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
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
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 ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
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Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
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?