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.
‘Baby gets sick in crowded house
A baby has contracted potentially deadly meningococcal meningitis – and a senior hospital doctor says overcrowded housing is a factor in the development of his condition.
The 3-month-old boy lives at a Tauranga property with 10 other people sharing two bedrooms, a lounge and a caravan. He is one of eight people – including a 16-month toddler and three teenagers – living in the two-bedroom state house in Gate Pa. Another three people, including two children aged 5 and 13, live in a caravan outside.
Doctors confirmed on Sunday that the baby had meningococcal meningitis. Tauranga Hospital specialist paediatrician Dr Hugh Lees this week wrote to Housing New Zealand (HNZ) on behalf of the family, stating that baby Hamish’s diagnosis was “meningococcal meningitis”, which he said was “known to be associated with overcrowding”.
Dr Lees asked the case be given urgent attention and he supported an application for “appropriate housing”. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662280
One of the people living at the house is a manager & cannot afford a rental, must be in retail or a McJob or something because their wages are utter shite. But it’s OK, the state will will top up employers pathetic pay & the state will top up your wage for the greedy landlords, she will be alllllllllll right in godzone.
We peons have had a visitation from our glorious leader whereupon he delivered these words unto my child…”Nothing lifts people out of poverty faster if they can work and earn money”.
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Cruel
Housing New Zealand
‘Queenstown social housing questioned
A memo from Housing New Zealand details an exit strategy for its presence in Queenstown.
The memo, released under the Official Information Act, relates to the sale last month of one of the agency’s 10 homes in the resort town.
It said the town was a “high profile resort/lifestyle environment” with “reasonable work opportunities”, which could be seen as “incompatible” with a social housing presence.
The comments have angered social housing providers in the town, including the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust.
Its executive officer, Julie Scott, said it had a waiting list of 350 people struggling to find affordable accommodation.
“I just met with a family this morning and she was in tears. They’ve been in Queenstown since 1992, they’ve got three kids and they’ve got until 22 August and then they’ve got to be out of their property.
“They just can’t find anywhere to go and it’s just heartbreaking.”
Queenstown has been “incompatible” with just about all social services for the last 40 years at least. It’s been almost impossible to access the dole, a state house or most other benefits, so accomodation subsidies don’t kick in. Even sickness benefit is difficult. About the only beneficiaries are on the pension, and there’s a lot of them, some of quite modest means but they do own their home. The senior citizens is a very active bunch down here.
I’m not that worried about HNZ selling out here, they got very good prices for the properties they sold and PROVIDED that money’s going to more housing in needier areas. That we’ll see. Their presence here is sort of a hangover from the days of government departments and an age when large employers had staff housing. The staff housing got sold off in the 90’s but HNZ endured. One story was that they couldn’t get their shit together in time to catch each cycle, so by the time they were ready to sell the market had gone.
These problems are old hat for Queenstown, we have always had hordes of “immigrants” flocking into town when times are good to partake of our perceived lifestyle, so the place goes crazy. What’s different this cycle, and under this government is that this business model has been scaled up and transferred to Auckland.
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Cruel
Housing, prisons.
‘I reported from South Sudan and Sierra Leone. What I’ve returned to in New Zealand still shocks me…..
To not be able to swim in our rivers because they are so dirty would’ve been unthinkable to me 10 years ago. In March, the Waikato River Authority said it could take up to 100 years for the Waikato and Waipa rivers to be restored to clean and healthy levels. I’ve seen first-hand waterways that run off the Waikato River blanketed in a creeping toxic algae, festering like a black drain, lifeless. Meanwhile, what remains of our pristine water is being sold by the likes of the Ashburton District Council, to be extracted, bottled up and sent overseas.
Above ground, New Zealand’s reported rate of intimate partner violence is the highest in the developed world. Our incarceration rate is also one of the highest in the developed world and more than half of the men behind bars are Māori. According to Corrections Minister Judith Collins, our prison population topped 9,000 for the first time last year: “Since 2014, the prison population has increased… leading to record highs throughout 2015 and early 2016.” In part, she said the booming prison population was due to locking up family violence offenders for longer.
Then there’s housing and homelessness. New Zealand has one of the fastest growing rates of income inequality in the OECD and it’s on show in our biggest city. In Auckland, families with at least one working parent are living in vans and cars, with marae and charitable trusts stepping in to fill the breach left by social services. How galling it must be for those parents trying to find a warm place for their children to sleep to then see the Prime Minister’s son in all his privileged glory, posing with a Lambourghini and helicopter in his music video.
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Selfish, greedy.
Max Key.
‘Then there’s housing and homelessness. New Zealand has one of the fastest growing rates of income inequality in the OECD and it’s on show in our biggest city. In Auckland, families with at least one working parent are living in vans and cars, with marae and charitable trusts stepping in to fill the breach left by social services. How galling it must be for those parents trying to find a warm place for their children to sleep to then see the Prime Minister’s son in all his privileged glory, posing with a Lambourghini and helicopter in his music video.’
‘Can’t wait to share paradise with you’……. says Max Key.
Key, Mike Hosking and Paul Henry all call New Zealand paradise.
And they are all rich.
And don’t have the compassion or empathy to see how tough it it for many New Zealanders.
For many New Zealanders it’s a neo-liberal nightmare.
All part of the grand plan to attract criticism to max then the ‘cyber bullying’ and ‘class war’ cards will be played as well as all the msm shills who get to play their sympathy violins for hard done by max.
It is a shame they have hijacked ‘cyber bullying’ to mean people taking the piss out of the powerful & famous. Since when has hassling politicians & musicians been ‘cyber bullying’, since it suited the powers that be, who think themselves above criticism.
The class war has been won. The left collapsed with thew end of the Soviet Union. And see how the New Prime Minister of Canada, son of a left marxist has been assimilated by Feminism. He wont improve workers economy.
Oh for fucks sake. It is not neoliberal. New Zealand has a left government. New Zealanders never ever will elect a neoliberal government. You must be tripping.
NZ has been a neo-liberal place since the 1980s as you well know. All governments since then have been either right-wing or hard right-wing. The present government is hard right-wing while pretending to be centrist – and you know that as well.
So at what point do they cross the Marie Antoinette threshold and it’s perceived as arrogance and bites them on the arse.
The casualties will be mounting of their aspirational economy, Max’s escapade would be hard watching for a young Dairy couple in their first farm with the big mortgage and deficits for the foreseeable. And probably soon to be followed by a lot in tourism and beekeeping.
We’re seeing a lot of really grumpy and jealous New Zealanders over our counter in Queenstown. People quite annoyed that someone else is perceived as doing better than them or their town.
Makes me wonder who the Keys are trying to reach with this caper?
WTF ? For a rag report that wrongly accused and defamed a man ? And has been found to be spectacularly wrongheaded and false ? WTF ??? Who pays the price for smashing over good people in this country anymore ?
The whole exercise cost over $500,000 & Finlayson said in Parliament he stood by the report when Labour questioned it in Feb. How about that, Labour were doing a good job holding the Govt to account.
Women make all the choices to be in a relationship, men have very little options but to settle for one that says yes. And their is some people that just shouldnt be in a relationship.
The question should be is how can we educate women to make better choices in men, because the problem isnt going to be fixed by doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome each time.
And prohibition sure worked wonderfully in America circa early last century, the social outcomes was a huge success.
Rugby is pretty boring with the All Blacks winning all the time.
You’re acting like women enter into a relationship with full knowledge about what the future holds.
I suspect very few men are abusive at the start of a relationship, it’s only once the woman has no other choice that the abuse starts, trapping the woman and making it very difficult to escape.
I thought he was meaning, Men are such desperate creatures, we sniff around women all day long until we find one who will say yes.
Where as women get to exersize choice in their mate much more, in a primal base sort of way.
IDNK it’s early I just woke up. The bloody standard requires, a fully comprehending mind of extraordinary intellect almost 24/7 where as right wing blogs expect you more to grunt at there bigotry, a far easier task.
and if he really thinks this about men in general, he is a pretty sad human being.
Men, generally speaking are not animals that can’t control their urges and desires.
Most man are not abusers, some are, and many of those that are would be repeat offenders, especially if they get away with their behavior. However, i firmly believe that the vast majority of men does not behave like a grunting degenerate around women and girls.
I would also really hope that men will stand up to that type of bullshit peddling.
It is time that we put the blame where the blame belongs, to those that abuse and hurt others, irrespective of gender, age and all the other stuff.
Hi Sabine I think you took it , too far to the literal, as the coffee enters my system I may be able to say it better,
In the gender search for a partner, perhaps he meant the male moves from rejection to rejection as he tries to impress each prospective mate, where as the female of the species is the one who sits and selects from her prospective mates as they vie for her affections.
as per my comment below, i have absolutly no idea what he meant, but i can read what he typed.
And what he typed is usally called Victim blaming and putting the onus on the Victim to protect herself form future harm, i guess whith the help of a glass ball or some tarot cards. I mean its not that man or women run around with a tattoo on their heads that say ‘beware, abuser’.
I was just focused on that particular sentence of his, the rest of it made little sense, I just got his reference to the mating ritual.
His one weakness of argument I immediately noticed, was his simplification of the issue, which due to the diversity of human behaviour he fails to acknowledge, as in the fact, Sociopaths, psychopathic people. I won’t go into their behavioural expertise area’s if you understand me, because he should realize it and incorporate it into his argument but fails to see it at all. Why should I enlighten his narrow perceptions of how things are.
When he learns to challenge his beliefs he’ll adopt a more rational view point.
Dating is a numbers game, and for a yes answer, some guys dont stop when they do get a yes, in marry.
I simplified the issue for the reason its not an easy one answer fix,
and it wont be solved because of human nature. And that desire of sexual attraction overrides any red flags.
I mentioned police proposing allowing women access to mens criminal records, privacy grounds aside, would it have worked,
has warning a female that a guy is no good ever.
These are crimes are of certain types of men who are psychotic, mentally ill, or just opportunists, it in no way relates to being in a relationship with a guy who drinks and watches Rugby.
And I cant stop them.
And Im not victim blaming, your projecting that onto me.
Thank you Lanthanide. I am just NOT getting into the theme of Graeme’s comment today. If there’s a few sentences that can sum up a response to Graeme, you’ve done it. Again, thank you.
So how can we fix rampant sexual abuse in religious communities etc, where booze isnt involved.
And for that matter where government agencies replace children back with their abusers.
Yes, if this girl/women would have just have the good sense to ‘choose’ a different Dad. And i am sure the wifes and children of the other men mentioned in this article are also trying very hard in the future to ‘choose’ better men and dads.
If your comment was an attempt at sarcasm it failed.
“A man who raped his own daughter, forced her to wear bondage and pimped her to six other men told police it was fun while it lasted.
The father, who cannot be named, has been jailed for more than 22 years in what a judge described as one of the worst cases of its kind.
He pleaded guilty to 61 offences committed between 2013 and 2015 when the girl was aged between 11 and 13.”
“Benjamin Simon Clarke was previously sentenced to three years in jail for his involvement, which included photographing the girl in lingerie and nude.
Former pastor and father-of-two, Dawid Volmer, was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years after he admitted molesting and raping the blindfolded girl while her dad was present.
but how do you propose she could have ‘saved’ herself, by ‘choosing’ a better man in her life, and not ‘ignoring’ the pointers and hints that her father is a degenerate, that a priest is a degenerate that up to 6 man had no issue raping a girl of 11 – 13 years old.
that is what you stated above. that women should choose ‘better men’. so how does a child choose her father? Please explain. Thanks.
what about this girls and one boy? in care of CYF and a foster family?
Could they not just have choosen a better foster father? Or maybe the violene is really the fault of the one meeting out violence and not the fault of the one receiving the violence.
good grief, you really are a sad excuse for a human being aren’t you 🙂
Systemic failures in government agencies and various institutions are something I can not fix, and that political parties in government duck any responsibility if fixing problems they could.
Just blaming it all on booze and rugby is getting tiring to hear.
Meanwhile its an election next year, maybe a new anti domestic violence campaign will fix deeply embedded social problems that just seem to get worse.
Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result each time sure seems to be working.
I am not sure why you are mentioning booze and rugby all the time, cause i sure did not. I just mentioned all the cases of women not exercising good choice in the choice of their fathers, foster fathers, teachers, and so on. All those bad choices women make, we don’t even get rugby and booze to excuse our poor choice making when it comes to the men that will rape, abuse, beat and murder us.
Are you really that repulsive that you’ll settle for the first person who doesn’t run away screaming? If so, I think you’d be better advised to look at improving your own self rather than blaming all woman.
“The question should be”; why should anyone pay heed to one who can type; “their is some people” (not the only error, just the most concentrated), and then post it on a public thread? If they give their reasoning as little thought as they do their composition, then why am I wasting my time responding to this gibberish…
It sure aint none of my fault.
What happened to the police proposal that women could check up mens criminal record, that seems to have been dropped.
And Women do ignor red flags, and warnings.
Greg – get this and really really listen – the men that abuse, kill, rape, molest, and all of the other disgusting, degrading things they do to their victims are SOLELY to blame for their offending. That is the start, middle and end of the answer. If you don’t accept that then you are part of the problem not the solution.
I wish the focus was less on offender and more on the critical role of journalism/media and the need to not use that position for expressions of personal opinion.
I just stick with a few beers, work enough hours to pay rent , food etc.
Minimizing stress and chaos,
and avoiding the unrealistic expectations of others.
Well ok then Campbell Live was losing viewing and only picked up when TV3 announced its axing, to the best of my knowledge Mike Hosking isn’t losing viewers yet if people think it may get axed then more people may watch it, if for nothing else then curiosity to see what the fuss is about
That would only make sense if there were a whole lot of people who love Hosking in the way that others love Campbell. I just don’t think that’s true. There will be some, but mostly people watch Hosking because it’s on and because it’s sensational.
A lot of Campbell’s audience had stopped watching TV or were getting their current affairs on the internet. It’s really a different situation than Hosking.
Agreed, its quite different. Campbell Live getting axed was a commercial decision because he was losing viewers, Hosking isn’t losing viewers and is popular but people want him axed because they don’t like his views
Have faith Weka, one of the morons will slip up and mention that which they promised never to mention.
On a side note, I really find it absurdly ridiculous we have a PM, who is so arrogant he’s come out defending keeping Rebstock, and without even saying he dismisses the Ombudsman as irrelevant to his agenda, he just did by ignoring him. Iain moves on he knew and got a free pass, helped onto his next train wreck.
I trust a full investigation into the actions of National will be forthcoming regarding abuses of power, upon a change of government.
Rebstock is an Auckland based economist and company director. She is Chair of the ACC Board, Chair of the Work and Income Board, Deputy Chair of KiwiRail, and Chair of the Insurance and Savings Ombudsman Commission. Paula is also a member of the University of Auckland Business School Advisory Board, a member of the Synergia Limited advisory board and a director of Auckland Transport. She is also a lead reviewer for the Performance Improvement Framework for the State Services Commission. Paula has been chair of the New Zealand Commerce Commission (2003-2009) and a member of the Commission for 11 years.
Other past roles include director of the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, and Health Benefits Limited, general manager with the Department of Labour, as well as economic adviser positions with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the New Zealand Treasury. Paula has also worked in the private sector in the United States in the 1980s.
It beggars belief!!
This hard-wired American neoliberal junkie with a vindictive bent is practically running the show. I wonder how many NZ lives she has destroyed thus far… not to mention those she has slandered or defamed.
I sincerely hope the next Lab/Green/NZ First(?) govt. ensures she never gets another position of influence in this country ever again!
With Rebstock in charge no wonder the railways are being closed down and no wonder this government has fought sensible public transport options in Auckland (only to do the usual u-turn on the rail loop when their ridiculous position became untenable) and no wonder ACC has become much harder to obtain.
Her refusal to front up today to answer questions when disastrously wrong with the Foreign Affairs report , or earlier answer a civil question on ACC investment of public money (listen to Morning Report this morning) speaks volumes for the way this government operates.
Auckland Mayoral candidate Phil Goff supports road tolls for Auckland.
Labour Party Leader Andrew Little is calling for Labour Party supporters to support Phil Goff for Auckland Mayor.
Does that mean that the Labour Party supports road tolls for Auckland?
Statement by Auckland Mayoral candidate Penny Bright
“Road Tolls? NO WAY!”
“Let’s get it right – there is NO SUCH THING as ‘public transport’ in Auckland,” says Auckland Mayoral candidate Penny Bright.
“There are 10 private bus companies, 4 private ferries and a French multi-national operating and managing Auckland trains.”
“What is ‘public’ – is the subsidies these private passenger transport operators are receiving – but there is no transparency or accountability regarding how much is being received by whom.”
“I know – because I have asked.”
“Here is the LGOIMA (Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act) reply from Auckland Transport, dated 7 July 2015:
“Here is the evidence in the form of an extensive Privacy Act reply from Auckland Transport, dated 29 October 2015, which confirms that these private passenger transport operators did NOT want to reveal how much public monies they were receiving in the form of SUBSIDIES:
“Here’s a wild idea – how about ‘opening the books’ and ‘cutting out the contractors’, and making ‘public’ transport truly PUBLIC – by bringing ownership, management and operation back ‘in house’, under the not-for-profit, public service model?”
“Why should the public subsidise that which we no longer own, operate or manage?”
“If the private sector are SO ‘efficient’ – why do they need public subsidies?”
“‘Activists – get things done.
As well as carrying out this pivotal investigative research, I have also petitioned Parliament, where I have raised my concerns about Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) – directly, and successfully, with the law-makers.”
“Accountability and transparency of Auckland’s council-controlled organisations
The petitioner told us of her concern that the public was unable to have a say on the model of Auckland’s CCOs after the 2009 Auckland “super city” merger.
She stressed that the public is also unable to have a say about the directorship of CCOs or to have any direct say in CCO statements of intent.
She believes that this is because CCOs are not classified as local authorities for the purposes of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.
The petitioner strongly believes that CCOs need to be more accountable to Auckland ratepayers because a percentage of rates goes towards the operations of CCOs.
She told us that she is defending her “lawful right as a citizen to know where my money is being spent”.
The petitioner questions how the efficiencies and cost-effectiveness of Auckland CCOs is monitored.
She is particularly concerned that information about the financial transactions of CCOs is unclear and difficult for the public to access.
For example, she would prefer that contractor transactions were easily available in a written format for public scrutiny.
The petitioner also asked why Auckland Transport does not provide open access to information about transport subsidies, given that much transport in Auckland is privately operated.
We were also told that Auckland rates have increased to pay for a transport levy.
…”
Priced out of apartments as well, forcing inner city workers to the suburbs.
It sure is wonderful sitting n a bus with virus filled passengers, or relying on the trains to be on time.
Auckland’s wage increases by its major employers have been lucky to be inflationary.
It sure is wonderful sitting n a bus with virus filled passengers, or relying on the trains to be on time.
The ‘virus filled’ buses cause less death per year than the cars (probably the lack of viruses due to good coverage of vaccines) and the trains are almost always on time.
the trains are probably a shitload more reliable than a car.
That’s why people get pissed off if they’re more than a few minutes late on any particular run, whereas even if traffic runs okay there’s always “sorry, I couldn’t find a park”.
Labour will instigate a funding mechanism whereby a portion of your toll (sorry congestion pricing incentive) invoice will be topped up, dependent on the extent to which your trip was related to your work. This won’t be available to anyone not working, or with more than 2.45 children under the age of 12.
There will also be a secondary method whereby you can estimate your likely toll bill for the next year and be paid the top up amount by NZTA. However penalty charges (150%) will be incurred should your estimate prove to be incorrect by more than 0.637%.
A partial compensation refund fund will also be available on a contestable, first in first served basis, with a sliding scale reduction for multiples of 12 public transport trips. Keep your tickets.
Further these charges will not apply to any vehicle less than 14 months old or with a market value greater than 48000 or with a WOF less than 2 weeks old.
I finally figured out why John keys flag referendum failed. The proper flag option he wanted didn’t get picked.
It would have been a black flag, with the word in bold white “democracy” written across it, and to finish it off, a nice blue slash going from bottom left corner, to the top right.
Patrick Cowley did the original mega 12″ version of I Feel Love, he was one of the first casualties of HIV/Aids back in the early 80s. The guy was pure genius, alongside Moroder he pretty much invented Disco/Hi-NRG/Electro whatever. Not heard the Bronski Beat version, it’s all right, they def wear their influences on their sleeves, love ’em.
I grew up with both as they came during different era’s I too agree both were good as each other, have to go for the former Donna summer for me. by a creative first way.
Now I’ve gotta get outta here because this isn’t politics, this more like The Standard Weekend Social. I’ve gotta go catch up with Brexit, check the house for ducks and work out how to use facebook. I’ve finally given in after all these year!
I was born in NZ to a UK mother and an Albanian father, I’ve seen it spelled Briton, and it’s a distraction to the point I make.
Oh BTW Trying to belittle someone you don’t know is just a reflection of your own insecurities, and how I spelled it , unless this is a spelling contest is my business.
It’s no distraction, just a bit of a fun fact to go with your third party rhetoric.
For informational purposes only, if you’ve ever seen ‘made in Briton’ then whoever wrote it got it really wrong. In the context given it’s always going to be Britain, unless of course it’s an archaeological relic from the relevant time period.
“The Britons were an ancient Celtic people who lived in Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Roman and Sub-Roman periods. They spoke a language that is now known as Common Brittonic.”
I never been there, rrreally, what would I know about the UK 🙂
come on dude I lived there ten years, mum came back 2 weeks ago from ten years there, we may have had a good catch up you know?. My sister works for the Council in Sunderland, she’s kiwi born, but like me has right of abode?
Britain is the country. Briton is a person from Britain. They sound the same, but our illogical spelling system means that one sound can have a number of spellings in English..
Dunedin, what are you doing? 20 degrees yesterday – are you serious? Are you trying for the 2016 climate change challenge to be the most unlikely southern city to have the highest winter temperature?
The degree of cognitive dissonance in South Dunedin must be peaking too (they had a meeting earlier in the week where some residents thought the council talking about the flooding in the context of climate change was greenie nonsense).
A face palm meeting by the sounds of it. It’s difficult when a council actually acknowledges their geographical area has a problem with CC and the residents deny it. A similar thing happened a few years ago when the Kapiti District council projected sea level rises along the coastline where housing would be affected.
Residents said it was nonsense and scaremongering. Now the $million + homes on beachfront land are sitting there unsold while houses elsewhere in that range, especially in town, in Wgtn, are selling no problem. I wonder if there will be an issue with potential buyers talking their insurance agents and the agents letting them know they will high premiums living in such a setting.
Even when I was a kid in the 70’s growing up across the road from the sea we had massive spring storms that would bring dunes down. It’s going to be nuts as we move further into the anthropocene.
Dunedin hasn’t had a winter, I work outside & have def noticed it, this time last year I think we had 2 dumps of snow! & the floods a year ago too (yes we were surrounded by water, came right to the door, 2 hours in this street were pulled down because of damage), been living in this suburb for 10 or so years, & def noticed the beach is nearer than it used to be, its a bit scary when you can hear it so close. Also a few years ago I had to dig a grave for the dog & the water table is only maybe 1-2 feet below us! So good on Cull for talking about it, though he’s back-tracking a bit because of the South Dunedin morons.
Side note, South Dunedin is one of the poorest suburbs in the country, with shocking rates of teen pregnancies, over crowding, unemployment etc…but it is connected to the richest suburbs of the city with old beautiful Victorian mansions & brand new mega flash cars, so I think its the rich end of town complaining, I doubt the poor have too much invested in this suburb.
Thanks for the local report. It’s always good to hear from residents and get their viewpoint. It’s often the case the wealthy have louder voices, or quite often more influence with the council.
Farry lives around the corner from me in the biggest house in the street,I would imagine he has a direct line to council/Govt. He was responsible for the stadium & got some kinda ‘honour’ from the Nat Govt for his effort in lying to us about it’s benefits. Some stunning old mansions in this ‘hood, a lot of ‘old money’ swishing around. Pity it’s all gonna be underwater in a few years.
The area used to be sand dunes & wetlands, the ducks still walk around thinking it is, but then maybe they have long genetic memories & know it will be theirs again one day.
No mention of Farry in the ODT, mainly; Ray MacLeod, spokesman of the South Dunedin Action Group (SDAG). Haven’t heard of him before, do you have any local knowledge? It seems a weird bit of delusion to be; blaming those attempting to formulate a response to climate change, for the property damage caused by sealevel rises.
SDAG spokesman Ray MacLeod finished the meeting by praising some of the council’s short-term measures, but had harsh words when it came to what he perceived as a “green” agenda on the council.
This agenda had resulted in a council policy of “strategic withdrawal” from South Dunedin “by stealth”, Mr MacLeod said.
Council chief executive Sue Bidrose earlier said there was no such plan, but both she and Mayor Dave Cull, whose speech was read out by Acting Mayor Andrew Noone, said such an option could not be counted out, given the serious threat posed by climate change.
This seems to me to be another bit of prepositioning for the anti-Green vote in this year’s local body elections. Similar to the antiwindfarm movement that sprangup out of nowhere earlier in Warrington.
In slamming “green” councillors, Mr MacLeod pointed to a proposal in the second generation plan being consulted on which would require “sensitive activities”, which included emergency services and other key infrastructure, in South Dunedin, to be relocatable.
He called on South Dunedin residents to vote out “green” councillors and Mr Cull, who he said were willing to “sacrifice” South Dunedin people in favour of their ideology.
No sorry, I just mentioned Farry because he’s around the corner, he’s more a behind the scenes type of guy, just my opinion. I don’t know of Mr MacLeod, but read about his anti ‘green’ type rant, maybe he should make use of the internet & google Canute. Not heard of the South Dunedin Action Group before this article sorry.
Just read the group was started after last years flood, maybe I should try & get involved, I love this ‘burb!
” It seems a weird bit of delusion to be; blaming those attempting to formulate a response to climate change, for the property damage caused by sealevel rises.”
Disagree.
Last year 90%+ of the damage was caused by DCC neglect. And all of the sub par post flood response.
Did climate change add a couple of cm to the flood height? Sure. So what.
I don’t know of this Farry character but there always seems to a local body self promoting/self interest type that is also in league with the nat party.
Hope you’ve got some strong contenders to look at voting for this year, ones that are aligned to environmental/restoration/cc issues/resilience. (Just reading Pasupial’s comment below).
Re ducks. I think they have long family memories, just my observation. I’ve really noticed that the more of the farmland disapears on the development where I live (especially the boggy bits) the more ducks we get in the garden, that won’t leave.
Because I live in their territory I feel I have a duty to care for them. I give them fresh water everyday as their water source has dried up. We had a drought over summer and they had nothing to eat so hung out here. I’ve also got orphaned ducklings who grew up in our garden and they come here every day, some are pets. They have a double risk with ongoing development too. The more roads that go in, the more stormwater drains there are for ducklings to fall into. I had SPCA in to help me rescue 3 babies that went down a drain. The SPCA person said that in the developing northern areas they had double the callouts, up to 500 call outs for ducklings alone. It’s a waste of their time. We just need smaller gap grates.
As humans we may expect them move somewhere else but they don’t seem to. They stay in their turf. Hope the ducks in your area have enough grass and insects to eat and enough water.
Still wondering why Woodhouse hasn’t stood against Curran. He has more connections to the Dunedin South electorate than she does. I figure it is because he can’t be bothered being an electorate MP.
There was a time when Curran was perceived as a bit of an embarrassment who spent too much time on twitter, but for what it’s worth, I think that’s changed.
She has grown into the role. She works hard. Yes she can be a bit impulsive and makes some mistakes, but has a lot of heart.
Her approach to the June flood was spot on from the day one; she held council to account for its dissembling and appeared to do a huge amount of work on that issue (for individual cases as well as the infrastructure issue).
It will be interesting to see if her efforts translate into more votes next time around.
I was about to say: It’s amazing how many Dunedinites are on this site.
But, come to think of it, Dunedin is still the most Left-leaning City in the Country* (Wellington’s the only other centre where the Left continue to beat the Right Bloc) … so maybe not all that surprising after all.
* Indeed, it’s been argued that Pete George is the only Dunedinite to have Party-Voted National at the last Election. Isn’t that right, Pete ?
Those who have followed the hatchet job on Peggy Burrows Principal of Rangiora High School, might care to visit the Givealittle page at https://explore.givealittle.co.nz/search?q=Peggy+Burrows
This time Peggy’s Rangiora case is in the Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662583
Bev Moore, the Commissioner has also done a hatchet job on an Invercargill Principal in a similar fashion because that Principal contested National Standards. That Principal took her case to Court won and was vindicated.
Nasty unfair stuff.
In Vino. The excuse that Moore gave for sacking Peggy was her speaking out to defend herself. So what happened with the ERA?
Aha. Found it dated 24 June:
“The Employment Relations Authority yesterday ruled against the Rangiora High School commissioner, Beverley Moore, after she took a case to try and gag former RHS principal, Peggy Burrows. ” http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1606/S00797/era-finds-in-favour-of-peggy-burrows.htm
My mate has this installation at the moment, some people find it shocking, some are angry, but most are talking about homelessness which is kinda the point. Well done Toki!
Got a few lovely notes offering help, blankets, couches to sleep on etc…The All Blacks walked past without even glancing down, it’s been quite fascinating watching peoples reactions, I thought it was real when I first saw it. Apparently Dunedins homeless sleep in the greenbelt, too cold on the streets. And he’s left it outside over night a few times & each time in the morning the sleeping bag has been removed so we assume people are checking ‘he/she’ is OK. No sign of any Bennett ‘flying squad’ of monkeys as yet, still time!
Rest of the exhibition is good too if anyone is walking past, have a look!
“The British pound is in freefall as the Brexit vote looks set to win the EU Referendum. In the last five minutes it has fallen 8 per cent against the US dollar.
The crash is now the largest in modern history and has exceeded the fall known as Black Wednesday in 1992 when the UK was forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.”
I wonder what instructions those trustees who are managing blind trusts/investments in foreign exchanges are receiving from those who have major interests in those blind trusts …
All credit to Amy Adams for reading out the apology to Teina Pora, apparently she didn’t have to. It was the least she could do, now it’s the polices turn.
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
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Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
Rongotai MP Julie Anne Genter has apologised in Parliament after National accused her of intimidating and attacking one of its ministers in the House. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Prime Minister and state and territory leaders met on Wednesday as the national cabinet to discuss a crisis gripping Australia – the horrific number of women murdered this year. The killings have shocked ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Radhika Raghav, Teaching Fellow, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Otago Netflix Indian director Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known for his big-budget Bollywood production, featuring grand sets, star casts, meticulously choreographed dance sequences and lavish costumes, jewellery and furnishings. ...
Sir Robert devoted his life to disability rights after living in institutions in his younger years, says Kaihautū Tika Hauātanga | Disability Rights Commissioner Prudence Walker. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University Violence against women is not a women’s problem to solve, it is a whole of society problem to solve; and men in particular have to take responsibility. Those were the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Allen, Senior Lecturer in Chemical and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of Newcastle Snapshot freddy/ShutterstockPlans to revive an old coal-fired power station using bioenergy are being considered in the Hunter region of New South Wales. Similar plans for the station ...
Responding to the long-awaited release of judges’ special allowances, including free air travel and hotels for spouses, generous sabbaticals, and access to limousines, Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Alex Murphy said: “In what world does your employer ...
Analysis - The United States has unveiled plans to boost the weapons trade with Australia and the UK, on the same day that Winston Peters is expected to sketch NZ's position on AUKUS. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Carson, Professor of Political Communication, Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University Since Australia’s First Nations Voice to Parliament referendum in October 2023, diverse commentaries have sought to explain why it failed. But what does an analysis of media ...
Lawyers representing two iwi as well as the Māori Women’s Welfare League on Wednesday asked the Court of Appeal to overturn last week’s High Court decision on the Waitangi Tribunal’s decision to summons Children’s Minister Karen Chhour. The Tribunal is currently investigating the Government’s decision to repeal section 7AA of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government will introduce legislation to ban deepfake pornography and provide more funding for the eSafety Commission to pilot age-assurance technologies. The contribution of internet sites to gender-based violence was one major issue ...
Average ordinary time hourly earnings, as measured by the Quarterly Employment Survey (QES), increased 5.2 percent in the year to the March 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. Annual wage cost inflation, as measured by the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dimitrios Salampasis, FinTech Capability Lead | Senior Lecturer, Emerging Technologies and FinTech, Swinburne University of Technology Clem Onojeghuo/Unsplash In the digital era, the job market is increasingly becoming a minefield – demanding and difficult to navigate. According to the Australian Bureau ...
As of the March 2024 quarter, we can now look back on 20 years of data related to youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET), as collected by the Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS), according to figures released by Stats NZ today. "The ...
Thousands of workers attended public events in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch today to celebrate International Workers’ Day (May Day), but union representatives are urging caution and vigilance over the Government’s blatantly "anti-worker" ...
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in the March 2024 quarter, compared with 4.0 percent in the previous quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. ...
The PSA is warning the Government that the sensitive information of New Zealanders held by various agencies will fall into the wrong hands if the latest round of proposed cuts goes ahead. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Talitha Best, Professor of Psychology, CQUniversity Australia Victoria Rodriguez/Unsplash How do sugar rushes work? – W.H, age nine, from Canberra What a terrific question W.H! Let’s explore this, starting with some of the basics. What is sugar? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karinna Saxby, Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne MART PRODUCTION/Pexels Increasing income support could help keep women and children safe according to new work demonstrating strong links between financial insecurity and domestic violence. ...
ANALYSIS:By Olli Hellmann, University of Waikato When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day today on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also to mark a defining event for national identity. The battle of Gallipoli against ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark A Gregory, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, RMIT University The telecommunications industry faces a major shakeup following the release of the post-incident report on last November’s 12-hour Optus outage. Telecommunications companies will have to share more information with customers during future ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Eden Denyer, bookseller at Unity Books Auckland.Weirdest question/request you’ve had on the shop floorA mother came in looking for anything we might have on Alaskan bison as that was her little boy’s ...
NZCTU Economist Craig Renney said new data released by Statistics New Zealand shows the need for Government to act now, with unemployment rising from 3.4% to 4.3%. ...
The outpouring of anger over Maiki Sherman’s hyperbolic presentation of this week’s ‘nightmare’ poll is itself an overreaction, argues Stewart Sowman-Lund. Politicians love nothing more than to pretend they don’t care about polls. This week, deputy prime minister Winston Peters said he didn’t give a “rat’s derriere” about a TVNZ ...
Asia Pacific Report Ngāti Kahungunu in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Hawkes Bay region has become the first indigenous Māori iwi (tribe) to sign a resolution calling for a “ceasefire in Palestine”, reports Te Ao Māori News. Reporter Te Aniwaniwa Paterson talked to Te Otāne Huata, who has been organising peace rallies ...
By Dale Luma in Port Moresby “We want grants and not concessional loans,” is the crisp message from Papua New Guinea businesses directly affected by the Black Wednesday looting four months ago. The businesses, which lost millions after the January 10 rioting and looting, say they need grants as part ...
Happy May Day. Join a union. Q: What’s worse than a staff break room where the only place to sit and have a cup of tea is on a teetering stack of old pornography magazines? A: Your boss replacing the magazine stacks with chairs that are “heartily encrusted with ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Former opposition leader Matthew Wale has been announced as the second prime ministerial candidate ahead of the election in Solomon Islands tomorrow. He will face off against former foreign affairs minister Jeremiah Manele, who was announced by the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation ...
We get but one birthday a year – why not make it last as long as possible by scheduling as many meals with friends and family as you can? This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. How do you celebrate your birthday? Do you celebrate at ...
A Koi Tū discussion paper released today proposes sweeping changes to New Zealand’s media industry. The principal’s key author, Gavin Ellis, explains how journalists have a key role to play in making others value their role in society. This is an abridged version of a piece first published on knightlyviews.com ...
The Government’s spending cuts are again targeting support for Māori with proposed reform of the agency charged with advising on Māori wellbeing and development. ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Usmar, Lecturer in Critical Media Literacies, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images With the coalition government’s ban of student mobile phones in New Zealand schools coming into effect this week, reaction has ranged from the sceptical (kids will just get ...
Hospitals around the country are not allowed to make a single hiring decision without the approval of Te Whatu Ora's head office, including for cleaners and administration staff. ...
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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.
‘Baby gets sick in crowded house
A baby has contracted potentially deadly meningococcal meningitis – and a senior hospital doctor says overcrowded housing is a factor in the development of his condition.
The 3-month-old boy lives at a Tauranga property with 10 other people sharing two bedrooms, a lounge and a caravan. He is one of eight people – including a 16-month toddler and three teenagers – living in the two-bedroom state house in Gate Pa. Another three people, including two children aged 5 and 13, live in a caravan outside.
Doctors confirmed on Sunday that the baby had meningococcal meningitis. Tauranga Hospital specialist paediatrician Dr Hugh Lees this week wrote to Housing New Zealand (HNZ) on behalf of the family, stating that baby Hamish’s diagnosis was “meningococcal meningitis”, which he said was “known to be associated with overcrowding”.
Dr Lees asked the case be given urgent attention and he supported an application for “appropriate housing”.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662280
One of the people living at the house is a manager & cannot afford a rental, must be in retail or a McJob or something because their wages are utter shite. But it’s OK, the state will will top up employers pathetic pay & the state will top up your wage for the greedy landlords, she will be alllllllllll right in godzone.
We peons have had a visitation from our glorious leader whereupon he delivered these words unto my child…”Nothing lifts people out of poverty faster if they can work and earn money”.
Which would be correct – if he and all the governments for the last thirty years hadn’t set it up so that working no longer provided enough income.
+1
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Cruel
Housing New Zealand
‘Queenstown social housing questioned
A memo from Housing New Zealand details an exit strategy for its presence in Queenstown.
The memo, released under the Official Information Act, relates to the sale last month of one of the agency’s 10 homes in the resort town.
It said the town was a “high profile resort/lifestyle environment” with “reasonable work opportunities”, which could be seen as “incompatible” with a social housing presence.
The comments have angered social housing providers in the town, including the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust.
Its executive officer, Julie Scott, said it had a waiting list of 350 people struggling to find affordable accommodation.
“I just met with a family this morning and she was in tears. They’ve been in Queenstown since 1992, they’ve got three kids and they’ve got until 22 August and then they’ve got to be out of their property.
“They just can’t find anywhere to go and it’s just heartbreaking.”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/307127/queenstown-social-housing-questioned
“which could be seen as “incompatible” with a social housing presence.”
Financial cleansing plain and simple.
Queenstown has been “incompatible” with just about all social services for the last 40 years at least. It’s been almost impossible to access the dole, a state house or most other benefits, so accomodation subsidies don’t kick in. Even sickness benefit is difficult. About the only beneficiaries are on the pension, and there’s a lot of them, some of quite modest means but they do own their home. The senior citizens is a very active bunch down here.
I’m not that worried about HNZ selling out here, they got very good prices for the properties they sold and PROVIDED that money’s going to more housing in needier areas. That we’ll see. Their presence here is sort of a hangover from the days of government departments and an age when large employers had staff housing. The staff housing got sold off in the 90’s but HNZ endured. One story was that they couldn’t get their shit together in time to catch each cycle, so by the time they were ready to sell the market had gone.
These problems are old hat for Queenstown, we have always had hordes of “immigrants” flocking into town when times are good to partake of our perceived lifestyle, so the place goes crazy. What’s different this cycle, and under this government is that this business model has been scaled up and transferred to Auckland.
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Cruel
Housing, prisons.
‘I reported from South Sudan and Sierra Leone. What I’ve returned to in New Zealand still shocks me…..
To not be able to swim in our rivers because they are so dirty would’ve been unthinkable to me 10 years ago. In March, the Waikato River Authority said it could take up to 100 years for the Waikato and Waipa rivers to be restored to clean and healthy levels. I’ve seen first-hand waterways that run off the Waikato River blanketed in a creeping toxic algae, festering like a black drain, lifeless. Meanwhile, what remains of our pristine water is being sold by the likes of the Ashburton District Council, to be extracted, bottled up and sent overseas.
Above ground, New Zealand’s reported rate of intimate partner violence is the highest in the developed world. Our incarceration rate is also one of the highest in the developed world and more than half of the men behind bars are Māori. According to Corrections Minister Judith Collins, our prison population topped 9,000 for the first time last year: “Since 2014, the prison population has increased… leading to record highs throughout 2015 and early 2016.” In part, she said the booming prison population was due to locking up family violence offenders for longer.
Then there’s housing and homelessness. New Zealand has one of the fastest growing rates of income inequality in the OECD and it’s on show in our biggest city. In Auckland, families with at least one working parent are living in vans and cars, with marae and charitable trusts stepping in to fill the breach left by social services. How galling it must be for those parents trying to find a warm place for their children to sleep to then see the Prime Minister’s son in all his privileged glory, posing with a Lambourghini and helicopter in his music video.
http://thespinoff.co.nz/media/21-06-2016/i-reported-from-south-sudan-and-sierra-leone-what-ive-returned-to-in-new-zealand-still-shocks-me/
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Selfish, greedy.
Max Key.
‘Then there’s housing and homelessness. New Zealand has one of the fastest growing rates of income inequality in the OECD and it’s on show in our biggest city. In Auckland, families with at least one working parent are living in vans and cars, with marae and charitable trusts stepping in to fill the breach left by social services. How galling it must be for those parents trying to find a warm place for their children to sleep to then see the Prime Minister’s son in all his privileged glory, posing with a Lambourghini and helicopter in his music video.’
http://thespinoff.co.nz/media/21-06-2016/i-reported-from-south-sudan-and-sierra-leone-what-ive-returned-to-in-new-zealand-still-shocks-me/
‘Can’t wait to share paradise with you’……. says Max Key.
Key, Mike Hosking and Paul Henry all call New Zealand paradise.
And they are all rich.
And don’t have the compassion or empathy to see how tough it it for many New Zealanders.
For many New Zealanders it’s a neo-liberal nightmare.
All part of the grand plan to attract criticism to max then the ‘cyber bullying’ and ‘class war’ cards will be played as well as all the msm shills who get to play their sympathy violins for hard done by max.
It is a shame they have hijacked ‘cyber bullying’ to mean people taking the piss out of the powerful & famous. Since when has hassling politicians & musicians been ‘cyber bullying’, since it suited the powers that be, who think themselves above criticism.
“All hail plankton, all hail plankton”.
Thats why they put it out there with granny trying to garner sympathy for pullya benefit. Its all about subtle messaging and the framing.
The class war is being waged already.
By the rich.
Yes and passed off as the politics of envy
The class war has been won. The left collapsed with thew end of the Soviet Union. And see how the New Prime Minister of Canada, son of a left marxist has been assimilated by Feminism. He wont improve workers economy.
try hitting the keys with your other paw – the one you are using is not making any sense
Oh for fucks sake. It is not neoliberal. New Zealand has a left government. New Zealanders never ever will elect a neoliberal government. You must be tripping.
Don’t blame the ‘left’ for this horrible Govt thank you very much, it’s all yours & your fellow ‘right’ travelers.
NZ has been a neo-liberal place since the 1980s as you well know. All governments since then have been either right-wing or hard right-wing. The present government is hard right-wing while pretending to be centrist – and you know that as well.
” New Zealanders never ever will elect a neoliberal government”
well that explains the lies, dead rats, massive $ spent on PR and the secret smear machine doesnt it
another day, another load of cobblers from sly hands
So at what point do they cross the Marie Antoinette threshold and it’s perceived as arrogance and bites them on the arse.
The casualties will be mounting of their aspirational economy, Max’s escapade would be hard watching for a young Dairy couple in their first farm with the big mortgage and deficits for the foreseeable. And probably soon to be followed by a lot in tourism and beekeeping.
We’re seeing a lot of really grumpy and jealous New Zealanders over our counter in Queenstown. People quite annoyed that someone else is perceived as doing better than them or their town.
Makes me wonder who the Keys are trying to reach with this caper?
How much was Rebstock paid for that rubbish report ?
Far too much
Over $200,000! Yet they cannot afford the to pay a Living Wage, at least the Damehood was cheap & cheerful.
WTF ? For a rag report that wrongly accused and defamed a man ? And has been found to be spectacularly wrongheaded and false ? WTF ??? Who pays the price for smashing over good people in this country anymore ?
She was paid $2,000 per day according to one report. True?
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2016/06/paula-rebstock-should-pay-for-this.html
“Meanwhile, its worth noting that Rebstock was paid $208,907″ for this report”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11205716
The whole exercise cost over $500,000 & Finlayson said in Parliament he stood by the report when Labour questioned it in Feb. How about that, Labour were doing a good job holding the Govt to account.
I feel a distinct sense that these bastards are dashing out like Ceauscescus.
Did a communist theorist predict Auckland’s housing crisis 70 years ago?
http://readingthemaps.blogspot.co.nz/2016/06/bill-mcara-on-aucklands-housing-crisis_23.html
We cannot afford the rich
No pandas for Wellington. Perhaps they should have got someone who isn’t a low-life to make the request for them.
Buenos Aires is making the right decision
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/23/buenos-aires-zoo-close-animals-captivity-argentina?CMP=share_btn_fb#_=_
+1
New Zealand men.
Alcohol.
Rugby.
A formula for domestic violence..
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11662434
Women make all the choices to be in a relationship, men have very little options but to settle for one that says yes. And their is some people that just shouldnt be in a relationship.
The question should be is how can we educate women to make better choices in men, because the problem isnt going to be fixed by doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome each time.
And prohibition sure worked wonderfully in America circa early last century, the social outcomes was a huge success.
Rugby is pretty boring with the All Blacks winning all the time.
You’re acting like women enter into a relationship with full knowledge about what the future holds.
I suspect very few men are abusive at the start of a relationship, it’s only once the woman has no other choice that the abuse starts, trapping the woman and making it very difficult to escape.
I thought he was meaning, Men are such desperate creatures, we sniff around women all day long until we find one who will say yes.
Where as women get to exersize choice in their mate much more, in a primal base sort of way.
IDNK it’s early I just woke up. The bloody standard requires, a fully comprehending mind of extraordinary intellect almost 24/7 where as right wing blogs expect you more to grunt at there bigotry, a far easier task.
and if he really thinks this about men in general, he is a pretty sad human being.
Men, generally speaking are not animals that can’t control their urges and desires.
Most man are not abusers, some are, and many of those that are would be repeat offenders, especially if they get away with their behavior. However, i firmly believe that the vast majority of men does not behave like a grunting degenerate around women and girls.
I would also really hope that men will stand up to that type of bullshit peddling.
It is time that we put the blame where the blame belongs, to those that abuse and hurt others, irrespective of gender, age and all the other stuff.
Hi Sabine I think you took it , too far to the literal, as the coffee enters my system I may be able to say it better,
In the gender search for a partner, perhaps he meant the male moves from rejection to rejection as he tries to impress each prospective mate, where as the female of the species is the one who sits and selects from her prospective mates as they vie for her affections.
typically.
as per my comment below, i have absolutly no idea what he meant, but i can read what he typed.
And what he typed is usally called Victim blaming and putting the onus on the Victim to protect herself form future harm, i guess whith the help of a glass ball or some tarot cards. I mean its not that man or women run around with a tattoo on their heads that say ‘beware, abuser’.
IF he was being sarcastic he failed utterly. The two articles linked by me below are from todays herald. Other headlines today, a. another ‘sex’ attack in Wellington http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/81407411/police-investigating-early-morning-sex-attack-on-wellingtons-taranaki-street and an arrest was made in the case of the 65 year old women who was raped in her home this week
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/81384392/arrest-made-in-porirua-rape-case
then there is the article about a murderer being released from prison, but the body of his victim is still not found http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/81363039/former-detective-holds-out-hope-neithes-body-will-be-uncovered
and of course lets not forget the schoolsgirls with their defrauding knees defrauding and distracting male school teachers to the point of where their naked knees could be considered ‘sexual harrasment’ http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/81365804/christchurch-schoolgirls-told-their-skirt-length-distracted-male-teachers , maybe trousers should be the standard school uniform, or maybe teachers need to learn that if the knees of a 16 year old are so ‘defrauding and distracting’ that maybe they should only teach at a boys school….but then i hear there are boys that wear shorts to school…..oh those naked knees of children.
And this is just one morning over coffee. So maybe you know, he just meant what he said?
I was just focused on that particular sentence of his, the rest of it made little sense, I just got his reference to the mating ritual.
His one weakness of argument I immediately noticed, was his simplification of the issue, which due to the diversity of human behaviour he fails to acknowledge, as in the fact, Sociopaths, psychopathic people. I won’t go into their behavioural expertise area’s if you understand me, because he should realize it and incorporate it into his argument but fails to see it at all. Why should I enlighten his narrow perceptions of how things are.
When he learns to challenge his beliefs he’ll adopt a more rational view point.
Dating is a numbers game, and for a yes answer, some guys dont stop when they do get a yes, in marry.
I simplified the issue for the reason its not an easy one answer fix,
and it wont be solved because of human nature. And that desire of sexual attraction overrides any red flags.
I mentioned police proposing allowing women access to mens criminal records, privacy grounds aside, would it have worked,
has warning a female that a guy is no good ever.
Men Going There Own Way is a utube thing.
Relationships are a choice.
Those poor male teachers can’t have been educated at coed schools, or they wouldn’t have made it to university.
These are crimes are of certain types of men who are psychotic, mentally ill, or just opportunists, it in no way relates to being in a relationship with a guy who drinks and watches Rugby.
And I cant stop them.
And Im not victim blaming, your projecting that onto me.
Thank you Lanthanide. I am just NOT getting into the theme of Graeme’s comment today. If there’s a few sentences that can sum up a response to Graeme, you’ve done it. Again, thank you.
Here’s a another hard earned lesson. No booze or Rugby involved here.
https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/31907367/pregnant-woman-saved-by-breast-implants-as-partner-tried-to-stab-her-to-death/#page1
The modern New Zealand way is not prohibition of Alcohol ………… just attacks and smears on those wanting to lower alcohol ABUSE …..
While passing laws that are a confused expensive mess that work in favor of the booze industry.
Steinlager All blacks ……… Drug All blacks
So how can we fix rampant sexual abuse in religious communities etc, where booze isnt involved.
And for that matter where government agencies replace children back with their abusers.
and this dead women here also could have done a better job at ‘choosing’ that man in her life.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662452
but hey, it must be her fault and he gets an interview in which he can all tell us what a good boy he is and he meant nothing he did.
Yes, if this girl/women would have just have the good sense to ‘choose’ a different Dad. And i am sure the wifes and children of the other men mentioned in this article are also trying very hard in the future to ‘choose’ better men and dads.
If your comment was an attempt at sarcasm it failed.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11662214
“A man who raped his own daughter, forced her to wear bondage and pimped her to six other men told police it was fun while it lasted.
The father, who cannot be named, has been jailed for more than 22 years in what a judge described as one of the worst cases of its kind.
He pleaded guilty to 61 offences committed between 2013 and 2015 when the girl was aged between 11 and 13.”
“Benjamin Simon Clarke was previously sentenced to three years in jail for his involvement, which included photographing the girl in lingerie and nude.
Former pastor and father-of-two, Dawid Volmer, was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years after he admitted molesting and raping the blindfolded girl while her dad was present.
Four other men also face charges.”
Its why there are prisons.
but how do you propose she could have ‘saved’ herself, by ‘choosing’ a better man in her life, and not ‘ignoring’ the pointers and hints that her father is a degenerate, that a priest is a degenerate that up to 6 man had no issue raping a girl of 11 – 13 years old.
that is what you stated above. that women should choose ‘better men’. so how does a child choose her father? Please explain. Thanks.
what about this girls and one boy? in care of CYF and a foster family?
Could they not just have choosen a better foster father? Or maybe the violene is really the fault of the one meeting out violence and not the fault of the one receiving the violence.
good grief, you really are a sad excuse for a human being aren’t you 🙂
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/79441329/walmsley-trial-the-evidence-that-simply-couldnt-be-invented
Systemic failures in government agencies and various institutions are something I can not fix, and that political parties in government duck any responsibility if fixing problems they could.
Just blaming it all on booze and rugby is getting tiring to hear.
Meanwhile its an election next year, maybe a new anti domestic violence campaign will fix deeply embedded social problems that just seem to get worse.
Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result each time sure seems to be working.
I am not sure why you are mentioning booze and rugby all the time, cause i sure did not. I just mentioned all the cases of women not exercising good choice in the choice of their fathers, foster fathers, teachers, and so on. All those bad choices women make, we don’t even get rugby and booze to excuse our poor choice making when it comes to the men that will rape, abuse, beat and murder us.
Tsk tsk tsk.
First post reply was to a lets blame rugby and booze.
Dont date this guy:
https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/31907367/pregnant-woman-saved-by-breast-implants-as-partner-tried-to-stab-her-to-death/#page1
Greg
Are you really that repulsive that you’ll settle for the first person who doesn’t run away screaming? If so, I think you’d be better advised to look at improving your own self rather than blaming all woman.
“The question should be”; why should anyone pay heed to one who can type; “their is some people” (not the only error, just the most concentrated), and then post it on a public thread? If they give their reasoning as little thought as they do their composition, then why am I wasting my time responding to this gibberish…
Fuck that and fuck you too!
It sure aint none of my fault.
What happened to the police proposal that women could check up mens criminal record, that seems to have been dropped.
And Women do ignor red flags, and warnings.
Just to list one of many Men who are victims as well, Austin Bernard Hemmings stepped in: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/645983/Stabbing-victim-named-as-father-of-three
I’m avoiding being a victim by choosing a level four MGTOW lifestyle,
Men going their own way.
Greg – get this and really really listen – the men that abuse, kill, rape, molest, and all of the other disgusting, degrading things they do to their victims are SOLELY to blame for their offending. That is the start, middle and end of the answer. If you don’t accept that then you are part of the problem not the solution.
i wasnt ever saying they wernt, thats why we have prisons, what dont you understand:
This is what we do have to compete with:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/sex/7800865/Women-who-date-death-row-prisoners.html
New Zealand men + alcohol + rugby = domestic violence ???
bullshit on the toilet front
Plenty of violence happens in religious communities, where their isnt any booze or rugby. And then theirs gang culture, which does.
This a good, silly game.
http://w3w.co/humans.skill.rats
Mexit petition nears 20,000
https://www.change.org/p/tvnz-get-rid-of-hosking-1347aa6d-8044-4a33-ba59-7fe0a5dba42b
Interview with petition starter,
http://i.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/81370038/mike-hosking-why-i-want-to-get-rid-of-him
I wish the focus was less on offender and more on the critical role of journalism/media and the need to not use that position for expressions of personal opinion.
One could argue that this will make more people watch the show thus consolidating Mike Hoskings position
one could argue that not watching this geezer is good for the mental and spiritual well being of one.
I don’t watch him but you may well be right
Not me, havnt watched TV since Netflix started up.
And he is too predictable.
I prefer kodi… 🙂
I just stick with a few beers, work enough hours to pay rent , food etc.
Minimizing stress and chaos,
and avoiding the unrealistic expectations of others.
One could argue that the moon is made of blue cheese too PR. Go on, make your argument then.
Well ok then Campbell Live was losing viewing and only picked up when TV3 announced its axing, to the best of my knowledge Mike Hosking isn’t losing viewers yet if people think it may get axed then more people may watch it, if for nothing else then curiosity to see what the fuss is about
Or not
That would only make sense if there were a whole lot of people who love Hosking in the way that others love Campbell. I just don’t think that’s true. There will be some, but mostly people watch Hosking because it’s on and because it’s sensational.
A lot of Campbell’s audience had stopped watching TV or were getting their current affairs on the internet. It’s really a different situation than Hosking.
Agreed, its quite different. Campbell Live getting axed was a commercial decision because he was losing viewers, Hosking isn’t losing viewers and is popular but people want him axed because they don’t like his views
paul henry on tv1.
Actually on that topic, where’s our moon base.
Nasa wants to go to Mars, yet we havnt got a moon base yet.
glad I’m not the only one pissed off about that
And ,so many promises of a great future,
4 day working week, or working from home, living wage, paperless office,
They has just managed to implement E invoices in the last 6 months.
Have faith Weka, one of the morons will slip up and mention that which they promised never to mention.
On a side note, I really find it absurdly ridiculous we have a PM, who is so arrogant he’s come out defending keeping Rebstock, and without even saying he dismisses the Ombudsman as irrelevant to his agenda, he just did by ignoring him. Iain moves on he knew and got a free pass, helped onto his next train wreck.
I trust a full investigation into the actions of National will be forthcoming regarding abuses of power, upon a change of government.
and its tough competing with this:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/sex/7800865/Women-who-date-death-row-prisoners.html
Paula Rebstock’s influence on NZers:
It beggars belief!!
This hard-wired American neoliberal junkie with a vindictive bent is practically running the show. I wonder how many NZ lives she has destroyed thus far… not to mention those she has slandered or defamed.
I sincerely hope the next Lab/Green/NZ First(?) govt. ensures she never gets another position of influence in this country ever again!
http://www.beaccessible.org.nz/the-movement/fab-50-network/paula-rebstock
Probably in the thousands so far at least.
And what law would they do that under?
Although, falsifying the report seems like good grounds.
Well, they got rid of Christine Rankin. I was referring to the public sector roles in which she is involved.
With Rebstock in charge no wonder the railways are being closed down and no wonder this government has fought sensible public transport options in Auckland (only to do the usual u-turn on the rail loop when their ridiculous position became untenable) and no wonder ACC has become much harder to obtain.
Her refusal to front up today to answer questions when disastrously wrong with the Foreign Affairs report , or earlier answer a civil question on ACC investment of public money (listen to Morning Report this morning) speaks volumes for the way this government operates.
And she will be getting a heafty stipend for every one, how would her PAYE would work out,
Probably contracts rather than PAYE and she has offshore trusts?
I’d be surprised to find that she paid tax.
Auckland Mayoral candidate Phil Goff supports road tolls for Auckland.
Labour Party Leader Andrew Little is calling for Labour Party supporters to support Phil Goff for Auckland Mayor.
Does that mean that the Labour Party supports road tolls for Auckland?
Statement by Auckland Mayoral candidate Penny Bright
“Road Tolls? NO WAY!”
“Let’s get it right – there is NO SUCH THING as ‘public transport’ in Auckland,” says Auckland Mayoral candidate Penny Bright.
“There are 10 private bus companies, 4 private ferries and a French multi-national operating and managing Auckland trains.”
“What is ‘public’ – is the subsidies these private passenger transport operators are receiving – but there is no transparency or accountability regarding how much is being received by whom.”
“I know – because I have asked.”
“Here is the LGOIMA (Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act) reply from Auckland Transport, dated 7 July 2015:
http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/51SCLGE_EVI_51DBHOH_PET66634_1_A494427/9aa813e65f89372033c648c285010dec9ff0b40f
“Here is the evidence in the form of an extensive Privacy Act reply from Auckland Transport, dated 29 October 2015, which confirms that these private passenger transport operators did NOT want to reveal how much public monies they were receiving in the form of SUBSIDIES:
http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/51SCLGE_EVI_51DBHOH_PET66634_1_A494428/9b31a5acc867353077952bd23648be429134bbf6
“Here’s a wild idea – how about ‘opening the books’ and ‘cutting out the contractors’, and making ‘public’ transport truly PUBLIC – by bringing ownership, management and operation back ‘in house’, under the not-for-profit, public service model?”
“Why should the public subsidise that which we no longer own, operate or manage?”
“If the private sector are SO ‘efficient’ – why do they need public subsidies?”
“‘Activists – get things done.
As well as carrying out this pivotal investigative research, I have also petitioned Parliament, where I have raised my concerns about Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) – directly, and successfully, with the law-makers.”
http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/51DBSCH_SCR69296_1/924613ec7fb831c4e74bd062f73287ac2ceb5081
“Accountability and transparency of Auckland’s council-controlled organisations
The petitioner told us of her concern that the public was unable to have a say on the model of Auckland’s CCOs after the 2009 Auckland “super city” merger.
She stressed that the public is also unable to have a say about the directorship of CCOs or to have any direct say in CCO statements of intent.
She believes that this is because CCOs are not classified as local authorities for the purposes of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.
The petitioner strongly believes that CCOs need to be more accountable to Auckland ratepayers because a percentage of rates goes towards the operations of CCOs.
She told us that she is defending her “lawful right as a citizen to know where my money is being spent”.
The petitioner questions how the efficiencies and cost-effectiveness of Auckland CCOs is monitored.
She is particularly concerned that information about the financial transactions of CCOs is unclear and difficult for the public to access.
For example, she would prefer that contractor transactions were easily available in a written format for public scrutiny.
The petitioner also asked why Auckland Transport does not provide open access to information about transport subsidies, given that much transport in Auckland is privately operated.
We were also told that Auckland rates have increased to pay for a transport levy.
…”
Penny Bright
2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
Indeed, Penny.
National’s brighter future seems to be one where the poor are priced off the roads.
What is Labour’s vision?
Priced out of apartments as well, forcing inner city workers to the suburbs.
It sure is wonderful sitting n a bus with virus filled passengers, or relying on the trains to be on time.
Auckland’s wage increases by its major employers have been lucky to be inflationary.
Dead right, Greg.
The ‘virus filled’ buses cause less death per year than the cars (probably the lack of viruses due to good coverage of vaccines) and the trains are almost always on time.
the trains are probably a shitload more reliable than a car.
That’s why people get pissed off if they’re more than a few minutes late on any particular run, whereas even if traffic runs okay there’s always “sorry, I couldn’t find a park”.
Labour will instigate a funding mechanism whereby a portion of your toll (sorry congestion pricing incentive) invoice will be topped up, dependent on the extent to which your trip was related to your work. This won’t be available to anyone not working, or with more than 2.45 children under the age of 12.
There will also be a secondary method whereby you can estimate your likely toll bill for the next year and be paid the top up amount by NZTA. However penalty charges (150%) will be incurred should your estimate prove to be incorrect by more than 0.637%.
A partial compensation refund fund will also be available on a contestable, first in first served basis, with a sliding scale reduction for multiples of 12 public transport trips. Keep your tickets.
Further these charges will not apply to any vehicle less than 14 months old or with a market value greater than 48000 or with a WOF less than 2 weeks old.
That s farking funny 🙂
Epiphany moment.
I finally figured out why John keys flag referendum failed. The proper flag option he wanted didn’t get picked.
It would have been a black flag, with the word in bold white “democracy” written across it, and to finish it off, a nice blue slash going from bottom left corner, to the top right.
I am a fkn genius!
/sarc.
“I feel love”
Which do you prefer, the original Donna Summer disco sounds or Bronski Beat?
I love both but for today it will be Bronski Beat, featuring Marc Almond
Patrick Cowley did the original mega 12″ version of I Feel Love, he was one of the first casualties of HIV/Aids back in the early 80s. The guy was pure genius, alongside Moroder he pretty much invented Disco/Hi-NRG/Electro whatever. Not heard the Bronski Beat version, it’s all right, they def wear their influences on their sleeves, love ’em.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Cowley
The Rollo/Sister Bliss Monster Mix.
Gangnam and Gabby, I am definitely going to check those two out later
I grew up with both as they came during different era’s I too agree both were good as each other, have to go for the former Donna summer for me. by a creative first way.
Georgio Moroder produced a lot of hits for Donna Summer. He was a very influential pioneer of electronic beats
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giorgio_Moroder
And of course you can hear Moroders “tears” famously sampled in DJ Shadow’s Organ Donor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4E60Ffa9yQ
Now I’ve gotta get outta here because this isn’t politics, this more like The Standard Weekend Social. I’ve gotta go catch up with Brexit, check the house for ducks and work out how to use facebook. I’ve finally given in after all these year!
Half of my house is riveted, Heard of multitasking? Split screens etc. 🙂
We are in the, please leave already camp.
You’re in the leave camp?………………
The celebrations are resounding here, and i’m proud to say Sunderland voted to leave to, as well as Durham. Represent North east!
Proud to be British might mean something again, so will “Made in Briton”.
“The celebrations are resounding here, and i’m proud to say Sunderland voted to leave to, as well as Durham. Represent North east!
Proud to be British might mean something again, so will “Made in Briton”.”
Even if you’re not and it’s spelled Britain. lol
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21062016/#comment-1192171
“i’m also Albanian”
I was born in NZ to a UK mother and an Albanian father, I’ve seen it spelled Briton, and it’s a distraction to the point I make.
Oh BTW Trying to belittle someone you don’t know is just a reflection of your own insecurities, and how I spelled it , unless this is a spelling contest is my business.
It’s no distraction, just a bit of a fun fact to go with your third party rhetoric.
For informational purposes only, if you’ve ever seen ‘made in Briton’ then whoever wrote it got it really wrong. In the context given it’s always going to be Britain, unless of course it’s an archaeological relic from the relevant time period.
“The Britons were an ancient Celtic people who lived in Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Roman and Sub-Roman periods. They spoke a language that is now known as Common Brittonic.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Britons
I never been there, rrreally, what would I know about the UK 🙂
come on dude I lived there ten years, mum came back 2 weeks ago from ten years there, we may have had a good catch up you know?. My sister works for the Council in Sunderland, she’s kiwi born, but like me has right of abode?
Sounds lovely
Britain is the country. Briton is a person from Britain. They sound the same, but our illogical spelling system means that one sound can have a number of spellings in English..
Germans use to call yous Englanders…
Dunedin, what are you doing? 20 degrees yesterday – are you serious? Are you trying for the 2016 climate change challenge to be the most unlikely southern city to have the highest winter temperature?
The degree of cognitive dissonance in South Dunedin must be peaking too (they had a meeting earlier in the week where some residents thought the council talking about the flooding in the context of climate change was greenie nonsense).
A face palm meeting by the sounds of it. It’s difficult when a council actually acknowledges their geographical area has a problem with CC and the residents deny it. A similar thing happened a few years ago when the Kapiti District council projected sea level rises along the coastline where housing would be affected.
Residents said it was nonsense and scaremongering. Now the $million + homes on beachfront land are sitting there unsold while houses elsewhere in that range, especially in town, in Wgtn, are selling no problem. I wonder if there will be an issue with potential buyers talking their insurance agents and the agents letting them know they will high premiums living in such a setting.
Even when I was a kid in the 70’s growing up across the road from the sea we had massive spring storms that would bring dunes down. It’s going to be nuts as we move further into the anthropocene.
I live in South Dunedin, we are not all morons.
Dunedin hasn’t had a winter, I work outside & have def noticed it, this time last year I think we had 2 dumps of snow! & the floods a year ago too (yes we were surrounded by water, came right to the door, 2 hours in this street were pulled down because of damage), been living in this suburb for 10 or so years, & def noticed the beach is nearer than it used to be, its a bit scary when you can hear it so close. Also a few years ago I had to dig a grave for the dog & the water table is only maybe 1-2 feet below us! So good on Cull for talking about it, though he’s back-tracking a bit because of the South Dunedin morons.
Side note, South Dunedin is one of the poorest suburbs in the country, with shocking rates of teen pregnancies, over crowding, unemployment etc…but it is connected to the richest suburbs of the city with old beautiful Victorian mansions & brand new mega flash cars, so I think its the rich end of town complaining, I doubt the poor have too much invested in this suburb.
Thanks for the local report. It’s always good to hear from residents and get their viewpoint. It’s often the case the wealthy have louder voices, or quite often more influence with the council.
Farry lives around the corner from me in the biggest house in the street,I would imagine he has a direct line to council/Govt. He was responsible for the stadium & got some kinda ‘honour’ from the Nat Govt for his effort in lying to us about it’s benefits. Some stunning old mansions in this ‘hood, a lot of ‘old money’ swishing around. Pity it’s all gonna be underwater in a few years.
http://www.odt.co.nz/files/featured_gallery/2015/06/aerial_07_03062015_jpg_556eb86932.jpg
http://www.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/5/4/y/f/3/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620×349.154ri4.png/1433445323485.jpg
http://www.odt.co.nz/files/featured_gallery/2015/06/aerial_01_03062015_jpg_556eb86911.jpg
http://www.odt.co.nz/files/user21583/aerial_05_03062015.jpg
The area used to be sand dunes & wetlands, the ducks still walk around thinking it is, but then maybe they have long genetic memories & know it will be theirs again one day.
Gangnam Style
No mention of Farry in the ODT, mainly; Ray MacLeod, spokesman of the South Dunedin Action Group (SDAG). Haven’t heard of him before, do you have any local knowledge? It seems a weird bit of delusion to be; blaming those attempting to formulate a response to climate change, for the property damage caused by sealevel rises.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/387568/anger-about-south-dunedins-future
This seems to me to be another bit of prepositioning for the anti-Green vote in this year’s local body elections. Similar to the antiwindfarm movement that sprangup out of nowhere earlier in Warrington.
No sorry, I just mentioned Farry because he’s around the corner, he’s more a behind the scenes type of guy, just my opinion. I don’t know of Mr MacLeod, but read about his anti ‘green’ type rant, maybe he should make use of the internet & google Canute. Not heard of the South Dunedin Action Group before this article sorry.
Just read the group was started after last years flood, maybe I should try & get involved, I love this ‘burb!
bugger all coverage in the ODT, what’s that about?
” It seems a weird bit of delusion to be; blaming those attempting to formulate a response to climate change, for the property damage caused by sealevel rises.”
Disagree.
Last year 90%+ of the damage was caused by DCC neglect. And all of the sub par post flood response.
Did climate change add a couple of cm to the flood height? Sure. So what.
You’d think the council could ponder deeply the issues of climate change AND keep the drains clear, really.
Blimey.
I don’t know of this Farry character but there always seems to a local body self promoting/self interest type that is also in league with the nat party.
Hope you’ve got some strong contenders to look at voting for this year, ones that are aligned to environmental/restoration/cc issues/resilience. (Just reading Pasupial’s comment below).
Re ducks. I think they have long family memories, just my observation. I’ve really noticed that the more of the farmland disapears on the development where I live (especially the boggy bits) the more ducks we get in the garden, that won’t leave.
Because I live in their territory I feel I have a duty to care for them. I give them fresh water everyday as their water source has dried up. We had a drought over summer and they had nothing to eat so hung out here. I’ve also got orphaned ducklings who grew up in our garden and they come here every day, some are pets. They have a double risk with ongoing development too. The more roads that go in, the more stormwater drains there are for ducklings to fall into. I had SPCA in to help me rescue 3 babies that went down a drain. The SPCA person said that in the developing northern areas they had double the callouts, up to 500 call outs for ducklings alone. It’s a waste of their time. We just need smaller gap grates.
As humans we may expect them move somewhere else but they don’t seem to. They stay in their turf. Hope the ducks in your area have enough grass and insects to eat and enough water.
mum lived in Atkinson st – like going back in time going there
Michael Woodhouse is from that part of South Dunedin too marty, he mentions it now & again like Key & his state house upbringing.
lol – street cred is hard to buy
Still wondering why Woodhouse hasn’t stood against Curran. He has more connections to the Dunedin South electorate than she does. I figure it is because he can’t be bothered being an electorate MP.
Possibly because Curran is too popular. Nobody seems to have been able to roll her, no matter how much they’d like to take her place.
Curran is too popular? Have you even looked at her plummeting electorate majority?
There was a time when Curran was perceived as a bit of an embarrassment who spent too much time on twitter, but for what it’s worth, I think that’s changed.
She has grown into the role. She works hard. Yes she can be a bit impulsive and makes some mistakes, but has a lot of heart.
Her approach to the June flood was spot on from the day one; she held council to account for its dissembling and appeared to do a huge amount of work on that issue (for individual cases as well as the infrastructure issue).
It will be interesting to see if her efforts translate into more votes next time around.
I was about to say: It’s amazing how many Dunedinites are on this site.
But, come to think of it, Dunedin is still the most Left-leaning City in the Country* (Wellington’s the only other centre where the Left continue to beat the Right Bloc) … so maybe not all that surprising after all.
* Indeed, it’s been argued that Pete George is the only Dunedinite to have Party-Voted National at the last Election. Isn’t that right, Pete ?
Those who have followed the hatchet job on Peggy Burrows Principal of Rangiora High School, might care to visit the Givealittle page at
https://explore.givealittle.co.nz/search?q=Peggy+Burrows
This time Peggy’s Rangiora case is in the Herald.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662583
Bev Moore, the Commissioner has also done a hatchet job on an Invercargill Principal in a similar fashion because that Principal contested National Standards. That Principal took her case to Court won and was vindicated.
Nasty unfair stuff.
True. And the ERA have just given Peggy a minor victory in overturning the latest gagging order imposed on her. There is hope…
In Vino. The excuse that Moore gave for sacking Peggy was her speaking out to defend herself. So what happened with the ERA?
Aha. Found it dated 24 June:
“The Employment Relations Authority yesterday ruled against the Rangiora High School commissioner, Beverley Moore, after she took a case to try and gag former RHS principal, Peggy Burrows. ”
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1606/S00797/era-finds-in-favour-of-peggy-burrows.htm
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/387979/homeless-installation-causes-stir
My mate has this installation at the moment, some people find it shocking, some are angry, but most are talking about homelessness which is kinda the point. Well done Toki!
Good for them! interesting piece of interactive art with people leaving donations of food and cash.
Got a few lovely notes offering help, blankets, couches to sleep on etc…The All Blacks walked past without even glancing down, it’s been quite fascinating watching peoples reactions, I thought it was real when I first saw it. Apparently Dunedins homeless sleep in the greenbelt, too cold on the streets. And he’s left it outside over night a few times & each time in the morning the sleeping bag has been removed so we assume people are checking ‘he/she’ is OK. No sign of any Bennett ‘flying squad’ of monkeys as yet, still time!
Rest of the exhibition is good too if anyone is walking past, have a look!
+ 1 Awesome art and contemporary commentary – love it and the things people have left.
tipping point?
“The British pound is in freefall as the Brexit vote looks set to win the EU Referendum. In the last five minutes it has fallen 8 per cent against the US dollar.
The crash is now the largest in modern history and has exceeded the fall known as Black Wednesday in 1992 when the UK was forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11662600
beginning of the transition. A lot of it will be speculative shorting
I wonder what instructions those trustees who are managing blind trusts/investments in foreign exchanges are receiving from those who have major interests in those blind trusts …
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662642
All credit to Amy Adams for reading out the apology to Teina Pora, apparently she didn’t have to. It was the least she could do, now it’s the polices turn.
I have to be slightly impressed by that.
I don’t have to be but I acknowledge a good measure of belief. Politics fucks up belief unfortunately but it is admirable as far as it goes.