition.” In other words, we tend to interpret the temperatures in a way that reinforces our identity, and our connections with others who share similar political persuasions.
http://www.medialens.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=686:incinerating-assange-the-liberal-media-go-to-work&catid=25:alerts-2012&Itemid=69
June 27, 2012
Incinerating Assange – The Liberal Media Go To Work
by David Edwards
On June 19, in a final bid to avoid extradition to Sweden, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange requested asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Credible commentators argue that Assange has good reason to fear extradition to the United States from Sweden. Ray McGovern, who was a CIA analyst for 30 years, commented: ‘Not only is Julian Assange within his rights to seek asylum, he is also in his right mind. Consider this: he was about to be sent to faux-neutral Sweden, which has a recent history of bowing to U.S. demands in dealing with those that Washington says are some kind of threat to U.S. security.’
Former US constitutional and civil rights lawyer Glenn Greenwald supplied some detail: ‘The evidence that the US seeks to prosecute and extradite Assange is substantial. There is no question that the Obama justice department has convened an active grand jury to investigate whether WikiLeaks violated the draconian Espionage Act of 1917. Key senators from President Obama’s party, including Senate intelligence committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, have publicly called for his prosecution under that statute. A leaked email from the security firm Stratfor – hardly a dispositive source, but still probative – indicated that a sealed indictment has already been obtained against him. Prominent American figures in both parties have demanded Assange’s lifelong imprisonment, called him a terrorist, and even advocated his assassination.’
Greenwald argued that smaller countries like Sweden are more vulnerable to American manipulation. Moreover, Sweden ‘has a disturbing history of lawlessly handing over suspects to the US. A 2006 UN ruling found Sweden in violation of the global ban on torture for helping the CIA render two suspected terrorists to Egypt, where they were brutally tortured.’
Greenwald concluded that Assange’s ‘fear of ending up in the clutches of the US is plainly rational and well-grounded’.
Michael Ratner, president emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights and attorney for Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, explained the risks associated with extradition to Sweden:
‘Sweden does not have bail. Now, these are on allegations of sex charges — allegations, no charges — and they’re to interrogate Julian Assange. But despite that, he would have been in prison in Sweden. At that point, our view is that there was a substantial chance that the U.S. would ask for his extradition to the United States.
‘So here you have him walking the streets in London – sure, under bail conditions – going to a jail in Sweden, where he’s in prison, almost an incommunicado prison; U.S. files extradition; he remains in prison; and the next thing that happens is whatever time it takes him to fight the extradition in Sweden, he’s taken to the United States. There’s no chance then to make political asylum application any longer. In addition, once he comes to the United States—we just hold up Bradley Manning as example one of what will happen to Julian Assange: a underground cell, essentially abuse, torture, no ability to communicate with anybody, facing certainly good chance of a life sentence, with a possibility, of course, of one of these charges being a death penalty charge…
‘So, he was in an impossible situation… This is what Julian Assange was facing: never to see the light of day again, in my view, had he gone to Sweden.’
Journalist Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers, stated:
‘Political asylum was made for cases like this. Freedom for Julian in Ecuador would serve the cause of freedom of speech and of the press worldwide. It would be good for us all; and it would be cause to honor, respect and thank Ecuador.’
In considering Assange’s plight, it is also worth considering the tremendous good he has done at extreme personal risk. Coleen Rowley, a former FBI Special Agent and Division Counsel, commented:
‘WikiLeaks’ efforts combating undue secrecy, exposing illegal cover-ups and championing transparency in government have already benefited the world. And I’m convinced, more than ever, that if that type of anti-secrecy publication had existed and enabled the proper information sharing in early 2001, it could have not only prevented the 9/11 attacks but it could have exposed the fabricating of intelligence and deceptive propaganda which enabled the Bush Administration to unjustifiably launch war on Iraq.’
Newsweek recently placed Assange first in its list of ‘digital revolutionaries’.
Consideration of the hideous suffering inflicted on Bradley Manning, who is alleged to have leaked information to WikiLeaks, should generate further concern for Assange’s plight. A UN investigation found that Manning’s pre-trial conditions of severe solitary confinement were ‘cruel, inhuman and degrading’.
As a serving US soldier, rather than a journalist, Manning was certainly more vulnerable to this type of punishment. But consider the ferocity with which US elites are pursuing Assange. A leading article in the Washington Post commented of Ecuador’s president Rafael Correa:
‘There is one potential check on Mr. Correa’s ambitions. The U.S. “empire” he professes to despise happens to grant Ecuador (which uses the dollar as its currency) special trade preferences that allow it to export many goods duty-free. A full third of Ecuadoran foreign sales ($10 billion in 2011) go to the United States, supporting some 400,000 jobs in a country of 14 million people. Those preferences come up for renewal by Congress early next year. If Mr. Correa seeks to appoint himself America’s chief Latin American enemy and Julian Assange’s protector between now and then, it’s not hard to imagine the outcome.’
On Fox News, Roger Noriega, US Ambassador to the Organization of American States from 2001-2003 and Assistant Secretary of State from 2003-2005, observed:
‘It remains to be seen whether Correa will grant Assange asylum in Ecuador. If he does, it will put his country on a collision course with Britain, Sweden, and the United States, which has spoken publicly of charging Assange with crimes for publishing classified government documents.’
‘The Most Massive Turd’ Goes To Harrods
The evidence, then, that Assange has plenty to fear is overwhelming. But not for the great and the good of liberal journalism. The Guardian’s Suzanne Moore set the tone on Twitter on June 19:
‘Seems like Assange’s supporters did not expect him to skip bail? Really? Who has this guy not let down?’
She added: ‘I bet Assange is stuffing himself full of flattened guinea pigs. He really is the most massive turd.’
Moore later complained that, after writing articles about Assange, she had suffered ‘vile abuse’. We wrote to her:
‘That’s a real shame, sorry to hear that. But how would you describe calling someone “the most massive turd”? Vile abuse?’
Moore replied: ‘no I wouldnt call that vile abuse. I mean nasty threats etc.’
She added: ‘also I would advise you to stop sounding so bloody patronising’.
Moore later commented to Deborah Orr of the Guardian and ‘Victoria Peckham’ (Janice Turner) of The Times: ‘I never met him [Assange]. Did you?’
Journalists found Assange’s predicament endlessly amusing. The Guardian’s Luke Harding commented:
‘Assange’s plight seems reminiscent of the scene in Monty Python where…..
Read more ….
http://www.medialens.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=686:incinerating-assange-the-liberal-media-go-to-work&catid=25:alerts-2012&Itemid=69
IIRC, you’ve been pulled up before about such massive copy/paste. Also, you got the format wrong disregarding all of the quotes in the stuff you did quote (the article you quoted was quoting other articles).
Really, we don’t need the full thing, just a teaser paragraph or two and your own comments on it.
IIRC, you’ve been pulled up before about such massive copy/paste.
It was actually much bigger than this one. And I wasn’t just “pulled up”, I was banned for a month.
Also, you got the format wrong disregarding all of the quotes in the stuff you did quote (the article you quoted was quoting other articles).
You mean I missed out the hyperlinks. The article still reads perfectly well without them.
Really, we don’t need the full thing, just a teaser paragraph or two and your own comments on it.
Fair comment, except in this case, there was a long first part to the article, quoting serious and intelligent commentators (Ray McGovern, Glenn Greenwald, Michael Ratner, Daniel Ellsberg, Colleen Rowley) before contrasting their rigorous arguments with the ridiculous, cynical attacks on dissent by the hounds of the Murdoch empire, the Grauniad, and the rest of the “liberal” media.
In other words, to appreciate just how atrocious and intellectually impoverished the herd behaviour of the corporate media is, some context was necessary. Those who want a context-free, unchallenging read, should read the Herald on Sunday.
Yeah, whatever dude.
Nope, I mean you fucked up the formatting and no it doesn’t. Here’s the second paragraph with it’s own quote:
Quite significantly different from how you have it. Formatting is really quite important especially when you’re quoting an article quoting others. It makes it far more readable and shows who said what.
But that’s just it – you didn’t need to quote the entire first part. One paragraph is enough.
What we really wanted was your own thoughts and comments which you didn’t supply. If I was just after a ‘read’ I’d go read a book (sci-fi or fantasy) but on the blogs I’m looking for discussion.
Quite significantly different from how you have it.
No it’s not. I missed nothing. If that article was to be reproduced in a book, it would be reproduced as I did it.
Formatting is really quite important especially when you’re quoting an article quoting others. It makes it far more readable and shows who said what.
I made it more concise, actually. You are being quite ornery and willful here, but I think you can appreciate my point perfectly well.
But that’s just it – you didn’t need to quote the entire first part. One paragraph is enough.
In this case, one paragraph was not enough. As I’ve already explained to you, the entire first part of the article was necessary, in order to establish something of the weight of intellectual and legal backing for Julian Assange. It puts into perspective just how insultingly trivial, vicious and lightweight the corporate media attack on him has been, and continues to be.
This blog isn’t a book and, considering the books I’ve read, it probably wouldn’t be done that way there either. It may have been years ago to keep costs down.
No it wasn’t. A single paragraph should suffice to get people to go and read the article you linked to.
Hey Morrisey, that’s far too much information for a Sunday evenings viewing.
Boag discovers that education in our schools isn’t as bad as her leaders would have us believe. What a shame they don’t all visit the classrooms instead of listening to phone-in radio to establish their arguments.
55 seconds into the Panel on Friday, listen to what the wind bag has to say. (leaving aside the fact that she was probably visiting Bayfield Primary School and not Bayview which is on the North Shore somewhere – can’t expect her to get it 100 pcnt right.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2525720/the-panel-with-michelle-boag-and-brian-edwards-part-1.asx
After that brief dose of realism, however, Boag was back to her very worst for the rest of the programme, indulging in her trademark swingeing rants against democratic institutions. Her “Soapbox” contribution consisted of a denunciation of the very idea of protesting against the government. It’s “way out of proportion”, according to Boag, and what the HELL are celebrities like Lucy Lawless THINKING of?
But that’s what we expect from Michelle Boag. Far worse was to hear Brian Edwards eagerly endorsing and amplifying every single thing she said. After Boag’s condemnation of celebrity protestors, Edwards named a couple more: “We see Sue Bradford and John Minto at every single protest, whatever the issue,” he said, untruthfully.
“Rent-a-mob!” said Boag.
“Exactly!” shouted Edwards. “That’s exactly what they are! They’re a rent-a-mob!”
You know, I think all those people at the protest should now take a class action defamation suit against both of them. Bankrupt the bastards while showing that they’re amoral.
Boag (the dominant one in this case) and Edwards (her sycophant) are entitled to say what they like. The way to challenge people like them is, for a start, to ask them to back up what they say with at least some evidence.
The person whose job it was to do that was the host, Jim Mora. He failed to do his job, again.
Well, considering that the host failed in his job then the protesters need to do it and that’s where the defamation suit comes in.
…the protesters need to do it and that’s where the defamation suit comes in.
In this case, however, all Boag did was spray her customary abuse. There was nothing defamatory—unlike Dr Michael Bassett calling Nicky Hager a “holocaust denier” on Mora’s programme a few years ago.
Even on that occasion, Mora said nothing.
I would call being called rent a mob defamatory as it’s an attack upon your credibility.
I would call being called rent a mob defamatory as it’s an attack upon your credibility.
It’s patently absurd and untruthful, but it’s about as defamatory as calling someone a bastard.
Bassett’s brutal slander, on the other hand, was defamatory, not only because it was malicious and untruthful, but because he alleged that Hager had said or written something that is not only morally repellent, but possibly a cause for prosecution.
It’s the untruthful bit that makes it defamatory as some people will believe it.
Boag and Edwards truly reflect the values of the different political parties they support.
The bully and their enabler.
Astute remark
Boag and Edwards truly reflect the values of the different political parties they support.
On Friday, every single thing Edwards said was in support of the National Party. He was so desperate to earn the approbation of Michelle Boag that he even parroted the prime minister’s lie about there being “little opposition to asset sales.”
Great, blame the victims.
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2012/07/russell_pearce_responds_to_bis.php
“What a heart breaking story,” writes Pearce. “Had someone been prepared and armed they could have stopped this `bad’ man from most of this tragedy. He was two and three feet away from folks, I understand he had to stop and reload. Where were the men of flight 93???? Someone should have stopped this man. Someone could have stopped this man.
“Lives were lost because of a bad man, not because he had a weapon, but because noone [sic] was prepared to stop it. Had they been prepared to save their lives or lives of others, lives would have been saved. All that was needed is one Courages/Brave [sic] man prepared mentally or otherwise to stop this it could have been done.”
Arseholes.
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/hate-group-leaders-use-colorado-massacre-to-attack-gay-people/news/2012/07/20/44108
The by stander effect or Genovese syndrome is when a group of people expect someone else to help the victim or assume that help is on the way.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect
What I see in the latest gunman going beserk is that someone else is expected to stop the offender. Due to these awful firearm killings and woundings, research/education is required to equip people on how to react, providing this can be done with a high level of success.
This piece from The New Yorker makes me think it’s a little to late Treetop.
Battleground America.
When carrying a concealed weapon for self-defense is understood not as a failure of civil society, to be mourned, but as an act of citizenship, to be vaunted, there is little civilian life left.
outstanding line.
I will read the supplied link as I have only skimmed through it.
On World Watch this morning after 7.30 am on RNZ in Honduras someone is killed every 72 minutes; with help from the US a couple of drug lords have been killed. People in Honduras are too frightened to leave their home and there are some suburbs where you do not stop your car.
As lethal as class 1 drugs are in Honduras and that they end up in the US, guns are just as lethal in the US. I find it interesting how the US can see the damage that class 1 drugs cause, but not the damage of legally owning a firearm.
Um Treetop, the US sees how good the drug trade is around the world, because their military machine props it up, and in many cases actively participates in the trade.
By the time you throw in the arming of drug gangs in Mexico for example, and the laundering of hundreds of billions of dollars in drug cash, I reckon what you have in america, is exactly what the fa*cists which have run the place for decades, will be pretty pleased with!
America is a very sick country, and they are heading in a direction which is going to a severe impact globally, as if its administrators have not done enough damage of late!
Yep but the corruption is trans-national. Look at the stories recently about HSBC washing drug money
And then, given our lax company and tax laws we’ve now earnt the reputation as a grubby little nation too. Not to worry though, as it’s good for the PM’s mates
Good stuff joe – i wouldn’t have believed this unless i read it. Seems like the senator wanted people men to jump the gunman, while he was shooting potentially 50 to 60 rounds a minute out of that drum magazine, whether they had weapons or not.
Test post
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As a mother I cannot get my head around this abomination from dear Paula, blood still boiling. Thank God for the Standard so I can vent a little.
“We will be introducing social obligations, so they will have to enrol their child in early childhood education and get well checks at the doctor by enrolling the local PHO,” says Paula Bennett.
So if you’re on the DPB not only will you be expected to go back to work, but from next year you must fulfil these new obligations or you will be punished..
“If you have kids, then you will lose 50 percent of your benefit,” says Ms Bennett. “That’s the worst case scenario. We hope it doesn’t get to that.”
No chance of choosing to keep your child with you. Not every one is qualified at the early childhood centres, thanks to Anne Tolley, and parents who find themselves in a difficult situation i.e. suddenly alone with a very young child/children who they would do anything to protect,are being forced to hand them over to strangers ( possibly unqualified) whether they want to or not.
As a mother I would find that very hard to do. And now parents in dire straits will have to make a diabolical choice between this or starvation. Workhouse anyone?
Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/National-outlines-welfare-reforms/tabid/1607/articleID/262127/Default.aspx#ixzz21JkYNmUj
rwnj nats need an alt. media narrative to distract from their financial crimes against nz…
Exactly! I was fortunate to have a proper pre-school just up the road *when my son was small, and I went with him for the first year… it was not a day care centre masquerading as an early childhood place, but genuinely educational. If DPB mums can actually find a place like that near them now, it’ll be a miracle.
(* The Aro Valley parents co-operative, 1987-90, I wonder if it still exists? It was lovely!)
National sees ECE centers as profit making baby farms, not institutes to stimulate young minds..
+1
Exactly, hence Paula Benefit’s new rules to make using them compulsory.
… and this comes from the woman who has been a major beneficiary of what the state has had to offer for decades and is now being paid mega-bucks (again from taxation) to lessen the chances of others getting on.
a little music, dedicated to Our Brighter Future
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukVNEwRLOUc&feature=related *
*the only future the National Party policies will deliver to New Zealand
Interesting framing from The Herald.
Can’t see that being a vote winner.
Big ups to the Maori Party over the tobacco industry. When will they start on the alcohol industry?
“Most dairies will have a roller door which comes down to cover the displays.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10821353
Apart from the thousands of hours a year in lost productivity this will cost NZ, are not the tobacco products going to be constantly and repetitively in breach of the law when the roller door is lifted for every single sale hour after hour day in day out that in a world on the brink of major War and a thousand other horrors is little more than an accommodation of pointless mindless nimby bullshit. How many new ACC cases will there be from RSI or damaged hands as these roller mechanisms are simply not designed for that sort of repitative tasking, especially the cheap stuff that will be the most commonly type installed.
At least all the holier than thou’s will be free to drive their carbon spewing barely maintained combustion engines along bitumen soaked highways arriving at the local store to select their fresh hypocrisy from aisle after aisle of wine and beer and gaze lovingly at the ever present GM tainted products filling the anti-competitively priced goods spewing from the shelves at their local supermarket before retiring to their central bank debt traps to enjoy some heartwarming vouyerism on their flatscreen guilt machine that was put together by a migrant worker whose once rich life on the land is now a mash up of drudgery and despair that keeps them one knockoff sneaker ahead of destituion.
So glad the right Honourable Tariana Turia is looking out for New Zealand, how’s that TPP coming?
Which explained why my local dairy had one today! The locums for the usual owner, did not look very happy about it, as it seemed to be very unwieldy and uncomfortable…
Excellent post, Freedom! I wonder who much the dairy owners had to pay for this unnecessary piece of nonsense? I can bet they’re unhappy about it, they’re on thin ice anyway..
I saw dairies with those decades ago – put in place along with the one on the front to stop the smash and grab. It just wasn’t operated all the time.
Couple of supermarkets I’ve been to already have the solution and have had it for years – a closed cylinder with a sliding door and an internal turnstile that the check-out person operates when someone asks for cigarettes.
feel better now Freedom?
awesome rant… which i guess may in part be due to the power of tobacco addiction
a little better locus, but it has more to do with what is actually outlined in the rant as i for one have very good control of my addiction(s) be it tobacco or Family Guy or that source of all life’s goodness, coffee 🙂 (ok I admit I have no control over coffee )
Why do people believe tobacco is an incredibly unique mass that somehow affects our world and its inhabitants independant of all other matter in the Universe? Mainly though, the real power for that rant came from the exessant hypocrisy ignorance greed and violence that is fuelling the destruction of the few vestiges of human potential left on this f’d up little planet.
Loved the woman who was protesting outside Skycity on TVNZ news to night who said many of our forefathers had come to New Zealand to get away from the inhumanity that was Victorian England, and now Nastional has almost replicated those hellish times again for us here and now – unfortunately with no Charles Dickens in sight!
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/security-cost-conference-questioned-4979230/video
Who would have believed this could happen again?