The “resolute and courageous” Sir Wilson Whineray
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Watched an obituary item on “Sir” Wilson Whineray on TV1’s Te Karere this morning. They mentioned that the racially selected All Black team team he led to apartheid South Africa in 1960 was disparagingly called “Whineray’s Whites”. Against archival footage of massive anti-tour marches (“No Maoris No Tour”), Māori football historian Malcolm Mulholland claimed that “the decision was out of his hands” and that the people who should bear the blame for the farcical situation were “the administrators”.
Mulholland’s implication, clearly, was that Whineray, a thoroughly decent man who found himself leading a racially selected team to play according to the dictates of an apartheid regime, was actually far better than that, and would no doubt have been opposed to the tour—-but “the decision was out of his hands”.
Well, let’s fast-forward a couple of generations. Whineray, now impressively titled “Sir” Wilson Whineray, after retiring from football in 1965, has carved out a distinguished business career, most notably with the forest products conglomerate Carter Holt Harvey, where he was deputy managing director and then, for ten years, chairman. It’s 2003, and Sir Wilson is retiring from Carter Holt Harvey. He’s being interviewed by TV3’s John Campbell, who mentions that Carter Holt Harvey had continued to trade with Chile, in defiance of a worldwide trade union ban on trade with Pinochet’s U.S.-backed terror regime.
Whineray did not miss a beat. “To continue to trade in such a situation,” he intoned slowly and carefully, “took considerable resolution and courage. We just did what we thought was the right thing.”
There you have it: Sir Wilson Whineray, powerful administrator of a powerful international conglomerate, thinks he was resolute and courageous to defy human rights protests and trade bans and trade with a fascist regime. So much for Malcolm Mulholland’s theory about Whineray’s innate decency being over-ruled by “the administrators”.
Oh, and what was John Campbell’s reaction, you ask. Campbell nodded his head, gravely, respectfully, thoughtfully, clearly overawed by the mana of the great man.
Sir Wilson ticks all the boxes really for this rugby hating leftie–conservative, tory, supporter of apartheid and Pinochet and not beloved of some NZ unionists either at CHH.
The main argument I have with rugby is the reactionary cultural streak it has represented since colonisation. The hard man, keep playing with a broken arm or ball sack ripped open. Women bring a plate, no poofters please. Whaddarya! This style still exists in Northland for sure.
Yet Morrisey, any critics of Sir Wilson will most likely be wasting their time as the media and the sporting orthodoxy have decided this guy deserves Ed Hillary treatment which he does not.
Tiger Mountain…….yes, the style you refer to does exist in Northland (my pseudonym might tell you something) but the truth and unashamedly being whom one is are mighty insurance and weapons if needs be.
I have repeated personal experience, coast to coast north of Hikurangi – not so sure about Whangas wannabee Aux, of the caricature you invoke and man, people ain’t hard to turn around. Even the seeming gorillas.
God Bless you and your brothers.
It is very sad that a brother who has served a very long time here is still being hounded by the media and those who want another pound of flesh (we have met),
yet,
his colla egue has not been adjacent to him since departing
Rod Oram has some interesting comments on Tiwai Point in the latest SST but I cannot find it online …
Interesting snippets were as follows:
“The Tiwai Point aluminium smelter has no future. We can deal with its demise in an orderly and economically positive way over the next few years; or chaotically and damagingly later.
It shares its fate with scores of other old smelters around the world. They were built 30-40 years ago to exploit very cheap electricity in remote places. But big changes in technology, electricity markets and the aluminium industry in the last decade have killed their economic lives.
…
[China] … has … become the technology leader in smelting. One New Zealand industry expert reckons the best Chinese plant is at least twice as energy efficient as Tiwai Point, and enjoys cheaper electricity.
…
At around US$2,000 a tonne currently, [Aluminium’s] price has changed little since 1980. It is by far the worst-performing mined commodity. In contrast over the same period the price of copper price has trebled and iron ore has increased eight fold, according to the IMF.
…
Rio Tinto, which owns 79% of the Tiwai Point smelter, is a big loser thanks to an astonishingly bad deal it did in 2007. It lost its head in a bidding war for Alcan, the Canadian-based smelter, paying US$38bn, a 65% premium over the market price. Financed almost entirely by debt, it was the biggest takeover ever in the mining sector and the burden has dragged it down ever since. The assets are performing so poorly, some 80% of Rio’s profits come instead from iron ore.
…
Tiwai Point, one of the assets for sale, was once a jewel of its kind, exploiting since 1971 very cheap, captive electricity. The government of the day built the Manapouri hydro scheme to supply the smelter, which has only ever paid a fraction of the price for electricity that other industrial users have.
But Rio says it must have even cheaper electricity to restore Tiwai’s viability. …
…
There is … a very good case that the electricity [freed by Tiwai’s closure] would create greater economic benefit if it were available to all users across the country. Manapouri, which has by far the most reliable water storage of all our hydro schemes, generates just the sort of electricity we need: renewable, base-load.
…
So, it’s time for Rio and Meridian, Southland and New Zealand to face up to the harsh reality of Tiwai Point. The plant is no longer economically viable and, at a mere 0.8% of world aluminium output, it is irrelevant to the global industry. Subsidising it further would be a very serious economic mistake.”
The unasked question is would you buy shares in a power company where there was likely to be a 15% glut of power on the market in the next couple of years?
No he thought the Chinese were far too efficient. Rio Tinto have upgraded a couple of plants but have not upgraded Tiwai. It seems they are either hoping for really, really, really cheap energy or they are going to bail.
Ouch oh the pain of a fact based logical argument up against the NACT flog it, drill it, mine it, charter it, privatise it ethos.
Rio and BHP Billiton have made some horrendous stuff ups, all rolled under the carpet of Iron/Gold etc covering up executive incompetance, much like Fletcher, telecom etc etc, the bigger they are …..
She would have to resign today, if Labour had taken my advice (but they didn’t, because they’re useless).
Last week Bennett said of the WINZ fiasco … It ain’t gonna happen twice. (Radio Live interview). I pointed out that Labour MPs simply had to ask her in Parliament if she stood by that. Quietly get it on the record. For the next time.
Instead, they shouted a lot. What fun for them! … and how pointless for us.
Now it’s the next time – as predicted. And Jacinda Adern has another question for Bennett in Parliament today. Expect more shouting. No answers. And no resignation.
On Monday Fairfax Media reported the personal identification numbers (Pins) for the payment cards being rolled out to 2600 young beneficiaries were the last four digits of the card numbers.
A signature was also required but security experts said that was no longer considered sufficient safeguard.
Bennett has asked for a full briefing from MSD this week.
”But to be honest, they’re as secure as a credit card really.”
A lot of people still verified their credit card with a signature and, while it was not the most modern practice, MSD did not have concerns about security, she said.
The pin was used to open the account but identity was verified by signature.
MSD was ”quite sure” that was safe. She did not believe it raised concerns about ongoing security issues within MSD.
Right. So if I lose my credit card, I can report it lost/stolen 24 hours a day, and I am not liable for any of the money stolen using it. Is Bennett going to guarantee that any if an 18 yr old loses their WINZ card on the weekend, someone spends an hour practicing the signature and then uses up the remaining credit at the local supermarket, that the beneficiary is going to be reimbursed that money?
“A lot of people still verified their credit card with a signature and, while it was not the most modern practice, MSD did not have concerns about security, she said.”
Yep WINZ are real experts on security.
“The pin was used to open the account but identity was verified by signature.
MSD was ”quite sure” that was safe. She did not believe it raised concerns about ongoing security issues within MSD.”
I reckon that most members of this cabinet could be caught by a 6pm news crew live on air with their dick in a sheep and they’d still not resign or even be sacked.
Which makes me wonder what Richard Worth actually did.
If Bennett gets kicked or resigns it’s possible that this government would collapse as she would most likely be replaced by Sepuloni so neither is likely to happen.
A great article here regarding the doublespeak term of “freedom” that seems so effective in getting people to vote in the rope that will hang them and cheer while doing so.
The neoliberal battle cry of “liberty” and “freedom” through “personal responsibility” sounds wonderful on the surface, but we have to ask ourselves as individuals and as a collective nation, what are the costs of this alleged “liberty” and “freedom”?
There was a great comment from a plant after the 7/7 bombings in London. A A stall holder at a market ( who other stall holders said they had never seen) was interviewed saying she would happily give up her liberty for freedom.
Yeah when “freedom” is mentioned I always ask myself freedom from what? Sadly the answer usually falls into the category of “freedom from considering the effects of one’s actions on anyone else.” 🙁
I wonder why Winston would ask this question unless he knows something that could be embarrassing to the PM?
Q7: “Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: When did he first learn of a German resident living in the Chrisco mansion in the Prime Minister’s electorate?”
…and another chocolate fish placed on the bets that Mr Key will be allowed a few minutes for relaying fallacious put-downs of one or more opposition parties/members after having let us all know he can’t remember.
Haven’t got time right now to check/find link, but IIRC at the beginning of Key’s video interview on 24 January re Dotcom (when he later went on to talk at length about DC’s resident status) Key talked about having heard “about a German resident living in the Crisco mansion”. So think Peters’ wording is taken straight from that interview. So this could be interesting in QTime.
The video of the 24 Jan interview has been put up on TS several times – think is was included in a Herald article on 24 Jan.
And my memory was correct – Key’s response to the first question talks about him being “aware of a German resident living in the house”.
The fact that Key referred to a “German resident” stuck out for me as being rather odd – ie if the person was living here in NZ, why call him a German resident? Also the way Key lights up when he mentions having been to/or seen the Crisco mansion (pre Dotcom) made me wonder whether he had “aspirations” in respect of the property. Bit beyond his means, though. It has crossed my mind several times that Key could be jealous of Dotcom’s much bigger fortune of over $1 billion by the time DC was 38 years old – vs Key’s worth of c $50 Million.
Amusing! However your article requires a correction methinks. I believe the quiz master, Mr Lockwood Smith would give Mr Key a top score after having answered the questions in such a manner.
Well done that man Sprout! John Key seems to be a long way ahead of Helen for whom a painting and being in a passenger car was the worst that could be ranged against her. So 10/10 for Key in the the Mis-speak race.
Put it this way, the Greeks are calling up their nationals from abroad to serve. I know a guy who recently got called back to Greece from London – It was not optional, he is going, I’m unsure what is service status was.
Can’t be good, but yet Europe gets little to no coverage here
Thank goodness for an independent judiciary: when the police break the law, the case gets thrown out.
And the judge didn’t hold back criticising the police use of a false search warrant and “fake” prosecution. Judges get pissy when you take the courts for a ride.
Lockwood ties himself up in knots on “hypocrisy” versus “hypocrite”. Farcical.
Winston and Robertson turn the screws on Key (Dotcom and Banks respectively). Bennett escapes again. Norman annoys Key (as usual), Shearer doesn’t (as usual).
Unfortunately today was the last real chance for the opposition in Parliament. Coming up: recess, Hobbits, Christmas and the summer memory hole.
Too many opportunities have been wasted. Too many MPs can’t think on their feet, can’t work as a team (e.g. Peters attacks Key on Dotcom, no back-up from Labour), and generally under-perform. It took 20 minutes for an MP (Robertson) to use the “hypocrisy” line that Lockwood had fed them.
New Year’s resolution for the Opposition, especially Labour – do much better.
Lament for a Single Part Question
(sung to Three Little Boys)
Two little boys had one little toy
Each had a wink to use
Slyly they played each sitting day
Warriors both of course
One little chap then had a mishap
absentia of the head
American toy then cried with joy
As his quizmaster said
Across the House they should be crying
but they seem more concerned with the few
Climb up here, we’ll soon be flying
Back to the ranks so blue
Can you feel John I’m all a tremble, perhaps it’s the lack of noise
But I think its they haven’t noticed I mentioned three little words
Very soon we’ll both be leaving
And our history will just be noise
before then will they remember
To use use those three little words
Dunnokeyo had a moment of self-confession when he referred to himself in the third person in reply to Winston today:
“the member makes up lots of things as he goes along”
* * * **
Rt Hon Winston Peters: … If and when it is proven that the Prime Minister’s knowledge of Kim Dotcom was far earlier than he has said, will he step down from his role as Prime Minister; if not, why not?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No, and the reason is that—
Rt Hon Winston Peters: Why not?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Well, because the member makes up lots of things as he goes along.
“Well, because the member makes up lots of things as he goes along”
Yes I thought this was a remarkable moment of lucidity from Mr Key.
Also found Mr Foss’s statement very dubious:
“Hon CRAIG FOSS: It is such a good and large number—$1 billion will be spent by this Government in Christchurch on schools over the next 10 years.”
How can “this government” spend money over 10 years when “this Government” can only ever last for 3 years? It appears that DunnoKeyO & co not only continue to place all blame for all wrongs on previous Governments; now they are starting to take credit for money that is going to be spent by future governments too.
Maybe wishful thinking but I suspect that Winston does have something in hand and as he has done before he likes to get repeated statements from the PM on record. At the least it might cause a little niggle in the sleep patterns of John Key.
“I wonder what Winston actually knows? Nah. Couldn’t be – could it?”
I would be very surprised if Winston doesn’t have something up his sleeve and he’ll milk it for all it’s worth.
Remember the “great ferry bottom grounding incident” when he spent months harrying the then Minister of Transport (Richard Prebble from memory) about one of the inter islander ferries touching bottom ” going aground” in the Tory channel and Prebble couldn’t prove otherwise..
Long after the noise died down I believe the ferry went in for it’s dry dock and “lo and behold there was a large dint in the bottom.” Better than the movies….
Same with the winebox, he kept at it until it blew.
He’s good at it and because of this people leak to Winston. He doesn’t shove it under the carpet.
Don’t bother McFlock…its a waste of your time.
Its about an arrogant school principle who subscribes to the belief of disentitlement and doesn’t care about hungry children. Unsurprisingly, whale blubber holds him/her up as some sort of ethical guiding light.
You know the old mantra…we are here to teach not feed, its the parents responsibility, I’m a selfish & crappy school principle…blah, blah, blah.
Its interesting to hear an opinion from the education sector (a principle no less) that goes against the general feeling of that profession.
Listening to the media or reading these blogs would have you believe that 100% of the education profession is totally on song with the same message (basically the message is National bad)
He’s probably got a better grasp of the situation then anyone here so he should be listened to
The sad fact is that it trips a couple of major wires that raise doubt as to whether I should waste my time even reading it:
1: the greasy cetacean is plugging it. More often than not that site is not so much “opinion” than “slanted, distorted and factually fucked up propaganda”.
2: a professional who “goes against the feeling” of their profession might be a great person with a valid idea, or might just be a kook or shill. Infomercials are full of them. This takes time and more importantly concentration to determine. And sometimes a degree or two in the area. Do I really care that much in order about whether teachers are entitled to sulk about feeding hungry kids?
With both of those lines tripped, I don’t care to waste my time, expose myself to the bile on that site, or indeed put my computer at risk of lso cookies.
Here you go McFlock, saves you visiting the site yourself.
I am genuinely interested in your thoughts on this, as this letter IMO is almost direct dividing line between the left and the right in NZ on a number of issues, those who agree with this principal (real or not) being right leaning, and those that disagree being left leaning.
Hi Cam
Thought you would be interested in an exchange that took place in my office earlier today that illustrates the utter nonsense of this “Schools Should Feed Kids’ campaign.
We are a rural, decile 2 school. As with every school, the decile rating only tells a very small part of the story. We have some very wealthy families at our school and a number of families that live in a very deprived setting.
A group from one of our Maori whanau arrived in my office this morning. They had a complaint. I’m not going to go into the detail of the complaint because they were very respectful about the way that they conveyed it and to some degree I could see where they were coming from. It was a relatively minor matter (in my view), but could see that it was very important to them, and is largely brought about by different cultural values.
After I (genuinely) apologised for the unintended offence caused by the actions of one of my staff the anger in the room dissipated. We got to talking about other ‘grievances’ that they wanted to bring to the surface.
[lprent: Don’t cut’n’paste here. McFlock can go to the site if he cares to or not. But we do not like people dropping stuff they have dragged off the net whenever they feel the urge. It starts making the site a target for dumping crap.
If you want to draw peoples attention to something elsewhere on the net then say why (as you did) put in a few relevant quotations (I chopped your quoted down to (at most a few) succinct paragraphs and made it a blockquote) and provide a link. ]
Iprent, I can understand your point on this, and did re-read the website policy prior to posting as I thought it would be pushing my luck a bit posting the entire letter, however, I felt that taking the first half of the letter (the part you have left above) out (which would have been my preference), would leave McFlock without the context in which the Whanau’s questions around school breakfasts came to the forefront and could sidetrack the debate.
As McFlock hasn’t replied, I can only assume that your edit was completed prior to his/her reading the full letter, or s/he decided not to engage in the debate so I’ll leave it.
Two words do come to mind through this though, Penny Bright.
Actually missed the comment. Finally soiled myself and read the WO letter – seemed to be a pile of unattributed self-contradictory bullshit that went back to “parental responsibility”, but it was okay because he said it to some murrays and they agreed with him.
Even if it was. There is no doubt, even going by this letter, that food in schools would help this family mentioned.
Just after the family said that they sometimes had to send their children to their aunty’s when they had no food, – in reply to this right wing imperious bully’s demand; “So are you telling me that you have no real problem having food in the house?”
“Yeah, we always have something,” came the reply.
This anonymous principle comes across as pompous hectoring self important prat with a political agenda. The fact that he sees himself as some sort of crusader presenting “the alternative message to the socialist propaganda” speaks volumes.
No wonder he wouldn’t give his name, in my opinion he is not fit to teach let alone head a school.
No. He denies what is reality for many families, ignoring evidence for ideology. That does make his teaching suspect. He sounds from his post like a smug patronising prat.
Chalupa – no – until I got to the line about “socialist propaganda” the email seemed fine(ish) – a personal opinion, not one I agree with, but you get that.
But the political reference blows that all out of the water. This man clearly displays his prejudice. What part of “socialist propaganda” are The Lancet’s revelations of infectious disease admissions to our hospitals? Or the clear correlation between family income and education outcomes?
Just another witless Tory who thinks he’s entitled to his own facts.
Is there a way to disable the annoying and intrusive “more info” pop-ups that serve no purpose other than to interfere with comments in the middle of authoring them?
In Our Fathers House are many mansions
(each has a fire-proof door)
It is Not made by Great Men
( “natural” is not in it)
wotta ’bout these pills to avoid hangovers?; hangovers being a natural negative reinforcer (take away ya Sunday) freakin science and food and beverage priests again!
Effective endogenous male contraception has been a long time coming though!
the things ya learn in a day; apparently Franciscans are often characterized as “Gods Fools”; well I’ll be a monkeys’ uncle 🙂
according to a Brother, during the world wars, the information MI5 had on the Franciscans portrayed them as “beneath consideration”; who cares about the politics of lowly monks Right?
“…ra ra Rasputin….”
anyway, Sun is Shining and I been gardening.
btw, a letter from this lady at tlig.org fell out of the heavens today.
Apparently there has been a fairly major sun flare in the past day or so. I guess the climate change deniers will be expecting to see a lift in global temperatures, given that climate change is down to sun flares they say.
Moderately interesting, but they’re talking about levels of flouride exposure to get high levels of flourosis, only to get a possible 0.45 IQ point decrease. And their review criteria excluded less obscure studies that showed the reverse.
Possibly adverse, possibly not, large samples seem to bounce negligibly either way.
Not something I’d be stroking off about, myself. But the chemtrailvaccineautism brigade obviously feel confident it’s a serious threat to life, limb and inbreeding.
Not something I’d be stroking off about, myself. But the chemtrailvaccineautism brigade obviously feel confident it’s a serious threat to life, limb and inbreeding.
Its inbred central down your way eh McFlock, so no wonder you have decided that “stroking yourself” is the better option
Your smugness, and self certainty that you understand the world, and whats going on around you, for someone who is possibly bright, is unfortunate, but standard M.O for the average person, so not especially surprising!
Nah, the students top up the gene pool regularly (and some of us try to reciprocate if one can tolerate The Monkey Bar or The Break).
Yeah, I tend to be smug when I look at studies touted by known nutbars. For example, the first thing one looks for in relation to effects of chemical exposure is a dose-response relationship (at the most serious level, something like “dosage doubled, observed deaths quadrupled”). No levels reported in that descriptive study, so any observable effect might only occur in areas with natural flouridation well above maximum WHO recommendations. At which point all the study says is “exposure to hazardous levels of chemical A might have negative effects, almost as if there were hazards associated with those levels of chemical A”.
It’s the lack or critical thinking alongside the massive levels of spin that I find funny. Fl might well be an unacceptable hazard. But touting bumper stickers and studies without data tables isn’t going to convince me of that.
Yup, and you will have noticed that all I did was post a link, which was to the reuters site, no commentary, no opinion!
What I find funny, is people who think that their ‘critical thinking”, and sources allows them to be smug and believe they know best. There are a few on this site, and plenty in real life too, too many actually.
Generally speaking, the world is getting worse off because attitudes of such people, but that’s the way it will be I guess, as people are generally beyond stupid already, but believe they’re not, thats the clincher!
Monkey bars, must be a global chain of some sort, most places ive been seem to have one, and interestingly offer up the same sort of “options”.
Use of the term “article” implies some manner of editorial review, whereas this came directly from the tinfoil hat brigade. You linked to a wire service press release that can’t even cite an article properly, let alone report its contents with any accuracy.
Clue: “SOURCE NYS Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc.”
Another clue: “PRESS RELEASE” occurs twice at the top of the release.
Another clue: “Reuters is not responsible for the content in this press release” is written just below the headline.
I assumed that you linked to this drivel because you agreed with its contents. If not, feel free to correct that assumption.
If my assumption was correct, would you similarly post a press release from the Koch brothers just because it was on Reuters?
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Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
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 The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
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 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
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The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, 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 ...
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Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 26 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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The “resolute and courageous” Sir Wilson Whineray
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Watched an obituary item on “Sir” Wilson Whineray on TV1’s Te Karere this morning. They mentioned that the racially selected All Black team team he led to apartheid South Africa in 1960 was disparagingly called “Whineray’s Whites”. Against archival footage of massive anti-tour marches (“No Maoris No Tour”), Māori football historian Malcolm Mulholland claimed that “the decision was out of his hands” and that the people who should bear the blame for the farcical situation were “the administrators”.
Mulholland’s implication, clearly, was that Whineray, a thoroughly decent man who found himself leading a racially selected team to play according to the dictates of an apartheid regime, was actually far better than that, and would no doubt have been opposed to the tour—-but “the decision was out of his hands”.
Well, let’s fast-forward a couple of generations. Whineray, now impressively titled “Sir” Wilson Whineray, after retiring from football in 1965, has carved out a distinguished business career, most notably with the forest products conglomerate Carter Holt Harvey, where he was deputy managing director and then, for ten years, chairman. It’s 2003, and Sir Wilson is retiring from Carter Holt Harvey. He’s being interviewed by TV3’s John Campbell, who mentions that Carter Holt Harvey had continued to trade with Chile, in defiance of a worldwide trade union ban on trade with Pinochet’s U.S.-backed terror regime.
Whineray did not miss a beat. “To continue to trade in such a situation,” he intoned slowly and carefully, “took considerable resolution and courage. We just did what we thought was the right thing.”
There you have it: Sir Wilson Whineray, powerful administrator of a powerful international conglomerate, thinks he was resolute and courageous to defy human rights protests and trade bans and trade with a fascist regime. So much for Malcolm Mulholland’s theory about Whineray’s innate decency being over-ruled by “the administrators”.
Oh, and what was John Campbell’s reaction, you ask. Campbell nodded his head, gravely, respectfully, thoughtfully, clearly overawed by the mana of the great man.
Sir Wilson ticks all the boxes really for this rugby hating leftie–conservative, tory, supporter of apartheid and Pinochet and not beloved of some NZ unionists either at CHH.
The main argument I have with rugby is the reactionary cultural streak it has represented since colonisation. The hard man, keep playing with a broken arm or ball sack ripped open. Women bring a plate, no poofters please. Whaddarya! This style still exists in Northland for sure.
Yet Morrisey, any critics of Sir Wilson will most likely be wasting their time as the media and the sporting orthodoxy have decided this guy deserves Ed Hillary treatment which he does not.
All rise for the flag salute.
Tiger Mountain…….yes, the style you refer to does exist in Northland (my pseudonym might tell you something) but the truth and unashamedly being whom one is are mighty insurance and weapons if needs be.
I have repeated personal experience, coast to coast north of Hikurangi – not so sure about Whangas wannabee Aux, of the caricature you invoke and man, people ain’t hard to turn around. Even the seeming gorillas.
You get my meaning ?
😉
Hope Campbell reads your excellent post Morrissey. Email it to him.
God Bless you and your brothers.
It is very sad that a brother who has served a very long time here is still being hounded by the media and those who want another pound of flesh (we have met),
yet,
his colla egue has not been adjacent to him since departing
Rod Oram has some interesting comments on Tiwai Point in the latest SST but I cannot find it online …
Interesting snippets were as follows:
“The Tiwai Point aluminium smelter has no future. We can deal with its demise in an orderly and economically positive way over the next few years; or chaotically and damagingly later.
It shares its fate with scores of other old smelters around the world. They were built 30-40 years ago to exploit very cheap electricity in remote places. But big changes in technology, electricity markets and the aluminium industry in the last decade have killed their economic lives.
…
[China] … has … become the technology leader in smelting. One New Zealand industry expert reckons the best Chinese plant is at least twice as energy efficient as Tiwai Point, and enjoys cheaper electricity.
…
At around US$2,000 a tonne currently, [Aluminium’s] price has changed little since 1980. It is by far the worst-performing mined commodity. In contrast over the same period the price of copper price has trebled and iron ore has increased eight fold, according to the IMF.
…
Rio Tinto, which owns 79% of the Tiwai Point smelter, is a big loser thanks to an astonishingly bad deal it did in 2007. It lost its head in a bidding war for Alcan, the Canadian-based smelter, paying US$38bn, a 65% premium over the market price. Financed almost entirely by debt, it was the biggest takeover ever in the mining sector and the burden has dragged it down ever since. The assets are performing so poorly, some 80% of Rio’s profits come instead from iron ore.
…
Tiwai Point, one of the assets for sale, was once a jewel of its kind, exploiting since 1971 very cheap, captive electricity. The government of the day built the Manapouri hydro scheme to supply the smelter, which has only ever paid a fraction of the price for electricity that other industrial users have.
But Rio says it must have even cheaper electricity to restore Tiwai’s viability. …
…
There is … a very good case that the electricity [freed by Tiwai’s closure] would create greater economic benefit if it were available to all users across the country. Manapouri, which has by far the most reliable water storage of all our hydro schemes, generates just the sort of electricity we need: renewable, base-load.
…
So, it’s time for Rio and Meridian, Southland and New Zealand to face up to the harsh reality of Tiwai Point. The plant is no longer economically viable and, at a mere 0.8% of world aluminium output, it is irrelevant to the global industry. Subsidising it further would be a very serious economic mistake.”
The unasked question is would you buy shares in a power company where there was likely to be a 15% glut of power on the market in the next couple of years?
Very interesting, thanks.
Seems he didn’t address the possibilities of an upgrade for the plant?
No he thought the Chinese were far too efficient. Rio Tinto have upgraded a couple of plants but have not upgraded Tiwai. It seems they are either hoping for really, really, really cheap energy or they are going to bail.
From memory Tiwai constructed 1/2 a pot line in the very late1990’s, I did have some involvement in a support industry at the time.
Ouch oh the pain of a fact based logical argument up against the NACT flog it, drill it, mine it, charter it, privatise it ethos.
Rio and BHP Billiton have made some horrendous stuff ups, all rolled under the carpet of Iron/Gold etc covering up executive incompetance, much like Fletcher, telecom etc etc, the bigger they are …..
The bigger they are …
The more they take
More excuses and distraction from Paula Bennett …
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7854125/Privacy-blunders-mount-at-Winz
She would have to resign today, if Labour had taken my advice (but they didn’t, because they’re useless).
Last week Bennett said of the WINZ fiasco … It ain’t gonna happen twice. (Radio Live interview). I pointed out that Labour MPs simply had to ask her in Parliament if she stood by that. Quietly get it on the record. For the next time.
Instead, they shouted a lot. What fun for them! … and how pointless for us.
Now it’s the next time – as predicted. And Jacinda Adern has another question for Bennett in Parliament today. Expect more shouting. No answers. And no resignation.
Right. So if I lose my credit card, I can report it lost/stolen 24 hours a day, and I am not liable for any of the money stolen using it. Is Bennett going to guarantee that any if an 18 yr old loses their WINZ card on the weekend, someone spends an hour practicing the signature and then uses up the remaining credit at the local supermarket, that the beneficiary is going to be reimbursed that money?
Who will be asking Bennett that question?
“A lot of people still verified their credit card with a signature and, while it was not the most modern practice, MSD did not have concerns about security, she said.”
Yep WINZ are real experts on security.
“The pin was used to open the account but identity was verified by signature.
MSD was ”quite sure” that was safe. She did not believe it raised concerns about ongoing security issues within MSD.”
The PIN is PRINTED on the card!!
AND
HT Frank
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/119000/youth-payment-card-misuse-reported-to-minister
“Mrs Bennett says she’s been told by retailers and others in the community that people using the cards have been selling on food or batteries. “People buy 10 cooked chickens and then go and sell them in the carpark. ”
DUH
Well that wasn’t expected was it!!!!!!
So the Work and Income card cannot be used at the self service checkout as it requires the signature to be verified.
The comment about bulk buying chickens, next checkout operators will be required to notify Work and Income if a person buys in bulk!
I reckon that most members of this cabinet could be caught by a 6pm news crew live on air with their dick in a sheep and they’d still not resign or even be sacked.
Which makes me wonder what Richard Worth actually did.
lol (& the polls would still be good too)
If Bennett gets kicked or resigns it’s possible that this government would collapse as she would most likely be replaced by Sepuloni so neither is likely to happen.
A great article here regarding the doublespeak term of “freedom” that seems so effective in getting people to vote in the rope that will hang them and cheer while doing so.
There was a great comment from a plant after the 7/7 bombings in London. A A stall holder at a market ( who other stall holders said they had never seen) was interviewed saying she would happily give up her liberty for freedom.
Yeah when “freedom” is mentioned I always ask myself freedom from what? Sadly the answer usually falls into the category of “freedom from considering the effects of one’s actions on anyone else.” 🙁
I like it!
We haven’t heard much from David Shearer since the Christchurch speech last week.
He’s been busy …
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/central-leader/7851879/MP-to-kick-start-festival
DS is currently in the wrong job.
Grant Robertson should tell him that and thank him for keeping the seat warm.
I wonder why Winston would ask this question unless he knows something that could be embarrassing to the PM?
Q7: “Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: When did he first learn of a German resident living in the Chrisco mansion in the Prime Minister’s electorate?”
Yes, interesting choice of words, because Key always focused on not remembering the Dotcom name.
I’ll bet a chocolate fish that Key “can’t recall”, and Winston gets thrown out for telling him he bloody well does.
…and another chocolate fish placed on the bets that Mr Key will be allowed a few minutes for relaying fallacious put-downs of one or more opposition parties/members after having let us all know he can’t remember.
Haven’t got time right now to check/find link, but IIRC at the beginning of Key’s video interview on 24 January re Dotcom (when he later went on to talk at length about DC’s resident status) Key talked about having heard “about a German resident living in the Crisco mansion”. So think Peters’ wording is taken straight from that interview. So this could be interesting in QTime.
The video of the 24 Jan interview has been put up on TS several times – think is was included in a Herald article on 24 Jan.
Update – it was annoying me so here is the link to the 24 Jan interview from Eddie’s post on 4 October.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video.cfm?c_id=1&gal_objectid=10781209&gallery_id=123534
And my memory was correct – Key’s response to the first question talks about him being “aware of a German resident living in the house”.
The fact that Key referred to a “German resident” stuck out for me as being rather odd – ie if the person was living here in NZ, why call him a German resident? Also the way Key lights up when he mentions having been to/or seen the Crisco mansion (pre Dotcom) made me wonder whether he had “aspirations” in respect of the property. Bit beyond his means, though. It has crossed my mind several times that Key could be jealous of Dotcom’s much bigger fortune of over $1 billion by the time DC was 38 years old – vs Key’s worth of c $50 Million.
Dotcom is also a Finnish citizen
So? I knew that – it has no relevance to the Parliamentary question or to what Key said on 24 Jan.
So what if DC is/was also a Finnish resident Fortan ? Are you writing Dunnokeyo’s lines or something ?
How many questions can he answer correctly?
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/john-key-mastermind-contestant.html
Amusing! However your article requires a correction methinks. I believe the quiz master, Mr Lockwood Smith would give Mr Key a top score after having answered the questions in such a manner.
Well done that man Sprout! John Key seems to be a long way ahead of Helen for whom a painting and being in a passenger car was the worst that could be ranged against her. So 10/10 for Key in the the Mis-speak race.
word from Greece; it is dark there. and it is getting darker here, “day by day” according to the Greeks
“and they are trying to cover it up here”.
Shearer honing his precision.
(well, I’m off to begin my franciscan journey on the bus)
Be Well 🙂
Put it this way, the Greeks are calling up their nationals from abroad to serve. I know a guy who recently got called back to Greece from London – It was not optional, he is going, I’m unsure what is service status was.
Can’t be good, but yet Europe gets little to no coverage here
Baaa
Thank goodness for an independent judiciary: when the police break the law, the case gets thrown out.
And the judge didn’t hold back criticising the police use of a false search warrant and “fake” prosecution. Judges get pissy when you take the courts for a ride.
So … a lively question time.
Lockwood ties himself up in knots on “hypocrisy” versus “hypocrite”. Farcical.
Winston and Robertson turn the screws on Key (Dotcom and Banks respectively). Bennett escapes again. Norman annoys Key (as usual), Shearer doesn’t (as usual).
Unfortunately today was the last real chance for the opposition in Parliament. Coming up: recess, Hobbits, Christmas and the summer memory hole.
Too many opportunities have been wasted. Too many MPs can’t think on their feet, can’t work as a team (e.g. Peters attacks Key on Dotcom, no back-up from Labour), and generally under-perform. It took 20 minutes for an MP (Robertson) to use the “hypocrisy” line that Lockwood had fed them.
New Year’s resolution for the Opposition, especially Labour – do much better.
Lament for a Single Part Question
(sung to Three Little Boys)
Two little boys had one little toy
Each had a wink to use
Slyly they played each sitting day
Warriors both of course
One little chap then had a mishap
absentia of the head
American toy then cried with joy
As his quizmaster said
Across the House they should be crying
but they seem more concerned with the few
Climb up here, we’ll soon be flying
Back to the ranks so blue
Can you feel John I’m all a tremble, perhaps it’s the lack of noise
But I think its they haven’t noticed I mentioned three little words
Very soon we’ll both be leaving
And our history will just be noise
before then will they remember
To use use those three little words
-sorry Rolf
p.s. why the moderation?
Let the dead bury the dead.
Unfortunately today was the last real chance for the opposition in Parliament. Coming up: recess, Hobbits, Christmas and the summer memory hole.
There’s still time for the Opposition parties to score a few bulls-eyes before the House rises for the year.
Sitting days:
October
16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25
November
6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 27, 28 and 29
December
4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20
I had the impression in Q time today that Winston Peters is setting Key up for something. If it’s true, it will surely be before the end of the year.
Dunnokeyo had a moment of self-confession when he referred to himself in the third person in reply to Winston today:
“the member makes up lots of things as he goes along”
* * * **
Rt Hon Winston Peters: … If and when it is proven that the Prime Minister’s knowledge of Kim Dotcom was far earlier than he has said, will he step down from his role as Prime Minister; if not, why not?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No, and the reason is that—
Rt Hon Winston Peters: Why not?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Well, because the member makes up lots of things as he goes along.
@ Jim Nald,
“Well, because the member makes up lots of things as he goes along”
Yes I thought this was a remarkable moment of lucidity from Mr Key.
Also found Mr Foss’s statement very dubious:
“Hon CRAIG FOSS: It is such a good and large number—$1 billion will be spent by this Government in Christchurch on schools over the next 10 years.”
How can “this government” spend money over 10 years when “this Government” can only ever last for 3 years? It appears that DunnoKeyO & co not only continue to place all blame for all wrongs on previous Governments; now they are starting to take credit for money that is going to be spent by future governments too.
Maybe wishful thinking but I suspect that Winston does have something in hand and as he has done before he likes to get repeated statements from the PM on record. At the least it might cause a little niggle in the sleep patterns of John Key.
“I wonder what Winston actually knows? Nah. Couldn’t be – could it?”
Here is Winston’s question:
http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/15726
Well worth a listen.
Also had the impression Charles Chauval might have something up his sleeve too.
http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/15729
I would be very surprised if Winston doesn’t have something up his sleeve and he’ll milk it for all it’s worth.
Remember the “great ferry bottom grounding incident” when he spent months harrying the then Minister of Transport (Richard Prebble from memory) about one of the inter islander ferries touching bottom ” going aground” in the Tory channel and Prebble couldn’t prove otherwise..
Long after the noise died down I believe the ferry went in for it’s dry dock and “lo and behold there was a large dint in the bottom.” Better than the movies….
Same with the winebox, he kept at it until it blew.
He’s good at it and because of this people leak to Winston. He doesn’t shove it under the carpet.
This is the smoke but odds on there is a fire.
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2012/10/thanks-john-campbell/
This may be of interest to some
what’s it about? I try not to soil my computer with that site unless absolutely necessary.
Don’t bother McFlock…its a waste of your time.
Its about an arrogant school principle who subscribes to the belief of disentitlement and doesn’t care about hungry children. Unsurprisingly, whale blubber holds him/her up as some sort of ethical guiding light.
You know the old mantra…we are here to teach not feed, its the parents responsibility, I’m a selfish & crappy school principle…blah, blah, blah.
Cheers, thanks for that 🙂
Where would parasites be if they weren’t praised by bottom-feeders…
Thats certainly one way of looking at it
Passive aggressive much? Have you the fortitude to express an opinion on the matter or are your comments simply a bag of air?
the answer to that question might be of interest to some 😉
Its interesting to hear an opinion from the education sector (a principle no less) that goes against the general feeling of that profession.
Listening to the media or reading these blogs would have you believe that 100% of the education profession is totally on song with the same message (basically the message is National bad)
He’s probably got a better grasp of the situation then anyone here so he should be listened to
Nope.
The sad fact is that it trips a couple of major wires that raise doubt as to whether I should waste my time even reading it:
1: the greasy cetacean is plugging it. More often than not that site is not so much “opinion” than “slanted, distorted and factually fucked up propaganda”.
2: a professional who “goes against the feeling” of their profession might be a great person with a valid idea, or might just be a kook or shill. Infomercials are full of them. This takes time and more importantly concentration to determine. And sometimes a degree or two in the area. Do I really care that much in order about whether teachers are entitled to sulk about feeding hungry kids?
With both of those lines tripped, I don’t care to waste my time, expose myself to the bile on that site, or indeed put my computer at risk of lso cookies.
Paranoid much?
Nope.
Here you go McFlock, saves you visiting the site yourself.
I am genuinely interested in your thoughts on this, as this letter IMO is almost direct dividing line between the left and the right in NZ on a number of issues, those who agree with this principal (real or not) being right leaning, and those that disagree being left leaning.
[deleted]
Link again in case you are interested http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2012/10/thanks-john-campbell/
[lprent: Don’t cut’n’paste here. McFlock can go to the site if he cares to or not. But we do not like people dropping stuff they have dragged off the net whenever they feel the urge. It starts making the site a target for dumping crap.
If you want to draw peoples attention to something elsewhere on the net then say why (as you did) put in a few relevant quotations (I chopped your quoted down to (at most a few) succinct paragraphs and made it a blockquote) and provide a link. ]
Iprent, I can understand your point on this, and did re-read the website policy prior to posting as I thought it would be pushing my luck a bit posting the entire letter, however, I felt that taking the first half of the letter (the part you have left above) out (which would have been my preference), would leave McFlock without the context in which the Whanau’s questions around school breakfasts came to the forefront and could sidetrack the debate.
As McFlock hasn’t replied, I can only assume that your edit was completed prior to his/her reading the full letter, or s/he decided not to engage in the debate so I’ll leave it.
Two words do come to mind through this though, Penny Bright.
Looked at the letter. Couldn’t see a great few fully on point paras, so left the first part in as a teaser.
Penny is on my development list. I wonder how she will like the automatic twitter limit when I have time to finish testing it.
Actually missed the comment. Finally soiled myself and read the WO letter – seemed to be a pile of unattributed self-contradictory bullshit that went back to “parental responsibility”, but it was okay because he said it to some murrays and they agreed with him.
Everything else has been covered by others here.
I feel dirty. Time to scrub my machine.
@McFlock,…you can’t say you weren’t warned…. 😀
lol
I know, I know…
contrary to what some here might think, I do actually feel remiss at disregarding something purely on the basis of its source.
The trouble is that every time (like now) I listen to that instinct, I end up having my bias confirmed with extreme weight.
lolz 😀
Principal!
We have only the word of whaleoil that the email is genuine.
Even if it was. There is no doubt, even going by this letter, that food in schools would help this family mentioned.
Just after the family said that they sometimes had to send their children to their aunty’s when they had no food, – in reply to this right wing imperious bully’s demand; “So are you telling me that you have no real problem having food in the house?”
“Yeah, we always have something,” came the reply.
This anonymous principle comes across as pompous hectoring self important prat with a political agenda. The fact that he sees himself as some sort of crusader presenting “the alternative message to the socialist propaganda” speaks volumes.
No wonder he wouldn’t give his name, in my opinion he is not fit to teach let alone head a school.
Yup he spoke against what is agreed upon by the left therefore he must be a bad teacher
No. He denies what is reality for many families, ignoring evidence for ideology. That does make his teaching suspect. He sounds from his post like a smug patronising prat.
Chalupa – no – until I got to the line about “socialist propaganda” the email seemed fine(ish) – a personal opinion, not one I agree with, but you get that.
But the political reference blows that all out of the water. This man clearly displays his prejudice. What part of “socialist propaganda” are The Lancet’s revelations of infectious disease admissions to our hospitals? Or the clear correlation between family income and education outcomes?
Just another witless Tory who thinks he’s entitled to his own facts.
Romnesia’s gone viral…..ironic, Keynesia far more deserving…..
Nah, Romnesia is pretty good, but Dunnokeyo does the lying+ignorant twofer.
Is there a way to disable the annoying and intrusive “more info” pop-ups that serve no purpose other than to interfere with comments in the middle of authoring them?
Actually yes, I find these things very annoying too. I’ve just been putting up with it.
In Our Fathers House are many mansions
(each has a fire-proof door)
It is Not made by Great Men
( “natural” is not in it)
wotta ’bout these pills to avoid hangovers?; hangovers being a natural negative reinforcer (take away ya Sunday) freakin science and food and beverage priests again!
Effective endogenous male contraception has been a long time coming though!
helpful view
helpful intention
helpful speech
helpful action
helpful effort
helpful livelihood
helpful concentration
helpful Mindfulness
the things ya learn in a day; apparently Franciscans are often characterized as “Gods Fools”; well I’ll be a monkeys’ uncle 🙂
according to a Brother, during the world wars, the information MI5 had on the Franciscans portrayed them as “beneath consideration”; who cares about the politics of lowly monks Right?
“…ra ra Rasputin….”
anyway, Sun is Shining and I been gardening.
btw, a letter from this lady at tlig.org fell out of the heavens today.
😉
Liking it mate.
Apparently there has been a fairly major sun flare in the past day or so. I guess the climate change deniers will be expecting to see a lift in global temperatures, given that climate change is down to sun flares they say.
Harvard Study Finds Fluoride Lowers IQ – Published in Federal Gov’t Journal
That report from reuters told us very little about the methodology.
For example how many children, over what time scale, what was the IQ difference and its statistical significance for a start.
I tried to find the original article but couldn’t.
This seems to be it, but without charts.
Moderately interesting, but they’re talking about levels of flouride exposure to get high levels of flourosis, only to get a possible 0.45 IQ point decrease. And their review criteria excluded less obscure studies that showed the reverse.
Possibly adverse, possibly not, large samples seem to bounce negligibly either way.
Not something I’d be stroking off about, myself. But the chemtrailvaccineautism brigade obviously feel confident it’s a serious threat to life, limb and inbreeding.
Its inbred central down your way eh McFlock, so no wonder you have decided that “stroking yourself” is the better option
Your smugness, and self certainty that you understand the world, and whats going on around you, for someone who is possibly bright, is unfortunate, but standard M.O for the average person, so not especially surprising!
Stroke on!
Nah, the students top up the gene pool regularly (and some of us try to reciprocate if one can tolerate The Monkey Bar or The Break).
Yeah, I tend to be smug when I look at studies touted by known nutbars. For example, the first thing one looks for in relation to effects of chemical exposure is a dose-response relationship (at the most serious level, something like “dosage doubled, observed deaths quadrupled”). No levels reported in that descriptive study, so any observable effect might only occur in areas with natural flouridation well above maximum WHO recommendations. At which point all the study says is “exposure to hazardous levels of chemical A might have negative effects, almost as if there were hazards associated with those levels of chemical A”.
It’s the lack or critical thinking alongside the massive levels of spin that I find funny. Fl might well be an unacceptable hazard. But touting bumper stickers and studies without data tables isn’t going to convince me of that.
Yup, and you will have noticed that all I did was post a link, which was to the reuters site, no commentary, no opinion!
What I find funny, is people who think that their ‘critical thinking”, and sources allows them to be smug and believe they know best. There are a few on this site, and plenty in real life too, too many actually.
Generally speaking, the world is getting worse off because attitudes of such people, but that’s the way it will be I guess, as people are generally beyond stupid already, but believe they’re not, thats the clincher!
Monkey bars, must be a global chain of some sort, most places ive been seem to have one, and interestingly offer up the same sort of “options”.
Stroke on McFlock, until the next outing I guess!
Use of the term “article” implies some manner of editorial review, whereas this came directly from the tinfoil hat brigade. You linked to a wire service press release that can’t even cite an article properly, let alone report its contents with any accuracy.
Clue: “SOURCE NYS Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc.”
Another clue: “PRESS RELEASE” occurs twice at the top of the release.
Another clue: “Reuters is not responsible for the content in this press release” is written just below the headline.
I assumed that you linked to this drivel because you agreed with its contents. If not, feel free to correct that assumption.
If my assumption was correct, would you similarly post a press release from the Koch brothers just because it was on Reuters?
I wondered reason why Reuters disclaimed any responsibilty for the accuracy of the press release!!
It was a poke at Reuters, of which I have made a few lately, around its link/ownership by AP, thats all!
Assumption – Common error made by the smug!