After decades of collecting home owners earthquake levies, when the Christchurch quake struck it was found that AMI had frittered away all the money. Yet rather than being charged with fraud and all their assets seized, not only were those responsible not charged, they were left in their positions to continue collecting their hugely generous corporate salaries at the taxpayers expense while the taxpayer paid out their liabilities.
So $Billions more for corporate welfare are paid out, incompetence and fraud are excused. Not a single director or manager appears in court, or is even charged for this massive act of fraud. They even get to keep their jobs.
But a vulnerable sole mother who is an otherwise good and caring parent who has a useless non-contributing unemployed boyfriend move in on her and sponge off her for a few weeks, faces prison for fraud and her young children cruelly taken off her.
In New Zealand be a rich person who has never experienced hardship – corporate crime is excused. Every mistake and act of incompetence you make is papered over and ignored or forgiven. You are left in the lap of luxury. While those facing real hardship suffer more.
Jail is where the big criminals send the little criminals and those in control make the rules to suit themselves, or don’t enforce/ mis interpret the inconvenient rules.
Look at the recent collapse of Ross over 4 years after the GFC commenced, what oversight existed to uncover what appears to be another Ponzi scheme. Our regulators are a transparent bunch of pussies.
Isn’t this govt meant to be fostering savings and investments by encouraging share market etc etc, what a Joke this is and it’s on you poor sucker investors.
I agree whole heartedly Jenny. As a society we are allowing this to happen. It is very ‘sick’ indeed.
And tc here is a repeat of post 18th Nov
Here it is in black and white, stark evidence of NZ’s hypocritcal injustice.
“They have the same victim – the government and society – yet one is punished much more harshly than the other,” said tax lecturer Dr Lisa Marriott of Victoria University. “The study does indicate there is a fairly serious problem there.”
“The sentences are intended to reflect society’s views. And it seems we take a dimmer view of people on welfare – even the language is more punitive,” she said.
Marriott found that attitudes towards tax evasion were indulgent, even occasionally admiring, while beneficiaries were considered “scroungers or cheats”.
AMI was a Mutual – owned by the policyholders, not shareholders.
It was not fraudulent, but suffered from what is now nicely called incompetant management, by not purchasing enough wholesale cover (reinsurance). The top executives were all “retired” as soon as the Aussies (State and NZI) took over all the non Christchurch earthquake claims policies. Cars and other houses etc throughout New Zealand – not earthquake damaged.
AMI did not insure any businesses, only domestic policies.
The Taxpayers have bailed out the balance of earthquake claims, above AMI’s international wholesale policies, as the financial suffering to policyholder claimants in Christchurch would have been horrendous.
That’s all right then. Meanwhile $billions are sucked out of government accounts, that if spent on social programs could have prevented a lot of human misery. Because of this incompetence and buck passing. Money that should go into rebuilding Christchurch on top of the insurance pay outs. Meanwhile the overpaid incompetent managers responsible for this multi $billion rip off remain – protected, untouchable.
Posted this link yesterday too, about how tenuous Israel’s existence currently is, particularly in relation to its reliance on massive imperial support from the USA.
And that’s just more reason to become as self-sufficient as possible. We simply won’t have a choice in a few years as the p[resent global empire collapses.
I’m sure I saw the same clip about a year back, but without the…what do you call that shit?…that fucking backing music that aspires to elicit an ‘appropriate’ emotional response from the viewer. Is it just me who gets really offended by that crap? I notice it’s used fairly extensively these days.
This is in no way aimed at you AWW, but I wish people (those who compile these clips) would just convey the fcking imformation or show the fcking footage without attempting to layer their own ‘correct’ emotional fingerprint/filter onto it. It’s a fucking manipulative distraction – an insult that only really serves to detract from whatever is being shown/said.
Yeah, totally agree. Very manipulative and pervasive.
I dislike the music thing, but I REALLY dislike the audience approval/disapproval affecting the presentation which happens when an intelligent guest is socially isolated by the host and the audience follows, and most of all I hate laugh tracks. So much that if I catch myself watching something with a laugh track I turn it off.
Critical thinking isn’t well catered to in the medium of film.
Watching Shearer on the Nation, and a line got me when asked by Rachael again he denies he reads the blogs (I do wish he would make up his mind) and he says he does not know who the bloggers are. Well numbnuts I’ll tell you who the bloggers are.. They are Wait for it Yes it’s nearly here … They are the VOTERS YOU FUCKING IDIOT! And alienating them is NOT a good way to get re elected.
Oh that I have to watch if it’s a head to head it will be a bloodbath so I figure the Shearer ‘minders’ will veto that one. For once I think Key could relish this chance to put Shearer away, but he won’t because he is Shit Scared of Cunliffe.
You’re a bit slow on the uptake this morning, CB! Big night last night? To repeat: National have a policy of not going head to head with opposition spokespeople.
Negotiations have been cloaked in unprecedented secrecy and its proponents have mislabeled the TPP as a “free trade” agreement. In reality, the TPP is about much more than trade. It threatens a stealthy, slow-motion corporate coup d’etat, formalizing and locking in corporate rule over most aspects of our lives.
And that is what the TPPA and all other FTAs are for. Taking our democracy and sovereignty and giving it to the corporates. So far, the politicians have been quite successful at achieving this take over for the business community but, IMO, people are starting to wake up to the fact that they’re being shafted. A few people are getting richer (the business types) and everyone else is getting poorer.
Yeah but as usual the secrecy has been very tight so not too many leaks (apart from the ones they want?) How can you have a free trade agreement held in secrecy? Only in the American mind can this be right. It’s like the Americans are transforming into a me culture, where like in the movies the world is run by corporations. And maybe like in the movies it will end badly.
Watching Shearer and Key interviewed back-to-back is quite revealing. It’s no contest.
Key bullshits fluently. Shearer doesn’t.
Key has dozens of prepared lines, and can remember them. Shearer has about three prepared lines, and falls apart if he has to expand on them, so he just keeps repeating them (he said “move on” x 5, “making a difference” several times, etc).
Shane Taurima is doing a good job challenging Key – but Key persists, talks over Taurima.
In a battle of bullshit, Key will tear Shearer apart. Confident crap beats hesitant crap. All Labour can hope for is that National are so loathed by 2014 that the voters won’t care.
Any chance Shane Taurima could be parachuted into Parliament?
(ha ha – Key says he wants to “make a difference” too. And he’s licked his lips, just like Shearer. It’s like watching Key and sub-Key).
Helen Kelly is fighting the good fight on the panel. Another brave soldier going into battle for a hopeless general.
The holes in housing policy are starting to appear. How are we to build affordable houses? Through the ability of the govt to borrow at lower rates (5% vs 7%) and the building industry to eek savings by buying in bulk. How many pollys invest in Fletchers- this coy seems to win big time every time Lab is voted in? The more we hear of this policy the more that Labour undermines a credible policy thru lack of thought into detail – At least Key/Nats doe not suffer from this deficiency
Every day that this property boom exists the less that there is for a CGT to collect. Think about it people. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10849753
Through the ability of the govt to borrow at lower rates (5% vs 7%) and the building industry to eek savings by buying in bulk.
Nope, that just makes the houses more expensive as the banksters take their undeserved cut.
The more we hear of this policy the more that Labour undermines a credible policy thru lack of thought into detail…
True but I think Labour have very carefully thought it out. As I’ve said, the entire policy isn’t about affordable homes but getting more people borrowing and thus give an illusion of growth – an illusions that will only benefit the banksters.
At least Key/Nats doe not suffer from this deficiency
Actually, they do but they manage to paste over it as the MSM never ask just how Nationals policies get paid for. They just seem to accept that what National says is true – despite the evidence.
The key/hat comment was to contain some irony, perhaps this was missed 😉
Perhaps all those schools mallard and parata have closed, the land could be used for HNZ developments?
I don’t understand any of this. It would be cheaper for the country to borrow money on the international markets than from NZ “ma and pa” investors who would be looking for returns of around 4%-5% pa.
Oh, unless this was a policy designed to buy the votes of ma and pa investors looking for a strong safe government guaranteed return of course…
I wonder who was the initiator of the policy, the details tome appear to having to be thought out as we go !!!
As Charlie Brown so famously replies ” good griefs he WOF for rentals was good , pity there is nothing for those who are unable to save a deposit and service a small mortgage of say $250 k or increase HNZ stock IMO labour is still a party buying the middle class vote at the expense I those in real need
Kiwibuild is a policy designed to get people borrowing again and to give rich pricks a government guaranteed place to put their money with a high return (in other words, protecting the rich from risk).
There’s several parts to that:
1.) There’s the belief that the money has to return into the economy to keep the economy moving
2.) Because the rich pricks want a return on the money that they’ve already accumulated and don’t want to take risks like loaning it out to pretty much anyone
3.) There’s the belief that if the government just created the money then there would be huge amounts of inflation despite the facts that the banks create huge amounts of money all the time
4.) The belief that taxes are a dead weight loss
Suffice to say, it’s these beliefs that are preventing the government from doing the rational thing and a) printing money as needed and b) taxing the bejeesus out of the people who accumulate money.
@ Gobsmacked: Shearer’s housing talk reflects his approach to the original leadership road show. When he saw that Cunliffe was gaining more traction he spoke as if he thought much the same things as Cunliffe. Then when he won, he at once reverted to the “left and right are not meaningful terms” position.
Cunliffe is a committed social democrat, but understands that the conditions with which he must contend are neo-liberal conditions. Shearer and the cabal who support him are committed neo-liberals who, under the Labour brand, must aim at least an occasional appeal to the left, if only to shut out other contenders. This makes a difference as to what their policies will translate into in practical terms, since neo-liberalism and social democracy present different criteria for the success or failure of a program.
The cabal behind Shearer have shown contempt for the members’ real involvement in leadership votes by trying to ensure that there is no one to vote for that does not meet their approval. They are exactly like bosses engaged in bad faith bargaining, and have gained Matt McCarten’s approval mainly because he hopes that the alienated left will flock to Mana.
For long I read the Sunday Herald mainly for the columns from Matt McCarten and Bernard Hickey. In recent weeks, and today in particular, my hero (Matt) has toppled. He is more totally pro-Shearer than anyone I have heard from yet (with the snide remarks about Cunliffe). I know that Matt has an illness and I hope it is not worsening; I have been hoping desperately that he would have a total remission. I am not quite clear on what he sees Shearer doing for the unions. Is Matt truly for the left, or is he just playing around with neo-liberalism. Hard to believe!
I was surprised by his stance, but I wouldn’t write him off for disagreeing on one issue, even a major one. Even Isaac Newton had his foibles – all that time spent on alchemy and so – but he did invent the cat flap and deserves credit for that.
With the greatest of respect Dr Terry,
I don’t know about McCarten, but I know and have known others with serious illnesses who resent/ed others attributing any opposing opinions from them to their somehow no longer being in command of their faculties due to illness. ( It can become a very convenient tactic within families)
I completely disagree with McCarten. It seems to me that the intensity of his animus toward Cunliffe has coloured his interpretation of of the events and emergent gossip.
Just saying. You make a fair point. I did not mean to imply that Matt’s faculties are weakened by illness and apologise for giving that impression. I am deeply concerned for him as a good man, and I did state that I long for remission.
It is just that I am so surprised at what, on the surface, looks like such a change in stance. However, it is so true that we human beings are complex creatures! I know that I often contradict myself!!
Matt is first and foremost for Matt. Always has been and always will be. Why would he want an articulate and left leaning Labour caucus when that would potentially take votes away from Mana? And you ain’t allowed to propose the bloody obvious argument that a more left leaning parliamentary bloc would ease the passage of left leaning policies. Anything that would diminish Matt’s profile and/or Mana’s platform is bad.
Matt’s record, if people can recall, going back to the McCarten-Harre-Willie Jackson walk-out while their party was in power and coalition, is not great and is better remembered not by success but by contention and implosion.
When was that?
When the caucus leader arbitrarily overwrote a firm pacifist/anti-imperialist policy to jump on the post-911 bandwagon? And I seem to recall they stayed in the party, and Laila H made a solid effort to gain Waitakere and thereby keep the Alliance in parliament (a bit difficult to keep 5% when your leader has spent a year or so shitting on his current party before splitting to form his own little fan club).
There was a lot of friction between membership and Anderton, as I recall, and supporting the Clark military deployment to Afghanistan was the last straw. McCarten & co might have much to answer for, but the Alliance split certainly isn’t in that basket – that was squarely Anderton.
I suppose that’s one reason I don’t really understand why people get so worked up about Shearer: he might not be brilliant, but he’s nowhere near a so-called “leader” who’s intent on burning his own party down as close to the waterline as possible before he jumps in the only lifeboat. That was Anderton, and he fucked us good. You want to know why we don’t have a decent socialist party in NZ? Kick him in the nuts.
Hasn’t he bothered learning his history? That sort of stupid bloody petty, personality based infighting on the left has caused constant issues. Criticism of policy or political positions? Go for it, but fucking over a fellow party just to increase your own profile usually results in shooting ones self in the foot. Repeatedly.
Unfortunately, from my patheticly small sample of real-world left opinion, Cunliffe’s career is indeed fucked. He’s been done like a dog’s dinner, and it’s hard to see how he can be sufficiently rehabilitated in time to be leader in 2014 (although I think the election will come before that). People who used to have time for his postition have only the msm lining up to say that he’s scum, to judge by. Leftist party members inclusive.
Sooooo I’m expecting It’ll be Robertson, unless someone can think of another contender with a hope in hell. Anyone?
I dunno js. It’s the Labour Party membership that would have to be convinced that Cunliffe’s prospects are dead in the water. And if the caucus doesn’t contain anyone who could be a substitute for Cunliffe, then how can it be said he’s dog tucker? Everyone (okay, that’s an assumption – but hey) knows that Robertson is part of the ABC cabal and that he was meant to shoulder tap David Shearer a few months back.
Do you really think the membership will accept him, thereby endorsing all this garbage and bullshit the ABCer’s have inflicted on the Labour Party this past….well, since Goff’s leadership – whenever that began? I’m not sure they will.
The problem is for the ABC clique is how to get rid of Shearer without things becoming dangerously obvious. I’m picking they will wait until Shearer’s leadership becomes completely, publicly untenable (again). They wont have to intervene for this to come to pass. Meantime, Robertson works on being seen as a bridge between the two warring factions. I’m expecting him to lob a few (bare) bones in our direction between now and then, knowing we are pretty hungry, and don’t know where our next meal is coming from…
The problem is for the ABC clique is how to get rid of Shearer without things becoming dangerously obvious.
So…they block a Feb vote. Allow a Shearer led Labour to lose at the Gen Elec and look at putting Robertson in post election (having ‘done’ the numbers of course). ‘Big’ fish. Small pond.
I’m sure they want to win the election. But I’m not sure they want to win the election. I reckon they are far more focussed on ruling over their fiefdom. And if it’s a diminished fiefdom, so be it. They want to rule something. Like I already commented – wee fish can get to feel like big fish in a small pond. And that, if you want to look at it all in terms of ego, really is ego at work
Shearer cant beat Key and we all know it thats why theres problems with his Leadership, it has nothing to do with Cunliffe mounting some challenge its just that Cunliffe could beat Key and Shearer can’t.
I was surprised by Helen Kelley and Matt McCarten’s public support of Shearer,solidly
backing him,it seems that there is a concerted effort to try and dampen down any resistance
against Shearer.
Shearer won the leadership by default,through the ABC’s,so far Shearer has not proved
that he is the credible leader to win in 2014, if Helen or Matt have a reason why or know
something we dont, then they need to let us in on the reason.
When Clark turned her back on the people,i wrote to her and told her that she would
have a huge defeat in 2008 if she did not listen to the people, i also let her know the people
i am in contact with are angry that the party doesn’t care about them anymore,of course her minders would have controlled her mail,but my prediction was correct and she got dumped properly,Her tears at loosing the election annoyed me, this was the result of how the people
felt at being ignored by her govt.
Roll on to today with the current issues over Shearer’s leadership,the caucus is ignoring the
wishes of the people that voted for Cunliffe in the meetings for the leadership and what those
voters got was a two fingered salute and the caucus trampled over democracy and put in
their own man,what a waste of time it was for those who voted and did the ground work
to set up the meetings.
As much as i want labour to win the next election,for the sake of the people and the country,
I honestly can’t see Shearer leading us there,regardless of the latest media support,labour should
by flying in the polls now, they are not, which reflects the feeling of the people,there may
be 2-3% rise and fall in the polls ahead ,but that is not good enough and not enough to win
in 2014.
I was surprised by Helen Kelley and Matt McCarten’s public support of Shearer,solidly
backing him,it seems that there is a concerted effort to try and dampen down any resistance
against Shearer.
Helen Kelly is looking to be parachuted-in to the Labour caucus at the next election? You watch the way the game is being played, then you make your choice…
It’s already been discussed what Matt McCarten’s intentions were probably all about.
Once again, the mighty All Blacks turn it on with some brilliant rugby.
However we are already beginning to hear the apologists for Hore’s thuggery on the rugby pitch this morning …
I want to repeat that, particularly in this country, strong and justifiable self-belief is NOT weakness, it is strength (as opposed to personal popularity stakes). Merely for standing his ground and declining to be a “yes-man”, Cunliffe has been damned even by his own colleagues.
An old friend in Southland made the following casual observation today: the Labour caucus has treated David Cunliffe far harsher than it’s ever treated John Key.
“It speaks of a party that is out of touch with mainstream New Zealand.” whereas a journalist for th herald is immersed in the reality of “mainstream” new zealand whatever the heck illlusion THAT is.
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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 ...
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, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarctica’s glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer “yes” to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if they’re experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey caught the headlines yesterday, courtesy of a blistering speech condemning the latest GST carve-up. New South Wales, he claimed, would be A$11.9 billion worse off over the ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Kokoda Station, Northern province, at the start of his state visit to Papua New Guinea. Both Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape will meet with the locals and the Northern Provincial government before they begin their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra Shutterstock An important principle was invoked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week in defence of the government’s Future Made in Australia industry ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Security forces reinforcements were sent from France ahead of two rival marches in the capital Nouméa today, at the same time and only two streets away one from the other. One march, called by Union Calédonienne party (a component of the ...
A poll last August found that just 16% of New Zealanders oppose bringing back the ‘Three Strikes’ law. The nationwide poll of 1,000 New Zealanders was commissioned by Family First NZ and carried out by Curia Market Research. ...
The solo show from Ana Scotney is both sprawling and intimate, and a must-see, writes Mad Chapman. In the opening moments of Scattergun: After the Death of Rūaumoko, writer and performer Ana Scotney lays out the groundwork, literally. Silently moving around the square stage, Scotney is not so much dancing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Burridge, Professor of Linguistics, Monash University Who makes the words? Why are trees called trees and why are shoes called shoes and who makes the names? – Elliot, age 5, Eltham, Victoria Good question Elliot! Let’s start with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne at amRawpixel.com/Shutterstock Roles of health professionals are still unfortunately often stuck in the past. That is, before the ...
COMMENTARY:By Malcolm Evans Last week’s leaked New York Times staff directive, as to what words can and cannot be used to describe the carnage Israel is raining on Palestinians, is proof positive, since those reports are published verbatim here in New Zealand, that our understanding of the conflict is ...
In the case of New Zealand, the results confirm that there is no popular support for the vicious austerity program being imposed by the National Party-led government, which is backed in all fundamental respects by the opposition Labour Party. ...
The ‘Vampire’ singer has never visited our part of the world, but that might all be about to change. We assess the evidence.Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour is pulling in massive crowds as it whips around the US and Europe, even helping to catapult regular supporting act Chappell Roan ...
Testing of drinking water in rural Canterbury over the weekend by Greenpeace revealed that several public town supplies were reaching levels of nitrate above 5 mg/L - the threshold which a growing body of scientific evidence has linked to increased ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rohan Fisher, Information Technology for Development Researcher, Charles Darwin University It may come as a surprise to hear 2023 was Australia’s biggest bushfire season in more than a decade. Fires burned across an area eight times as big as the 2019–20 Black ...
Responding to the Government’s announcement of changes to resource management laws, Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, said: “These changes are a step in the right direction in terms of removing ideological and unworkable ...
More than two years after the Human Rights Council called for the establishment of a national human rights commission, such a body has yet to be formed. ...
Comment:An emergency management system with wide variations in performance, significant capability gaps, funding shortfalls and above all a setup that is not meeting the needs of New Zealanders at times of crisis. The Government’s inquiry into the response to Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events in the North ...
Welcome to the whirring wonders of one brain trying to align its actions with its beliefs within a system it thinks is evil. My brain has been spiralling in a woke conundrum ever since I found out a bookshop I’ve never been to was shutting down. Good Books, a bookshop ...
We repeat our call for criminal justice policy to be based on evidence, something the three strikes regime neglects to recognise – with no evidence that it either reduces crime or assists with rehabilitation. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara With only four more seats in the 50-member Parliament yet to be officially declared, there is no outright winner in the Solomon Islands elections. As of Monday, the two largest blocs in the winner’s circle, independents and the incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh ...
Two/fiftyseven is a multi-purpose space hidden in the heart of Wellington that is paving a way for sustainable building and responsible landlording in Aotearoa and beyond.By 2060 the world is predicted to double its entire building stock, which equates to building an entire New York City every 34 days, ...
Popstars wasn’t just a reality television revolution, it was also a huge moment for Y2K fashion.It’s 25 years since girl group TrueBliss was formed on New Zealand national television, breaking new ground for both the reality television industry and the shiny clothing industry. With the first episode on NZ ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Pepping, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology, Griffith University Marvin / Shutterstock Are all single people insecure? When we think about people who have been single for a long time, we may assume it’s because single people have insecurities that make ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Geary, Lecturer in Quantitative Ecology & Biodiversity Conservation, The University of Melbourne Trismegist san, Shutterstock Landscapes that have escaped fire for decades or centuries tend to harbour vital structures for wildlife, such as tree hollows and large logs. But these ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Gladstone-Gallagher, Lecturer in Marine Science, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Shutterstock/S Curtis Why are we crossing ecological boundaries that affect Earth’s fundamental life-supporting capacity? Is it because we don’t have enough information about how ecosystems respond to change? Or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Crocker, PhD Student in Economics, Deakin University Here’s something for the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia to ponder as it meets next month to set interest rates. It has pushed up rates on 13 occasions since it began its ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a charity director outlines how she’s saving for retirement and buying secondhand. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Female Age: 45 Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: Charity director, mum of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie Yates, Research Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late last year. Now a ...
It’s been called a failed experiment and a judicial straightjacket but the government says the revised three strikes law will be a more workable regime, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Three ...
New Zealand’s Palestinian community and Palestinian Youth Aotearoa are voicing alarm and disappointment with the lack of factual rigour present during the Israeli Ambassador’s appearance as a guest on TVNZ’s Q+A With Jack Tame Sunday (21/04). ...
Both ACT leader David Seymour, who played a key role in drawing up the assisted dying law, and hospice leaders say it's time the legislation was changed. ...
Public submissions on proposed gang control laws are being heard today. Rising gang membership has been cited as rationale for a crackdown – but what do we actually know about how many people belong to gangs in New Zealand?What’s all this then?A rise in the number of gang ...
Climate activists are setting their sights on an unpopular target, and hoping to bring lots of the public with them. It’s hard to miss the Majestic Princess: the enormous cruise ship, docked at Auckland’s Prince’s Wharf, looms over the nearby buildings. The ship, which can fit nearly 6,000 people, ...
Opinion: We’ve kicked the tyres on the perception NZ’s economy is in a parlous state compared to Australia. We take a quick tour of relative trends in GDP, housing markets, labour markets, trade, the fiscal situation, and the outlooks for inflation and interest rates. We find the cyclical positions of ...
Opinion: Making sure developers, local and central government, and landowners are all on the same page makes sense The post A new kind of city deal appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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Is this justice?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/7994187/AMI-bailout-cost-doubles
After decades of collecting home owners earthquake levies, when the Christchurch quake struck it was found that AMI had frittered away all the money. Yet rather than being charged with fraud and all their assets seized, not only were those responsible not charged, they were left in their positions to continue collecting their hugely generous corporate salaries at the taxpayers expense while the taxpayer paid out their liabilities.
So $Billions more for corporate welfare are paid out, incompetence and fraud are excused. Not a single director or manager appears in court, or is even charged for this massive act of fraud. They even get to keep their jobs.
But a vulnerable sole mother who is an otherwise good and caring parent who has a useless non-contributing unemployed boyfriend move in on her and sponge off her for a few weeks, faces prison for fraud and her young children cruelly taken off her.
In New Zealand be a rich person who has never experienced hardship – corporate crime is excused. Every mistake and act of incompetence you make is papered over and ignored or forgiven. You are left in the lap of luxury. While those facing real hardship suffer more.
Is this justice?
Is it fair?
Is it even necessary?
Jail is where the big criminals send the little criminals and those in control make the rules to suit themselves, or don’t enforce/ mis interpret the inconvenient rules.
Look at the recent collapse of Ross over 4 years after the GFC commenced, what oversight existed to uncover what appears to be another Ponzi scheme. Our regulators are a transparent bunch of pussies.
Isn’t this govt meant to be fostering savings and investments by encouraging share market etc etc, what a Joke this is and it’s on you poor sucker investors.
I agree whole heartedly Jenny. As a society we are allowing this to happen. It is very ‘sick’ indeed.
And tc here is a repeat of post 18th Nov
Here it is in black and white, stark evidence of NZ’s hypocritcal injustice.
“They have the same victim – the government and society – yet one is punished much more harshly than the other,” said tax lecturer Dr Lisa Marriott of Victoria University. “The study does indicate there is a fairly serious problem there.”
“The sentences are intended to reflect society’s views. And it seems we take a dimmer view of people on welfare – even the language is more punitive,” she said.
Marriott found that attitudes towards tax evasion were indulgent, even occasionally admiring, while beneficiaries were considered “scroungers or cheats”.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/7965045/Courts-softer-on-criminals-wearing-suits
AMI was a Mutual – owned by the policyholders, not shareholders.
It was not fraudulent, but suffered from what is now nicely called incompetant management, by not purchasing enough wholesale cover (reinsurance). The top executives were all “retired” as soon as the Aussies (State and NZI) took over all the non Christchurch earthquake claims policies. Cars and other houses etc throughout New Zealand – not earthquake damaged.
AMI did not insure any businesses, only domestic policies.
The Taxpayers have bailed out the balance of earthquake claims, above AMI’s international wholesale policies, as the financial suffering to policyholder claimants in Christchurch would have been horrendous.
That’s all right then. Meanwhile $billions are sucked out of government accounts, that if spent on social programs could have prevented a lot of human misery. Because of this incompetence and buck passing. Money that should go into rebuilding Christchurch on top of the insurance pay outs. Meanwhile the overpaid incompetent managers responsible for this multi $billion rip off remain – protected, untouchable.
Maybe Fortran you might like to explain why?
Ouch. The truth hurts.
Uncomfortable to watch at first b/c I hate conflict….but it turns out so does this guy.
http://maxkeiser.com/2012/11/23/dr-norman-finkelstein-is-the-steve-jobs-of-social-justice-epic/
.
😯
Posted this link yesterday too, about how tenuous Israel’s existence currently is, particularly in relation to its reliance on massive imperial support from the USA.
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/in-twilight-of-empires.html
And that’s just more reason to become as self-sufficient as possible. We simply won’t have a choice in a few years as the p[resent global empire collapses.
I’m sure I saw the same clip about a year back, but without the…what do you call that shit?…that fucking backing music that aspires to elicit an ‘appropriate’ emotional response from the viewer. Is it just me who gets really offended by that crap? I notice it’s used fairly extensively these days.
This is in no way aimed at you AWW, but I wish people (those who compile these clips) would just convey the fcking imformation or show the fcking footage without attempting to layer their own ‘correct’ emotional fingerprint/filter onto it. It’s a fucking manipulative distraction – an insult that only really serves to detract from whatever is being shown/said.
off for an angry coffee now
Yeah, totally agree. Very manipulative and pervasive.
I dislike the music thing, but I REALLY dislike the audience approval/disapproval affecting the presentation which happens when an intelligent guest is socially isolated by the host and the audience follows, and most of all I hate laugh tracks. So much that if I catch myself watching something with a laugh track I turn it off.
Critical thinking isn’t well catered to in the medium of film.
close my ears then or are they painted on?
Watching Shearer on the Nation, and a line got me when asked by Rachael again he denies he reads the blogs (I do wish he would make up his mind) and he says he does not know who the bloggers are. Well numbnuts I’ll tell you who the bloggers are.. They are Wait for it Yes it’s nearly here … They are the VOTERS YOU FUCKING IDIOT! And alienating them is NOT a good way to get re elected.
Q & A has interviews with both Key and Shearer, 9 am today.
Yesterday Shearer was on “The Nation” (TV3). Asked about shifting right/left, he replied:
“Look, I don’t buy that left/right debate, I think it’s a phoney debate”. (verbatim quote)
We’re told by some to stop questioning Shearer and just “rally behind” … but what are we meant to rally behind? United Future?
Blairite 3rd Way. We’ve seen this before.
This is what Shearer should have said, just replace “liberal” with “lefty”.
Oh that I have to watch if it’s a head to head it will be a bloodbath so I figure the Shearer ‘minders’ will veto that one. For once I think Key could relish this chance to put Shearer away, but he won’t because he is Shit Scared of Cunliffe.
National have a long standing strategy of not going head to head with Labour spokespeople in the media, David.
Yeah because he was so scared of Clark and Goff he wouldn’t face them either…oh wait hang on he did face them
You’re a bit slow on the uptake this morning, CB! Big night last night? To repeat: National have a policy of not going head to head with opposition spokespeople.
Which the media lets them get away with.
National have a policy of not going head to head with John Campbell either.
Blind obedience much suits many a leader, whether religious or political. Real questions are seldom invited or welcome.
Can always rely on a leftie…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7994728/Gay-Labour-has-lost-its-way-says-Field
and doesn’t sound good for this guy:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7994828/MPs-family-probes-dead-mums-missing-money
Thank goodness. A glowing endorsement for Labour from Field would be much worse.
If he’s a leftie, I’m the Pope.
+1
After his actions in screwing over people there’s no way Field should be saying he’s of the left.
People on the left are just as capable of screwing over people as those on the right.
No, the research would indicate otherwise.
No true scotsman, eh? You know that’s a logical fallacy right?
Because waterfront unions are bastions of gay rights?
aye
I wasn’t aware being a leftie precluded one from being socially conservative.
well, being socially conservative AND underpaying workers as a form of bribery would seem to be at least two strikes against it.
Field is utterly full of shit, and still incapable of admitting he did wrong and calling himself a political prisoner? Lol-fucking-wat?
a friend distilled the actual news content of the report into “dick says something dickish.” Shock!
Can a “Dracula Strategy” Bring Trans-Pacific Partnership into the Sunlight?
And that is what the TPPA and all other FTAs are for. Taking our democracy and sovereignty and giving it to the corporates. So far, the politicians have been quite successful at achieving this take over for the business community but, IMO, people are starting to wake up to the fact that they’re being shafted. A few people are getting richer (the business types) and everyone else is getting poorer.
Yeah but as usual the secrecy has been very tight so not too many leaks (apart from the ones they want?) How can you have a free trade agreement held in secrecy? Only in the American mind can this be right. It’s like the Americans are transforming into a me culture, where like in the movies the world is run by corporations. And maybe like in the movies it will end badly.
Watching Shearer and Key interviewed back-to-back is quite revealing. It’s no contest.
Key bullshits fluently. Shearer doesn’t.
Key has dozens of prepared lines, and can remember them. Shearer has about three prepared lines, and falls apart if he has to expand on them, so he just keeps repeating them (he said “move on” x 5, “making a difference” several times, etc).
Shane Taurima is doing a good job challenging Key – but Key persists, talks over Taurima.
In a battle of bullshit, Key will tear Shearer apart. Confident crap beats hesitant crap. All Labour can hope for is that National are so loathed by 2014 that the voters won’t care.
Any chance Shane Taurima could be parachuted into Parliament?
(ha ha – Key says he wants to “make a difference” too. And he’s licked his lips, just like Shearer. It’s like watching Key and sub-Key).
Helen Kelly is fighting the good fight on the panel. Another brave soldier going into battle for a hopeless general.
Thanks for the updates gs. I see Goff has a big spread in the Herald On Sunday. Glowing references to Shearer’s ability and background story.
CV – remember that Shearer was once an “adviser” to Goff! Any surprise here?
Ahhh.
Thank goodness! I would be very disappointed in Shearer if he WON? a crap talking contest with key.
Shearer still is still talking crap Chris just not well!
Shearer “I guarantee I will be leader in 2014”. Lol what ever.
The holes in housing policy are starting to appear. How are we to build affordable houses? Through the ability of the govt to borrow at lower rates (5% vs 7%) and the building industry to eek savings by buying in bulk. How many pollys invest in Fletchers- this coy seems to win big time every time Lab is voted in? The more we hear of this policy the more that Labour undermines a credible policy thru lack of thought into detail – At least Key/Nats doe not suffer from this deficiency
Every day that this property boom exists the less that there is for a CGT to collect. Think about it people.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10849753
Oh, that’s easy.
Nope, that just makes the houses more expensive as the banksters take their undeserved cut.
True but I think Labour have very carefully thought it out. As I’ve said, the entire policy isn’t about affordable homes but getting more people borrowing and thus give an illusion of growth – an illusions that will only benefit the banksters.
Actually, they do but they manage to paste over it as the MSM never ask just how Nationals policies get paid for. They just seem to accept that what National says is true – despite the evidence.
The key/hat comment was to contain some irony, perhaps this was missed 😉
Perhaps all those schools mallard and parata have closed, the land could be used for HNZ developments?
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/building-proposal-won-t-funded-government-shearer-5235515
/facepalm
I’m afraid my face is all palmed out.
One week ago Shearer announced “the biggest public building programme in 50 years.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/kiwibuild/
Today, Shearer said … it actually isn’t.
Is this policy anything more than a headline to save his job?
I don’t understand any of this. It would be cheaper for the country to borrow money on the international markets than from NZ “ma and pa” investors who would be looking for returns of around 4%-5% pa.
Oh, unless this was a policy designed to buy the votes of ma and pa investors looking for a strong safe government guaranteed return of course…
I wonder who was the initiator of the policy, the details tome appear to having to be thought out as we go !!!
As Charlie Brown so famously replies ” good griefs he WOF for rentals was good , pity there is nothing for those who are unable to save a deposit and service a small mortgage of say $250 k or increase HNZ stock IMO labour is still a party buying the middle class vote at the expense I those in real need
It smells like Pagani 😛
Kiwibuild is a policy designed to get people borrowing again and to give rich pricks a government guaranteed place to put their money with a high return (in other words, protecting the rich from risk).
Why borrow the money from the rich pricks though…the obvious alternative is to just tax it…cheaper and simpler.
As usual a snippet of wisdom again, well said CV
There’s several parts to that:
1.) There’s the belief that the money has to return into the economy to keep the economy moving
2.) Because the rich pricks want a return on the money that they’ve already accumulated and don’t want to take risks like loaning it out to pretty much anyone
3.) There’s the belief that if the government just created the money then there would be huge amounts of inflation despite the facts that the banks create huge amounts of money all the time
4.) The belief that taxes are a dead weight loss
Suffice to say, it’s these beliefs that are preventing the government from doing the rational thing and a) printing money as needed and b) taxing the bejeesus out of the people who accumulate money.
@ Gobsmacked: Shearer’s housing talk reflects his approach to the original leadership road show. When he saw that Cunliffe was gaining more traction he spoke as if he thought much the same things as Cunliffe. Then when he won, he at once reverted to the “left and right are not meaningful terms” position.
Cunliffe is a committed social democrat, but understands that the conditions with which he must contend are neo-liberal conditions. Shearer and the cabal who support him are committed neo-liberals who, under the Labour brand, must aim at least an occasional appeal to the left, if only to shut out other contenders. This makes a difference as to what their policies will translate into in practical terms, since neo-liberalism and social democracy present different criteria for the success or failure of a program.
The cabal behind Shearer have shown contempt for the members’ real involvement in leadership votes by trying to ensure that there is no one to vote for that does not meet their approval. They are exactly like bosses engaged in bad faith bargaining, and have gained Matt McCarten’s approval mainly because he hopes that the alienated left will flock to Mana.
For long I read the Sunday Herald mainly for the columns from Matt McCarten and Bernard Hickey. In recent weeks, and today in particular, my hero (Matt) has toppled. He is more totally pro-Shearer than anyone I have heard from yet (with the snide remarks about Cunliffe). I know that Matt has an illness and I hope it is not worsening; I have been hoping desperately that he would have a total remission. I am not quite clear on what he sees Shearer doing for the unions. Is Matt truly for the left, or is he just playing around with neo-liberalism. Hard to believe!
Opening up space on the Left.
I was surprised by his stance, but I wouldn’t write him off for disagreeing on one issue, even a major one. Even Isaac Newton had his foibles – all that time spent on alchemy and so – but he did invent the cat flap and deserves credit for that.
and he was a central banker haha
With the greatest of respect Dr Terry,
I don’t know about McCarten, but I know and have known others with serious illnesses who resent/ed others attributing any opposing opinions from them to their somehow no longer being in command of their faculties due to illness. ( It can become a very convenient tactic within families)
I completely disagree with McCarten. It seems to me that the intensity of his animus toward Cunliffe has coloured his interpretation of of the events and emergent gossip.
Just saying. You make a fair point. I did not mean to imply that Matt’s faculties are weakened by illness and apologise for giving that impression. I am deeply concerned for him as a good man, and I did state that I long for remission.
It is just that I am so surprised at what, on the surface, looks like such a change in stance. However, it is so true that we human beings are complex creatures! I know that I often contradict myself!!
Matt is first and foremost for Matt. Always has been and always will be. Why would he want an articulate and left leaning Labour caucus when that would potentially take votes away from Mana? And you ain’t allowed to propose the bloody obvious argument that a more left leaning parliamentary bloc would ease the passage of left leaning policies. Anything that would diminish Matt’s profile and/or Mana’s platform is bad.
Harsh.
But probably true.
Harsh but true is correct.
Matt’s record, if people can recall, going back to the McCarten-Harre-Willie Jackson walk-out while their party was in power and coalition, is not great and is better remembered not by success but by contention and implosion.
When was that?
When the caucus leader arbitrarily overwrote a firm pacifist/anti-imperialist policy to jump on the post-911 bandwagon? And I seem to recall they stayed in the party, and Laila H made a solid effort to gain Waitakere and thereby keep the Alliance in parliament (a bit difficult to keep 5% when your leader has spent a year or so shitting on his current party before splitting to form his own little fan club).
There was a lot of friction between membership and Anderton, as I recall, and supporting the Clark military deployment to Afghanistan was the last straw. McCarten & co might have much to answer for, but the Alliance split certainly isn’t in that basket – that was squarely Anderton.
I suppose that’s one reason I don’t really understand why people get so worked up about Shearer: he might not be brilliant, but he’s nowhere near a so-called “leader” who’s intent on burning his own party down as close to the waterline as possible before he jumps in the only lifeboat. That was Anderton, and he fucked us good. You want to know why we don’t have a decent socialist party in NZ? Kick him in the nuts.
Ok. Noted. Especially your second paragraph.
Had Harre won Waitakere in ’02, NZ would have probably been a very different place…
Hasn’t he bothered learning his history? That sort of stupid bloody petty, personality based infighting on the left has caused constant issues. Criticism of policy or political positions? Go for it, but fucking over a fellow party just to increase your own profile usually results in shooting ones self in the foot. Repeatedly.
Agreed.
Unfortunately, from my patheticly small sample of real-world left opinion, Cunliffe’s career is indeed fucked. He’s been done like a dog’s dinner, and it’s hard to see how he can be sufficiently rehabilitated in time to be leader in 2014 (although I think the election will come before that). People who used to have time for his postition have only the msm lining up to say that he’s scum, to judge by. Leftist party members inclusive.
Sooooo I’m expecting It’ll be Robertson, unless someone can think of another contender with a hope in hell. Anyone?
I dunno js. It’s the Labour Party membership that would have to be convinced that Cunliffe’s prospects are dead in the water. And if the caucus doesn’t contain anyone who could be a substitute for Cunliffe, then how can it be said he’s dog tucker? Everyone (okay, that’s an assumption – but hey) knows that Robertson is part of the ABC cabal and that he was meant to shoulder tap David Shearer a few months back.
Do you really think the membership will accept him, thereby endorsing all this garbage and bullshit the ABCer’s have inflicted on the Labour Party this past….well, since Goff’s leadership – whenever that began? I’m not sure they will.
The problem is for the ABC clique is how to get rid of Shearer without things becoming dangerously obvious. I’m picking they will wait until Shearer’s leadership becomes completely, publicly untenable (again). They wont have to intervene for this to come to pass. Meantime, Robertson works on being seen as a bridge between the two warring factions. I’m expecting him to lob a few (bare) bones in our direction between now and then, knowing we are pretty hungry, and don’t know where our next meal is coming from…
So…they block a Feb vote. Allow a Shearer led Labour to lose at the Gen Elec and look at putting Robertson in post election (having ‘done’ the numbers of course). ‘Big’ fish. Small pond.
‘cept ‘they’ want to win the next election. Minister’s way cooler than opposition spokesperson for all sorts of ego gratifying reasons.
I’m sure they want to win the election. But I’m not sure they want to win the election. I reckon they are far more focussed on ruling over their fiefdom. And if it’s a diminished fiefdom, so be it. They want to rule something. Like I already commented – wee fish can get to feel like big fish in a small pond. And that, if you want to look at it all in terms of ego, really is ego at work
Shearer cant beat Key and we all know it thats why theres problems with his Leadership, it has nothing to do with Cunliffe mounting some challenge its just that Cunliffe could beat Key and Shearer can’t.
Cunliffe is photogenic, he looks energetic, fresh, contemporary, well groomed but casual and approachable. Most MPs look like death warmed up.
I think he would be a massive hit with <45ers.
Here's a funny pic of him in the Listener looking like the cheeky classroom clown:
http://www.listener.co.nz/commentary/the-internaut/david-cunliffe-shearer-coup-history/
http://www.listener.co.nz/current-affairs/politics/reinventing-david-cunliffe/
Hello ladies…
Phwoar!
Our curse “Paradox of thrift”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_thrift
The Nanny slipped an implicit concession to the next Left government when A to Q; slipping Maxwell
-Niles (not unemployable)
I was surprised by Helen Kelley and Matt McCarten’s public support of Shearer,solidly
backing him,it seems that there is a concerted effort to try and dampen down any resistance
against Shearer.
Shearer won the leadership by default,through the ABC’s,so far Shearer has not proved
that he is the credible leader to win in 2014, if Helen or Matt have a reason why or know
something we dont, then they need to let us in on the reason.
When Clark turned her back on the people,i wrote to her and told her that she would
have a huge defeat in 2008 if she did not listen to the people, i also let her know the people
i am in contact with are angry that the party doesn’t care about them anymore,of course her minders would have controlled her mail,but my prediction was correct and she got dumped properly,Her tears at loosing the election annoyed me, this was the result of how the people
felt at being ignored by her govt.
Roll on to today with the current issues over Shearer’s leadership,the caucus is ignoring the
wishes of the people that voted for Cunliffe in the meetings for the leadership and what those
voters got was a two fingered salute and the caucus trampled over democracy and put in
their own man,what a waste of time it was for those who voted and did the ground work
to set up the meetings.
As much as i want labour to win the next election,for the sake of the people and the country,
I honestly can’t see Shearer leading us there,regardless of the latest media support,labour should
by flying in the polls now, they are not, which reflects the feeling of the people,there may
be 2-3% rise and fall in the polls ahead ,but that is not good enough and not enough to win
in 2014.
Helen Kelly is looking to be parachuted-in to the Labour caucus at the next election? You watch the way the game is being played, then you make your choice…
It’s already been discussed what Matt McCarten’s intentions were probably all about.
Once again, the mighty All Blacks turn it on with some brilliant rugby.
However we are already beginning to hear the apologists for Hore’s thuggery on the rugby pitch this morning …
http://www.3news.co.nz/VIDEO-Andrew-Hore-king-hit-on-Davies-All-Blacks-V-Wales-2012/tabid/317/articleID/277987/Default.aspx
I want to repeat that, particularly in this country, strong and justifiable self-belief is NOT weakness, it is strength (as opposed to personal popularity stakes). Merely for standing his ground and declining to be a “yes-man”, Cunliffe has been damned even by his own colleagues.
An old friend in Southland made the following casual observation today: the Labour caucus has treated David Cunliffe far harsher than it’s ever treated John Key.
Sad but very true, Crimson.
Don’t be silly. Almost every LEC already has such positions and typically also the executive committee that was in the actual resolution
“It speaks of a party that is out of touch with mainstream New Zealand.” whereas a journalist for th herald is immersed in the reality of “mainstream” new zealand whatever the heck illlusion THAT is.
Hawking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Ain15tsxk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Talking
The Division:Bell Time
🙂