Is it not also suspicious that bloggers widely thought to be in the direct employ of the National Party have been either calling for more exposure on the matter or whipping it up further?
Finally, has anyone noticed that there has been a sudden rise of opinion favoring the dismantling and privatizing of ACC in various commentary forums (from bulletin boards to Campbell Live last friday)?
What is it to bet that in the next year to 18 months an aggressive push toward the privatization of ACC is made citing various privacy breaches and client dissatisfaction?
Yes, I’ve noticed the incease in calls for privatisation. However, as an ACC client, it seems to me the problems go back to the NAct government trying to cut funding to ACC, not putting the necessary money into upgrading systems, and the related lack of real interest in rehabilitation.
I noticed this comment a the end of the Stuff article:
Brown said Paul had been treated appallingly by ACC. He claimed staff weren’t interested in rehabilitation, people, or their privacy. “In her criticisms of ACC, I don’t think [Pullar] was being over-the-top, I think she was being gentle. As one of my clients has told me, if he was a dog, the SPCA would have been prosecuted over his care.”
I agree with the lack of interest in rehabilitation in view of my on-going struggles to get further physiotherapy – something my specialist keeps recommending. My case manager seems quite interested in my rehabilitation, but it seems he/she can only go with the judgement of the advisor. Also, each time further physio is rejected, more than one ACC person I’ve talked to on the phone have said in defence of the advisor’s decision,”you’ve already had X amount of physio sessions and people don’t usually get much more”…. side-stepping the issue of how much my rehabilitation might need.
I can’t see privatisation improving access to rehabilitation, in fact, I’d fear the opposite as the private provider pushes for more profits.
Agreed.
Reminder of my wife’s experience of CRM who had no interest in rehabilitating her back to 40 hours per week because working part-time around our kids disabilities was a “lifestyle choice” and also breached privacy by giving her information about other people’s employers and wages pre-accident and also information regarding a co-worker undergoing psychiatric treatment.
By way of contrast we found ACC, under a Labour Government, extremely good to deal with. They clearly understood the legislation they were working under.
Yes, I’ve noticed the incease in calls for privatisation. However, as an ACC client, it seems to me the problems go back to the NAct government trying to cut funding to ACC, not putting the necessary money into upgrading systems, and the related lack of real interest in rehabilitation.
No, the problems go back to the last Labour government deciding ACC was an insurance scheme and needed to be fully funded.
This piece of nonsense gave National the excuse to claim it was broke, cut back on the quality of service etc.
ACC was designed before the neo liberal colonisation of the political elite and as such the principles behind it are total incomprehensible to the neo liberal National and Labour parties.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it Millhouse.
So maybe the Machivalian plan is to break it thoroughly at least in the Public mind.
Get the pet bloggers and compliant MSM to spread stories of failures and doubts, and elevate the sterling quality of Privatisation.
It worked for action against those pesky dole bludgers especially the promiscuous lazy men on DPBs and even some DPB women, didn’t it?
From this morning’s Media program it seems that the ever lurking Cameron Slater is the weapon of choice
In short Millhouse, I think you are right (from a leftish point of view.)
People might recall the attempts to sell the ACC as being ‘not economically viable’ using the lies the nact got caught out on….After a few years letting that die down, it certainly seems they have moved to another attack mode. The past weeks stories are starting to stink of strategy!
The privacy breaches should be a clear warning to all about the risks of information sharing between government departments.
Think of how much worse these leaks would be if the files contained all of the information on a individual held by Govt.
The onus is on the Nats to prove that the risks can be mitigated – the ACC incidents have shown us entrusting our privacy to the Government is a very risky proposition indeed.
And as for the shills calling for privatisation as a ‘solution’, this is plainly laughable as the private sector has absolutely no hesitation in selling whatever it can to the highest bidder – and the information that the state holds has the potential to be very valuable indeed – Insurance companies stand to save big $$$$ if they can manage their risks by accessing for example peoples complete medical histories, their families history of cancer, etc etc, or are able litigate their way out of payouts on the basis of non compliance with medical advice.
The privacy breaches should be a clear warning to all about the risks of information sharing between government departments.
No, really, it isn’t.
Think of how much worse these leaks would be if the files contained all of the information on a individual held by Govt.
Which they wouldn’t have done as each government department would only have access to the information that they need.
…the ACC incidents have shown us entrusting our privacy to the Government is a very risky proposition indeed.
Over the last few years I’ve heard of more such leaks from private businesses. All that’s needed is proper procedure that makes such accidental leaks highly unlikely.
Draco – I think you are missing my point – which is that a privacy breach should be generating discussion of how to avoid a repeat, not generating speculation about general unspecified mismanagement in ACC – I’m sure we can agree on that.
You will find that the privacy commission has also hightlighted the risks of info sharing and has proposed strategies to address these risks, ie case by case or category by category share between specific agencies on the basis of justified need (I have the links at home and will dig up for you later) …an approach which I support, but which the govt has not necessarily decided to adopt.
Wholesale info sharing has great potential for abuse and it is a concern that this is potentially still on the table with the proposed roll out of the so called e – govt interface.
You will find that the Law Commission has also highlighted the risks of info sharing and has proposed strategies to address these risks, ie case by case or category by category share between specific agencies on the basis of justified need
Interestingly the quoted comments from the Privacy Commissioner and the Chen Palmer article which highlights the downside to separate data bases (ie the difficulty of amending or accessing information) do not mention the fact that the physical and network independence of a data base acts as a natural privacy safeguard and actually ensures that any breach is not catastrophic…
See also the ‘i’m not policy’ policy which coincidentally endorses the highly controversial TPSEPA, also known as the P4 Free Trade Agreement or the TPPA:
The way I see it is that the government should just have a single database with everyone’s relevant information on it. Each government agency then has access to a subset of the data which is relevant to it. There would be no more sharing as such and unnecessary and expensive duplication is removed. This database would, of course, be maintained by a dedicated government IT department.
IMO, security is actually less of a concern as it reduces the number of possible breaches, the people maintaining the database are more likely to be permanent staff rather than consultants brought in on an ad hoc basis and processes for access would be identical across departments meaning that when someone transfers from one department to another they don’t have to learn entirely new processes.
Over the last few years I’ve heard of more such leaks from private businesses. All that’s needed is proper procedure that makes such accidental leaks highly unlikely.
Not strictly relevant – or maybe it is? I am having a plague of telemarketers atm, and one on Saturday, a low-grade moron by what she said, started the call by saying “Can I speak to Mrs Surname, First name”?
That told me two things. She was reading off her lead sheet and didn’t have the wit to understand which name comes first in addressing someone, and second, Telecom sell their directory information to telemarketers!
Oops. Another breach in today’s Dom.:
“The latest breach came about when ACC claimant Garth Paul asked to see his file – he had to make repeated requests to get the file as ACC sent only some documents. In the end, ACC sent him a file belonging to a different person. ” http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/6633720/ACC-tries-to-plug-another-breach
Incompetency or strategy?
I did wonder why Judith Collins very readily decided not to push to privatise ACC accounts. She probably thought a sneaky way would be more effective i.e. make ACC look bad through leaks get the Slater Farrar lapdogs to go ‘woof, woof privatise’ and hey presto a ready platform to plunder from.
Otago student events have had some bad coverage in the past. Yesterday’s Hyde Street Keg Party has had minimal news coverage after the event, which suggests few problems. It was uber organised, very well attended and hopefully was a good day for many.
ODT and TV1 reported that it was “shut down” and “forced to close” but the one way policy put in place mid afternoon was a planned strategy.
It’s a compilation of reports Kevin, it’s what blogs often do. It’s not the done thing to do a Penny and load a heap of stuff in someone else’s blog.
Do you have a point? Or have you been assigned the “keep drawing attention to PG” task this week? If so, thanks. So far most hits are coming from Facebook, unusual on a young person topic at this time on a Sunday morning.
Do you want to have another crack at writing that comment, Pete? It doesn’t make any sense and the links you provide don’t illustrate anything relevant.
Kevin is correct. Others, including myself, do occasionally put one sentence teasers and a link (eg. PB’s Finland link below). The difference is that I trust PB’s judgement, so clicking on his link is not likely to be a waste of time. That’s not the case with your self promotion, of course.
Are you suggesting a statement of trust with every external link? Not everyone has your history of reason here.
What you (and possibly Kevin) really mean without openly saying it is you only want things posted that you agree with and you want to shut down anyone you are hissy about by dissing them off, don’t you?
Otherwise you’d do what most people do, pick what they want and ignore the rest.
Boy, you’re having a bad day. Pete! All I was asking was for you to clarify your strange comment above, which seems to be based on your mis-reading of the following line:
you are not the only one on here who does it.
Then you go on to bizarrely repeat my point in your final sentence, as if I hadn’t just said it.
I rarely follow links when it’s not clearly stated what the link is to, and/or why I should follow it. It’s also why I never use a link code, but paste the URL directly into the comment. It usually makes the website clear & often adds the title of the article.
FireFox tells me where the link is going to before I click on it and URLs pasted direct into the editor don’t always work due to special characters or just being too long.
Pretty sure all internet browsers tell you where the link is going. Just hover over it and it will tell you down the bottom of the page what the destination is.
I’ve used 4 of the main browsers and from memory they all do this.
Kevin, I don’t know what your intention was here but I’ll explain mine. First some background.
Otago has had some major problems in the past with parties gone bad, big time. Some of the huge number of students in Dunedin make dicks of themselves. Outsiders also used to come in and deliberately cause trouble – many of the arrests were non-students (and non Dunedin residents).
This year it haas been proposed to make all of Dunedin North (the area around the Universiry and Polytechnic) alcohol free. That’s obviously controversial.
OUSA is working hard on finding better solutions. They are promoting a ‘no glass’ zone. They were heavily involved in then organisation of the Hyde Street party, trying to prove that students can have a heap of fun without draconian restrictions.
Personally I think New Zealand needs to address serious problems around our piss as chooks culture. I have experience, I have been pissed as a chook more than a few times in Dunedin North (rarely this century). I’ve learnt to drink much less, I’d like New Zealand to learn to drink much less too, but that’s only a peripheral issue with Hyde Street.
My blog posts on Hyde Street (and links to them) have been supporting the rights of students to organise a good rave, and promoting the positive aspects and what seems have worked very well.
I think this is a good change in the right direction for Otago culture so I have chosen to highlight it. Fun with responsibility is something a lot more people would be better for learning.
It’s got nothing to do with politics, most of what I do has nothing directly to do with politics.
Fun with responsibility is something a lot more people would be better for learning.
Fun with being watched like hawks and cornered like rats in a trap is something a lot more people would be better for learning.
FIFY.
Glad to see you’re down with the yoof of today, pg
Generally, and specifically on this, the response from the yoof of today has been very good. They are more open to what works rather than the same old failures and theoretical ideologies that never work in practice.
Feedback has been positive, eg
Richy Anderson: “Bloody good mate.”
Manea John: “The efforts of OUSA and all the other groups and organisations who contributed was soo worth the effort!”
Most Otago students, like most people, don’t like being shat on by people trying to stir up trouble. So what if it takes a bit of organisation to help things work and keep party poopers (campus crappers) out.
Five years of 24hr patrolling and ever-increasing punishments for students who do such things is not “a little bit of organisation”. But keep looking at things in isolation – saves having to come up with solutions yourself.
Thanks for the Hyde St info, PG. I was wondering how everything went as I’m opposed to the proposed liquor ban and didn’t want paternalistic wowsers being gifted more ammo for their ban crusade. I did a drive by with hubby yesterday in search of the zombie flat and while there were many pissed scarfies in little clothing, I saw no broken glass or grouchy cops 🙂
As a lifetime renter, who is happy to live in accommodation that is at the low end of the range and located out in the suburbs of Auckland’s west, I was appalled by this news item on TV3 news last night:
Renters are jostling for homes in a housing shortage that has deepened in central Auckland and is now spilling out to the suburbs.
Some areas have seen rents rise by up to $100 a week and more increase are on their way next month as new tax laws hit property owners.
…And the jostle for homes is now spilling to the suburbs: A Waterview property about 15 minutes from the city just had 30 applicants.
“With the lack of development funding and restriction on the supply of property the inevitability is there is simply not enough to go round and in an area where there is desirably, those prices will continue to rise,” says property investor Mark Withers.
So as people with the most money to spare keep paying higher rents for increasingly meagre properties where demand is far outstripping supply, what is going to happen to those who can only afford very meagre rents out in the burbs? More people living in garages, cramped into unsuitable accommodation, or camping out?
Cheers for the link. I never knew that Finland’s murder rate is double that of NZ. That it also has worse unemployment and health provision. Chuck in it’s privatization policy, it’s really grim reading.
I thought we were aspiring to be like Finland. What’s with that?
Sorry I didn’t realize we needed to aspire to countries that are in a worst position than us. I’m sure we can agree on a country that meets all of our aspirations?
Yep, simple really. We can learn of things that seem to work in other countries but the country to aspire to should be an improived version on New Zealand.
I imagine these revelations are going to cause some angst. It looks like Helen Clark and former police minister Annette King were hung out to dry by Solicitor General, David Collins. Q&A interview not online yet.
Annette King – “And so then to find that in fact the law we were told was incoherent and they weren’t able to proceed. and in fact much of the evidence was not able to be used, now that was a big disappointment.”
So…what’s that saying? We’re just pissed off we couldn’t pin the fuckers? What I want to know in all this is where all those white dude ‘survivalists’ fit in the scheme of things? Haven’t seen any of them and their guns and their camps jumped on.
Accordi ng to media watch this morning on RNZ Radio Rhema is now host to dumbell slater and it looks like he has God on his side now too.
The christians are overstepping their mandate but nobody will call them to account.
why is that?
Well, Media Watch has certainly called them to account, for one. What is needed now is a concerted writing campaign. Contact them via THIS site…. http://www.rhema.co.nz/index.php/contact-us
Or, even better you can write to them…
Private Bag 92-636
Symonds Street
Auckland
NEW ZEALAND
The christians are overstepping their mandate but nobody will call them to account.
why is that?
I don’t listen to Rhema, and never would, and I loathe Slater, but I would like to ask you to elaborate.
What mandate do you think ‘the Christians’ have, and in what way are they overstepping it? I suspect your thin king in something such as “Christians should be made to STFU and never express any opinions, ever”. I am sure you don’t even realise that there are Christians that would be and in fact are, completely opposed to Slater and his mob?
Bill, I think you will find she was referring to the Solicitor General’s assurance the night before the raid that the terrorsim act was the correct legislation to use in this case.(I had the impression he was closely questioned by both Helen Clark and Annette King.) One month later (and I paraphrase) he refused admittance of much of the evidence on the grounds that the police had acted under the wrong legislation. I might add, the police did not give them – nor did they seek -any knowledge of how the police proposed to carry out the raid.
Watch the interveiw when it’s up online. Fascinating stuff.
Edit: damm I forgot reply – again. Replying to Bill 5.1
Does anyone know the date of the Pullar, Boag ACC meeting in December 2011?
Boag has stated that ACC did not inform the ACC minister when ACC was told about the 6700 breaches of privacy in December 2011. I find this to be remarkable. I also believe that if ACC went to the PM’s office the PM would have had to have gone to the ACC minister. If Key was informed and the Boag, Pullar meeting was before the cabinet resuffle I think that Key would have dropped Smith and that he appointed Collin’s as she has legal expertise.
What Key actually knew about Smith writing to support Pullar would be interesting. I believe that Key knew about one of the support letters and this alone would have been enough for Key to not reappoint Smith as the ACC minister. (Wong and the other National MP could have told Key as they referred the letter onto Smith).
I think that Pullar’s name appearing in the media is minor compared to what the government are covering up about having knowledge of Smith’s supporting letters with his signature at least two). Key seems to think that one lapse was excusable but two were not.
Smith did the honourable thing and resigned to take the heat off Key when Smith’s letters became public. Key has not done the honourable thing and ordered an independent inquiry to establish that ACC knew that Smith had breached cabinet guidelines and if ACC informed anyone in the government? Were I Key I would push for an independent inquiry as I would want my name to be cleared of any manipulation e.g. keeping an experienced minister on until it became public who had breached cabinet rules.
If ACC informed the PM about Smith breaching cabinet guidelines and the PM did nothing this was a coverup. Either or both, the PM and ACC have covered up Smith’s letters.
I don’t know who I give 1st prize to this week, the Ports of Auckland Board or the ACC board when it comes to not being transparent or functional?
Might John Key have mislead Parliament in saying he knew nothing until the week of Smith’s resignation? If the re-shuffle in December was because of the pending storm then Key already did know.
I think Winston is onto this aspect and next week when the PM returns could be interesting
What is most likely to have happened: the pending storm contributed to the reshuffle in December and ensured that Nick Smith was divested of the ACC portfolio.
Cheney got a heart transplant.- Link
I didn’t know he had one. It must have been as black as the oil he coveted!
Where would you get another evil heart to replace it? Wall Street? Perhaps Halliburton has a subsidiary that engineers them. Lets hope it fails like their blowout preventers.
Still, the end of Cheney would be of little comfort to the hundreds of thousands of family members of dead Iraqis and US service personnel.
No doubt about it: Cheney was a coward and a draft dodger, a brutal and shameless liar, a hypocrite and a bully. But I don’t think you should personalize the destruction of Iraq to Cheney. Just as culpable are the Democrats who gave carte blanche to Cheney and his puppet, George W. Bush.
nah, that’s bullshit bro.You can argue that they share culpability, along with a shit load of other people, but the lion’s share of culpability for the shit Cheney did, lies with Cheney. I’d put it somewhere in the high 80%s
You can argue that they share culpability, along with a shit load of other people,
The Democratic Party “leadership” (profiles in courage such as Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid) could have demanded the Bush regime show some evidence to back their fantastic claims in the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq, and they could have demanded that Cheney appear before the 9/11 Commission by himself instead of in tandem with Bush. They lacked the courage to confront the regime at every step. Contrary to what you seem to be trying to say, there is no “argument” about that.
but the lion’s share of culpability for the shit Cheney did, lies with Cheney.
The lion’s share of what pops into Cheney’s head lies with Cheney; the lion’s share of culpability for his crimes lies with those who could have stopped him, or at least curbed some of his worst excesses. That was, and still is, the Democratic Party “leadership”.
“The test of a democracy is how you treat people incarcerated, people in jail, and especially so with minors”– Mark Regev, spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
New Report: Palestinian children tortured and “systematically” ill-treated
A major new EU-funded study documents ‘a systematic pattern of ill-treatment, and in some cases torture’ of Palestinian children detained by Israel. Drawing on 311 sworn testimonies, collected over a period of four years, the report by Defence for Children International (DCI) finds that most children passing through Israel’s military detention system suffer multiple forms of ill-treatment and abuse, much of which amounts to ‘cruel, inhuman or degrading’ treatment as defined by the
UN Convention against Torture. It’s pretty long, but important, so I thought I’d post a condensed summary.
—
Most children are arrested in the middle of the night. Israeli civil law restricts the times when children can be interrogated, which in turn influence the times when they are arrested. But Palestinians are subject to military law, which contains no such provision. Most have their hands ‘painfully tied behind their backs and are blindfolded’, before being transported to an unknown location—usually neither children nor parents are informed where, or on what basis—for
interrogation. This process is ‘often’ accompanied by ‘verbal abuse and humiliation, threats as well as physical violence’. Palestinian children are not accompanied by a parent and are usually interrogated without legal advice or being informed of their right to silence.
Nearly a third of the children who testified to DCI reported experiencing violence during their arrest, usually punching, slapping or kicking. A former Israeli military commander, describing this
process to the BBC, confessed that after leaving the army, his dreams were haunted by children ‘screaming’:
“You take the kid, you blindfold him, you handcuff him, he’s really shaking… Sometimes you cuff his legs too. Sometimes it cuts off the circulation.
“He doesn’t understand a word of what’s going on around him. He doesn’t know what you’re going to do with him. He just knows we are soldiers with guns. That we kill people. Maybe they think we’re going to kill him…..
Israel lives in defiance of most humanitarian ideals, they thumb their nose at the peace process, keep settling in occupied territories and generally have a ‘screw you’ atitude.
Without the US behind it the arab nations would like to wipe if off the map, this is one reason why.
Netanyahu is a much more dangerous and inflammatory leader second time around who has a growing problem within his own state with the haredi but that doesn’t stop him opening it up on other fronts.
Do you mean the $1million in insurance over loss of income? That is separate from injury questions.
Perhaps you mean the publication of her details that is so bad? Not sure which bit you mean Muzza.
70 more jobs to go from a government department…..
Govt fishery observers told to get ready to pack up
Published: 6:23PM Sunday March 25, 2012 Source: ONE News
A leaked email from the Ministry of Fisheries reveals that observers on commercial fishing vessels will have their jobs outsourced by the end of the year.
The observers are stationed on commercial fishing vessels to monitor the catch and conditions on the boats.
The leaked email reveals that around 70 Ministry of Fisheries observers have been told their jobs are being outsourced by December.
Industry insiders say that the move will rob the watchdogs of their independence.
One former observer says that they play a vital role.
“No-one has questioned the quality of their information and it shouldn’t be compromised for money, and certainly not when the fisheries are under pressure.”
Critics argue that outsourcing will allow fishing companies to pick observers who are prepared to turn a blind eye in order to keep their jobs.
Currently observers are employed by the Ministry of Fisheries on short term contracts while they are at sea.
The Ministry recoups their pay and administration expenses from the fishing companies.
Glenn Simmons from the University of Auckland told ONE News he cannot see the logic in the change.
“I really can’t see any cost savings in it, so I really wonder what is driving this, particularly from the Ministry’s point of view.”
But documents show the fishing industry has been pushing for outsourcing for at least six years.
The Ministry of Fisheries would not be interviewed for this story, and refused to give an explanation of the benefits gained by outsourcing the observer roles.
The Minister of Fisheries, David Carter told ONE News that observers are not likely to be outsourced by December.
“At this stage there’s still a lot more work to be done as to how best to deliver observer services on foreign charter vessels and other vessels no decision has been made about outsourcing.”
Nevertheless, one former observer says that the decision seems fixed.
“They’ve already decided, it appears they’re not asking any questions here.”
71 and got a heart transplant. For a moment I though WTF. Cheney gets a heart transplant, there must have been younger people….
…but then I don’t know all the details, second hearts don’t necessarily last, they are second hand, and they are unlikely to have put a ???young heart in him???. i.e. they would not put a old person’s heart in a young person. There are certainly more older people who donate…
71 and got a heart transplant. For a moment I though WTF. Cheney gets a heart transplant, there must have been younger people….
That’s America! Where you can get whatever you want if you can pay for it. Larry Hagman, the man who carries a portable fan so he can harass smokers by blowing air in their faces, has had three liver transplants, although he’s ruined 3 livers through being an alkie…
In NZ, I am sasured, they’d say he wasn’t a candidate after wrecking the first transplanted one through refusing to stop drinking alcohol to excess.
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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 ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
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 ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: What’s KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertson’s valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
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The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules – and costs – that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didn’t know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race he’d dreamed ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. It’s not as if we haven’t done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didn’t say: “Oh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.” No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
NEWSMAKERS:By Vijay Narayan, news director of FijiVillage Blessed to be part of the University of Fiji (UniFiji) faculty to continue to teach and mentor those who want to join our noble profession, and to stand for truth and justice for the people of the country. I was privileged to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
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Does anyone find it slightly suspicious that a National Party “insider” and former National Party President have become the key figures in an ever widening privacy scandal?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/6633165/ACC-tries-to-plug-another-breach
Is it not also suspicious that bloggers widely thought to be in the direct employ of the National Party have been either calling for more exposure on the matter or whipping it up further?
Finally, has anyone noticed that there has been a sudden rise of opinion favoring the dismantling and privatizing of ACC in various commentary forums (from bulletin boards to Campbell Live last friday)?
What is it to bet that in the next year to 18 months an aggressive push toward the privatization of ACC is made citing various privacy breaches and client dissatisfaction?
Yes, I’ve noticed the incease in calls for privatisation. However, as an ACC client, it seems to me the problems go back to the NAct government trying to cut funding to ACC, not putting the necessary money into upgrading systems, and the related lack of real interest in rehabilitation.
I noticed this comment a the end of the Stuff article:
I agree with the lack of interest in rehabilitation in view of my on-going struggles to get further physiotherapy – something my specialist keeps recommending. My case manager seems quite interested in my rehabilitation, but it seems he/she can only go with the judgement of the advisor. Also, each time further physio is rejected, more than one ACC person I’ve talked to on the phone have said in defence of the advisor’s decision,”you’ve already had X amount of physio sessions and people don’t usually get much more”…. side-stepping the issue of how much my rehabilitation might need.
I can’t see privatisation improving access to rehabilitation, in fact, I’d fear the opposite as the private provider pushes for more profits.
Agreed.
Reminder of my wife’s experience of CRM who had no interest in rehabilitating her back to 40 hours per week because working part-time around our kids disabilities was a “lifestyle choice” and also breached privacy by giving her information about other people’s employers and wages pre-accident and also information regarding a co-worker undergoing psychiatric treatment.
http://thestandard.org.nz/more-christmas-surprises/#comment-282599
By way of contrast we found ACC, under a Labour Government, extremely good to deal with. They clearly understood the legislation they were working under.
No, the problems go back to the last Labour government deciding ACC was an insurance scheme and needed to be fully funded.
This piece of nonsense gave National the excuse to claim it was broke, cut back on the quality of service etc.
ACC was designed before the neo liberal colonisation of the political elite and as such the principles behind it are total incomprehensible to the neo liberal National and Labour parties.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it Millhouse.
So maybe the Machivalian plan is to break it thoroughly at least in the Public mind.
Get the pet bloggers and compliant MSM to spread stories of failures and doubts, and elevate the sterling quality of Privatisation.
It worked for action against those pesky dole bludgers especially the promiscuous lazy men on DPBs and even some DPB women, didn’t it?
From this morning’s Media program it seems that the ever lurking Cameron Slater is the weapon of choice
In short Millhouse, I think you are right (from a leftish point of view.)
People might recall the attempts to sell the ACC as being ‘not economically viable’ using the lies the nact got caught out on….After a few years letting that die down, it certainly seems they have moved to another attack mode. The past weeks stories are starting to stink of strategy!
The privacy breaches should be a clear warning to all about the risks of information sharing between government departments.
Think of how much worse these leaks would be if the files contained all of the information on a individual held by Govt.
The onus is on the Nats to prove that the risks can be mitigated – the ACC incidents have shown us entrusting our privacy to the Government is a very risky proposition indeed.
And as for the shills calling for privatisation as a ‘solution’, this is plainly laughable as the private sector has absolutely no hesitation in selling whatever it can to the highest bidder – and the information that the state holds has the potential to be very valuable indeed – Insurance companies stand to save big $$$$ if they can manage their risks by accessing for example peoples complete medical histories, their families history of cancer, etc etc, or are able litigate their way out of payouts on the basis of non compliance with medical advice.
No, really, it isn’t.
Which they wouldn’t have done as each government department would only have access to the information that they need.
Over the last few years I’ve heard of more such leaks from private businesses. All that’s needed is proper procedure that makes such accidental leaks highly unlikely.
Draco – I think you are missing my point – which is that a privacy breach should be generating discussion of how to avoid a repeat, not generating speculation about general unspecified mismanagement in ACC – I’m sure we can agree on that.
You will find that the privacy commission has also hightlighted the risks of info sharing and has proposed strategies to address these risks, ie case by case or category by category share between specific agencies on the basis of justified need (I have the links at home and will dig up for you later) …an approach which I support, but which the govt has not necessarily decided to adopt.
Wholesale info sharing has great potential for abuse and it is a concern that this is potentially still on the table with the proposed roll out of the so called e – govt interface.
Some links to peruse:
From the Law Commission:
http://www.lawcom.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/2011/03/chapter_x_-_information_sharing_v2.pdf
I dislike the title of this one but the summary of risks is still worth a read, and it contains comments from the Privacy Commissioner:
http://www.chenpalmer.com/news/publications-and-presentations/big-brother-is-here-to-help-the-privacy-information-sharing-bill/
From the US:
http://www.privacilla.org/releases/Government_Data_Merger.html
Edit:
You will find that the Law Commission has also highlighted the risks of info sharing and has proposed strategies to address these risks, ie case by case or category by category share between specific agencies on the basis of justified need
Interestingly the quoted comments from the Privacy Commissioner and the Chen Palmer article which highlights the downside to separate data bases (ie the difficulty of amending or accessing information) do not mention the fact that the physical and network independence of a data base acts as a natural privacy safeguard and actually ensures that any breach is not catastrophic…
See also the ‘i’m not policy’ policy which coincidentally endorses the highly controversial TPSEPA, also known as the P4 Free Trade Agreement or the TPPA:
http://www.ict.govt.nz/library/offshore-ICT-service-providers-april-2007.pdf
The way I see it is that the government should just have a single database with everyone’s relevant information on it. Each government agency then has access to a subset of the data which is relevant to it. There would be no more sharing as such and unnecessary and expensive duplication is removed. This database would, of course, be maintained by a dedicated government IT department.
IMO, security is actually less of a concern as it reduces the number of possible breaches, the people maintaining the database are more likely to be permanent staff rather than consultants brought in on an ad hoc basis and processes for access would be identical across departments meaning that when someone transfers from one department to another they don’t have to learn entirely new processes.
Wow. I had an almost visceral reaction against placing that much faith in any organisation, consultants or not.
Not strictly relevant – or maybe it is? I am having a plague of telemarketers atm, and one on Saturday, a low-grade moron by what she said, started the call by saying “Can I speak to Mrs Surname, First name”?
That told me two things. She was reading off her lead sheet and didn’t have the wit to understand which name comes first in addressing someone, and second, Telecom sell their directory information to telemarketers!
Actually, that’s more likely to be that the telemarketers have bought the electoral role or that they’re reading from the phone book.
Oops. Another breach in today’s Dom.:
“The latest breach came about when ACC claimant Garth Paul asked to see his file – he had to make repeated requests to get the file as ACC sent only some documents. In the end, ACC sent him a file belonging to a different person. ”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/6633720/ACC-tries-to-plug-another-breach
Incompetency or strategy?
Another hole in a leaky boat, no wonder smith said he would welcome an inquiry to clear his name.
I did wonder why Judith Collins very readily decided not to push to privatise ACC accounts. She probably thought a sneaky way would be more effective i.e. make ACC look bad through leaks get the Slater Farrar lapdogs to go ‘woof, woof privatise’ and hey presto a ready platform to plunder from.
I think you will find, should you bother to look, that the privatisation of ACC, as envisaged, has been cancelled.
Otago student events have had some bad coverage in the past. Yesterday’s Hyde Street Keg Party has had minimal news coverage after the event, which suggests few problems. It was uber organised, very well attended and hopefully was a good day for many.
ODT and TV1 reported that it was “shut down” and “forced to close” but the one way policy put in place mid afternoon was a planned strategy.
Hyde Street Keg Party 2012 – roundup.
So is this another link to your site PG or to the original stories?
It’s a compilation of reports Kevin, it’s what blogs often do. It’s not the done thing to do a Penny and load a heap of stuff in someone else’s blog.
Do you have a point? Or have you been assigned the “keep drawing attention to PG” task this week? If so, thanks. So far most hits are coming from Facebook, unusual on a young person topic at this time on a Sunday morning.
“It’s a compilation of reports Kevin, it’s what blogs often do.”
Indeed.
Then be a little more clear on where your links lead. I have no problem with what Penny does because her links clearly point to their source.
If I want to read your blog I will. I don’t need to be lead there with a blindfold on.
And to be fair, you are not the only one on here who does it. Its tiresome and doesn’t do you any favours.
you are not the only one on here who does it.
No. Eg
http://thestandard.org.nz/give-way/
http://thestandard.org.nz/wont-somebody-think-of-the-children-2/
It’s fairly normal not to “be a little more clear on where your links lead”.
If you don’t like following links I suggest you just don’t click on them.
Do you want to have another crack at writing that comment, Pete? It doesn’t make any sense and the links you provide don’t illustrate anything relevant.
Kevin is correct. Others, including myself, do occasionally put one sentence teasers and a link (eg. PB’s Finland link below). The difference is that I trust PB’s judgement, so clicking on his link is not likely to be a waste of time. That’s not the case with your self promotion, of course.
Are you suggesting a statement of trust with every external link? Not everyone has your history of reason here.
What you (and possibly Kevin) really mean without openly saying it is you only want things posted that you agree with and you want to shut down anyone you are hissy about by dissing them off, don’t you?
Otherwise you’d do what most people do, pick what they want and ignore the rest.
Boy, you’re having a bad day. Pete! All I was asking was for you to clarify your strange comment above, which seems to be based on your mis-reading of the following line:
you are not the only one on here who does it.
Then you go on to bizarrely repeat my point in your final sentence, as if I hadn’t just said it.
I rarely follow links when it’s not clearly stated what the link is to, and/or why I should follow it. It’s also why I never use a link code, but paste the URL directly into the comment. It usually makes the website clear & often adds the title of the article.
I sometimes use raw links but they can be a bit long and messy.
All you need to do is point at a link to see the website and title.
FireFox tells me where the link is going to before I click on it and URLs pasted direct into the editor don’t always work due to special characters or just being too long.
Pretty sure all internet browsers tell you where the link is going. Just hover over it and it will tell you down the bottom of the page what the destination is.
I’ve used 4 of the main browsers and from memory they all do this.
Was pretty sure that was the case but I’ve been exclusively using FF for the last few years and so was caging my bets 😀
Kevin, I don’t know what your intention was here but I’ll explain mine. First some background.
Otago has had some major problems in the past with parties gone bad, big time. Some of the huge number of students in Dunedin make dicks of themselves. Outsiders also used to come in and deliberately cause trouble – many of the arrests were non-students (and non Dunedin residents).
This year it haas been proposed to make all of Dunedin North (the area around the Universiry and Polytechnic) alcohol free. That’s obviously controversial.
OUSA is working hard on finding better solutions. They are promoting a ‘no glass’ zone. They were heavily involved in then organisation of the Hyde Street party, trying to prove that students can have a heap of fun without draconian restrictions.
Personally I think New Zealand needs to address serious problems around our piss as chooks culture. I have experience, I have been pissed as a chook more than a few times in Dunedin North (rarely this century). I’ve learnt to drink much less, I’d like New Zealand to learn to drink much less too, but that’s only a peripheral issue with Hyde Street.
My blog posts on Hyde Street (and links to them) have been supporting the rights of students to organise a good rave, and promoting the positive aspects and what seems have worked very well.
I think this is a good change in the right direction for Otago culture so I have chosen to highlight it. Fun with responsibility is something a lot more people would be better for learning.
It’s got nothing to do with politics, most of what I do has nothing directly to do with politics.
Fun with being watched like hawks and cornered like rats in a trap is something a lot more people would be better for learning.
FIFY.
Glad to see you’re down with the yoof of today, pg
Generally, and specifically on this, the response from the yoof of today has been very good. They are more open to what works rather than the same old failures and theoretical ideologies that never work in practice.
Feedback has been positive, eg
Richy Anderson: “Bloody good mate.”
Manea John: “The efforts of OUSA and all the other groups and organisations who contributed was soo worth the effort!”
Most Otago students, like most people, don’t like being shat on by people trying to stir up trouble. So what if it takes a bit of organisation to help things work and keep party poopers (campus crappers) out.
Five years of 24hr patrolling and ever-increasing punishments for students who do such things is not “a little bit of organisation”. But keep looking at things in isolation – saves having to come up with solutions yourself.
Glad to see you reacting without thought McFlunk! 😀
What on earth is wrong with responsible drinking?
Thanks for the Hyde St info, PG. I was wondering how everything went as I’m opposed to the proposed liquor ban and didn’t want paternalistic wowsers being gifted more ammo for their ban crusade. I did a drive by with hubby yesterday in search of the zombie flat and while there were many pissed scarfies in little clothing, I saw no broken glass or grouchy cops 🙂
As a lifetime renter, who is happy to live in accommodation that is at the low end of the range and located out in the suburbs of Auckland’s west, I was appalled by this news item on TV3 news last night:
http://www.3news.co.nz/Housing-shortage-leads-to-rent-hikes/tabid/423/articleID/247934/Default.aspx
So as people with the most money to spare keep paying higher rents for increasingly meagre properties where demand is far outstripping supply, what is going to happen to those who can only afford very meagre rents out in the burbs? More people living in garages, cramped into unsuitable accommodation, or camping out?
This issue needs urgent attention.
Gerry Brownlee eh.
http://t.co/BihdAtL4
Cheers for the link. I never knew that Finland’s murder rate is double that of NZ. That it also has worse unemployment and health provision. Chuck in it’s privatization policy, it’s really grim reading.
I thought we were aspiring to be like Finland. What’s with that?
Well, Finland on one side and Ireland on the other, take your choice.
Sorry I didn’t realize we needed to aspire to countries that are in a worst position than us. I’m sure we can agree on a country that meets all of our aspirations?
Yep, simple really. We can learn of things that seem to work in other countries but the country to aspire to should be an improived version on New Zealand.
John Key thinks we should be like Ireland. Makes it a tough choice.
I imagine these revelations are going to cause some angst. It looks like Helen Clark and former police minister Annette King were hung out to dry by Solicitor General, David Collins. Q&A interview not online yet.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/annette-king-solicitor-general-changed-mind-terror-act-4795583
Annette King – “And so then to find that in fact the law we were told was incoherent and they weren’t able to proceed. and in fact much of the evidence was not able to be used, now that was a big disappointment.”
So…what’s that saying? We’re just pissed off we couldn’t pin the fuckers? What I want to know in all this is where all those white dude ‘survivalists’ fit in the scheme of things? Haven’t seen any of them and their guns and their camps jumped on.
“All those”? How many are there?
Other than http://rwrnz.blogspot.co.nz/
Hi Bill… Q&A interview.
http://tvnz.co.nz/q-and-a-news/solicitor-general-back-tracks-terror-act-king-video-4795700
Accordi ng to media watch this morning on RNZ Radio Rhema is now host to dumbell slater and it looks like he has God on his side now too.
The christians are overstepping their mandate but nobody will call them to account.
why is that?
Well, Media Watch has certainly called them to account, for one. What is needed now is a concerted writing campaign. Contact them via THIS site….
http://www.rhema.co.nz/index.php/contact-us
Or, even better you can write to them…
Private Bag 92-636
Symonds Street
Auckland
NEW ZEALAND
Or personally visit them at their HQ….
53 Upper Queen Street
Auckland
NEW ZEALAND
I don’t listen to Rhema, and never would, and I loathe Slater, but I would like to ask you to elaborate.
What mandate do you think ‘the Christians’ have, and in what way are they overstepping it? I suspect your thin king in something such as “Christians should be made to STFU and never express any opinions, ever”.
I am sure you don’t even realise that there are Christians that would be and in fact are, completely opposed to Slater and his mob?
Don,t tell me. he has seen the light.
He assumes it shines out of his arse.
Bill, I think you will find she was referring to the Solicitor General’s assurance the night before the raid that the terrorsim act was the correct legislation to use in this case.(I had the impression he was closely questioned by both Helen Clark and Annette King.) One month later (and I paraphrase) he refused admittance of much of the evidence on the grounds that the police had acted under the wrong legislation. I might add, the police did not give them – nor did they seek -any knowledge of how the police proposed to carry out the raid.
Watch the interveiw when it’s up online. Fascinating stuff.
Edit: damm I forgot reply – again. Replying to Bill 5.1
There was a cabinet resuffle on 12 December 2011.
Does anyone know the date of the Pullar, Boag ACC meeting in December 2011?
Boag has stated that ACC did not inform the ACC minister when ACC was told about the 6700 breaches of privacy in December 2011. I find this to be remarkable. I also believe that if ACC went to the PM’s office the PM would have had to have gone to the ACC minister. If Key was informed and the Boag, Pullar meeting was before the cabinet resuffle I think that Key would have dropped Smith and that he appointed Collin’s as she has legal expertise.
What Key actually knew about Smith writing to support Pullar would be interesting. I believe that Key knew about one of the support letters and this alone would have been enough for Key to not reappoint Smith as the ACC minister. (Wong and the other National MP could have told Key as they referred the letter onto Smith).
I think that Pullar’s name appearing in the media is minor compared to what the government are covering up about having knowledge of Smith’s supporting letters with his signature at least two). Key seems to think that one lapse was excusable but two were not.
Smith did the honourable thing and resigned to take the heat off Key when Smith’s letters became public. Key has not done the honourable thing and ordered an independent inquiry to establish that ACC knew that Smith had breached cabinet guidelines and if ACC informed anyone in the government? Were I Key I would push for an independent inquiry as I would want my name to be cleared of any manipulation e.g. keeping an experienced minister on until it became public who had breached cabinet rules.
If ACC informed the PM about Smith breaching cabinet guidelines and the PM did nothing this was a coverup. Either or both, the PM and ACC have covered up Smith’s letters.
I don’t know who I give 1st prize to this week, the Ports of Auckland Board or the ACC board when it comes to not being transparent or functional?
Might John Key have mislead Parliament in saying he knew nothing until the week of Smith’s resignation? If the re-shuffle in December was because of the pending storm then Key already did know.
I think Winston is onto this aspect and next week when the PM returns could be interesting
They have the excuse of “new government term” for the reshuffle, though, as well as exposing people to new challenges etc etc.
What is most likely to have happened: the pending storm contributed to the reshuffle in December and ensured that Nick Smith was divested of the ACC portfolio.
Does anyone know the date of the Pullar, Boag ACC meeting in December 2011
December 1st from memory.
Yep, December 1.
Cheney got a heart transplant.- Link
I didn’t know he had one. It must have been as black as the oil he coveted!
Where would you get another evil heart to replace it? Wall Street? Perhaps Halliburton has a subsidiary that engineers them. Lets hope it fails like their blowout preventers.
Still, the end of Cheney would be of little comfort to the hundreds of thousands of family members of dead Iraqis and US service personnel.
No doubt about it: Cheney was a coward and a draft dodger, a brutal and shameless liar, a hypocrite and a bully. But I don’t think you should personalize the destruction of Iraq to Cheney. Just as culpable are the Democrats who gave carte blanche to Cheney and his puppet, George W. Bush.
“Just as culpable…”
nah, that’s bullshit bro.You can argue that they share culpability, along with a shit load of other people, but the lion’s share of culpability for the shit Cheney did, lies with Cheney. I’d put it somewhere in the high 80%s
You can argue that they share culpability, along with a shit load of other people,
The Democratic Party “leadership” (profiles in courage such as Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid) could have demanded the Bush regime show some evidence to back their fantastic claims in the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq, and they could have demanded that Cheney appear before the 9/11 Commission by himself instead of in tandem with Bush. They lacked the courage to confront the regime at every step. Contrary to what you seem to be trying to say, there is no “argument” about that.
but the lion’s share of culpability for the shit Cheney did, lies with Cheney.
The lion’s share of what pops into Cheney’s head lies with Cheney; the lion’s share of culpability for his crimes lies with those who could have stopped him, or at least curbed some of his worst excesses. That was, and still is, the Democratic Party “leadership”.
Isn’t it ironic.
From Stuff: Agents reap quake bonus
“The test of a democracy is how you treat people incarcerated, people in jail, and especially so with minors”– Mark Regev, spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/blog_comments/new_report_palestinian_children_systematically_ill_treated_and_tortured
New Report: Palestinian children tortured and “systematically” ill-treated
A major new EU-funded study documents ‘a systematic pattern of ill-treatment, and in some cases torture’ of Palestinian children detained by Israel. Drawing on 311 sworn testimonies, collected over a period of four years, the report by Defence for Children International (DCI) finds that most children passing through Israel’s military detention system suffer multiple forms of ill-treatment and abuse, much of which amounts to ‘cruel, inhuman or degrading’ treatment as defined by the
UN Convention against Torture. It’s pretty long, but important, so I thought I’d post a condensed summary.
—
Most children are arrested in the middle of the night. Israeli civil law restricts the times when children can be interrogated, which in turn influence the times when they are arrested. But Palestinians are subject to military law, which contains no such provision. Most have their hands ‘painfully tied behind their backs and are blindfolded’, before being transported to an unknown location—usually neither children nor parents are informed where, or on what basis—for
interrogation. This process is ‘often’ accompanied by ‘verbal abuse and humiliation, threats as well as physical violence’. Palestinian children are not accompanied by a parent and are usually interrogated without legal advice or being informed of their right to silence.
Nearly a third of the children who testified to DCI reported experiencing violence during their arrest, usually punching, slapping or kicking. A former Israeli military commander, describing this
process to the BBC, confessed that after leaving the army, his dreams were haunted by children ‘screaming’:
“You take the kid, you blindfold him, you handcuff him, he’s really shaking… Sometimes you cuff his legs too. Sometimes it cuts off the circulation.
“He doesn’t understand a word of what’s going on around him. He doesn’t know what you’re going to do with him. He just knows we are soldiers with guns. That we kill people. Maybe they think we’re going to kill him…..
Read more of this horrifying report by clicking HERE….
http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/blog_comments/new_report_palestinian_children_systematically_ill_treated_and_tortured
Thanks, Morrissey…
Israel lives in defiance of most humanitarian ideals, they thumb their nose at the peace process, keep settling in occupied territories and generally have a ‘screw you’ atitude.
Without the US behind it the arab nations would like to wipe if off the map, this is one reason why.
Netanyahu is a much more dangerous and inflammatory leader second time around who has a growing problem within his own state with the haredi but that doesn’t stop him opening it up on other fronts.
There are some real messed up people in this country who have far too much say over our lives
I wonder what makes them believe their lives are better of for behaving this way
Do you mean the $1million in insurance over loss of income? That is separate from injury questions.
Perhaps you mean the publication of her details that is so bad? Not sure which bit you mean Muzza.
70 more jobs to go from a government department…..
Govt fishery observers told to get ready to pack up
Published: 6:23PM Sunday March 25, 2012 Source: ONE News
A leaked email from the Ministry of Fisheries reveals that observers on commercial fishing vessels will have their jobs outsourced by the end of the year.
The observers are stationed on commercial fishing vessels to monitor the catch and conditions on the boats.
The leaked email reveals that around 70 Ministry of Fisheries observers have been told their jobs are being outsourced by December.
Industry insiders say that the move will rob the watchdogs of their independence.
One former observer says that they play a vital role.
“No-one has questioned the quality of their information and it shouldn’t be compromised for money, and certainly not when the fisheries are under pressure.”
Critics argue that outsourcing will allow fishing companies to pick observers who are prepared to turn a blind eye in order to keep their jobs.
Currently observers are employed by the Ministry of Fisheries on short term contracts while they are at sea.
The Ministry recoups their pay and administration expenses from the fishing companies.
Glenn Simmons from the University of Auckland told ONE News he cannot see the logic in the change.
“I really can’t see any cost savings in it, so I really wonder what is driving this, particularly from the Ministry’s point of view.”
But documents show the fishing industry has been pushing for outsourcing for at least six years.
The Ministry of Fisheries would not be interviewed for this story, and refused to give an explanation of the benefits gained by outsourcing the observer roles.
The Minister of Fisheries, David Carter told ONE News that observers are not likely to be outsourced by December.
“At this stage there’s still a lot more work to be done as to how best to deliver observer services on foreign charter vessels and other vessels no decision has been made about outsourcing.”
Nevertheless, one former observer says that the decision seems fixed.
“They’ve already decided, it appears they’re not asking any questions here.”
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/govt-fishery-observers-told-get-ready-pack-up-4795996
71 and got a heart transplant. For a moment I though WTF. Cheney gets a heart transplant, there must have been younger people….
…but then I don’t know all the details, second hearts don’t necessarily last, they are second hand, and they are unlikely to have put a ???young heart in him???. i.e. they would not put a old person’s heart in a young person. There are certainly more older people who donate…
That’s America! Where you can get whatever you want if you can pay for it. Larry Hagman, the man who carries a portable fan so he can harass smokers by blowing air in their faces, has had three liver transplants, although he’s ruined 3 livers through being an alkie…
In NZ, I am sasured, they’d say he wasn’t a candidate after wrecking the first transplanted one through refusing to stop drinking alcohol to excess.