There has been a lots of reports recently about how the oceans have been acting as a heat sink for all the excess heat in the atmosphere caused by global warming. This heat sink effect has slowed the rise in temperature of the atmosphere. But what has been the affect in the oceans?
Warmer water holds less oxygen. The tropics are actually extreme environments for fish. Though tropical waters support many brilliant and exotic species, When it comes to actual biomass. The biomass density of the tropics are not anything like the huge marine biomass supported by the oxygen rich cold waters of the temperate and polar regions.
A study carried out by the Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia and published in the prestigious Nature magazine, has revealed that fish are on the move, away from warmer waters, to colder waters.
French Scientist Daniel Pauly, project leader for the study is interviewed by Kathryn Ryan.
In the past the problem of overfishing has been addressed by all sorts of complicated international agreements and treaties. But the movement of fish stocks is creating all sorts of political problems for the management of fisheries which could see the collapse of all previous agreements.
In the North Atlantic, between Norway and Iceland for example, there was an agreement to share the mackerel fishery, in what was called a “straddling stock” fishery. What happened was that the mackerel moved into the waters of Iceland and the sharing agreement didn’t apply anymore. (8:00 minutes)
It looks likely that this kind of thing will happen more and more. This is creating a temptation to tear up all international agreements over fish stock management and strip mine the fishery before it moves to your neighbors territory.
In West Africa. In Senegal the fishery is moving to the north and into the waters of Mauritania. The temptation for Senegal is to take as much as they can before they lose it.
The management of global fish stocks are being affected.
In the North Pacific the stock of pollock, (which is the biggest fishery in the world). The US Alaskan pollock fishery is moving gradually towards Russia. (9:00 minutes)
The question is, What will the US do, when their fishery moves into the waters of another country, and a political rival at that?
Some fish of course, are so adapted to their local environment, salinity, certain types of reef, or food source, of a certain kind, that they can’t move, these sorts of fisheries are just simply in decline. (7:00 minutes in.)
Many fish species will not make the change. In the tropics fisheries are moving away and won’t be replaced. As with other, effects of climate change, sea level rise, and storm surges, the cruelty of climate change will impact many people in the third world already hard hit by the other effects of climate change particularly hard.
Of course as well as absorbing the excess heat, the seas have also been absorbing a lot of the excess CO2, leading to acidification of the oceans. But that is a whole other kettle of fish.
In gwyn dyers book ‘climate wars’ he details the department of the US govt, created under bush the elder i think, that runs scenarios on the land version of this which would see huge population shift across borders in search of workable land and food.
The CIA has said for some time that climate change is the greatest threat to stability (i.e., no wars). Of course, whether that filters down into constructive political action is a roll of the dice.
As is my habit I don’t like to just lay out the problem. Though it may get me into trouble, I like to suggest solutions.
Climate Change is not something that will happen in the far future. It is happening now.
As we begin to witness the destruction and cruelties visited by climate change.
New Zealand has a role to play, maybe a major one.
The problems are obvious the need to act is immediate.
This requires leadership. As in 1939 as the world witnessed the cruelties visited by fascism. It required just one island country to stand up and say, “no more”. “We will fight”.
In France which had one of biggest armies in Europe and would have well been able to stop the Nazis. There was not that same leadership. French Prime MinisterPetain who had been a military hero in the First world war, capitulated to the Nazis without a fight.
We are a global witness to the cruelties visited by climate change. We need a Churchill and not a Petain. We don’t need a leader who was a hero in the UN but is now a silent calculating political collaborator with the supporters of climate change. Preparing to surrender over deep sea oil drilling and major coal mine expansion.
To face the threat of climate change the country needs a Churchill not a Petain. Could David Cunliffe be that Churchill?
Maybe.
So far David Cunliffe is the only Labour parliamentarian to properly address the threat posed by climate change.
Like Churchill, Cunliffe has been banished to the back seats for his pains.
He should not let this silence him.
The leader is not the one who has the title, the leader is the one who gives the lead.
If he wants to lead, he needs to show it. David Cunliffe needs to start speaking out now on the biggest threat humanity has faced since fascism.
Churchill spent 10 years in the wilderness. He never shut up about the dangers of fascism. Hopefully Cunliffe will only spend months on the back benches. But he needs to start speaking up now.
Responding to the lack of leadership at the top of his party, Winstone Churchill led from the back benches, David Cunliffe should start doing the same.
Cunliffe should not see his demotion from official leadership position as a setbback but as an opportunity to speak freely.
“Churchill’s efforts through the wilderness years had shown the importance of independent voices in a highly controlled political environment” (p8). Churchill, through his position, was able to bring concerns into the public arena that might otherwise have been drowned out in the mood of appeasement and pacifism of 1930s Britain.
(Dumped into moderation again, I see. I wonder if the censor will let me out?)
Jenny
So far it seems not. Oh well. Off to work. It is raining and dreary. I hope the rest of my day goes better and the censor has relented by the time I get back.
For those interested. The comment held back, is on leadership and climate change.
Climate change wars date back to 1967, probably much earlier.
Israeli government documents have been released that show the June 1967 Six Day War had been in the planning stages for years. Its goal was to control the Jordan River, Israel’s source of fresh water.
The Golan Heights are the source of the Jordan. Taking the West bank from Jordan gave them control of both sides of the river.
At the time there tons of propaganda about how the Arabs were threatening Israel and theirs were preventive first strikes. All pure b.s. It was planned as a war to secure water. They achieved their objective.
“It is understood Mr Shearer had been looking for a suitable political adviser for some time, and asked Mold to return because of concerns Labour was struggling with its political management since her departure.”
Has David Shearer got a mirror. “Labour was struggling with its political management since her departure….” This stubborn fool fails to have the self awareness that he is fucking up the hopes of the Left of getting rid of this abysmal John Key government. Clearly National have 3 strategies for growth 1) Earthquakes 2) Dairy farming (Commodities, no control) 3)Now they seem to have added Auckland Housing (this should eventually create a bubble that NZ managed to avoid in the first GFC).
You have to admit that although Shearer is absolutely hopeless he must be mentally tough because if I’d read as much criticism about myself has he has had to endure, I would be balling my eyes out lying in the fetal position. He is either mentally tough or he has John Keys narcissism and self confidence without his political ability…
This stubborn fool fails to have the self awareness that he is fucking up the hopes of the Left of getting rid of this abysmal John Key government.
Actually, he’s not – the people who still support Labour are. Yes, Shearer isn’t changing Labour but it’s the continued support for the party that keeps Shearer there.
Clearly National have 3 strategies for growth
4) Dig up and sell our scarce energy resources ASAP
John Key is at his lying best again, saying yesterday on morning tele regarding the Chch and Wgtn earthquakes and buildings ……. “akshully, if you look at Christchurch and the building code, the vast majority of buildings came through it well”
John Key is a lying pig.
In Christchurch CBD about 80% of the buildings have come down. That leaves 20% that have come through it well, far from a “vast majority”.
He just keeps making shit up as he goes. And the dipshits on the tele and radio keep letting him get away with these lies. They are useless.
vto, that statement of Key’s is just plain offensive. What do your fellow Cantabrian’s think of him?
Every time he addresses the nation with what is meant to be soothing sounds and reflective thoughts on life changing disaster (Pike River, CHCH earthquakes) he’s so insincere that he makes me want to vomit.
And recently when he spoke about the 6.5 here in Wellington, and Marlborough his face was saying “I couldn’t give a flying fuck, and Wellington, you’d be better off slipping into the sea anyway, your city is dying” and all that came out of his mouth was blah blah blah.
Man, I really wanted to throw a brick at the tele.
What do Cantabrians think of him? If you are in the west and blue-voting areas you will think he is grand. Your houses tiny wee cracks got repaired first (while the worst ones waited), your roads and infrastructure are fine, your house value is rising and there is employment coming out your ears.
If you are in the east you have simply given up completely on him and this government. Key doesn’t even come into ti anymore – the vote decision is already made for these people. The arsehole is gone-burger
The point of the building code is to save lives during an earthquake. We had two serious collapses, and lots of deaths from masonry and facades that didn’t meet the building code. It seems that the two buildings that collapsed didn’t properly meet the building code…
After everyone has evacuated safely, the building has done it’s job.
Um, that’s not what he was referring to Lanthanide.
That buildings stayed upright and allowed people to escape as per the building code is not the same matter as John Key stating that most buildings came through it well i.e. they are useable and safe post-earthquake. 80% of Chch CBD buildings are down because they are no longer useable or safe.
John Key plastered a deception on the country as it nervously looks at every single building in the land.
Hope all those building owners are out there securing their facades and verandahs today ……….
You’re saying John Key is deliberately deceiving everyone by claiming that buildings performed well in the sense that they didn’t fall over, when it is really quite obvious that a lot of buildings did fall over.
My suggestion is:
1. Key is conflating the idea of performing well as in not killing people with performing well as in not falling over.
2. Key is an idiot to do the above.
Don’t ascribe to malice that which is easily attributed to incompetence.
“Don’t ascribe to malice that which is easily attributed to incompetence.”
I think that’s generally a good rule of thumb but it does overlook the fact that much incompetence is the result of malice/disdain/complacency (over the interests of others)/negligence (of the interests of others)/etc.
The distinction is not that sharp. And that’s why people can say something misleading while claiming no deliberate lying.
The building code is performance based. IF buildings have performed tot he minimum standards of A to G or however many there are, then the Code has not “worked” rather the building has “performed” tot he minimum requirements of the Code.
People need to stop viewing codes and laws as setting the maximum standard of behaviour, it’s setting the minimum and people can construct buildings in excess of that if they choose. Strange in commercial buildings they rarely do.
There is a lot of construction in Christchurch that is in excess of code going on. It is driven by owners who do not want to have to deal with it all again – they want a building that will handle a quake and be useable again. These parts of a building are relatively small and easy to take above code.
It is driven by owners who do not want to have to deal with it all again
And a lot of them probably decided that after the quake and not before it. Beforehand they would have been building to minimum code and probably taking shortcuts to save money.
People need to stop viewing codes and laws as setting the maximum standard of behaviour, it’s setting the minimum and people can construct buildings in excess of that if they choose. Strange in commercial buildings they rarely do.
Which is why standards should be set at present maximum capabilities and increase as capabilities do.
yep but remember vto, Gerry Brownlee always had a scorched Earth policy – turn it into a carpark and start again. Demolish demolish demolish to a level ground – then get the developers in.
You’ll remember a couple of places were sacrosanct (eg the Arts Centre). Other than that – knock it ALL down – start again (City first).
None of ya try and preserve any sort of history (such as demolish to safe level and let something evolve where its on safe turf). He’d probably have let Fulton Hogan tarseal the lot if he could have got a reasonable price and his insurance mates had seen an earn it it all.
I wonder what’s he going to try and do with Wellington now. The approach won;t work here.
akshully, if you look at Christchurch and the building code, the vast majority of buildings came through it well
Well that’s fair enough insofar as the vast majority of buildings did not collapse and kill their occupants in the face of extremely large ground accelerations. Well beyond what the codes required and what they largely achieved. I’d call that “coming through it well”. The same quake in most other cities around the world would have resulted a death toll in the 10’s of thousands.
Of course you are also right that huge numbers of buildings were damaged beyond economic repair. That’s a related but largely different issue. No building code anywhere required or anticipated that.
The real problem has been the failure of the EQC, originally set up in 1945 in the wake of a number of major quakes, Napier, Buller, Masterton. The lesson learnt from this experience was that the private insurance industry is inherently unable to cope with events of this scale. A lesson subsequent governments proceeded to completely forget.
Why shouldn’t he? Hes a born and bred NZer as much as anyone here and if thats how he thinks then thats his choice, don’t like then wait another 4 years and you’ll be able to change it.
Santi would be saying the same thing about cunliffe if the vote had gone the other way. Anything to make the chicken littles flutter and squawk in a delightful way…
No, McFlock, I wouldn’t.
I know David Shearer is the leader who will make victory possible next year. More time and eloquence is all he needs. I just know.
Skanky is a broken record – can see him/her guffawing his/her tits off every time the same masterSTROKE is delivered – “I just LOVE David Shearer ” – (thinks……) “Ha……fucked them up again…….my cunning plan is working !”
It’s the basic authoritarianism in him. Authoritarians look up to people with titles such as King and Queen. I read an article many years ago about how surprisingly much USians were in awe of the British royal family – this was especially noted in richer families. The richer families were even going out and buying British titles.
The sickening rush of fawning over this birth of one who will spend a life of luxury paid for off of the backs of the working people of Britain has my TV on the endangered species list,
At the least there should be ‘naming rights’ given to the people who will pay for this ones life long idyll of excess by dint of the luck of being born into that particular family,
For the Princely(spit) little fella i pick the name Sponge, arise Sir Sponge to take your un-earned place of wealth and fame paid for off of the backs of British labor…
Primitive Primate Bullying again John Key is an atheist by his own admission!
Felix is saying is Key got his hand up from our welfare state (which is a reflection of kiwis caring and sharing team playing egalitarian society)!
Now after taking all the advantages of our society he is in charge of helping destroy our heritage!
Hitlers mother was a jew as well as Austrian!
As for not belonging, I mean he doesn’t appear to share the values usually credited to the NZ way of life (broad though they may be.)
He left this country as soon as he could, and only came back to live in a walled palace. He leaves whenever he has the chance and spends as much time overseas as he can in the places he feels at more at home.
When he is here – and this is the important bit – he spends his time trying to transform NZ into a place more like those places he has chosen to spend most of his life.
He continually negotiates away our independence and sovereignty in favour of the interests of foreign and international capital.
He is not on our side of anything. His needs are not our needs. His problems are not our problems. His goals are not our goals.
That’s what I mean. Alternately I could have just meant he’s a Jew.
From your original bile spit, one could only assume that the reason that you thought the Royals didn’t belong here was because they are British thus it was a natural inference to believe that your objection to John Key being here was race based as well.
Did you belong in New York, monkeyboy? No. Because you trashed the place. Even if you’d been born in the NYC zoo, you’d still have trashed the place. You obviously didn’t belong there.
I googled stuff.co.nz just now (I admit that is not a very scientific analysis of the veracity of the claim) and just found the reporting on English and the finger pointing.
I Emailed the Editor about it And he said it was Untrue. So I did comment that I then expected to see an honest critique of Professor Wades Lectures/Speeches. And to that, there was no reply, and I haven’t seen anything anywhere else either, maybe I’m not looking in the right places.
Good on you David H. Though I’m not surprised you didn’t hear back from the stuffed editor, and your second point. They come across as quite arrogant if challenged or questioned about their ‘work’. Thanks for the tip about the non destructive brick!
Hi Rosie. My Pleasure, if you cant get a brick I do know they make a Hammer with the sound effects, My son gets annoyed when I pinch it to hit the TV with, but he’s learning that when ever Key is on TV, bang there goes his little Hammer.
Have just had a read of the Mana Party Housing Policy being put forward by John Minto, it ticks all the boxes with policy to drive out of the housing market all the Speculators/Investors which is where fully 50% of present ‘demand’ in the Auckland housing market lies,
Along with such moves which would guarantee a large reduction on the demand side of ‘the market’ Mana is also proposing ‘fixing’ the amount of rent that can be charged on any particular dwelling,along with having the building of 20,000 Council owned rental units well under way in the first term of a Mana Mayoralty,
As far as a comprehensive housing policy goes,(there’s a lot more of it than i have mentioned above), this so far from all political party’s on a national level would be the most comprehensive and ensure affordable rental accommodation for all those unable to ever afford home ownership,
i hope the Mana candidate John Minto does well in the Auckland Mayoralty contest, although i would have to stretch my imagination by an extreme extent,(unfortunately), to suggest that He could triumph in this contest,
Mana tho has recently broached the 1% party vote to figure in the Roy Morgan Poll and i am now re-considering where my party vote will go in 2014 as 1.2% of the party vote may be all that Mana need to gain another MP via their party list…
i am afraid that as usual you don’t have a clue what your talking about, have i suggested anywhere that i will be voting in the Auckland Mayoral elections,
i would have to be really ‘spethul’ should i be allowed to do such as you obviously havn’t noticed that i reside in Wellington,
i would pick John Minto gaining 2-3000 votes in the Auckland Mayoral election and a lot of extra publicity for the Mana Party simply by dint of having stood in that particular contest,
The Mana Party’s share of the party vote after the recent by election in Parekura’s old stomping ground has risen to 1% and the Auckland Mayoral election will raise their profile further, thus a strong campaign by John Minto may just be the impetus at the 2014 election to push Mana over 1.2% of the party vote and allow Minto to enter the Parliament on the Mana Party list…
I was referring to your vote in the next general election. Minto is a no-show with little chance.
That’s democracy: go ahead and waste your vote. New Zealand will thank you.
Nice ‘slither’ sideways, i wont bother making any accusation that your a liar, support of Slippery the current Prime Minister tho is tantamount to an admission…
Santi you are a great motivator of the left.Minto is a firebrand personality at least he bring issues to the fore while he may not get many votes other candidates will benefit from his activism!
um, by your “logic” anyone who doesn’t vote for the “winning team” has wasted their vote? Do you really see the future of our country as a game to be won and lost. Your na-na-na-na-na attitude is scarey.
A good point, here in the Otaki electorate there is a dearth of votable stock I have absolutely no clue who even sat here in 08, I just ticked the usual red boxes. Well not this time, Maybe a mp vote Legalise Cannabis, and Party vote Mana. I do like what they are saying on a wide range of things.
i am picking the 2014 election to be as ‘tight’ as 2011, it may well come down to 1 or 2 MP’s and i also pick the Maori Party not to be present in the next Parliament,
My heart says i should stick with the Green Party, BUT, my head says that if Mana can maintain it’s 1% of polling in the Roy Morgan into 2014 AND the Green Party holds it’s present level of support then a vote for Mana is DEFINTELY NOT wasted,
It will only take 1.2% of support for Mana to gain a list MP off of the back of Hone Harawira holding onto Te Tai Tokerau AND, i pick Te Ururoa Flavell’s Waiariki seat to be 50/50 between Labour and the Mana Party,
To me the numbers say there is a good chance of having in the next Parliament a 3 seat bloc of Mana Party MP’s and a ‘strategic’ party vote or two for that party could be the difference in who forms the next Government…
I think Mana are poised well at this stage of the cycle. The key will be to overcome the innate fear that some have that it is a narrow focus party and sadly I think that fear comes from people’s personal prejudice and distrust (because they believe the memes, think they know the history of this country and have bought into the othering of Māori). I’m hopeful that that will be overcome for many because the truth is that poverty and deprivation can, and do, affect anyone regardless of their supposed ‘colour’. Equality, leadership and principles are what we need and those qualities are human qualities not based upon ethnicity.
Aha, i am not sure of the strength of Mana in Wellington, among young Maori i know that the Maori Party ‘sellout’ has retarded their political development,
i will, this afternoon after i have done my stint in the garden have a look online with a view to offering Mana a bit of on the ground support going into 2014…
You might be right about the support level of Mana, but could you see Shearer forming a working relationship with Mana? I can’t. He’d rather coalesce with National. In fact I can see that coming quite easily if there is no other majority (one that doesn’t include Mana).
If you think labour could “coalesce with national”, they’ve a much bigger identity issue than shearer. And I don’t just mean a couple of other mps in caucus.
There are plenty of people in Mana that would be totally opposed to their party doing any sort of a deal with the right wing Labour Party under any circumstances simply because there is no reason to suppose a Labour government would be an improvement on the present lot.
Unless you count having a nicer flavour of rhetoric and murmuring sweet nothings to the people at the bottom as they put the boot into them as being an improvement.
Thats unless they are different to every Labour govt since 1984 of course.
Augustus, i will assume you are a National Party voter,(Lolz if so i expect your next comment to be along the lines of a ‘wasted vote’),
Mana has and does support Labour in it’s voting pattern in the House, until today when i read the Mana Party housing policy i had yet to see Mana proposing anything much that was not Labour policy until 1984 and is Green party policy at present,
Mana have no time as far as i can ascertain for grandiose neo-housing schemes that target pathways for the children of today’s middle class to climb upon the ‘property ladder’ thus becoming tomorrow part of what has caused the housing un-affordability of today,
Mana appear to favor the housing solution that stood our parents in good stead and provided affordable housing to a generation of kiwi-kids,(including Slippery the Prime minister), HousingNZ rentals rented to tenants on the basis of the most Need and not the most Greed,
These are the 3 policy areas i would expect a strengthened Mana party to base it’s negotiations with Labour upon after the 2014 election,
(1), 5000 new state houses a year for every year of coalition with Labour,
(2), The ‘living wage’ to be achieved in the first term of such a coalition, and, a rise in that living wage to be negotiated every year after that,
(3), the children of beneficiaries to be included in the working for families tax scheme and/or a comprehensive food in schools program,
That’s hardly an over the top wish list, to me it’s simply practical workable socialism which as it’s grown into being middle class along with it’s voter base Labour seems to have forgotten,
LOLZ, the Labour Party in coalition with National, your wet dream is it???…
Short explaination is that a baby was born premmy (just 27 weeks!) in China.
– her parents are not allowed to visit more than once a day
– parents pay for all her needs (I assume that means doctors as well…Dr’s in China are cheaper, but they are not free!)
– they don’t speak Chinese so I imagine this is very distressing
– they are asking for donations to get her flown home.
– baby is a girl. Will this mean she is given lower priority? I don’t know.
Worse than that, it will take the NZ embassy 2 months (!) to process the documentation for this NZ Citizen to be allowed into NZ. There is no reason for this, bring her back, get her treated here where the family is and sort out the details later.
Its only as mental as the wank fest autonomous collective that you chaps espouse
[lprent: Yes we do pride ourselves on being independent. I am glad that you understand that at least.
But we know that slavish little mouthpieces for the great coalition of the stupid like yourself would view autonomy as being something to denigrate.
In other words you would have been particularly moronic today. However your cellphone or tablet is more intelligent than the monkey trying to “run” it. ]
Since you have been telling us what a great leader Shearer is to lead Labour to victory, I want to make my recommendations for National.
Gerry Brownlee is the ideal replacement when Key retires. To smash Labour’s grip on so many Maori voters and get lots of women’s votes, put Hekia Parata as deputy. If not Hekia, try Anne Tolley. Anne is fantastic! I guarantee you she will be a great vote getter.
What a packet of assorted nuts you have produced there Mr Blomfield. You do have some voting options though. Maybe the Libertarian Party if they’re still around, ACT comes to mind. On the other hand if you want to see GST gone, as I do, you can always vote Mana, but somehow I don’t think it will be your style.
Corporates won’t rule the world, most corporates are dying on the vine. Sears, International Harvester. As the population is impoverished so are all real businesses.
Truth Is Corporates will rule the world real soon but you guys will think it was on ‘Your Terms”
It does not say much about your sanity, Rosie.
What woman in control of her own faculties would ever vote Mana, the party of the hopeless loser, the violent Harawhira? No way, Jose.
Lol you panties. Where did you see me say I was voting Mana? It was my suggestion to the commenter above seeing as he wants to see GST abolished, but as I suspected it wasn’t his style.
I’m a Green voter but I like Mana too, so who knows, by next year I might even end up voting for them. Anything can happen.
And my faculties are doing just fine thanks. Not sure about yours though, thinking that Shearer is safe (at 11.1)
Not only safe, but without doubt the Labour leader at the next election, who will lead to victory. The Labour Caucus will see to it.
As per the Greens, their radical influence has damaged David S. Norman was too close, but wait over the coming weeks for the efforts to distance Labour from the Green Party. It will pay off.
[lprent: Yes we all know after weeks of it that one of the nuttiest of the RWNJ’s is purportedly David Shearers biggest supporter on this site, and that you have the ability to repeat yourself endlessly like a small child. However I’m bored with this trolling now – it has long since degenerated into astroturfing.
If I see you even hint at it again then you won’t be commenting here until AFTER the election. Now I realise this will cramp your style a bit because you will now have to think and even imagine on every comment how I could possibly construe it as a RWNJ supporting David Shearer because they want another government of the right. But that was why I let this go on for so long. It is going to be amusing seeing how good your atrophied imagination can regenerate… 😈 ]
A better option (just as a start) would be to repeal every piece of legislation since October 2008. Then begin from there.
Oh – hang on …. ONE News – YOUR news has just started. I’ll get back to you. I need a laugh
“Labour are losing votes to National, and they’ve lost them during the period of time in which the GCSB bill was introduced and the Sky-City deal signed off. They should be winning, not losing. Shearer has responded by replacing his Chief of Staff with Fran Mold, his former press secretary, and Labour’s MPs are leaking to the gallery that his leadership is under threat if he doesn’t reverse this downward trend.”
An incomplete analysis.
David S.’s staff change will reverse the trend and lead to shore up his position. He is safe.
He might feel safe , except that a lot of New Zealanders won’t vote for him , no matter what his support staff….(See Chris Trotter on Shearer’s massive PR and media campaign build up…way more than Cunliffe’s and way more than any other Labour MPs….makes you suspicious.)
It is not that Shearer lacks support…..It is that he is not up to inspiring the ordinary NZ voter to vote for him….
The only Labour leader who can face Key in the ring and beat him is David Cunliffe…..
The rank and file Labour members should rise up and demand a real democratic grassroots vote on the leadership of the Labour Party. It is their party …not David Shearer’s..
(.And the Labour Party does not belong to any of the other Rogernom failures, plotters or ‘boy’s club’ contender, wanna bes…
Key says it’s not a matter of a U-Turn of convenience, courting Peters, but a matter of principle – because, according to Mr Slippery, Kiwis don’t want a Labour-Green government.
What’s so sad is not that Key is behaving entirely in character (principles? ha!) but that so many people believed him before … and will now perform gymnastics to justify his lies now.
Got to go, got a million quotes to dig up from the last 5 years …
So key is all over the news. Being spoonfed by P. . rick Gower. In the street looking like a …….world leader….not! Telling NZ what he thinks they should be thinking. One thing about it, he’s certainly getting uglier. And Shearer gets a to speak for about 5 seconds. We all know that who is in the news the most, especially always in a positive light is the one getting the most traction in peoples minds. It happened in the last election and will happen again in the next election unless Labour can get decent honest coverage. I don’t necessarily think that Cunliffe is the answer. It’s bad enough key shouting and screaming in Parliament without Labour lowering themselves to keys level.
I read that the Maori translation for John is Hone. So that would be HoneKey
so 24 million for the novapay debacle and 38 million for that strange boat race….hmmm what could this country do with 62 million?????? oh yes then we have that money spent on private schools especially special ed funding so that rich kids get help with their exams that others don’t….feeling incrediably pissed off @#$%^^&&
Note: It takes a privately owned TV station to produce a documentary about one of our most famous NZers (and former PM) while the state sponsored station ignores her completely in favour of dumbed down crap and mock current affairs programmes fronted by ego-stroking Nat. Party biased half-wits.
I know what Key does when hes quietly pissed , he gets a rubberband and sees how far he can stretch it and when he gets sober he’ll lie that he was doing something else
To win the next election Labour will have to stick the boot into national everyday because that is what it will take to get rid of 5yrs of fascism which is what this national govt is
The Gormless Fool Formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrel 19.1
KK always reverting to primitive instincts!
civilized behavior has passed a Neanderthal like completely by!
Given your size King Kong that makes you the worlds biggest Dick!
Better to pay NZ workers and keep the money going round within the system, ‘trickling down’ or expanding the multiplier effect in the country, than to pay imported workers and have money draining out of NZ.
I ran across a recent essay from The Brothers Krynn, which attempts to map common horror monsters onto the Seven Deadly Sins: https://canadianculturecorner.substack.com/p/horror-monsters-and-vice My interest, however, is not in the meat of the piece, but rather the opening paragraph: It is an interesting fact that in recent decades, Vampires have ...
Buzz from the Beehive Transport Minister Simeon Brown dutifully issued advice to all road users to keep safe on our roads during the Easter weekend. He encouraged them to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her government’s ...
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As we’ve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
COMMENTARY:By Ronny Kareni Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia’s army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding. Nowhere is this more evident ...
Analysis - Nicola Willis is holding firm on tax cuts despite the economic outlook being worse than forecast and critics urging her to wait, writes Peter Wilson for The Week In Politics. ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
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While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
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There has been a lots of reports recently about how the oceans have been acting as a heat sink for all the excess heat in the atmosphere caused by global warming. This heat sink effect has slowed the rise in temperature of the atmosphere. But what has been the affect in the oceans?
Warmer water holds less oxygen. The tropics are actually extreme environments for fish. Though tropical waters support many brilliant and exotic species, When it comes to actual biomass. The biomass density of the tropics are not anything like the huge marine biomass supported by the oxygen rich cold waters of the temperate and polar regions.
A study carried out by the Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia and published in the prestigious Nature magazine, has revealed that fish are on the move, away from warmer waters, to colder waters.
French Scientist Daniel Pauly, project leader for the study is interviewed by Kathryn Ryan.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2563045/fish-move-as-oceans-warm
In the past the problem of overfishing has been addressed by all sorts of complicated international agreements and treaties. But the movement of fish stocks is creating all sorts of political problems for the management of fisheries which could see the collapse of all previous agreements.
In the North Atlantic, between Norway and Iceland for example, there was an agreement to share the mackerel fishery, in what was called a “straddling stock” fishery. What happened was that the mackerel moved into the waters of Iceland and the sharing agreement didn’t apply anymore. (8:00 minutes)
It looks likely that this kind of thing will happen more and more. This is creating a temptation to tear up all international agreements over fish stock management and strip mine the fishery before it moves to your neighbors territory.
In West Africa. In Senegal the fishery is moving to the north and into the waters of Mauritania. The temptation for Senegal is to take as much as they can before they lose it.
The management of global fish stocks are being affected.
In the North Pacific the stock of pollock, (which is the biggest fishery in the world). The US Alaskan pollock fishery is moving gradually towards Russia. (9:00 minutes)
The question is, What will the US do, when their fishery moves into the waters of another country, and a political rival at that?
Some fish of course, are so adapted to their local environment, salinity, certain types of reef, or food source, of a certain kind, that they can’t move, these sorts of fisheries are just simply in decline. (7:00 minutes in.)
Many fish species will not make the change. In the tropics fisheries are moving away and won’t be replaced. As with other, effects of climate change, sea level rise, and storm surges, the cruelty of climate change will impact many people in the third world already hard hit by the other effects of climate change particularly hard.
Of course as well as absorbing the excess heat, the seas have also been absorbing a lot of the excess CO2, leading to acidification of the oceans. But that is a whole other kettle of fish.
In gwyn dyers book ‘climate wars’ he details the department of the US govt, created under bush the elder i think, that runs scenarios on the land version of this which would see huge population shift across borders in search of workable land and food.
And the US response? A massive homeland security apparatus.
The CIA has said for some time that climate change is the greatest threat to stability (i.e., no wars). Of course, whether that filters down into constructive political action is a roll of the dice.
As is my habit I don’t like to just lay out the problem. Though it may get me into trouble, I like to suggest solutions.
Climate Change is not something that will happen in the far future. It is happening now.
As we begin to witness the destruction and cruelties visited by climate change.
New Zealand has a role to play, maybe a major one.
The problems are obvious the need to act is immediate.
This requires leadership. As in 1939 as the world witnessed the cruelties visited by fascism. It required just one island country to stand up and say, “no more”. “We will fight”.
In France which had one of biggest armies in Europe and would have well been able to stop the Nazis. There was not that same leadership. French Prime MinisterPetain who had been a military hero in the First world war, capitulated to the Nazis without a fight.
We are a global witness to the cruelties visited by climate change. We need a Churchill and not a Petain. We don’t need a leader who was a hero in the UN but is now a silent calculating political collaborator with the supporters of climate change. Preparing to surrender over deep sea oil drilling and major coal mine expansion.
To face the threat of climate change the country needs a Churchill not a Petain. Could David Cunliffe be that Churchill?
Maybe.
So far David Cunliffe is the only Labour parliamentarian to properly address the threat posed by climate change.
http://www.labour.org.nz/news/speech-the-dolphin-and-the-dole-queue
Like Churchill, Cunliffe has been banished to the back seats for his pains.
He should not let this silence him.
The leader is not the one who has the title, the leader is the one who gives the lead.
If he wants to lead, he needs to show it. David Cunliffe needs to start speaking out now on the biggest threat humanity has faced since fascism.
Churchill spent 10 years in the wilderness. He never shut up about the dangers of fascism. Hopefully Cunliffe will only spend months on the back benches. But he needs to start speaking up now.
Responding to the lack of leadership at the top of his party, Winstone Churchill led from the back benches, David Cunliffe should start doing the same.
Cunliffe should not see his demotion from official leadership position as a setbback but as an opportunity to speak freely.
(Dumped into moderation again, I see. I wonder if the censor will let me out?)
So far it seems not. Oh well. Off to work. It is raining and dreary. I hope the rest of my day goes better and the censor has relented by the time I get back.
For those interested. The comment held back, is on leadership and climate change.
Censorship? You kid yourself about the responses of a machine.
Jenny, I think it is the amount of coffee you drink in the morning – it is hard to compete and puts us – mere mortals – in the shade.
Who was it that said brevity is the soul of wit ?
Polonius in Hamlet – giving advice to Hamlet.
The irony is that Polonius was in the midst of a long exposition.
He [the character] had other good quotes: “Neither a lender nor a borrower be”; “To thine own self be true”.
You must be referring to that well-known Tudor propagandist who was trying to forestall a Plantagenet revival ..
That would be the one 🙂
Jenny the use of the word that describes the ruling party in Germany during the second world war causes the machine to dump you into moderation.
+ 1 Jenny Thanks
Cunliffe is the only one with the intellect and the integrity
I tend to agree ..
Climate change wars date back to 1967, probably much earlier.
Israeli government documents have been released that show the June 1967 Six Day War had been in the planning stages for years. Its goal was to control the Jordan River, Israel’s source of fresh water.
The Golan Heights are the source of the Jordan. Taking the West bank from Jordan gave them control of both sides of the river.
At the time there tons of propaganda about how the Arabs were threatening Israel and theirs were preventive first strikes. All pure b.s. It was planned as a war to secure water. They achieved their objective.
“It is understood Mr Shearer had been looking for a suitable political adviser for some time, and asked Mold to return because of concerns Labour was struggling with its political management since her departure.”
Excerpt from Claire Trevett this morning.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10902145
Has David Shearer got a mirror. “Labour was struggling with its political management since her departure….” This stubborn fool fails to have the self awareness that he is fucking up the hopes of the Left of getting rid of this abysmal John Key government. Clearly National have 3 strategies for growth 1) Earthquakes 2) Dairy farming (Commodities, no control) 3)Now they seem to have added Auckland Housing (this should eventually create a bubble that NZ managed to avoid in the first GFC).
You have to admit that although Shearer is absolutely hopeless he must be mentally tough because if I’d read as much criticism about myself has he has had to endure, I would be balling my eyes out lying in the fetal position. He is either mentally tough or he has John Keys narcissism and self confidence without his political ability…
“he must be mentally tough”
All politicians are made of stern stuff, they have to be, because they’re never going to please everyone all the time.
Also, he probably just doesn’t read any of it; he claims not to read blogs remember.
Actually I think they were struggling while she was still there too… 2011 result and all.
That roof painter thing was a PR masterstroke
I thought that came from John Pagani.
I know its a crappy Herald online poll but even so 71% of people say that changing Shearer’s chief of staff won’t make any difference. (Today’s NZH)
Actually, he’s not – the people who still support Labour are. Yes, Shearer isn’t changing Labour but it’s the continued support for the party that keeps Shearer there.
4) Dig up and sell our scarce energy resources ASAP
John Key is at his lying best again, saying yesterday on morning tele regarding the Chch and Wgtn earthquakes and buildings ……. “akshully, if you look at Christchurch and the building code, the vast majority of buildings came through it well”
John Key is a lying pig.
In Christchurch CBD about 80% of the buildings have come down. That leaves 20% that have come through it well, far from a “vast majority”.
He just keeps making shit up as he goes. And the dipshits on the tele and radio keep letting him get away with these lies. They are useless.
vto, that statement of Key’s is just plain offensive. What do your fellow Cantabrian’s think of him?
Every time he addresses the nation with what is meant to be soothing sounds and reflective thoughts on life changing disaster (Pike River, CHCH earthquakes) he’s so insincere that he makes me want to vomit.
And recently when he spoke about the 6.5 here in Wellington, and Marlborough his face was saying “I couldn’t give a flying fuck, and Wellington, you’d be better off slipping into the sea anyway, your city is dying” and all that came out of his mouth was blah blah blah.
Man, I really wanted to throw a brick at the tele.
What do Cantabrians think of him? If you are in the west and blue-voting areas you will think he is grand. Your houses tiny wee cracks got repaired first (while the worst ones waited), your roads and infrastructure are fine, your house value is rising and there is employment coming out your ears.
If you are in the east you have simply given up completely on him and this government. Key doesn’t even come into ti anymore – the vote decision is already made for these people. The arsehole is gone-burger
Buy a Kiddies stuffed brick, it’s quite soothing to throw it at the TV. if your lucky it will have sound effects ie glass breaking.
Man, in my dreams I really want to throw a brick at Key. A large one with very sharp edges. 🙂
[lprent: Don’t care if it is in your dreams or not – keep your more violent fantasies to yourself. 😈 ]
Apologies. A rather silly quip.
Um, he’s actually right, vto.
The point of the building code is to save lives during an earthquake. We had two serious collapses, and lots of deaths from masonry and facades that didn’t meet the building code. It seems that the two buildings that collapsed didn’t properly meet the building code…
After everyone has evacuated safely, the building has done it’s job.
That’s bullshit.
If your house had been knocked down would you say it had “come through it well”?
If I had happened to be in it at the time, I’d be glad it didn’t collapse on my head, yes.
Ideally the building remains structurally sound, even after a 6.5 magnitude.
Um, that’s not what he was referring to Lanthanide.
That buildings stayed upright and allowed people to escape as per the building code is not the same matter as John Key stating that most buildings came through it well i.e. they are useable and safe post-earthquake. 80% of Chch CBD buildings are down because they are no longer useable or safe.
John Key plastered a deception on the country as it nervously looks at every single building in the land.
Hope all those building owners are out there securing their facades and verandahs today ……….
You’re saying John Key is deliberately deceiving everyone by claiming that buildings performed well in the sense that they didn’t fall over, when it is really quite obvious that a lot of buildings did fall over.
My suggestion is:
1. Key is conflating the idea of performing well as in not killing people with performing well as in not falling over.
2. Key is an idiot to do the above.
Don’t ascribe to malice that which is easily attributed to incompetence.
To Key I ascribe incompetence, slackness and malice. In equal proportions.
“Don’t ascribe to malice that which is easily attributed to incompetence.”
I think that’s generally a good rule of thumb but it does overlook the fact that much incompetence is the result of malice/disdain/complacency (over the interests of others)/negligence (of the interests of others)/etc.
The distinction is not that sharp. And that’s why people can say something misleading while claiming no deliberate lying.
Exactly.
I can’t believe people are still falling for Key’s style of non-specific lying.
The building code is performance based. IF buildings have performed tot he minimum standards of A to G or however many there are, then the Code has not “worked” rather the building has “performed” tot he minimum requirements of the Code.
People need to stop viewing codes and laws as setting the maximum standard of behaviour, it’s setting the minimum and people can construct buildings in excess of that if they choose. Strange in commercial buildings they rarely do.
There is a lot of construction in Christchurch that is in excess of code going on. It is driven by owners who do not want to have to deal with it all again – they want a building that will handle a quake and be useable again. These parts of a building are relatively small and easy to take above code.
And a lot of them probably decided that after the quake and not before it. Beforehand they would have been building to minimum code and probably taking shortcuts to save money.
Which is why standards should be set at present maximum capabilities and increase as capabilities do.
My sentiments, exactly.
yep but remember vto, Gerry Brownlee always had a scorched Earth policy – turn it into a carpark and start again. Demolish demolish demolish to a level ground – then get the developers in.
You’ll remember a couple of places were sacrosanct (eg the Arts Centre). Other than that – knock it ALL down – start again (City first).
None of ya try and preserve any sort of history (such as demolish to safe level and let something evolve where its on safe turf). He’d probably have let Fulton Hogan tarseal the lot if he could have got a reasonable price and his insurance mates had seen an earn it it all.
I wonder what’s he going to try and do with Wellington now. The approach won;t work here.
akshully, if you look at Christchurch and the building code, the vast majority of buildings came through it well
Well that’s fair enough insofar as the vast majority of buildings did not collapse and kill their occupants in the face of extremely large ground accelerations. Well beyond what the codes required and what they largely achieved. I’d call that “coming through it well”. The same quake in most other cities around the world would have resulted a death toll in the 10’s of thousands.
Of course you are also right that huge numbers of buildings were damaged beyond economic repair. That’s a related but largely different issue. No building code anywhere required or anticipated that.
The real problem has been the failure of the EQC, originally set up in 1945 in the wake of a number of major quakes, Napier, Buller, Masterton. The lesson learnt from this experience was that the private insurance industry is inherently unable to cope with events of this scale. A lesson subsequent governments proceeded to completely forget.
Governments seem real good at forgetting lessons learned from the past if doing so benefits their corporate benefactors.
Yeah mate its about time someone took the little shit out the back for a good thrashing, thats about what he deserves
“Future King of New Zealand”?
Get fucked John Key, you don’t even belong here yourself.
Why not, number 2 ?
And he couldn’t help himself be a smarmy prick by welcoming the “future king of New Zealand”: yesterday.
Where did our child of an Austrian immigrant get such royalist sycophancy from?
The realisation that 50mil just dosent cut it in the circles ,Sir John Key wants to move in.
I never got a clear answer on this, its NZ$50M, or is it US$50M?
If its the former its a bit weak, if its the latter, its maybe middling
The figure 50m, was chosen as part of the back story, and is a fabrication!
Why shouldn’t he? Hes a born and bred NZer as much as anyone here and if thats how he thinks then thats his choice, don’t like then wait another 4 years and you’ll be able to change it.
4 years? 4 long, long years? I despair.
I’m counting on David Shearer to be the next PM. Go David, go.
I really love your optimistic outlook on life.
Santi would be saying the same thing about cunliffe if the vote had gone the other way. Anything to make the chicken littles flutter and squawk in a delightful way…
No, McFlock, I wouldn’t.
I know David Shearer is the leader who will make victory possible next year. More time and eloquence is all he needs. I just know.
I congratulate you. Your wall of sarcasm is impenetrable. You haven’t let it slip in ages.
Christ Santi!!! it’s almost like the hero worship is getting to sugar-daddy level
Skanky is a broken record – can see him/her guffawing his/her tits off every time the same masterSTROKE is delivered – “I just LOVE David Shearer ” – (thinks……) “Ha……fucked them up again…….my cunning plan is working !”
Yawn yawn Skanky.
He even remembered the prince on the lawn with a buzzy bee but cant for the life of himself recall if he was pro or anti springbok tour…
I just wondered how a child of his background became so royalist
It’s the basic authoritarianism in him. Authoritarians look up to people with titles such as King and Queen. I read an article many years ago about how surprisingly much USians were in awe of the British royal family – this was especially noted in richer families. The richer families were even going out and buying British titles.
+1. He’d better hope he gets that knighthood before there’s a change in government.
The sickening rush of fawning over this birth of one who will spend a life of luxury paid for off of the backs of the working people of Britain has my TV on the endangered species list,
At the least there should be ‘naming rights’ given to the people who will pay for this ones life long idyll of excess by dint of the luck of being born into that particular family,
For the Princely(spit) little fella i pick the name Sponge, arise Sir Sponge to take your un-earned place of wealth and fame paid for off of the backs of British labor…
You may find this interesting
The True Cost of the Royal Family Explained:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhyYgnhhKFw
So what???, does the average unemployed Brit get 40 million pound a year, free world travel and various other perks,
Shove the whole bludging lot of them into some flats in the tower blocks of an English housing estate and pay them all the dole,
The Soprano’s of great Britain living off of the proceeds of the families previous crimes is as kind as what i can get…
Sorry, but if you had the people of the UK vote on your proposal, it would be defeated 3:1.
Dont follow the royals at all, dont care either way, but arent the two boys in the military.
There better be more to this story Brett. Come on, don’t leave us hanging.
I mean they’re not just hanging around the palace, eating big chicken wings, cutting their wifes heads off, like the old days.
Arent they actually working, like I said I dont follow the royals much.
But i wouldnt like to be one, to have no privacy etc etc.
So do you reckon everyone who manages to not cut their spouse’s head off should be getting 40 million a year on the dole?
Or everyone who serves a few years in the air force gets a palace?
I can’t see that working out.
on the dole?
If the Royals charged the State for everything they earned the State they would get three times as much ‘support” as they do now.
Royalty is a massive industry.
lols. If they’re such a profit centre then privatise them.
The state has no reason to be in the royalty business.
They do pretty well on their own by this account:
http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/entertainment-articles/royal-family-uk-taxpayers/
Right on Felix. Fucking Jews, eh?
(I presume thats what you were referring to when you said John Key doesn’t belong here. I can’t think of any other reason)
Primitive Primate Bullying again John Key is an atheist by his own admission!
Felix is saying is Key got his hand up from our welfare state (which is a reflection of kiwis caring and sharing team playing egalitarian society)!
Now after taking all the advantages of our society he is in charge of helping destroy our heritage!
Hitlers mother was a jew as well as Austrian!
KK I should get the Iron cross for my services to irony
Why do you presume that and why would you even be thinking it?
I love it when bigots out themselves by assuming everyone thinks they way they do.
Why does KK think it makes sense to say someone doesn’t belong here if they’re Jewish?
Is Key actually Jewish? Does it matter? Does anyone (apart from n@zis) care if he is?
What a strange thing for a monkey to be concerned with.
I don’t like Key’s politics either but I don’t know what you meant by your comment about him not belonging here ?
Perhaps you should clarify to calm the baboon down.
I’m not responsible for the emotions of baboons.
As for not belonging, I mean he doesn’t appear to share the values usually credited to the NZ way of life (broad though they may be.)
He left this country as soon as he could, and only came back to live in a walled palace. He leaves whenever he has the chance and spends as much time overseas as he can in the places he feels at more at home.
When he is here – and this is the important bit – he spends his time trying to transform NZ into a place more like those places he has chosen to spend most of his life.
He continually negotiates away our independence and sovereignty in favour of the interests of foreign and international capital.
He is not on our side of anything. His needs are not our needs. His problems are not our problems. His goals are not our goals.
That’s what I mean. Alternately I could have just meant he’s a Jew.
See, there you go. It may have taken 24 hours but you thought of something in the end.
🙄 It wasn’t me who leapt to the conclusion that Jews don’t belong in NZ you horrible bigot.
I was never in any doubt about what I said, and I’m still in no doubt that you won’t understand it.
KK I’m not surprised you can’t think of any other reason. You stopped at the reason that makes sense to you.
It’s not one that even crossed my mind.
From your original bile spit, one could only assume that the reason that you thought the Royals didn’t belong here was because they are British thus it was a natural inference to believe that your objection to John Key being here was race based as well.
Being Jewish isn’t a racial characteristic. Silly Monkey.
“From your original bile spit, one could only assume that the reason that you thought the Royals didn’t belong here was because they are British”
If you were a complete thickie – which seems to be the case – that might well be the only reason you could come up with.
“thus it was a natural inference to believe that your objection to John Key being here was race based as well.
Yes, that piece of idiocy follows perfectly from your first piece of idiocy. Doesn’t make it true though.
Have an apple.
I notice you still haven’t mentioned what it was you were basing your eviction order on yet.
Just saying.
Did you belong in New York, monkeyboy? No. Because you trashed the place. Even if you’d been born in the NYC zoo, you’d still have trashed the place. You obviously didn’t belong there.
Is it because I is black?
Not according to the demographic data of NYC.
Well if we are going to start making lists of reprobates who should be kicked out of the country based on poor behaviour, let me fetch my pen.
Your pen is in Australia
[quick, someone cancel all return flights!]
“I notice you still haven’t mentioned what it was you were basing your eviction order on yet.
Just saying.”
Ah, I love it. “I didn’t understand anything you said so I assumed you were thinking like me (a racist idiot) and worked backward from there.”
Fucking moron.
Still nothing, eh
Nothing you seem to be able to grasp, no.
Have some grapes.
Number 2 we still need a good cover as to why John Key doesn’t belong here.
Once we’ve got him out of the way we can start part 3 of the plan.
KonKing @ 5.5.3.1 – specious, criminally specious. You thick or something ?
Thick as ape shit.
why not?
You are beginning to sound like the sewer did in ’06-’08 re Clark
Key doesn’t want to be King. That would mean it would have to retire in this backwater hick country.
Did anyone else see the tweet alleging that Fairfax had banned its reporters from writing about Professor Wade’s visit to NZ?
http://fearfactsexposed.wordpress.com/2013/07/21/fairfax-bans-reporters-from-covering-inequality/
I googled stuff.co.nz just now (I admit that is not a very scientific analysis of the veracity of the claim) and just found the reporting on English and the finger pointing.
I Emailed the Editor about it And he said it was Untrue. So I did comment that I then expected to see an honest critique of Professor Wades Lectures/Speeches. And to that, there was no reply, and I haven’t seen anything anywhere else either, maybe I’m not looking in the right places.
I hear you. I guess there’s just so many more inter sting things to report on…
Good on you David H. Though I’m not surprised you didn’t hear back from the stuffed editor, and your second point. They come across as quite arrogant if challenged or questioned about their ‘work’. Thanks for the tip about the non destructive brick!
Hi Rosie. My Pleasure, if you cant get a brick I do know they make a Hammer with the sound effects, My son gets annoyed when I pinch it to hit the TV with, but he’s learning that when ever Key is on TV, bang there goes his little Hammer.
Have just had a read of the Mana Party Housing Policy being put forward by John Minto, it ticks all the boxes with policy to drive out of the housing market all the Speculators/Investors which is where fully 50% of present ‘demand’ in the Auckland housing market lies,
Along with such moves which would guarantee a large reduction on the demand side of ‘the market’ Mana is also proposing ‘fixing’ the amount of rent that can be charged on any particular dwelling,along with having the building of 20,000 Council owned rental units well under way in the first term of a Mana Mayoralty,
As far as a comprehensive housing policy goes,(there’s a lot more of it than i have mentioned above), this so far from all political party’s on a national level would be the most comprehensive and ensure affordable rental accommodation for all those unable to ever afford home ownership,
i hope the Mana candidate John Minto does well in the Auckland Mayoralty contest, although i would have to stretch my imagination by an extreme extent,(unfortunately), to suggest that He could triumph in this contest,
Mana tho has recently broached the 1% party vote to figure in the Roy Morgan Poll and i am now re-considering where my party vote will go in 2014 as 1.2% of the party vote may be all that Mana need to gain another MP via their party list…
Minto will be lucky to get 500 votes. He has no hope at all. None whatsoever.
I’m afraid your vote will be wasted.
i am afraid that as usual you don’t have a clue what your talking about, have i suggested anywhere that i will be voting in the Auckland Mayoral elections,
i would have to be really ‘spethul’ should i be allowed to do such as you obviously havn’t noticed that i reside in Wellington,
i would pick John Minto gaining 2-3000 votes in the Auckland Mayoral election and a lot of extra publicity for the Mana Party simply by dint of having stood in that particular contest,
The Mana Party’s share of the party vote after the recent by election in Parekura’s old stomping ground has risen to 1% and the Auckland Mayoral election will raise their profile further, thus a strong campaign by John Minto may just be the impetus at the 2014 election to push Mana over 1.2% of the party vote and allow Minto to enter the Parliament on the Mana Party list…
I was referring to your vote in the next general election. Minto is a no-show with little chance.
That’s democracy: go ahead and waste your vote. New Zealand will thank you.
Nice ‘slither’ sideways, i wont bother making any accusation that your a liar, support of Slippery the current Prime Minister tho is tantamount to an admission…
Santi you are a great motivator of the left.Minto is a firebrand personality at least he bring issues to the fore while he may not get many votes other candidates will benefit from his activism!
“Minto is a firebrand personality”.
Really? Who said satire and sarcasm were dead in New Zealand?
maybe it was Dr Bertram lol what do your memories tell you?
um, by your “logic” anyone who doesn’t vote for the “winning team” has wasted their vote? Do you really see the future of our country as a game to be won and lost. Your na-na-na-na-na attitude is scarey.
Skanky @ 7.1……..you want a sizeable wager on that 500 votes thing you just tossed out re Minto…….let me see, $3K ? Even money ?
No you say ? Oh OK then. That was just a figure of speech to convey you don’t fancy Minto’s chances ?
Right you are ! Entirely permissible !
A valid device which just by happenchance has saved you performing and me reading the perennial troll wank – “Fuck……I just LOVE David Shearer !
[lprent: I got tired of that meme. ]
So in other words we can just wait with baited breath for the attacks to start, similar to the attacks on the Greens, and Labour.
A good point, here in the Otaki electorate there is a dearth of votable stock I have absolutely no clue who even sat here in 08, I just ticked the usual red boxes. Well not this time, Maybe a mp vote Legalise Cannabis, and Party vote Mana. I do like what they are saying on a wide range of things.
i am picking the 2014 election to be as ‘tight’ as 2011, it may well come down to 1 or 2 MP’s and i also pick the Maori Party not to be present in the next Parliament,
My heart says i should stick with the Green Party, BUT, my head says that if Mana can maintain it’s 1% of polling in the Roy Morgan into 2014 AND the Green Party holds it’s present level of support then a vote for Mana is DEFINTELY NOT wasted,
It will only take 1.2% of support for Mana to gain a list MP off of the back of Hone Harawira holding onto Te Tai Tokerau AND, i pick Te Ururoa Flavell’s Waiariki seat to be 50/50 between Labour and the Mana Party,
To me the numbers say there is a good chance of having in the next Parliament a 3 seat bloc of Mana Party MP’s and a ‘strategic’ party vote or two for that party could be the difference in who forms the next Government…
Good stuff bad.
I think Mana are poised well at this stage of the cycle. The key will be to overcome the innate fear that some have that it is a narrow focus party and sadly I think that fear comes from people’s personal prejudice and distrust (because they believe the memes, think they know the history of this country and have bought into the othering of Māori). I’m hopeful that that will be overcome for many because the truth is that poverty and deprivation can, and do, affect anyone regardless of their supposed ‘colour’. Equality, leadership and principles are what we need and those qualities are human qualities not based upon ethnicity.
Aha, i am not sure of the strength of Mana in Wellington, among young Maori i know that the Maori Party ‘sellout’ has retarded their political development,
i will, this afternoon after i have done my stint in the garden have a look online with a view to offering Mana a bit of on the ground support going into 2014…
You might be right about the support level of Mana, but could you see Shearer forming a working relationship with Mana? I can’t. He’d rather coalesce with National. In fact I can see that coming quite easily if there is no other majority (one that doesn’t include Mana).
Ahh, its been a long time since we had a Grand Coalition ruling the nation. No more need for elections after that.
Well, while CV’s winning an emmy for melodrama, anyone recall reading about forbes & coates?
Opened the way for Labour in the first place.
If you think labour could “coalesce with national”, they’ve a much bigger identity issue than shearer. And I don’t just mean a couple of other mps in caucus.
There are plenty of people in Mana that would be totally opposed to their party doing any sort of a deal with the right wing Labour Party under any circumstances simply because there is no reason to suppose a Labour government would be an improvement on the present lot.
Unless you count having a nicer flavour of rhetoric and murmuring sweet nothings to the people at the bottom as they put the boot into them as being an improvement.
Thats unless they are different to every Labour govt since 1984 of course.
Augustus, i will assume you are a National Party voter,(Lolz if so i expect your next comment to be along the lines of a ‘wasted vote’),
Mana has and does support Labour in it’s voting pattern in the House, until today when i read the Mana Party housing policy i had yet to see Mana proposing anything much that was not Labour policy until 1984 and is Green party policy at present,
Mana have no time as far as i can ascertain for grandiose neo-housing schemes that target pathways for the children of today’s middle class to climb upon the ‘property ladder’ thus becoming tomorrow part of what has caused the housing un-affordability of today,
Mana appear to favor the housing solution that stood our parents in good stead and provided affordable housing to a generation of kiwi-kids,(including Slippery the Prime minister), HousingNZ rentals rented to tenants on the basis of the most Need and not the most Greed,
These are the 3 policy areas i would expect a strengthened Mana party to base it’s negotiations with Labour upon after the 2014 election,
(1), 5000 new state houses a year for every year of coalition with Labour,
(2), The ‘living wage’ to be achieved in the first term of such a coalition, and, a rise in that living wage to be negotiated every year after that,
(3), the children of beneficiaries to be included in the working for families tax scheme and/or a comprehensive food in schools program,
That’s hardly an over the top wish list, to me it’s simply practical workable socialism which as it’s grown into being middle class along with it’s voter base Labour seems to have forgotten,
LOLZ, the Labour Party in coalition with National, your wet dream is it???…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8956951/Fight-to-bring-premature-baby-Lily-home
Short explaination is that a baby was born premmy (just 27 weeks!) in China.
– her parents are not allowed to visit more than once a day
– parents pay for all her needs (I assume that means doctors as well…Dr’s in China are cheaper, but they are not free!)
– they don’t speak Chinese so I imagine this is very distressing
– they are asking for donations to get her flown home.
– baby is a girl. Will this mean she is given lower priority? I don’t know.
Can you help? My heart really goes out to them.
Worse than that, it will take the NZ embassy 2 months (!) to process the documentation for this NZ Citizen to be allowed into NZ. There is no reason for this, bring her back, get her treated here where the family is and sort out the details later.
oh, we have far more important things on our minds, like what to call a baby in a country half a world away…
How to FIX NEW ZEALAND
Remove GST number 1
Gert rid of resource Management Act and all by laws by lunch time.
Remove Building permit by requirement
Sell Off all Government SOES
Sell all Road, Land owned by Govt
Volunteer Tax System to pay for a basic Volunteer Welfare System
Write Constitution
Allow any Currency by LAw ( Recommend Aussie Dollar as Default)
Allow any and all immigration except Violent Criminal offenders
Army / Police/ paid by basic Goverment Fees,
Allow for civilians to form Private Government from their own Collective and organise their own tax’s and international agreements and treaties.
fify
Colonial Viper. Well I do believe it would all Help New Zealand my self
alas that is what I would want for the country.
But it seems majority does not so I have the beautiful freedom to move to Beautiful America.
“Gert rid of …all by laws by lunch time. ”
cool – so you happy if i come round, steal all your stuff and then maybe a bit of casual murder?
didnt think that particular bullshit session through very much did you
your (ahem) “fix” is so full of holes that its actually pathetic
The freedom of the plutocrats. 49 million on food stamps and rising
when you say “beautiful”, you must be talking about some gated compound in San Diego with private armed security guards
good luck to you
1 out of every 100 adult Americans will sleep in prison tonight (and every night).
Anthony Bloomfield, are you white and rich?
LOLZ, bring on the doctor in charge, the ‘fix’ in the states pyschiatric institution obviously didn’t ‘stick’ for this particular individual,
It’s above comment makes me wonder if i havn’t been viewing the efficacy of electric shock therapy all these years from an errant perspective,
It would be entirely inappropriate for me to suggest that ‘it’ be given a couple of nails and directed to the nearest wall socket…
Its only as mental as the wank fest autonomous collective that you chaps espouse
[lprent: Yes we do pride ourselves on being independent. I am glad that you understand that at least.
But we know that slavish little mouthpieces for the great coalition of the stupid like yourself would view autonomy as being something to denigrate.
In other words you would have been particularly moronic today. However your cellphone or tablet is more intelligent than the monkey trying to “run” it. ]
Your abuse is undeserving of any reply other than to point out that your next ‘banning’ is long overdue,
Keep it up to make it happen and make us all just that little bit more happy…
All excellent suggestions. Motion passed.
fify
lol
Hey, Santi, nice to see you back again.
Since you have been telling us what a great leader Shearer is to lead Labour to victory, I want to make my recommendations for National.
Gerry Brownlee is the ideal replacement when Key retires. To smash Labour’s grip on so many Maori voters and get lots of women’s votes, put Hekia Parata as deputy. If not Hekia, try Anne Tolley. Anne is fantastic! I guarantee you she will be a great vote getter.
What a packet of assorted nuts you have produced there Mr Blomfield. You do have some voting options though. Maybe the Libertarian Party if they’re still around, ACT comes to mind. On the other hand if you want to see GST gone, as I do, you can always vote Mana, but somehow I don’t think it will be your style.
http://mana.net.nz/policy/
Hey thanks Rosie.
I was a member of Act for a while, Friends are Libertarian.
Sure was a glimmer of hope there when Don Brash was in.
But um nah – I feel voting is just supporting the system.
So sweet asse have fun- burgers
Truth Is Corporates will rule the world real soon but you guys will think it was on ‘Your Terms”
Not really a even playing field.
Truth is corporate’s DO rule the world Anthony and it is purely on their terms alone and no one elses. We’re already there.
Corporates won’t rule the world, most corporates are dying on the vine. Sears, International Harvester. As the population is impoverished so are all real businesses.
So you’re an authoritarian fascist. Figures.
Jam is good on Toast Colonial .
It does not say much about your sanity, Rosie.
What woman in control of her own faculties would ever vote Mana, the party of the hopeless loser, the violent Harawhira? No way, Jose.
Lol you panties. Where did you see me say I was voting Mana? It was my suggestion to the commenter above seeing as he wants to see GST abolished, but as I suspected it wasn’t his style.
I’m a Green voter but I like Mana too, so who knows, by next year I might even end up voting for them. Anything can happen.
And my faculties are doing just fine thanks. Not sure about yours though, thinking that Shearer is safe (at 11.1)
Not only safe, but without doubt the Labour leader at the next election, who will lead to victory. The Labour Caucus will see to it.
As per the Greens, their radical influence has damaged David S. Norman was too close, but wait over the coming weeks for the efforts to distance Labour from the Green Party. It will pay off.
[lprent: Yes we all know after weeks of it that one of the nuttiest of the RWNJ’s is purportedly David Shearers biggest supporter on this site, and that you have the ability to repeat yourself endlessly like a small child. However I’m bored with this trolling now – it has long since degenerated into astroturfing.
If I see you even hint at it again then you won’t be commenting here until AFTER the election. Now I realise this will cramp your style a bit because you will now have to think and even imagine on every comment how I could possibly construe it as a RWNJ supporting David Shearer because they want another government of the right. But that was why I let this go on for so long. It is going to be amusing seeing how good your atrophied imagination can regenerate… 😈 ]
What a purposeless existence there is to be spent indulging cynicism and snide bad faith. Sad but true.
Oh the irony.
A better option (just as a start) would be to repeal every piece of legislation since October 2008. Then begin from there.
Oh – hang on …. ONE News – YOUR news has just started. I’ll get back to you. I need a laugh
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10902041
On the way to recovery since changes were needed. The next polls will reflect the impact of the new team behind the Labour leader David Shearer.
Danyl is smart:
http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2013/07/24/more-noise/
“Labour are losing votes to National, and they’ve lost them during the period of time in which the GCSB bill was introduced and the Sky-City deal signed off. They should be winning, not losing. Shearer has responded by replacing his Chief of Staff with Fran Mold, his former press secretary, and Labour’s MPs are leaking to the gallery that his leadership is under threat if he doesn’t reverse this downward trend.”
An incomplete analysis.
David S.’s staff change will reverse the trend and lead to shore up his position. He is safe.
Reply Santi
He might feel safe , except that a lot of New Zealanders won’t vote for him , no matter what his support staff….(See Chris Trotter on Shearer’s massive PR and media campaign build up…way more than Cunliffe’s and way more than any other Labour MPs….makes you suspicious.)
It is not that Shearer lacks support…..It is that he is not up to inspiring the ordinary NZ voter to vote for him….
The only Labour leader who can face Key in the ring and beat him is David Cunliffe…..
The rank and file Labour members should rise up and demand a real democratic grassroots vote on the leadership of the Labour Party. It is their party …not David Shearer’s..
(.And the Labour Party does not belong to any of the other Rogernom failures, plotters or ‘boy’s club’ contender, wanna bes…
Key says it’s not a matter of a U-Turn of convenience, courting Peters, but a matter of principle – because, according to Mr Slippery, Kiwis don’t want a Labour-Green government.
Meanwhile Peters is playing hard to get.
What’s so sad is not that Key is behaving entirely in character (principles? ha!) but that so many people believed him before … and will now perform gymnastics to justify his lies now.
Got to go, got a million quotes to dig up from the last 5 years …
So key is all over the news. Being spoonfed by P. . rick Gower. In the street looking like a …….world leader….not! Telling NZ what he thinks they should be thinking. One thing about it, he’s certainly getting uglier. And Shearer gets a to speak for about 5 seconds. We all know that who is in the news the most, especially always in a positive light is the one getting the most traction in peoples minds. It happened in the last election and will happen again in the next election unless Labour can get decent honest coverage. I don’t necessarily think that Cunliffe is the answer. It’s bad enough key shouting and screaming in Parliament without Labour lowering themselves to keys level.
I read that the Maori translation for John is Hone. So that would be HoneKey
so 24 million for the novapay debacle and 38 million for that strange boat race….hmmm what could this country do with 62 million?????? oh yes then we have that money spent on private schools especially special ed funding so that rich kids get help with their exams that others don’t….feeling incrediably pissed off @#$%^^&&
TV3 @9:30pm tonight:
Helen Clark – Road to Power (Part One).
Note: It takes a privately owned TV station to produce a documentary about one of our most famous NZers (and former PM) while the state sponsored station ignores her completely in favour of dumbed down crap and mock current affairs programmes fronted by ego-stroking Nat. Party biased half-wits.
Something about living within ones means nothing about it applying to all nzers lenore
I will be watching something called Devious Maids on TV2 at 9:30 tonight. I encourage you all to do likewise.
I will be watching something called Devious Maids on TV2 at 9:30 tonight. I encourage you all to do likewise.
Must…force….history……down….memoryhole
Hagiography.
Must…eliminate….all….doubleplusbad…perspectives
I know what Key does when hes quietly pissed , he gets a rubberband and sees how far he can stretch it and when he gets sober he’ll lie that he was doing something else
To win the next election Labour will have to stick the boot into national everyday because that is what it will take to get rid of 5yrs of fascism which is what this national govt is
Dick.
+6″
KK always reverting to primitive instincts!
civilized behavior has passed a Neanderthal like completely by!
Given your size King Kong that makes you the worlds biggest Dick!
I keep hearing, from both Labour and National, that imported workers don’t take away work from NZers but in Christchurch:
That’s exactly the purpose of the imported workers. Apparently, having to pay NZ workers enough to cover their costs is too much.
Better to pay NZ workers and keep the money going round within the system, ‘trickling down’ or expanding the multiplier effect in the country, than to pay imported workers and have money draining out of NZ.