Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Uncaring.
New Zealand’s housing.
Complaints of ‘despicable’ mould and leaking prompt Housing NZ to act
Step inside, make yourself at home. Breathe in the mouldy air.
You even get a free shower when you go to the toilet, Craig Ryan says, pointing to the dripping, sagging bathroom ceiling in the Porirua state house he calls home.
Ryan lives there with father Ross and brother Aaron, and they say mould grows relentlessly in the badly ventilated, east-facing house.
The Ryans said they did spend time and money on cleaning, and trying to warm the house, which was sorely lacking in ventilation. Even frequent scrubbing, cleaning and bleaching was no match for the cold and damp.
When lawyer Paul Surridge learned of the home’s condition, he was appalled.
“This is just despicable,” he said. “It’s not the New Zealand way.”
There was a limit to what tenants could do to the house without Housing NZ’s approval, he said. “The decent New Zealander would say ‘Look, this is horrific.’ ”
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Selfish.
Paul Henry and Mike Hosking
Every morning they pronounce New Zealand a paradise.
For them it is because they are wealthy and they choose to ignore the plight of others in the country.
Maybe they should read this article by a Bay of Plenty journalist…..
‘Mismanaged NZ is no paradise
‘After moving to New Zealand 12 years ago I heard a lot from locals about what a great place it was to raise kids.
But, as I took my children to school, I saw huge numbers of kids heading to class without shoes – in the middle of winter.
That was a shock. Couldn’t their parents afford shoes, I wondered?
To add to the picture many of the children didn’t have raincoats, others didn’t even have jumpers.
I didn’t think about it then, but now I would expect many of the kids didn’t have lunches and hadn’t had food for breakfast.
Nowadays when people say to me that New Zealand is the best country in the world to raise children I ask them why they think that?
They cannot say exactly why, I guess most just parrot the myth of this paradise for children.
Then I ask them if this is the best place to raise kids – why are there more than 270,000 children living in poverty right now?
Ummm.
Why do so many children go to school without being fed?
Ummm.
Why does a Kiwi kid die about every five weeks at the hands of parents or caregivers?
Ummm.
Is it true police are called to domestic violence incidents every seven minutes?
Ummm.
And can a United Nations’ report possibly be true when it states that one in four NZ girls are sexually assaulted before they are 15?
Ummm.
That doesn’t sound like a child paradise to me…..”
Another excellent excerpt….
‘In Auckland’s central suburbs rent is, on average, just under $600 a week.
On the North Shore you are looking at just under $570 per week.
Even in South Auckland the average rent is $450.
A TV3 investigation the other month found families in Auckland were hiring out garages for $400 a week.
Read more: Tauranga woman works fulltime but sleeps in car
Tauranga’s homeless: 4-year-old lived in car for six weeks
When the minimum wage is $620 a week, before paying $120 tax, even Blind Pew can see there is a crisis.’
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Cruel.
The government.
‘Government fights workers seeking minimum wage.
A Court of Appeal hearing begins today for a case that could lead to a big payout for thousands of respite carers.
Kapiti worker Jan Lowe was paid a “subsidy” of just $75 for a 24-hour shift for the Capital Coast DHB. Her work involved supporting people with disabilities, such as dementia, and caring for them while family caregivers were away.
Last year, the Employment Court found under the “home worker” definition in the Employment Relations Act, she was an employee and entitled to the minimum wage of $15.25 an hour, holidays and other minimum employment entitlements.
But her employer, Capital Coast DHB, and the Ministry of Health appealed the decision, arguing she was not an employee, and if she was, they were not the employer.
A hearing for the Court of Appeal case begins this morning.
The Ministry of Health says the case has implications for 30,000 respite carers.
E tu assistant national secretary John Ryall said respite carers did an important job in supporting some of the most vulnerable New Zealanders and deserved to be paid the minimum wage.’
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Greedy.
Google, Facebook, Apple….
‘Is it right these companies collectively extract hundreds of millions of dollars of profit each year from the New Zealand economy, yet contribute little or nothing to the funding of a civil society?
And not only that, cause New Zealanders to pay more tax to make up the difference required to fund our schools, hospitals and welfare.’
Key…….”cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish”. All that need be said. Except that “love to have a beer with you……..” is a complete wank created by some amoral ad-man. To hoodwink us. Good work Paul !
Actually I suspect that this “Keep Mikey……” thing is tongue in cheek. Which is a nice change from Mikey’s imperative……tongue in Key’s botty. What a magnificent chain gang ! Richie at the top, somewhat bemused, Jonno Key’s tongue lashing lizard like at number 2, and “Crikey Mikey that’s good !” at number 3. Slurping away hard out !
That is very interesting , when I first heard of the get rid of hoskings poll, I thought that a keep hoskings poll would be the obvious way to retaliate and that he’d get a legion of viewers supporting him, that its not happening is a little ray of sunshine in my day.
Wasn’t Campbell Live doing better at 6pm news audience retention than the tv1 crowd?
It fascinates me how people argue that Hosking’s views are popular because people watch him. They could have a trained monkey in that job and it’d still get audience pickup – fucksake, wasn’t that the timeslot that stopped NZ when they sheared a fucking sheep?
People watch Hosking because of the timeslot and genre (inoffensive chat with pretensions of current event interest), and this makes the views he spews more popular. He’s a propagandist, pure and simple.
I don’t (I mean can’t) watch Hoskings on TV (don’t want to waste grey matter)- but occasionally can’t avoid his sudden appearance on TV1 promos.
Why oh why does he wear what appears to be paint splattered old jeans?
At least I hope it’s paint.
Well no it won’t be because you have one side that irrationally want his removal but theres no need for a counter petition because he’s not being removed
This isn’t Campbell Live we’re talking about, its a show people actually watch
*Disclaimer, I don’t watch Mike Hosking on TV or listen to his radio show either
I think if that number was doubled TVNZ might consider it. (Classic line coming up) – “I read somewhere” the other day that TVNZ was happy with 7 Blunt’s ratings. I don’t see that creepy mike hoskings getting shown the door any time soon but we can live in hope and I signed petition in that spirit.
I see value in the petition even if Hosking remains. A little bit of water wears away the rock. A big petition is humiliating for Hosking and TVNZ and at the same time buoys up the people who know how fucked the situation is. That alone is worth the petition.
You’re right. Each action contributes to the growing snowball. Such actions might provoke viewers to ask themselves why there would be a petition. As long as it gets people thinking, that’s the best start, and a part of the whole slow but growing movement of dissent.
It would be far worse if there were no action at all.
From the rotting fish head John Key down, those with power over us know the cost of everything and the value of nothing……..until it comes to their vanities and dodgy imperatives……..26 mill’ for a flag wank ?
“Go right ahead, this is for my legacy, money no object !”
It was then that the family were told their order for a hospital bed, wheelchair and a hip spica chair – which allows someone in a hip cast to sit up unaided – had all been cancelled by the Whanganui DHB. They were also told the occupational therapist assigned to them would not be visiting.
Cancelled?
WTF were the DHB thinking?
And as for National continuously cutting the health budget I suspect that this is actually their desired result. Individuals having to go out and buy stuff for short term use will result in more sales and higher profits for the bludging shareholders.
1. While I’m am not suggesting for a single itty bitty second that the Whanganui DHB has such a policy…is it pure coincidence that this is the DHB that the world famous in New Zealand eugenicist Michael ‘if you choose to give birth to a disabled kid don’t expect the State to care for it’ Laws was once an elected member of?
2. Fact….. Non ACC disabled are entitled to NOTHING in the way of support.
3. It has always been the case that applications for funding for equipment are delayed/declined….often forcing disabled people to seek out other funding sources.
It’s just getting worse.
the cynic in me says ohhhhh….. kabuki theater, the romantic in me says…..ohhhhhh a sit in, and the pessimist in me says…….ohhhh, grandstanding for nothing.
But then a good sit in is a good sit in. 🙂
Maybe our Opposition could do the same in regards to our homeless. T’would be fun to see the speaker spit bricks.
Haven’t read The Ombudsman’s report on the Rebstock findings re the leak about minister’s bashing of MFAT. However, going by what’s been said on Nine to Noon this morning (interview with one of Rebstock’s MFAT scapegoats/victims) The Ombudsman has roundly concluded that Dame Rebstock’s findings are Dame Rebstock’s Rubbish Findings.
Key and his lackeys had better be careful if they set out to rubbish Ombudsman Boshier in favour of ‘Their Loyal Servant’ Dame Rebstock.
It is welcome analysis from Eaqub, but I get the feeling that he is constantly a little surprised at the sometimes slow, sometimes fast degradation of the socially conscious New Zealand we once enjoyed.
And talk about ‘New Politics’. The deliberate policy of pitting peoples against each other has developed the world over by various right of centre governments. See Brexit, see the US election, and see John Key’s government of divisiveness.
“The deliberate policy of pitting peoples against each other has developed the world over by various right of centre governments….”
Absolutely, it feels like one big game of “the Block”, the axing of TV7 and the endless, mindless TV contest shows, cooking, singing, house decorating and finding a mate…….and distracting us.
Police regularly blaming “Mental Health Services”, and CYPFS blamed for the appalling lack of societal infrastructure and the tragic, yet inevitable consequences.
A question about MMP from yesterday. Do party votes from parties that don’t reach 5% or get an electorate MP get reallocated?
First link says yes they do, second apparently says no they don’t. The context is whether if Harawira doesn’t win TTT, are the Mana votes ‘lost’, or do those lost votes give an advantage to other parties? e.g. in 2014 IM got something like 1.4% of the vote.
Since 1996 these “wasted” votes have averaged 4.96%. After each election the St Laguë formula has reallocated between two and nine list seats to qualifying parties (see table below). This disproportionately benefits the parties with the largest share of the primary vote. Of the total of 38 seats reallocated this way, Labour has won nine and National 14; the other 15 went to smaller parties. In addition, between 2005 and 2011 the Maori Party had a total of four overhang seats.
The overhang seats were a known issue when we voted MMP in. That said, I don’t think that the people who recommended MMP thought that we’d be getting so many of them and so often.
As for the ‘wasted votes’ being effectively reallocated the only option for that is to decrease the threshold from 5% to 0.8%. If a party gets enough votes for a seat then they should have a seat.
All four note bundles tested positive for methamphetamine but not for precursors used to manufacture it, so the drug traces had likely come from contact with users rather than from a P lab.
Nonetheless, three of the bundles tested above the health guideline for remediation if those samples had been taken from a P lab site.
That guideline limit is 0.5 microgrammes per 100cm2 of wall or other surface. The note bundles showed levels from 0.4 to 0.8 microgrammes per 100cm2.
One point I made in my Cashless was the effect it would have on criminal undertakings – essentially criminals wouldn’t be able to use money at all. Now it appears that it would be good for everyone’s health as well.
I keep wondering why they hand them out. I just refuse them myself so I’m not handling them anyway. Would much prefer it if I could get online and check my purchases through my bank. Of course, I happen think that the bank should be a state bank and not a private one. I don’t trust private banks with my data.
I think the machines in shops have to print out. Lots of places ask if you want the receipt, so heaps just go straight in the bin. ATMs give an option of no receipt. Till receipts are trickier if you need proof of purchase.
Years ago I used to keep them all but then realised I never used them. Utter waste and health/ environment damaging.
and its still not a good enough reason to only have electronic money.
i rather have a bit of meth on my hand, then a government like our current one just cut of access to our cash for the sake of it, or to teach the plebs a lesson in obedience.
One point I made in my Cashless was the effect it would have on criminal undertakings – essentially criminals wouldn’t be able to use money at all. Now it appears that it would be good for everyone’s health as well.
Sorry mate, you’re not thinking ahead. What happens when you or your political movement are criminalised for taking a set against the establishment.
Tracking, suspending, banning, revealing, reversing all your financial transactions and the financial transactions of associated parties would be just the start.
The cashless society, having tracking modules on all vehicles, we’re stupid for thinking that these things will not be used to crush future dissent.
Look at how they fucked over Julian Assange and wikileaks by banning their access to paypal and the credit card system. Or how they threaten to ban entire countries from SWIFT.
That’s why you put in place rules and processes about it that cannot be broken by the parliament of the day. If they try it becomes an automatic act of treason and they a) lose everything and b) go to jail for the rest of their lives.
no idea what you’re talking about, also no idea why you’re promoting systems which will make it easier for the power elite to make political activists lives miserable.
So you must be in favour of getting rid of all those laws then, to get rid of all that “magical thinking”.
Or do you think that we should keep the laws and hold people accountable for their bad behaviour? To let them know that there are consequences and that those consequences will be grave?
Dude, I don’t give a fuck about your laws, I give a fuck about you wanting to empower people with the technology to do shitty things to us, even knowing full well that your precious laws have never stopped that happening in the past.
“Dr Nick Kim, a senior lecturer in environmental chemistry at Massey University, tested the residue left on walls by meth smokers and found the potential health effects of past P smoking was no worse than those of tobacco, or handling meth-contaminated bank notes.”
So you are now pushing a Paula Bennett myth that is being used to demonize state tenants and evict them from state houses Draco ? .
Classy.
Dr Nick Kim: “What seems wrong is the idea of kicking people out of houses where residues are not too dissimilar to [tobacco] smoking residues on walls.”
Draco & Paula ….”We are not going to risk houses suspected of being drug dens today, becoming potentially toxic playgrounds for innocent children in the future.”
As many as 600 state homes will need P decontamination this year, amid claims retirees are now smoking the toxic drug.
Each home needing decontamination cost between $8000 and $16,000, with the work costing the agency $2.3 million last year.
Dr Nick Kim: “Tenants who found that their houses had been smoked in could wash down walls and curtains but Kim said he personally would not worry. There was no need to tear down gib or replace carpets and insulation unless there was strong suspicion that there was a lab and the chances were lower than people feared.”
+1 Reason – now P is the new scare device with everyone running about and plenty of money to be made out of the P scare scam by some (especially the government to explain why nobody lives in state houses anymore and why State houses are the new ‘ghost’ houses!).
Draco & Paula ….”We are not going to risk houses suspected of being drug dens today, becoming potentially toxic playgrounds for innocent children in the future.”
Don’t attribute to me that which I never said nor have ever indicated that we should be doing.
Sorry Draco …. I thought you were using Paulas cult science for your own agenda.
I may have overestimated your intelligence ,,,,,,,,,, sorry.
You may be sincere about wanting to protecting our health from meth on bank notes …….
In which case you are A fool with good intentions ,,,,,,, helping to spread Paulas witch trial drug hysteria ……… and the rip-off industry and eviction program that it enables …..
p.s using Paulas lies to back up your argument massively undermined your points ……….
really? ………….. then you didn’t type this on the basis of Paula’s contamination cult? …..”Now it appears that it would be good for everyone’s health as well”
vrs Dr Nick Kim …..”Even that level was 24 times lower than “the lowest level that could you could plausibly have a health risk”.
You need to Explain yourself and your use of the same ugly false fear mongering which Paula is using to evict the poor and their children onto the street…..
Keep your explanation simple for a fool like me 😉
I get confused nowadays in New Zealand, when rivers that WILL make you sick,with their soup of fecal matter, pathogens and nitrates are not called polluted and toxic…… these are instead to be known as ‘up to national standards & Wade-able’.
Yet at the same time we have hundreds of perfectly safe state houses which pose no health risk labeled ‘contaminated’ and ‘toxic’ sitting empty, awaiting millions to be spent on them, after needless evictions … in the middle of a housing crisis.
Now you and your contaminated notes may know something which supports Paulas and your science ….
She certainly needs help to continue her war on the poor.
“amid claims retirees are now smoking the toxic drug.” – Really? Where was that claim made? I always see retirees wasting their money at the pokeys now they are smoking P? End times cannot be too far away, oh my poor children!
hmm what does this mean, can we get rid of this Failed UK Rebstock Person, mums got nothing good to say about her, apparently she was crap there and bought her poison over here, mums words good enough for me, always trust a granny.
He is been sarcy I think, like saying ‘see, women can be as big as horrible leaders as men’, am I right CV? Thatcher & Imelda already proved that years ago.
He is been sarcy I think, like saying ‘see, women can be as big as horrible leaders as men’, am I right CV? Thatcher & Imelda already proved that years ago.
What’s sarcy about women being able to equal or exceed men in every respect?
Heard a rumour (No I started it) that Hillary is going to nominate bill as the vice president..so she can keep an eye on him.
Hey. Anything’s possible.
Actually I’m finding the numbers of not very well explained ideas and thoughts on ts at the moment tedious. It’s like people value their own cleverness over communicating well, which is problematic given the context.
It seems inoffensive to say that Dame Rebstock is at least the equal of any man that National could put in (what role ?). But how might she be even superior in (what role ?) as you suggest CV ? Are you talking the role of bought and paid for report ‘signer’ or the role of independent report ‘writer’.
Certainly an Ombudsman thinks she’s a pretty shit independent report ‘writer’. If on the other hand she’s merely a report ‘signer’, she is corrupt. Dame Ratshit whichever way.
Who appointed her to (what role?) CV ? Who made her a dame ? Oh yes…….it’s like dogs’ balls.
Yes we do. Whatever the errors of this inquiry, Paula has contributed much to New Zealand. She worked in Treasury in the late 80s and made an important contribution to the machinery of government reforms advocated by Treasury in 1987.
I think you should be ashamed of your childish disparaging of her
1987 was the first year of her employment at treasury shortly after graduating ….dont think she would have had much input to those recommendations somehow.
on NewsHub now to, stuffs bit slow too pick it up.
Personally this is one the left should pick up and get vocal on for the reasons it was Keys appointment and Rebstock did an attack job it cements into the voters minds this governments inquiries are all cover ups, we can then get the DP inquiry pressure going again and any other BS inquiries Keys had.
I’ve been waiting for a powerful body like the ombudsman to make decision man that office is slow to respond. But finally a proper report Key can’t rebuttal as plainl;y wrong. I dare him to say the Ombudsmans wrong.
“a proper report Key can’t rebuttal”
Wanna bet Richard?
“That is just one opinion and I could find another report that would vindicate the wonderful Paula Rebstock. Mr Farrar would be one of course.”
What?, I don’t think an ombudsmans report is just an opinion.
If Key wishes to use a Farrar’s opinion against the Ombudman’s fire away, can’t wait.
What I should have said, is any rebuttal would looks silly and just fake to the public, as there are not many bodies as respected as the Ombudsmans office.
To critique the office of the Ombudsman is bad form.
Mum must be senile, she’s from the states, my bad, must be getting confused then with someone else, it was a passing comment she made.
Tis Okay Richard. I was just mocking the way that Key denies uncomfortable facts by quoting a different source. He knows that by the time we try to undo his dissemblage the story has moved on.
Wonder if the release of this report just happens to be while Parliament is in recess for four weeks?
We might wonder about other “enquiries undertaken by Rebstock. Education? Social Welfare?
When a Government has a pet Enquirer would we expect an independent unbiased report? Doubt it. Or unbiased means you will not get another job from John Key.
Not many American Dames, I would imagine people would laugh at her over there if she told them she was a Dame.Was a good thing when Labour abolished those dumb titles.
Meanwhile, in the ninteties I was one of several hundred ordinary people walking down the main street in Dunedin yelling, amongst other things, “what’s the story, filthy tory? Out! Out! Out!”.
Hosking and gorgeous wife, Kate Hawkesby, starred in a women’s mag this week and revealed their romantic secrets – but it’s not clear where she and their five kids will fit in his new two-door beauty. As for his former love, it’s not known if the broadcaster has held on to his prized Maserati.
About time we had a Scandinavian approach to prisons and criminal activity. Even if you don’t care about society as a rampant neoliberal – think of how much money the state could save if they bothered to look at what is successful in prisons around the world!
Intentional homicides:
Norway: 0.6 per 100,000 people
United States: 6 per 100,000 people
Incarceration rates:
Norway: 71 for every 100,000 people
United States: 743 for every 100,000 (in 2009)
Recidivism rate:
Norway: 20%
United States: 50%-60%
Hard to believe, isn’t it?
Perhaps Norway’s way of doing things isn’t as bizarre as we think.
When Susan Devoy became Race Relations Commissioner I was skeptical – however I think she has done well to date.
This month when I opened a copy of the Wairarapa Times-Age, a New Zealander wearing a Neo Nazi uniform stared back at me…
…These are a few of the reasons why I will never think that it is okay for New Zealanders to wear Nazi-styled uniforms.
Why? Because people wearing Nazi uniforms murdered 1.5 million children.
They did it on purpose and they would have kept murdering children if they had not been stopped…
…I’ve written this article to help ensure that those children aren’t forgotten and to make it clear that Neo Nazi fascism and racism does not belong in Aotearoa New Zealand…
…Some say we should ignore these kinds of extremists but sometimes we need to stand up publicly and say that their philosophy is ‘Not Okay’.
Those children, their relatives alive and dead will never be forgotten – the horror of what happened will not be pretended-away.
No it is not okay marae-burner-kyle and your mate just-another-sad-tocker. You parade around in your dress up neo-nazi uniforms – such sad losers yet they are here with us and in our faces – in the paper!
Saying their philosophy is not okay is the least we can do – we need to make this place the way we want it and stepping out bullies, racists and their enablers (and those who use these dims for their own political ends) is a crucial step – for our self esteem, our values and so we can sleep at night.
A lot of commentators on TS hated on Devoy when she first got the job. I may have been one of them. However, she sharply picked up the pace after her first few months and is filling the role quite nicely now I think.
The comments under this article have the look of counteroffensive action against last week’s reckless show of compassion for the homeless. It is about a couple who have been given notice in a Huntly state house they have lived in for 23 years because they are now deemed able to pay market rent, although there is a shortage of rental houses in Huntly anyway. Comments that mercilessly bag the family are getting about 200 up-ticks. Comments that say “show some compassion” or “in other countries people are able to rent permanently” or similar are getting equivalent numbers of thumbs-down. http://i.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/81162744/huntly-mums-plea-to-stay-in-her-state-home.adaptive.html
Do you think it is acceptable that this family occupied a state house for 23 years? In that 23 years, what did other people do who met the criteria for state housing? The Greens have a policy to build more state houses – in my view this is oppression by stealth as there is no incentive for state house occupants to better themselves and not remain life long welfare dependants. State housing should always be for those who need it most and those that get a state home should never expect to build a lifestyle from it – especially starting a new family or occupying it for 23 years!. Its the steeping stone they need at a relevant point in their situation, improve their situation and then move on.
“Do you think it is acceptable that this family occupied a state house for 23 years?” Yes, I do, couldn’t care less if they live in for 50 years, whats it to ya? Build more!
I see Indiana, the state should follow people around prodding them with a cattle prodder to better themselves. What’s your measure of better? At what point does your nanny state say your own your own now, ?
Secondly council housing is housing for life in the UK, well it was, they did the same over there, big sell off, but you know a caring state, worked with these long term tenants and worked a good deal with them to pay the houses off, or assist them into a loan, they had a plan.
AFAIK State housing was introduced because the working poor could never expect to own a house, there was over crowding poor conditions, a progressive labour government backed by the unions as at that time you greedy mine, shipyard owners etc had to be forced into compliance, so damn greedy, Labour state housing bettered the lives of millions of people. Something you lot have been rabidly trying to reverse ever since?
whether you know it or not that’s what high Tories are doing. But you’re not one of them you actually think they care for all, and the left are loonies.
Did you grow up in a family home that at some point was owned by the state? Thousands upon thousands of us did. And when we finally fled the nest, many of our parents were given the opportunity to purchase the properties for their retirement years. That my dear was the aim of the exercise. To give a whole generation, young and old, security and stability. And it worked.
People like you sicken me. It’s NOT welfare dependency to have a warm, dry home provided by the state. It’s a necessity especially in this neo liberal dog eat dog society we live in. And the security of knowing it is there for as long as you need it is a prerequisite for a generation of balanced, healthy citizens.
You remind me of Paula Bennett. Grab all the benefits yourself and use them to climb the ladder of success, then drag the ladder away so nobody can follow in your footsteps.
Yes I do think it is acceptable for them to live in that house for those years. In a society where are large percentage of the population do not earn enough to buy their own homes, I think that secure long term rental, both state and private, should be the norm. That is the case in many other countries, and it has not made the population of Germany, for instance, feckless and lazy. The couple in the article are working and contributing to their community – in fact they want to buy their house now but have not been able to raise the necessary loan. It is just not good enough to price people out of home ownership, sell off state houses and force a huge percentage of the population to rely on amateur landlords with high rents and minimal rights as tenants.
” in fact they want to buy their house now but have not been able to raise the necessary loan.”
But they had plenty of money to raise 7 children instead of saving for a deposit on a house. Was there a housing crisis in Hamilton 20 years ago? I’m presuming that in the first 3 years of them being a state home, they would have thought about this because if I put myself in their situation, this would be one of my first considerations – start a family or get out of the welfare trap.
Its a pity that default position to take is that I’m a heartless bastard and that I have no concept of living life on the edge, but feel free to make assumptions.
At the time when they moved into their state house, it was considered to be theirs for as long as they wanted and needed it, so it was not unreasonable for them to live their lives accordingly. There is such a thing as a decent humble person who is happy to contribute to a community but is not driven by material ambition – being a good or bad person is not contingent on owning or not owning a house. And I myself did not comment on your character, I simply disagreed with you. You, however, seem to feel quite free to comment negatively on the character of the people in the article.
What a dog ! And supremely stupid – to say that need for housing is reflected in availability of housing. To say that need for housing beyond numbers of available houses is not actually need. It is welfare bludging. What a dumb, extremist fuckwit ! Maybe Indiana should experience the unavailability of a supply of oxygen. No problem. No availability. No need.
The couple have lived in this house throughout the onslaught of neo-liberalism. During this period, by design, only a relative few were ever supposed to advance their fortunes, viz. those already at the top. That is the true ethos of neo-liberalism. Masked by cynical promises of trickle-down. The days when we might have regarded neo-liberals as fantasists truly believing in trickledown are well gone. They know it’s shit but they insist. They are amoral crooks.
Indiana invokes failure to triumph over the conditions created by Indiana and ilk. That’s a bit much like the rapist blaming the rape victim for the debilitating STD the rapist inflicted.
Ordinary people don’t advance under neo-liberalism. They were never meant to. You weren’t meant to be a dog Indiana but I see you’re trying your hardest. Dumb Fuckwit !
Hootens banked on the fact 80% of the voting people are too young and dumb to remember why state housing was a house for life at one time, why and what it was set up for, what it was like before labour saved them, and probably all of them owe there current lifestyle to that fact.
To Olwyn:
Tory Trolls have been placing a team effort to falsify comments on Stuff, ie. up-ticking the bagging comments and down-ticking the supportive comments. Many of these trolls appear to have vacated Newshub NZ (TV3)comments section and moved to Stuff to do their dirty work.
OK – I did wonder if it was something like that. They have relied for eight years now on generating contempt and division between social groups, so the humane response to homelessness last week must have given them a bit of a jolt. Now they are no doubt keen to regain their grip on the agenda.
Bit silly really as the show is reflecting current modes of thinking not new ones or for that matter old ones – to find the truth about power and some of the women who have held it – go back – indigenous women leaders are plentiful and their stories, memories and abilities are well known within their communities.
This guy key, you know the CEO of NZ inc, doesn’t know the difference between running a business and running a country and protecting it’s secrets. I would love to know the security level of the docs he just left about, some are not to be removed and eyes only.
I know right!!! Sweden & Finland had them too, though I think they were underground, but Denmark it wasn’t actually illegal to run dog brothels til the mid 2000s? sometime in the last 10-15 years anyway. Was a worldwide petition helped get them banned too.
Some in power in the USA don’t want peace in Syria …which is what many around the world thought all along…a dangerous situation…especially if Hillary becomes President
“A Syrian showdown is looming. Rebellion has broken out in the ranks of the State Department against Obama’s handling of the conflict. The Pentagon and the CIA are at odds. And Russia has demonstrated it has lost patience with Washington’s so-called moderates. The status quo cannot hold. CrossTalking with Richard Weitz, Mark Sleboda, and Lawrence Wilkerson.”
( and who is running the State Department?…what is their long term agenda for the Middle East?…whose interests are they representing?…surely not the American public’s)
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles and that ...
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 ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rachael Potter, Research Associate and Lecturer in Work and Organisational Psychology, University of South Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Pregnant women and workers with children are often unfairly treated by their bosses and colleagues, despite laws to protect against workplace discrimination ...
Reacting to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s refusal to rule out introducing new taxes at the budget, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “Today’s refusal to rule out new taxes suggests the Government is nothing more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne Aila Images/Shutterstock Aged-care workers will receive a significant pay increase after the Fair Work Commission ruled they ...
He’s bringing ‘Sophie’ back, yeah. Goodshirt’s ‘Sophie’ music video is one of the most instantly recognisable New Zealand music videos of all time. Featuring a woman listening to the song on headphones while her entire house is burgled behind her, the video won the New Zealand music award for Best ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University A year ago, the AUKUS agreement was formally announced between Australian and UK Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden. The agreement mapped out the “optimal ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carrie Leonetti, Associate Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Victims who experience family violence in Aotearoa New Zealand are treated differently, depending on which part of the justice system they turn to for help. But a new member’s bill ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Tesch, Visiting Fellow at the ANU Centre for European Studies, Australian National University In perhaps the least surprising news of the year, Vladimir Putin has triumphed at the Russian ballot box and been enthroned for the fifth time as president. He ...
The Papua New Guinea Supreme Court has stopped a byelection for the Madang Open seat being held until an appeal filed by former MP Bryan Kramer is concluded. Kramer had appealed to the Supreme Court over a National Court decision not to review his application of the Leadership Tribunal decision ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Despite a “historic” ceasefire agreement in Papua New Guinea between Enga authorities and tribal leaders after months of bitter warfare, a young woman has been found brutally killed near Kaekin village, Wapenamanda. Despite the peace agreement and signing concluded in Port Moresby last Thursday ...
The second season of Ryan Murphy’s Feud is a sadder and slower entry into his canon of true story-telling, leaning heavily on a verdict about the cost of a single work of art. Hollywood heavyweight Ryan Murphy has had a bit of “ick” about him in the last few years. ...
Are you deeply passionate about sharing Māori stories? We’re on the hunt for an experienced writer/editor to lead coverage in our Ātea section.Ātea is a deeply valued section of The Spinoff site, offering Māori perspectives and insights across politics, current affairs and culture. We are thrilled to be looking ...
By Aisha Azeemah in Suva With the lights on one of his sneakers blinking as he ran through the gallery, a little boy looked up at several works of art. One of them was a sculpture of his grandfather: the man who changed how we see the Pacific — Epeli ...
WHAT: Uber drivers are holding a rally outside the Court of Appeal in Wellington tomorrow, as the company begins its appeal against 2022’s Employment Court verdict (in a case taken jointly by FIRST Union and E tū) that four drivers were permanent ...
RNZ Pacific The Fiji Meteorological Service has a heavy rain warning still in place for the whole of the country after a weekend of flooding, although some floodwaters have receded. Flood and flash flood warnings and alerts are also in place, including a warning for all flash flood-prone areas, small ...
Responding to Grant Robertson’s recent admission on a Q+A with Jack Tame that his only regret from his time in office was that he didn’t take on more debt, Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson, Alex Murphy, said: “Grant Robertson has now admitted that he ...
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Every week that passes seems to tighten the fiscal noose for Christopher Luxon and co – a noose, moreover, of their own making.“Don’t tell me what you value: show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” This phrase, a favourite of US president Joe Biden’s, resonates ...
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Commenting on the introduction of the living wage for all employees and contractors at Kāpiti Coast District Council, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “The problem with blanket living-wage policies is that they ...
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Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Uncaring.
New Zealand’s housing.
Complaints of ‘despicable’ mould and leaking prompt Housing NZ to act
Step inside, make yourself at home. Breathe in the mouldy air.
You even get a free shower when you go to the toilet, Craig Ryan says, pointing to the dripping, sagging bathroom ceiling in the Porirua state house he calls home.
Ryan lives there with father Ross and brother Aaron, and they say mould grows relentlessly in the badly ventilated, east-facing house.
The Ryans said they did spend time and money on cleaning, and trying to warm the house, which was sorely lacking in ventilation. Even frequent scrubbing, cleaning and bleaching was no match for the cold and damp.
When lawyer Paul Surridge learned of the home’s condition, he was appalled.
“This is just despicable,” he said. “It’s not the New Zealand way.”
There was a limit to what tenants could do to the house without Housing NZ’s approval, he said. “The decent New Zealander would say ‘Look, this is horrific.’ ”
By contrast, Austrian and Singapore’s public housing systems…….
http://www.shareable.net/blog/public-housing-works-lessons-from-vienna-and-singapore
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Selfish.
Paul Henry and Mike Hosking
Every morning they pronounce New Zealand a paradise.
For them it is because they are wealthy and they choose to ignore the plight of others in the country.
Maybe they should read this article by a Bay of Plenty journalist…..
‘Mismanaged NZ is no paradise
‘After moving to New Zealand 12 years ago I heard a lot from locals about what a great place it was to raise kids.
But, as I took my children to school, I saw huge numbers of kids heading to class without shoes – in the middle of winter.
That was a shock. Couldn’t their parents afford shoes, I wondered?
To add to the picture many of the children didn’t have raincoats, others didn’t even have jumpers.
I didn’t think about it then, but now I would expect many of the kids didn’t have lunches and hadn’t had food for breakfast.
Nowadays when people say to me that New Zealand is the best country in the world to raise children I ask them why they think that?
They cannot say exactly why, I guess most just parrot the myth of this paradise for children.
Then I ask them if this is the best place to raise kids – why are there more than 270,000 children living in poverty right now?
Ummm.
Why do so many children go to school without being fed?
Ummm.
Why does a Kiwi kid die about every five weeks at the hands of parents or caregivers?
Ummm.
Is it true police are called to domestic violence incidents every seven minutes?
Ummm.
And can a United Nations’ report possibly be true when it states that one in four NZ girls are sexually assaulted before they are 15?
Ummm.
That doesn’t sound like a child paradise to me…..”
Another excellent excerpt….
‘In Auckland’s central suburbs rent is, on average, just under $600 a week.
On the North Shore you are looking at just under $570 per week.
Even in South Auckland the average rent is $450.
A TV3 investigation the other month found families in Auckland were hiring out garages for $400 a week.
Read more: Tauranga woman works fulltime but sleeps in car
Tauranga’s homeless: 4-year-old lived in car for six weeks
When the minimum wage is $620 a week, before paying $120 tax, even Blind Pew can see there is a crisis.’
Read more at ….
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503346&objectid=11660630
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Cruel.
The government.
‘Government fights workers seeking minimum wage.
A Court of Appeal hearing begins today for a case that could lead to a big payout for thousands of respite carers.
Kapiti worker Jan Lowe was paid a “subsidy” of just $75 for a 24-hour shift for the Capital Coast DHB. Her work involved supporting people with disabilities, such as dementia, and caring for them while family caregivers were away.
Last year, the Employment Court found under the “home worker” definition in the Employment Relations Act, she was an employee and entitled to the minimum wage of $15.25 an hour, holidays and other minimum employment entitlements.
But her employer, Capital Coast DHB, and the Ministry of Health appealed the decision, arguing she was not an employee, and if she was, they were not the employer.
A hearing for the Court of Appeal case begins this morning.
The Ministry of Health says the case has implications for 30,000 respite carers.
E tu assistant national secretary John Ryall said respite carers did an important job in supporting some of the most vulnerable New Zealanders and deserved to be paid the minimum wage.’
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11661691
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Greedy.
Google, Facebook, Apple….
‘Is it right these companies collectively extract hundreds of millions of dollars of profit each year from the New Zealand economy, yet contribute little or nothing to the funding of a civil society?
And not only that, cause New Zealanders to pay more tax to make up the difference required to fund our schools, hospitals and welfare.’
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11661266
Excellent work Paul (1,2,3 & 4) Thanks for all the info.
Key…….”cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish”. All that need be said. Except that “love to have a beer with you……..” is a complete wank created by some amoral ad-man. To hoodwink us. Good work Paul !
Thank you
For those that missed it here’s the Get Rid of Mike Hosking petition, going strong at over 18,000 signatures,
https://www.change.org/p/tvnz-get-rid-of-hosking-1347aa6d-8044-4a33-ba59-7fe0a5dba42b
And here’s the Keep Mike Hosking petition, flying along on 39 signatures.
https://www.change.org/p/keep-mike-hosking-at-tvnz
lol
Not sure giving that exposure is a good thing 😉
Actually I suspect that this “Keep Mikey……” thing is tongue in cheek. Which is a nice change from Mikey’s imperative……tongue in Key’s botty. What a magnificent chain gang ! Richie at the top, somewhat bemused, Jonno Key’s tongue lashing lizard like at number 2, and “Crikey Mikey that’s good !” at number 3. Slurping away hard out !
That is very interesting , when I first heard of the get rid of hoskings poll, I thought that a keep hoskings poll would be the obvious way to retaliate and that he’d get a legion of viewers supporting him, that its not happening is a little ray of sunshine in my day.
I wonder how many votes it will get.
this should be interesting sort of like a election,
Or you could go off the ratings his show gets I suppose
Bit like deciding the health value of Coke by looking at the sales data.
ratings lol
are they like the music industries top 10 bestsellers? or books? or Farrars? or any vested interest poll.
Well it worked for Campbell Live 🙂
yeah, funny that.
Wasn’t Campbell Live doing better at 6pm news audience retention than the tv1 crowd?
It fascinates me how people argue that Hosking’s views are popular because people watch him. They could have a trained monkey in that job and it’d still get audience pickup – fucksake, wasn’t that the timeslot that stopped NZ when they sheared a fucking sheep?
People watch Hosking because of the timeslot and genre (inoffensive chat with pretensions of current event interest), and this makes the views he spews more popular. He’s a propagandist, pure and simple.
I don’t (I mean can’t) watch Hoskings on TV (don’t want to waste grey matter)- but occasionally can’t avoid his sudden appearance on TV1 promos.
Why oh why does he wear what appears to be paint splattered old jeans?
At least I hope it’s paint.
Hosking’s gear is all about the mutton as lamb of bewildered narcissism. Never comes off. Just embarrassing. Like Key’s DPS dyed hair.
We’ve been wondering about the painters pants when we’ve had the misfortune of catching him in the ads. Probably designer kit worth $1K
But what else could it be from someone of his nature?
Why would we do that when it’s obviously a failed system?
This pitting of two petitions will be far more accurate.
Well no it won’t be because you have one side that irrationally want his removal but theres no need for a counter petition because he’s not being removed
This isn’t Campbell Live we’re talking about, its a show people actually watch
*Disclaimer, I don’t watch Mike Hosking on TV or listen to his radio show either
Up to 100 now after a day.
IIRC, the petition to get rid of him reached 5000+ in the first day.
It’ll taper off, far more people working in TV and ZB than I thought, and I wonder how many times Katie signed it.
Hey Hoskings, they sell 5 dollar reviews over sea’s on the interweb, maybe you could pay people to sign or crowdfund it if your a bit tight.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/81322479/opposition-renew-calls-for-media-charter-after-mike-hosking-petition-gains-traction
Surprise surprise national dismantled the rules in place that would of stopped hoskings from getting away with his shit.
On a brighter note it was public pressure that got henry moved along in 2010
Labour should have returned TVNZ to a true public broadcasting basis instead of trying to keep gaming $$$ off it.
Labour? were they in power once? opps /jk
There were 90,000 signatures to save Campbell live, but we didn’t manage to do it.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/nznews/save-campbell-live-petition-marched-to-mediaworks-2015042413#axzz4CN2XZtis
I think if that number was doubled TVNZ might consider it. (Classic line coming up) – “I read somewhere” the other day that TVNZ was happy with 7 Blunt’s ratings. I don’t see that creepy mike hoskings getting shown the door any time soon but we can live in hope and I signed petition in that spirit.
I see value in the petition even if Hosking remains. A little bit of water wears away the rock. A big petition is humiliating for Hosking and TVNZ and at the same time buoys up the people who know how fucked the situation is. That alone is worth the petition.
You’re right. Each action contributes to the growing snowball. Such actions might provoke viewers to ask themselves why there would be a petition. As long as it gets people thinking, that’s the best start, and a part of the whole slow but growing movement of dissent.
It would be far worse if there were no action at all.
Not as humiliating as poor ratings.
That’s because it had been in the plan since John key pushed his mate wheldon to work there.
and that ain’t no wack conspiracy either.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/307064/disabled-boy-had-'diabolical'-post-op-aftercare
This is what National means when they talk about “building resilience”.
People are left on their own……
From the rotting fish head John Key down, those with power over us know the cost of everything and the value of nothing……..until it comes to their vanities and dodgy imperatives……..26 mill’ for a flag wank ?
“Go right ahead, this is for my legacy, money no object !”
Cancelled?
WTF were the DHB thinking?
And as for National continuously cutting the health budget I suspect that this is actually their desired result. Individuals having to go out and buy stuff for short term use will result in more sales and higher profits for the bludging shareholders.
WTF were the DHB thinking?
Indeed. See what a spica cast looks like here…http://www.webmd.com/children/spica-cast-667
1. While I’m am not suggesting for a single itty bitty second that the Whanganui DHB has such a policy…is it pure coincidence that this is the DHB that the world famous in New Zealand eugenicist Michael ‘if you choose to give birth to a disabled kid don’t expect the State to care for it’ Laws was once an elected member of?
2. Fact….. Non ACC disabled are entitled to NOTHING in the way of support.
3. It has always been the case that applications for funding for equipment are delayed/declined….often forcing disabled people to seek out other funding sources.
It’s just getting worse.
and then there was this
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/house-democrats-gun-bills-sit-in_us_576ab443e4b0c0252e77ecb8
the cynic in me says ohhhhh….. kabuki theater, the romantic in me says…..ohhhhhh a sit in, and the pessimist in me says…….ohhhh, grandstanding for nothing.
But then a good sit in is a good sit in. 🙂
Maybe our Opposition could do the same in regards to our homeless. T’would be fun to see the speaker spit bricks.
Haven’t read The Ombudsman’s report on the Rebstock findings re the leak about minister’s bashing of MFAT. However, going by what’s been said on Nine to Noon this morning (interview with one of Rebstock’s MFAT scapegoats/victims) The Ombudsman has roundly concluded that Dame Rebstock’s findings are Dame Rebstock’s Rubbish Findings.
Key and his lackeys had better be careful if they set out to rubbish Ombudsman Boshier in favour of ‘Their Loyal Servant’ Dame Rebstock.
Correction of my error – report of Ombudsman Paterson, not Chief Ombudsman Boshier.
The report –
http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/system/paperclip/document_files/document_files/1587/original/investigation_into_ssc_conduct_of_mfat_leaks_inquiry.pdf?1466629016
Well said that man!
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/307085/nz-egalatarian-that's-a-pretty-little-lie
It is welcome analysis from Eaqub, but I get the feeling that he is constantly a little surprised at the sometimes slow, sometimes fast degradation of the socially conscious New Zealand we once enjoyed.
And talk about ‘New Politics’. The deliberate policy of pitting peoples against each other has developed the world over by various right of centre governments. See Brexit, see the US election, and see John Key’s government of divisiveness.
“The deliberate policy of pitting peoples against each other has developed the world over by various right of centre governments….”
Absolutely, it feels like one big game of “the Block”, the axing of TV7 and the endless, mindless TV contest shows, cooking, singing, house decorating and finding a mate…….and distracting us.
Police regularly blaming “Mental Health Services”, and CYPFS blamed for the appalling lack of societal infrastructure and the tragic, yet inevitable consequences.
A question about MMP from yesterday. Do party votes from parties that don’t reach 5% or get an electorate MP get reallocated?
First link says yes they do, second apparently says no they don’t. The context is whether if Harawira doesn’t win TTT, are the Mana votes ‘lost’, or do those lost votes give an advantage to other parties? e.g. in 2014 IM got something like 1.4% of the vote.
Since 1996 these “wasted” votes have averaged 4.96%. After each election the St Laguë formula has reallocated between two and nine list seats to qualifying parties (see table below). This disproportionately benefits the parties with the largest share of the primary vote. Of the total of 38 seats reallocated this way, Labour has won nine and National 14; the other 15 went to smaller parties. In addition, between 2005 and 2011 the Maori Party had a total of four overhang seats.
http://www.listener.co.nz/current-affairs/politics/state-your-preference/
http://www.elections.org.nz/voting-system/mmp-voting-system/sainte-lague-allocation-formula
The overhang seats were a known issue when we voted MMP in. That said, I don’t think that the people who recommended MMP thought that we’d be getting so many of them and so often.
As for the ‘wasted votes’ being effectively reallocated the only option for that is to decrease the threshold from 5% to 0.8%. If a party gets enough votes for a seat then they should have a seat.
P test finds NZ banknotes may be the most meth-contaminated currency ever found
One point I made in my Cashless was the effect it would have on criminal undertakings – essentially criminals wouldn’t be able to use money at all. Now it appears that it would be good for everyone’s health as well.
Handling eftpost receipts is looking like being a problem as a source of endocrine disruptor toxicity,
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141022143628.htm
I’m guessing that most people handle eftpost and other thermal receipts far more than they do banknotes.
I keep wondering why they hand them out. I just refuse them myself so I’m not handling them anyway. Would much prefer it if I could get online and check my purchases through my bank. Of course, I happen think that the bank should be a state bank and not a private one. I don’t trust private banks with my data.
I think the machines in shops have to print out. Lots of places ask if you want the receipt, so heaps just go straight in the bin. ATMs give an option of no receipt. Till receipts are trickier if you need proof of purchase.
Years ago I used to keep them all but then realised I never used them. Utter waste and health/ environment damaging.
and its still not a good enough reason to only have electronic money.
i rather have a bit of meth on my hand, then a government like our current one just cut of access to our cash for the sake of it, or to teach the plebs a lesson in obedience.
Sorry mate, you’re not thinking ahead. What happens when you or your political movement are criminalised for taking a set against the establishment.
Tracking, suspending, banning, revealing, reversing all your financial transactions and the financial transactions of associated parties would be just the start.
The cashless society, having tracking modules on all vehicles, we’re stupid for thinking that these things will not be used to crush future dissent.
Look at how they fucked over Julian Assange and wikileaks by banning their access to paypal and the credit card system. Or how they threaten to ban entire countries from SWIFT.
People need to learn for fucks sake.
That’s why you put in place rules and processes about it that cannot be broken by the parliament of the day. If they try it becomes an automatic act of treason and they a) lose everything and b) go to jail for the rest of their lives.
Fuck your magical thinking mate.
So, I take it that you’re in favour of getting rid of laws against murder, Laws for health and safety at work sites and Minimum wage laws?
You know, to get rid of all this “magical thinking”.
???
no idea what you’re talking about, also no idea why you’re promoting systems which will make it easier for the power elite to make political activists lives miserable.
We make laws against bad behaviour all the time but you’re here saying that that is magical thinking.
yeah those laws have effectively stopped violent crimes and other bad behaviour in NZ haven’t they
So you must be in favour of getting rid of all those laws then, to get rid of all that “magical thinking”.
Or do you think that we should keep the laws and hold people accountable for their bad behaviour? To let them know that there are consequences and that those consequences will be grave?
Dude, I don’t give a fuck about your laws, I give a fuck about you wanting to empower people with the technology to do shitty things to us, even knowing full well that your precious laws have never stopped that happening in the past.
DTB 1 : CV Nil. And a very naughty and graceless Nil too !
Might be a good reason to not take banking back into complete control of the government a Draco
“Dr Nick Kim, a senior lecturer in environmental chemistry at Massey University, tested the residue left on walls by meth smokers and found the potential health effects of past P smoking was no worse than those of tobacco, or handling meth-contaminated bank notes.”
So you are now pushing a Paula Bennett myth that is being used to demonize state tenants and evict them from state houses Draco ? .
Classy.
Dr Nick Kim: “What seems wrong is the idea of kicking people out of houses where residues are not too dissimilar to [tobacco] smoking residues on walls.”
Draco & Paula ….”We are not going to risk houses suspected of being drug dens today, becoming potentially toxic playgrounds for innocent children in the future.”
As many as 600 state homes will need P decontamination this year, amid claims retirees are now smoking the toxic drug.
Each home needing decontamination cost between $8000 and $16,000, with the work costing the agency $2.3 million last year.
Dr Nick Kim: “Tenants who found that their houses had been smoked in could wash down walls and curtains but Kim said he personally would not worry. There was no need to tear down gib or replace carpets and insulation unless there was strong suspicion that there was a lab and the chances were lower than people feared.”
+1 Reason – now P is the new scare device with everyone running about and plenty of money to be made out of the P scare scam by some (especially the government to explain why nobody lives in state houses anymore and why State houses are the new ‘ghost’ houses!).
Don’t attribute to me that which I never said nor have ever indicated that we should be doing.
Sorry Draco …. I thought you were using Paulas cult science for your own agenda.
I may have overestimated your intelligence ,,,,,,,,,, sorry.
You may be sincere about wanting to protecting our health from meth on bank notes …….
In which case you are A fool with good intentions ,,,,,,, helping to spread Paulas witch trial drug hysteria ……… and the rip-off industry and eviction program that it enables …..
p.s using Paulas lies to back up your argument massively undermined your points ……….
What other lies and myths do you support?
I don’t support any and I certainly do not support the ones that you’re making up about me and that’s all you’ve done so far in this thread.
Which makes you the fool.
really? ………….. then you didn’t type this on the basis of Paula’s contamination cult? …..”Now it appears that it would be good for everyone’s health as well”
vrs Dr Nick Kim …..”Even that level was 24 times lower than “the lowest level that could you could plausibly have a health risk”.
You need to Explain yourself and your use of the same ugly false fear mongering which Paula is using to evict the poor and their children onto the street…..
Keep your explanation simple for a fool like me 😉
I get confused nowadays in New Zealand, when rivers that WILL make you sick,with their soup of fecal matter, pathogens and nitrates are not called polluted and toxic…… these are instead to be known as ‘up to national standards & Wade-able’.
Yet at the same time we have hundreds of perfectly safe state houses which pose no health risk labeled ‘contaminated’ and ‘toxic’ sitting empty, awaiting millions to be spent on them, after needless evictions … in the middle of a housing crisis.
Now you and your contaminated notes may know something which supports Paulas and your science ….
She certainly needs help to continue her war on the poor.
“amid claims retirees are now smoking the toxic drug.” – Really? Where was that claim made? I always see retirees wasting their money at the pokeys now they are smoking P? End times cannot be too far away, oh my poor children!
FLASH ALERT IMPORTANT
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11661851
hmm what does this mean, can we get rid of this Failed UK Rebstock Person, mums got nothing good to say about her, apparently she was crap there and bought her poison over here, mums words good enough for me, always trust a granny.
Yes Rebstock, we need more women in leadership positions like her.
Did you forget the /sarc tag?
Nah CV doing his anti feminist thing, going hard for the mens.
Oh did Helen tell him off? Or does he have gender issues with women I’m happy to toast his nuts over?
If Rebstock was a bloke i’d say the same.
That’s my point. Rebstock is at least the equal of any man that National could put in that role, if not even superior.
Why do we need more women leaders like her then?
Same rationale that Hillary Clinton should be US President. Women in top leadership roles can do at least a good a job as men, if not better.
Interesting to know that you now think that Clinton should be US president. Bit of a turn around though.
He is been sarcy I think, like saying ‘see, women can be as big as horrible leaders as men’, am I right CV? Thatcher & Imelda already proved that years ago.
I didn’t say that Clinton should be US President. I said that she could do the job as well as most other men could, if not better.
Whether or not I think her politics are any good is another matter entirely.
@Gangnam Style, he’s being an arse to people about so called identity politics, he just can’t do it honestly.
What’s sarcy about women being able to equal or exceed men in every respect?
Heard a rumour (No I started it) that Hillary is going to nominate bill as the vice president..so she can keep an eye on him.
Hey. Anything’s possible.
You know how to read between the lines right weka?
Actually I’m finding the numbers of not very well explained ideas and thoughts on ts at the moment tedious. It’s like people value their own cleverness over communicating well, which is problematic given the context.
Ouch, that’s down right harsh CV, but I like it.
It seems inoffensive to say that Dame Rebstock is at least the equal of any man that National could put in (what role ?). But how might she be even superior in (what role ?) as you suggest CV ? Are you talking the role of bought and paid for report ‘signer’ or the role of independent report ‘writer’.
Certainly an Ombudsman thinks she’s a pretty shit independent report ‘writer’. If on the other hand she’s merely a report ‘signer’, she is corrupt. Dame Ratshit whichever way.
Who appointed her to (what role?) CV ? Who made her a dame ? Oh yes…….it’s like dogs’ balls.
The opportunity to prove oneself an arse shouldn’t depend on gender.
That arsery is not dependent on gender shouldn’t be a reason for commenting on gender instead of abilities, imo.
Yes we do. Whatever the errors of this inquiry, Paula has contributed much to New Zealand. She worked in Treasury in the late 80s and made an important contribution to the machinery of government reforms advocated by Treasury in 1987.
I think you should be ashamed of your childish disparaging of her
So she’s been sucking on the public teat all this time. The problem with delusional trash like Paula is they’ve never worked in the real world.
1987 was the first year of her employment at treasury shortly after graduating ….dont think she would have had much input to those recommendations somehow.
Ha, nice one Pat, Srylands caught in a lie, though must be hard defending the indefensible gotta admit.
National Party apologists, you mean?
http://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/commission-acted-unreasonably-in-mfat-leak-report-2016062309#axzz4CITeYEnU
on NewsHub now to, stuffs bit slow too pick it up.
Personally this is one the left should pick up and get vocal on for the reasons it was Keys appointment and Rebstock did an attack job it cements into the voters minds this governments inquiries are all cover ups, we can then get the DP inquiry pressure going again and any other BS inquiries Keys had.
I’ve been waiting for a powerful body like the ombudsman to make decision man that office is slow to respond. But finally a proper report Key can’t rebuttal as plainl;y wrong. I dare him to say the Ombudsmans wrong.
Get that pressure on my Beauties, fly fly…
“a proper report Key can’t rebuttal”
Wanna bet Richard?
“That is just one opinion and I could find another report that would vindicate the wonderful Paula Rebstock. Mr Farrar would be one of course.”
What?, I don’t think an ombudsmans report is just an opinion.
If Key wishes to use a Farrar’s opinion against the Ombudman’s fire away, can’t wait.
What I should have said, is any rebuttal would looks silly and just fake to the public, as there are not many bodies as respected as the Ombudsmans office.
To critique the office of the Ombudsman is bad form.
Mum must be senile, she’s from the states, my bad, must be getting confused then with someone else, it was a passing comment she made.
Tis Okay Richard. I was just mocking the way that Key denies uncomfortable facts by quoting a different source. He knows that by the time we try to undo his dissemblage the story has moved on.
Wonder if the release of this report just happens to be while Parliament is in recess for four weeks?
Well the bastard doesn’t even ‘quote’ a different source. Just says there would be one. That’s it. Discussion over.
Funny how quickly the Herald moved the story down to about 15th online?
We might wonder about other “enquiries undertaken by Rebstock. Education? Social Welfare?
When a Government has a pet Enquirer would we expect an independent unbiased report? Doubt it. Or unbiased means you will not get another job from John Key.
“We might wonder about other “enquiries undertaken by Rebstock. Education? Social Welfare?” Yes ianmac!
I don’t think you can hold the UK accountable for this lamentable stooge. Believe she’s all the way from the USA.
Yep my bad ty Intgralenz.
Not many American Dames, I would imagine people would laugh at her over there if she told them she was a Dame.Was a good thing when Labour abolished those dumb titles.
NZ Tories re-established those those dumb titles that Labour abolished and then Australia’s Tory govt abolished them also.Can’t figure it out.
A ‘tory’ government in Australia? They would not know what the fuck you were on about.
In fact in the real world I have never heard anyone outside of the UK ever use the word ‘tory’ in a conversation.
My old man always called you lot torys.
Yep I was right..
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/tory
Nah, you’re just being the same slimy, selectively-defining, lying tory as you were the last time you had difficulty with the word tory, and the time before that, and the time before that. You’re loathsomely repetitive and repetitively loathsome. Get some new lines.
Meanwhile, in the ninteties I was one of several hundred ordinary people walking down the main street in Dunedin yelling, amongst other things, “what’s the story, filthy tory? Out! Out! Out!”.
You know she is a NZ citizen right? She has been here for 30 years.
Canadian isn’t she ?
No she isn’t.
Rennie said that he:
“accepted that the way the inquiry dealt with Mr Leask “could have been better”.
Mr Goff said, “It was not simply unfair. The treatment of those two men was disgraceful.”
The Prime Minister mumbled ..” There’s um clearly been some…some…errors that have been made.” …Did he also say..’It was all Labours fault?’
Mike Hoskings said. ..#@^@$##&^#x.. Hey-Who cares what he said..
Hosking also said:
“Hey why wasn’t I also in on the deal – I’ve got a Maserati to maintain!”
Hosking also said:
“Hey why wasn’t I also in on the deal – I’ve got a Maserati to maintain”
Hoskings doesn’t own a Maserati.
How awful for him.
leased?….or has he sold it?
Seems he has Ferrari now as well…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11329195
So Naki has inside knowledge obviously.
stranded assets?
The PM said, ‘the ombizzman ovisly saw sim areas of concern but we’ve got confidence in the staysservicecommishn an in Paula Restock’.
That is literally what he said.
Paula is from America. She has a distinguished career in New Zealand spanning 30 years. You must be thinking of someone else.
About time we had a Scandinavian approach to prisons and criminal activity. Even if you don’t care about society as a rampant neoliberal – think of how much money the state could save if they bothered to look at what is successful in prisons around the world!
Intentional homicides:
Norway: 0.6 per 100,000 people
United States: 6 per 100,000 people
Incarceration rates:
Norway: 71 for every 100,000 people
United States: 743 for every 100,000 (in 2009)
Recidivism rate:
Norway: 20%
United States: 50%-60%
Hard to believe, isn’t it?
Perhaps Norway’s way of doing things isn’t as bizarre as we think.
http://www.upworthy.com/how-a-tour-of-a-norwegian-jail-might-make-you-reconsider-how-effective-the-us-justice-system-is?c=ufb4
This is an interesting site, and check out
He found a way to build mini homes at no cost, and he’s donating them all to the homeless. (via NationSwell)
https://www.facebook.com/nationswell/
When Susan Devoy became Race Relations Commissioner I was skeptical – however I think she has done well to date.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/north-island/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503932&objectid=11661907
Those children, their relatives alive and dead will never be forgotten – the horror of what happened will not be pretended-away.
No it is not okay marae-burner-kyle and your mate just-another-sad-tocker. You parade around in your dress up neo-nazi uniforms – such sad losers yet they are here with us and in our faces – in the paper!
Saying their philosophy is not okay is the least we can do – we need to make this place the way we want it and stepping out bullies, racists and their enablers (and those who use these dims for their own political ends) is a crucial step – for our self esteem, our values and so we can sleep at night.
Yeah she’s all right, def takes the job seriously. Tough job to do well, so thank you Ms Devoy.
A lot of commentators on TS hated on Devoy when she first got the job. I may have been one of them. However, she sharply picked up the pace after her first few months and is filling the role quite nicely now I think.
yeah, I’m in the same boat.
I rather suspect that is an under estimate, too.
The comments under this article have the look of counteroffensive action against last week’s reckless show of compassion for the homeless. It is about a couple who have been given notice in a Huntly state house they have lived in for 23 years because they are now deemed able to pay market rent, although there is a shortage of rental houses in Huntly anyway. Comments that mercilessly bag the family are getting about 200 up-ticks. Comments that say “show some compassion” or “in other countries people are able to rent permanently” or similar are getting equivalent numbers of thumbs-down. http://i.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/81162744/huntly-mums-plea-to-stay-in-her-state-home.adaptive.html
Do you think it is acceptable that this family occupied a state house for 23 years? In that 23 years, what did other people do who met the criteria for state housing? The Greens have a policy to build more state houses – in my view this is oppression by stealth as there is no incentive for state house occupants to better themselves and not remain life long welfare dependants. State housing should always be for those who need it most and those that get a state home should never expect to build a lifestyle from it – especially starting a new family or occupying it for 23 years!. Its the steeping stone they need at a relevant point in their situation, improve their situation and then move on.
“Do you think it is acceptable that this family occupied a state house for 23 years?” Yes, I do, couldn’t care less if they live in for 50 years, whats it to ya? Build more!
I see Indiana, the state should follow people around prodding them with a cattle prodder to better themselves. What’s your measure of better? At what point does your nanny state say your own your own now, ?
Secondly council housing is housing for life in the UK, well it was, they did the same over there, big sell off, but you know a caring state, worked with these long term tenants and worked a good deal with them to pay the houses off, or assist them into a loan, they had a plan.
AFAIK State housing was introduced because the working poor could never expect to own a house, there was over crowding poor conditions, a progressive labour government backed by the unions as at that time you greedy mine, shipyard owners etc had to be forced into compliance, so damn greedy, Labour state housing bettered the lives of millions of people. Something you lot have been rabidly trying to reverse ever since?
whether you know it or not that’s what high Tories are doing. But you’re not one of them you actually think they care for all, and the left are loonies.
IMHO
@indiana
Did you grow up in a family home that at some point was owned by the state? Thousands upon thousands of us did. And when we finally fled the nest, many of our parents were given the opportunity to purchase the properties for their retirement years. That my dear was the aim of the exercise. To give a whole generation, young and old, security and stability. And it worked.
People like you sicken me. It’s NOT welfare dependency to have a warm, dry home provided by the state. It’s a necessity especially in this neo liberal dog eat dog society we live in. And the security of knowing it is there for as long as you need it is a prerequisite for a generation of balanced, healthy citizens.
You remind me of Paula Bennett. Grab all the benefits yourself and use them to climb the ladder of success, then drag the ladder away so nobody can follow in your footsteps.
Yes I do think it is acceptable for them to live in that house for those years. In a society where are large percentage of the population do not earn enough to buy their own homes, I think that secure long term rental, both state and private, should be the norm. That is the case in many other countries, and it has not made the population of Germany, for instance, feckless and lazy. The couple in the article are working and contributing to their community – in fact they want to buy their house now but have not been able to raise the necessary loan. It is just not good enough to price people out of home ownership, sell off state houses and force a huge percentage of the population to rely on amateur landlords with high rents and minimal rights as tenants.
” in fact they want to buy their house now but have not been able to raise the necessary loan.”
But they had plenty of money to raise 7 children instead of saving for a deposit on a house. Was there a housing crisis in Hamilton 20 years ago? I’m presuming that in the first 3 years of them being a state home, they would have thought about this because if I put myself in their situation, this would be one of my first considerations – start a family or get out of the welfare trap.
Its a pity that default position to take is that I’m a heartless bastard and that I have no concept of living life on the edge, but feel free to make assumptions.
At the time when they moved into their state house, it was considered to be theirs for as long as they wanted and needed it, so it was not unreasonable for them to live their lives accordingly. There is such a thing as a decent humble person who is happy to contribute to a community but is not driven by material ambition – being a good or bad person is not contingent on owning or not owning a house. And I myself did not comment on your character, I simply disagreed with you. You, however, seem to feel quite free to comment negatively on the character of the people in the article.
“Indiana wants me…..on the streets he wants me !”
What a dog ! And supremely stupid – to say that need for housing is reflected in availability of housing. To say that need for housing beyond numbers of available houses is not actually need. It is welfare bludging. What a dumb, extremist fuckwit ! Maybe Indiana should experience the unavailability of a supply of oxygen. No problem. No availability. No need.
The couple have lived in this house throughout the onslaught of neo-liberalism. During this period, by design, only a relative few were ever supposed to advance their fortunes, viz. those already at the top. That is the true ethos of neo-liberalism. Masked by cynical promises of trickle-down. The days when we might have regarded neo-liberals as fantasists truly believing in trickledown are well gone. They know it’s shit but they insist. They are amoral crooks.
Indiana invokes failure to triumph over the conditions created by Indiana and ilk. That’s a bit much like the rapist blaming the rape victim for the debilitating STD the rapist inflicted.
Ordinary people don’t advance under neo-liberalism. They were never meant to. You weren’t meant to be a dog Indiana but I see you’re trying your hardest. Dumb Fuckwit !
Hootens banked on the fact 80% of the voting people are too young and dumb to remember why state housing was a house for life at one time, why and what it was set up for, what it was like before labour saved them, and probably all of them owe there current lifestyle to that fact.
+1
To Olwyn:
Tory Trolls have been placing a team effort to falsify comments on Stuff, ie. up-ticking the bagging comments and down-ticking the supportive comments. Many of these trolls appear to have vacated Newshub NZ (TV3)comments section and moved to Stuff to do their dirty work.
OK – I did wonder if it was something like that. They have relied for eight years now on generating contempt and division between social groups, so the humane response to homelessness last week must have given them a bit of a jolt. Now they are no doubt keen to regain their grip on the agenda.
An interesting if controversial comparison between women in power on Game of Thrones, and how women change in real life when they ascend power:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11661912
And yes, they compare Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump at the same time as they compare Danys in Game of Thrones.
Bit silly really as the show is reflecting current modes of thinking not new ones or for that matter old ones – to find the truth about power and some of the women who have held it – go back – indigenous women leaders are plentiful and their stories, memories and abilities are well known within their communities.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/81380931/john-key-admits-confidential-cafe-slipup-while-defending-protection-officer
This guy key, you know the CEO of NZ inc, doesn’t know the difference between running a business and running a country and protecting it’s secrets. I would love to know the security level of the docs he just left about, some are not to be removed and eyes only.
The articles sting in the (pony) tail!
So distracting those pony tails, anyone seen my shooty thing?
All is not well in the State of Denmark:
http://www.humanityinaction.org/knowledgebase/59-the-danish-illusion-the-gap-between-principle-and-practice-in-the-danish-welfare-system
It reads all to familiar. How long do you reckon they have?
The right wingers have been screwing Denmark for a bit over 10 years now so I figure another 10 years or so.
Denmark only shut down their dog brothels a few years ago, I like their bonfire culture though.
I thought you were kidding and then I googled it.
I know right!!! Sweden & Finland had them too, though I think they were underground, but Denmark it wasn’t actually illegal to run dog brothels til the mid 2000s? sometime in the last 10-15 years anyway. Was a worldwide petition helped get them banned too.
Nothing to see here…….except the PM’s security boys do a shocking job of dying the PM’s hair…….and even dogs don’t trust Mark Mitchell…….
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/81380931/john-key-admits-confidential-cafe-slipup-while-defending-protection-officer
Some in power in the USA don’t want peace in Syria …which is what many around the world thought all along…a dangerous situation…especially if Hillary becomes President
‘Dissent memo’
https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/347703-syria-russia-pentagon-cia/
“A Syrian showdown is looming. Rebellion has broken out in the ranks of the State Department against Obama’s handling of the conflict. The Pentagon and the CIA are at odds. And Russia has demonstrated it has lost patience with Washington’s so-called moderates. The status quo cannot hold. CrossTalking with Richard Weitz, Mark Sleboda, and Lawrence Wilkerson.”
( and who is running the State Department?…what is their long term agenda for the Middle East?…whose interests are they representing?…surely not the American public’s)