Curiously, Shearer is not reported as saying what he/Labour would do for Maori, only that Labour’s after their seats. It seems to be all a power play by Shearer. And still we don’t really know what Shearer actually stands for…?
Meanwhile, I see Metiria Turei spoke at the gathering to celebrate the prophet’s birthday at Ratana, laying out her strongly held political values and commitments.
And I see from the NZ Herald article on Shearer’s tilt (at windmills?) that there’s a Green Party picnic for the planet: tags for the picnic post includeAsset sales, Climate Change, Children’s Issues, Conservation, Environment, Housing, Water.
And that I think is the elephant in the room NO-ONE knows what he stands for. He could support little green men from Venus I wouldn’t care at least we would know.
Would it matter if he came out and *said*, what he stood for, I mean really, only the gillible would trust a politician, with a spurious background, after the decades of lying , leading to decline!
Apparently he doesn’t need to stand for anything. Cardboard cutout, smile and wave while Goff, Mallard, King and Robertson pull the strings to animate the FrankenShearer.
LOLZ, Metiria had them spell-bound on the Marae when She described Her first visit to Ratana which resulted in Her first real kiss,( come on Met’s fess up you forgot to give the bloke a slap for His troubles and your really back there looking to make amends),
On a more serious note Ratana now have a perfect housing policy via the Green Party’s just announced scheme where Ratana have the land and now have a real policy with which to rejuvenate housing at the Pa it’self, i am sure that in the Urawera’s Tuhoe will have reacted with interest to the Green Party’s housing policy as well…
“I think the Maori seats are up for grabs and we are going for broke to get them. We are in competition with the Maori Party and Mana and we are determined to win the Maori seats back.”
David Shearer
While I agree that Labour should try and see off the Maori Party. To lump the Mana Party in the same category exposes David Shearer’s lack of a political compass.
Mana is undoubtedly a left party and as such is more than likely back to fully back any left legislation forwarded by a Labour/Green government. Possibly even giving such a government their vote on confidence and supply. (Even if not in a formal alliance).
The fact of the matter is, if Mana got more than the one seat currently held by Hone Harawira, this would be one more vote to keep National away from the treasury benches.
Can’t Shearer see that? Is he that misinformed?
Or is Shearer so blindly sectarian that he would rather see Mana out of parliament, even at the cost of the election?
Labour actively contesting the Maori seats that it currently does not hold could be just what Mana need particularly in Waiariki where Flavell is definitely vulnerable more to Mana’s Annette Sykes than any candidate that Labour can stand in that particular electorate,
For all the mana that Pita Sharples now has left a blind donkey named Brucie could wrest Sharples seat off of him without raising a sweat so Labour’s Shane Jones should fit right in there as i am unreliably informed that wanking makes you blind and as far as i know Shane hasn’t raised an ounce of sweat during what has so far passed as His lifetime even when engaged in the former….
It’s the hackneyed, appallingly arrogant “Decent People Hate Harawira” refrain which most of them have engaged to suck up to voters in the range White Trash to White Flash.
The NZHerald article wrongly translates the word ‘morehu’ as to mean ‘follower’, that’s not right and who would have thunk that the Herald cannot even get one simple Maori word correct,
Morehu are the survivors, what was left of the Prophets people and lands after what Tariana Turia described as the ‘holocaust’ ensuing from European settlement…
National announce an $80 million investment in this years budget for irrigation and water storage for Dairy Farmers. This is unbelievable given the profitability of dairy farming and the desperate need for money in other areas.
Hi Rosy, Hi Saarbo. Yes this is both unbelieveable and outrageous. I heard the news on RNZ yesterday about the $80 million funding for irrigation. This has been in the pipeline (absolutely no pun intended) for quite some time hasn’t it? I’m making an assumption that its for Canterbury, that region most unsuited to dairying. If they mentioned the region in the news yesterday I must have missed it.
I clicked on Saarbo’s nat party link to see if they mentioned a region. The answers are possibly in that PDF of Q’s and A’s. I didn’t check it though. I got mesmarised and confused by the heading in the banner “Less debt, more jobs” (!?!?!), and then I started to feel a little sick from all that blue and had to quickly vacate the site lest I throw up.
This lolnats post sums it up: “its not called socialism when its for mah friends!”
Thanks Saarbo and Rosie…
Go lolnats. So they’re selling dams and then funding water storage. hmm
Y’know I don’t have a problem with government investing in infrastructure to help industry when it helps job creation and the environment and when the government retains control. But this is a 10% investment for private profit from the sounds of it. And it’s the way they turning the country into a great big dairy farm to profit their friends that really galls.
More than half of this investment is going to dairying/dairy support if they go by NZIER modelling.
NZIER modelling assumed that the resulting land use change would see 42
per cent of the area go to dairying, 16 per cent to mixed livestock, 27 per cent
to arable (cropping), 11 per cent to dairy support and four per cent to
horticulture.
The pdfs mention water storage in Canterbury, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Nelson/Tasman but they don’t say they are going to do anything in any region. It’s all a bit cloak and dagger to me. It’s also rolling over the country’s democracy, if it’s Canterbury.
“It’s all a bit cloak and dagger to me. It’s also rolling over the conutry’s democracy, if it’s Canterbury”.
Exactly. The sacking of the elected representatives of ECAN was a breath taking act of tyranny, with the intention of blocking attempts from concerned parties who wish to take the matter of irrigation to the environment court. The documents obtained by The Press under the OIA spell out clearly the intention of the govt to “suspend democracy” in favour of economic growth for the Canterbury region: (And for whose benefit really?)
So water storage plans aside for Hawke’s Bay, Wellington and Nelson Tasman (thanks for actually reading the pdf’s on the nat site!) One of the big issues around the announcemment of the $80 million funding for irrigation is the removal of the democratic process. It’s just not any old irrigation scheme.
Secondly, as you mentioned, is the issue of the environment. The expansion of dairying in Canterbury surely can’t be a sustainable move and one that the environment won’t be able to support long term. Climate change experts predict that dry regions of NZ (eg Canterbury) will continue to get drier and experience more droughts where as wetter areas (eg, west coast) will continue to get wetter and experience more floods. We had an example of this over Xmas/NY with floods in the west coast and ultra hot dry and windy conditions over the other side of the alps that contributed to scrub fires… And of course I agree with you in regard to the issue of industrial farming and it’s intensification. Just how much can you force out of an animal and out of the land that supports that animal?
The burden on the environment will be too much.
Oh for a govt with a vision!
Jeez that Press link is dynamite – but not important enough to put on the Stuff main site? Go figure. I’ve also linked to the Forest & Bird press release about the irrigation subsidies on today’s Open Mike…
This issue is far too important to fade into the background. The demolition of environment, finance, employment, social cohesion, animal welfare and, above all, democracy concerns all tied up in a neat package.
btw I’m thinking that I won’t talk about subsidies for farmers – with connotations of giving a break to hard working rugged individualists getting up at the crack of dawn to tend their animals. I reckon I’m going to start talking about farming companies – with connotations of foreign ownership and/or big bank mortgages employing farm managers and minimum wage staff (increasingly imported) with no hope of getting on the farm ownership or share-milking ladder.
I am not opposed to irrigation and water storage schemes as long as they are ***100 % PUBLICLY OWNED AND CONTROLLED***
This irrigation investment company is bascially the government giving money to profit making entites so they can make money from OUR water, as the equity that this company will essentially be a minority stake and will be sold off in due course.
Hi All, just to provide some more analysis on the benefit to farmers of Irrigation and therefore why farmers should pay for this themselves. An un-irrigated farm in the Waikato will make 1200 KG Milk Solids per hectare. When the land is irrigated in the South Island it can make between 1600kg MS to 2000kg MS. So a 300 Hectare farm in the SI will make between $70000 to $140000 per farm/per annum from irrigation (This is the value add from irrigation). My analysis is very conservative as if I was to compare the increase in per hectare profit of the SI farm before irrigation to the SI farm after irrigation the figures would be much larger. There is absolutely NO reason why these farmers cannot afford to pay for these schemes themselves. This is handouts to the rich.
It’s also not only about water. It’s really bad for NZ’s reputation and a seriously important step along the way of intensification of factory farming. NZ grassland already can’t feed the cows that it has so it’s either import more palm kernel waste and intensify farming. Added to this is that NZ waterways already can’t manage the agricultural waste pumped in to them, Canterbury being a prime example.
Reliance on one sector of intensive agriculture only enriches the companies that own those farms (wherever the company is from) and exploits the country, its workers and environment as well as being a disgusting way to treat animals (imho of course).
I went to a meeting this week. I’d never been before, and didn’t I know any of the attendees.
I was early, and as I sat down a conversation was in full swing about the awfulness of the government, which segued pretty seamlessly into the uselessness of the opposition. The present-day Labour reminded the older attendees of Rogernomics. There was reminiscing about privatisation and part-charges for hospital treatment. We all agreed with the guy who said the Labour oppostion was “same people – better suits.”
I didn’t say any of the above. I was just smiling and nodding really.
This was no “darkened room”, these people were not “extremist nutters”. The age range I’d guess at 28 – 65, demographic – pakeha, middle class.
Polish Pride I would not spend any time this weekend praying for my immune system to deal with the full blast of disease. I am still alive because I had multiple immunisations as a child.
It is one thing to oppose the inherent corruption of capitalism, it is another to stupidly ignore the scientific and technical advances that it has profited from by keeping us alive as the creators of its wealth.
Because I am alive I can plot to overthrow capitalism and expropriate its technical advances and put them to use in ongoing human survival.
LOLZ, i might start being nice to Hooten,(just kidding there’s not a s**t’s show of that occurring) i wonder if the number of ‘looks’ at the Standard goes up every time the Hooten’s of the world trying to denigrate this site use the main stream media to point people in the Standard’s direction,
Free advertizing???, there are no free lunches but please don’t tell me i have to be nice to that (expletive deleted) wanker…
Yeah, but you don’t link to the pieces you are referencing.
Also, at least twice you use quotation marks around a statement. I had assumed you were quoting something someone had said on ts, but just hadn’t attributed that properly. But googling parts of the phrases returns no hits other than the NBR. What gives?
Matthew likes to tread the line between being a cool, on-to-it online engagement dude and a proper, traditional newspaper guy. The latter comes in very handy because outfits like the NBR don’t understand how linking works or that there’s an expectation that online writing involve citations, yet he wants to be taken seriously as a member of the Standard’s commentariat.
Funnily enough Micky, before I was aware of your connection with Cunliffe I noticed that you were uncharacteristically circumspect on the whole issue during the many threads devoted to it.
Hooton has input from Mike Williams and Chris Hipkins! That is the level to which the clique have descended to retain privileges.
13 MPs must withhold their vote in the Confidence Motion in Feb.
Indeed, except as a spitoon or a comic moment of light relief that one is to all extents and purposes of little use even to His mates in ACT,
Debating with it ‘nicely’ it’s carefully scripted excerpts from the handbook of Ruthanasia-isms simply empowers it’s ego to yell from that wing-nuts gospel ever louder…
There is no “clear spin that DC is orchestrating it”, or any other kind of “spin”. If I wanted to say he was orchestrating it all, I would have said it. I know enough about these processes (Brash v English for example) to know that the candidate usually only knows a fraction of what is being said and done to advance his or her interests.
But she faces fresh criticism from Opposition MPs and campaign groups after The Daily Telegraph obtained documents showing that she called on ministers to make sexually explicit photographs or films of children legal unless there was evidence that the subject had been harmed.
In case people were naïve enough to think, only *the right* (Ken Clarke et al) are involved!
So Harriet Harman was the lawyer for the Council of Civil Liberties more than 30 years ago. I guess it must be true that a person’s view always reflects that of their employer all those years ago. /sarc
“A study by Kyung Hee Kim, professor of education for the College of William and Mary in Virginia, focused on the creativity of school age children between kindergarten and 12th grade using the measurement known as the Torrance tests of creative thinking.
He found a ‘massive’ decline of creativity the longer the students progressed through the school system as ‘children have become less emotionally expressive, less energetic, less talkative and verbally expressive, less humorous, less imaginative, less unconventional, less lively and passionate, less perceptive, less apt to connect seemingly irrelevant things, less synthesizing, and less likely to see things from a different angle.’”
“Autos and semi-autos are weapons of mass destruction. When lunatics want to make war on the unarmed and unprepared, these are the weapons they use.”
He said blanket opposition to gun control was less about defending the second amendment of the US constitution than “a stubborn desire to hold onto what they have, and to hell with the collateral damage”.
He added: “If that’s the case, let me suggest that ‘fuck you, Jack, I’m okay’ is not a tenable position, morally speaking.”
As one report summarises, the chief causes are phosphorous pollution from Levin’s stormwater and nitrogen pollution from farming runoff. Click on the link at the bottom of this page:
I am looking for a site that gives a good summary of the pros and cons for selling minority interests in SOE’s – any suggestions? I’m not looking for ideological arguments, but facts and examples.
Any suggestions?
It’s a strategic decision, so it is a mix of strategic factors. That involves ideology.
It was debated at length on this site when first mentioned, but to me it comes down to:
BENEFITS
Cash now.
Maybe technological innovation if the purchaser has synergies.
Ideological beliefs that private sector is more efficient than the public sector.
COSTS
permanent deprivation of future dividends.
lack of government control as a sole shareholder (especially in relation to compromising market profits in favour of public good, e.g. employment or keeping power prices low).
redundancy: if it’s a private sector opportunity, why not let the private sector start their own and provide competition? Isn’t that the entire point of the private sector market?
Yep. Thats the financial analysis. In real economy terms, power generation is core economic infrastructure and as such, its loss of control is loss of control of economic sovereignty.
The comments above have no numbers, just circles where the numbers should be.
I did a site search recently, and found that many Standard posts and comments are dated before the internet was even invented. Very prescient they were about recent events. But seriously last time I delved into the beginnings of the Standard the correct dates went right back to the begining (of the Standard, not of time).
Thirdly, the chronological search wasn’t chronological or even particlularly logical.
Might well be something my end.
edit: and now the circle comments are below this comment despite my writing this after they were written.
The date thing is a known glitch, Lynn said he’s working on it.
The comments appearing in a funny order seemed to start today. The comments at the bottom of this thread, where there is no post number, all ended up stuck to the bottom of the page (plus they were replies to posts not stand alone comments).
[lprent: Doing final release of the code of product two at work. I’m going to have problems finding any time until that is completed. ]
@ Hooten,The thing that struck me( yeth i’m a real perthon) is that there are others outside of TS that are feeling the same concerns as the high number of commenters here are, over the Shearer leadership, we all can’t be exteme leftist zelots.
Shearer says he was elected, not really, he lost the ‘around the mountain’ vote,it was his mates, inside caucus, that installed him as the leader, much to the angst of the members.
What an absolute waste of time it was to have 10 meetings,the planning,members setting
aside time to attend, the co-ordination of the halls, etc, then to have it all thrown back in
ones face and the result ignored, Cunliffe won 9 out of 10 meetings.
Then the ‘winning’ opponent was relegated to the backbenches after a supposed coup attempt,
beaten up by the media,the following demotion of Cunliffe was a disgrace and uncalled for,it
has just added fuel to the fire, this action was not reflective of a democraticly inclined
leader,hence the feeling many feel towards Shearer, who is the real Shearer ? ‘I dunno’
His character and his attitudes need some immediate adjustments though.
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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 ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“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 ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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Shearer’s tilt at Maori seats brings swift rebuff
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10861522
“Tariana Turia has retaliated, saying Mr Shearer was a poser and Maori people would see right through him.”
National party finally get something right about Maori.
Curiously, Shearer is not reported as saying what he/Labour would do for Maori, only that Labour’s after their seats. It seems to be all a power play by Shearer. And still we don’t really know what Shearer actually stands for…?
Meanwhile, I see Metiria Turei spoke at the gathering to celebrate the prophet’s birthday at Ratana, laying out her strongly held political values and commitments.
And I see from the NZ Herald article on Shearer’s tilt (at windmills?) that there’s a Green Party picnic for the planet: tags for the picnic post includeAsset sales, Climate Change, Children’s Issues, Conservation, Environment, Housing, Water.
“It seems to be all a power play by Shearer.”
That’s what I immediately thought as well. Still, it is the MSM reporting so who knows?
What does he stand for? at this stage it seems like personal ambition (i.e. power play). Makes him no better then Key really.
And that I think is the elephant in the room NO-ONE knows what he stands for. He could support little green men from Venus I wouldn’t care at least we would know.
Would it matter if he came out and *said*, what he stood for, I mean really, only the gillible would trust a politician, with a spurious background, after the decades of lying , leading to decline!
Taxi for Shearer!
Apparently he doesn’t need to stand for anything. Cardboard cutout, smile and wave while Goff, Mallard, King and Robertson pull the strings to animate the FrankenShearer.
LOLZ, Metiria had them spell-bound on the Marae when She described Her first visit to Ratana which resulted in Her first real kiss,( come on Met’s fess up you forgot to give the bloke a slap for His troubles and your really back there looking to make amends),
On a more serious note Ratana now have a perfect housing policy via the Green Party’s just announced scheme where Ratana have the land and now have a real policy with which to rejuvenate housing at the Pa it’self, i am sure that in the Urawera’s Tuhoe will have reacted with interest to the Green Party’s housing policy as well…
Were those her “deeply held political beliefs and commitments” from the Macgillicuddy Serious Party – or from somewhere else?
While I agree that Labour should try and see off the Maori Party. To lump the Mana Party in the same category exposes David Shearer’s lack of a political compass.
Mana is undoubtedly a left party and as such is more than likely back to fully back any left legislation forwarded by a Labour/Green government. Possibly even giving such a government their vote on confidence and supply. (Even if not in a formal alliance).
The fact of the matter is, if Mana got more than the one seat currently held by Hone Harawira, this would be one more vote to keep National away from the treasury benches.
Can’t Shearer see that? Is he that misinformed?
Or is Shearer so blindly sectarian that he would rather see Mana out of parliament, even at the cost of the election?
Labour actively contesting the Maori seats that it currently does not hold could be just what Mana need particularly in Waiariki where Flavell is definitely vulnerable more to Mana’s Annette Sykes than any candidate that Labour can stand in that particular electorate,
For all the mana that Pita Sharples now has left a blind donkey named Brucie could wrest Sharples seat off of him without raising a sweat so Labour’s Shane Jones should fit right in there as i am unreliably informed that wanking makes you blind and as far as i know Shane hasn’t raised an ounce of sweat during what has so far passed as His lifetime even when engaged in the former….
It’s the hackneyed, appallingly arrogant “Decent People Hate Harawira” refrain which most of them have engaged to suck up to voters in the range White Trash to White Flash.
No wonder Harawira engaged “Motherfuckers….”
The NZHerald article wrongly translates the word ‘morehu’ as to mean ‘follower’, that’s not right and who would have thunk that the Herald cannot even get one simple Maori word correct,
Morehu are the survivors, what was left of the Prophets people and lands after what Tariana Turia described as the ‘holocaust’ ensuing from European settlement…
National announce an $80 million investment in this years budget for irrigation and water storage for Dairy Farmers. This is unbelievable given the profitability of dairy farming and the desperate need for money in other areas.
Have you got a link for that? It’s outrageous, but not surprising. I’m guessing it’s for Canterbury dairy farmers?
http://www.national.org.nz/Article.aspx?ArticleID=40157
National clearly are not scared to “intervene” when it is for their mates!
Hi Rosy, Hi Saarbo. Yes this is both unbelieveable and outrageous. I heard the news on RNZ yesterday about the $80 million funding for irrigation. This has been in the pipeline (absolutely no pun intended) for quite some time hasn’t it? I’m making an assumption that its for Canterbury, that region most unsuited to dairying. If they mentioned the region in the news yesterday I must have missed it.
I clicked on Saarbo’s nat party link to see if they mentioned a region. The answers are possibly in that PDF of Q’s and A’s. I didn’t check it though. I got mesmarised and confused by the heading in the banner “Less debt, more jobs” (!?!?!), and then I started to feel a little sick from all that blue and had to quickly vacate the site lest I throw up.
This lolnats post sums it up: “its not called socialism when its for mah friends!”
http://www.lolnats.co.nz/page/22
Thanks Saarbo and Rosie…
Go lolnats. So they’re selling dams and then funding water storage. hmm
Y’know I don’t have a problem with government investing in infrastructure to help industry when it helps job creation and the environment and when the government retains control. But this is a 10% investment for private profit from the sounds of it. And it’s the way they turning the country into a great big dairy farm to profit their friends that really galls.
More than half of this investment is going to dairying/dairy support if they go by NZIER modelling.
The pdfs mention water storage in Canterbury, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Nelson/Tasman but they don’t say they are going to do anything in any region. It’s all a bit cloak and dagger to me. It’s also rolling over the country’s democracy, if it’s Canterbury.
“It’s all a bit cloak and dagger to me. It’s also rolling over the conutry’s democracy, if it’s Canterbury”.
Exactly. The sacking of the elected representatives of ECAN was a breath taking act of tyranny, with the intention of blocking attempts from concerned parties who wish to take the matter of irrigation to the environment court. The documents obtained by The Press under the OIA spell out clearly the intention of the govt to “suspend democracy” in favour of economic growth for the Canterbury region: (And for whose benefit really?)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/7874996/Race-to-irrigate-behind-ECan-move
John Minto’s view:
http://www.converge.org.nz/watchdog/24/07.htm
So water storage plans aside for Hawke’s Bay, Wellington and Nelson Tasman (thanks for actually reading the pdf’s on the nat site!) One of the big issues around the announcemment of the $80 million funding for irrigation is the removal of the democratic process. It’s just not any old irrigation scheme.
Secondly, as you mentioned, is the issue of the environment. The expansion of dairying in Canterbury surely can’t be a sustainable move and one that the environment won’t be able to support long term. Climate change experts predict that dry regions of NZ (eg Canterbury) will continue to get drier and experience more droughts where as wetter areas (eg, west coast) will continue to get wetter and experience more floods. We had an example of this over Xmas/NY with floods in the west coast and ultra hot dry and windy conditions over the other side of the alps that contributed to scrub fires… And of course I agree with you in regard to the issue of industrial farming and it’s intensification. Just how much can you force out of an animal and out of the land that supports that animal?
The burden on the environment will be too much.
Oh for a govt with a vision!
Jeez that Press link is dynamite – but not important enough to put on the Stuff main site? Go figure. I’ve also linked to the Forest & Bird press release about the irrigation subsidies on today’s Open Mike…
This issue is far too important to fade into the background. The demolition of environment, finance, employment, social cohesion, animal welfare and, above all, democracy concerns all tied up in a neat package.
btw I’m thinking that I won’t talk about subsidies for farmers – with connotations of giving a break to hard working rugged individualists getting up at the crack of dawn to tend their animals. I reckon I’m going to start talking about farming companies – with connotations of foreign ownership and/or big bank mortgages employing farm managers and minimum wage staff (increasingly imported) with no hope of getting on the farm ownership or share-milking ladder.
I am not opposed to irrigation and water storage schemes as long as they are ***100 % PUBLICLY OWNED AND CONTROLLED***
This irrigation investment company is bascially the government giving money to profit making entites so they can make money from OUR water, as the equity that this company will essentially be a minority stake and will be sold off in due course.
The privatisation of water is at hand.
Hi All, just to provide some more analysis on the benefit to farmers of Irrigation and therefore why farmers should pay for this themselves. An un-irrigated farm in the Waikato will make 1200 KG Milk Solids per hectare. When the land is irrigated in the South Island it can make between 1600kg MS to 2000kg MS. So a 300 Hectare farm in the SI will make between $70000 to $140000 per farm/per annum from irrigation (This is the value add from irrigation). My analysis is very conservative as if I was to compare the increase in per hectare profit of the SI farm before irrigation to the SI farm after irrigation the figures would be much larger. There is absolutely NO reason why these farmers cannot afford to pay for these schemes themselves. This is handouts to the rich.
It is handouts to the rich.
It’s also not only about water. It’s really bad for NZ’s reputation and a seriously important step along the way of intensification of factory farming. NZ grassland already can’t feed the cows that it has so it’s either import more palm kernel waste and intensify farming. Added to this is that NZ waterways already can’t manage the agricultural waste pumped in to them, Canterbury being a prime example.
Reliance on one sector of intensive agriculture only enriches the companies that own those farms (wherever the company is from) and exploits the country, its workers and environment as well as being a disgusting way to treat animals (imho of course).
“There is absolutely NO reason why these farmers cannot afford to pay for these schemes themselves. This is handouts to the rich.”
Yes. Most farms also owe money to our Australian banks so it becomes another transfer of public funds into their coffers in the end.
True story.
I went to a meeting this week. I’d never been before, and didn’t I know any of the attendees.
I was early, and as I sat down a conversation was in full swing about the awfulness of the government, which segued pretty seamlessly into the uselessness of the opposition. The present-day Labour reminded the older attendees of Rogernomics. There was reminiscing about privatisation and part-charges for hospital treatment. We all agreed with the guy who said the Labour oppostion was “same people – better suits.”
I didn’t say any of the above. I was just smiling and nodding really.
This was no “darkened room”, these people were not “extremist nutters”. The age range I’d guess at 28 – 65, demographic – pakeha, middle class.
Just saying….
Thanks for this report. Seems the party members are more leftie than the caucus…. who knew!
Matthew Hooten might be interested to know that.
Edit: Snap. Weka has posted link below…
just saying:
You should put your comments at 3 on Mike Smith’s latest post. He might learn something.
http://thestandard.org.nz/tell-the-truth/
Is anyone else finding the Vodafone network like the labour parliamentary effort lately.
New campaign but losing markt share, messages either late or not getting through, conversations cut off or garbled in areas of full service.
Blaming the user or the hardware.
Yep, I’ve been having and hearing about lots of problems too.
sorry that’s from an android device, said it wasn’t published and I can’t delete it. Fix please.
Interesting anomaly there – no post number, and PP’s post ends up above yours despite being posted later.
ah, and mine does the same thing when replying to yours…
Just in case your looking for ways to help effect change this weekend
http://www.trueactivist.com/the-5-most-blatantly-corrupt-industries-in-the-world-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/
Polish Pride I would not spend any time this weekend praying for my immune system to deal with the full blast of disease. I am still alive because I had multiple immunisations as a child.
It is one thing to oppose the inherent corruption of capitalism, it is another to stupidly ignore the scientific and technical advances that it has profited from by keeping us alive as the creators of its wealth.
Because I am alive I can plot to overthrow capitalism and expropriate its technical advances and put them to use in ongoing human survival.
Thanks for that link PP.
I see Hooten’s latest shit-stirring is available online now.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/labour-heading-another-meltdown-set-go-weekend-review-lf-134941
Apparently all the authors and commenters on ts are part of Labour’s disaffected far left and are Cunliffe supporters 🙄
LOLZ, i might start being nice to Hooten,(just kidding there’s not a s**t’s show of that occurring) i wonder if the number of ‘looks’ at the Standard goes up every time the Hooten’s of the world trying to denigrate this site use the main stream media to point people in the Standard’s direction,
Free advertizing???, there are no free lunches but please don’t tell me i have to be nice to that (expletive deleted) wanker…
If he bothered to attribute and quote properly (eg link), we might get more traffic.
There is a link from the column at NBR.co.nz to thestandard.org.nz z
I asked them to be sure they included it.
That’ll account for the boom in our page-views, I’m sure.
Yeah, but you don’t link to the pieces you are referencing.
Also, at least twice you use quotation marks around a statement. I had assumed you were quoting something someone had said on ts, but just hadn’t attributed that properly. But googling parts of the phrases returns no hits other than the NBR. What gives?
Matthew likes to tread the line between being a cool, on-to-it online engagement dude and a proper, traditional newspaper guy. The latter comes in very handy because outfits like the NBR don’t understand how linking works or that there’s an expectation that online writing involve citations, yet he wants to be taken seriously as a member of the Standard’s commentariat.
I mean, the bastard doesn’t even give me and Rhinocrates proper credit for coining “Captain Mumblefuck”.
My apologies, but I am sure it will catch on.
The quotation remarks were weird things that came in through the sub-editing process. They have been removed.
The guy is a calculating spinner. I note he mentions me and my association with Cunliffe with the clear spin that DC is orchestrating it.
There is only one slight problem. I would like him or anyone to point to one post or comment where I have tried to undermine Shearer. Any one will do.
For too long the Labour Party has allowed people like Hooton to control and manage the debate. He ought to be left right out of it.
Funnily enough Micky, before I was aware of your connection with Cunliffe I noticed that you were uncharacteristically circumspect on the whole issue during the many threads devoted to it.
Hooton has input from Mike Williams and Chris Hipkins! That is the level to which the clique have descended to retain privileges.
13 MPs must withhold their vote in the Confidence Motion in Feb.
omigod! how do you know?
Indeed, except as a spitoon or a comic moment of light relief that one is to all extents and purposes of little use even to His mates in ACT,
Debating with it ‘nicely’ it’s carefully scripted excerpts from the handbook of Ruthanasia-isms simply empowers it’s ego to yell from that wing-nuts gospel ever louder…
There is no “clear spin that DC is orchestrating it”, or any other kind of “spin”. If I wanted to say he was orchestrating it all, I would have said it. I know enough about these processes (Brash v English for example) to know that the candidate usually only knows a fraction of what is being said and done to advance his or her interests.
Lol Quote of the year so far
“There is no spin” ~ Matthew Hooton (Right-wing PR guy)
What?? Were you taking the day off to be an innocent reporter Matthew?
LOL
““There is no spin” ~ Matthew Hooton (Right-wing PR guy)”
haha yeah I enjoyed that too.
Hey Matthew, if you could similarly preface any future comments with “The following is/is not spin.” that shur would be helpful.
It’s just typical Bullshit Hooten style All piss, wind, and fuck all else.
Harriet Harman under attack over bid to water down child pornography law
In case people were naïve enough to think, only *the right* (Ken Clarke et al) are involved!
Thanks for the link Muzza.
Involved in what, muzza? Are you once again trying to smear Clarke as a paedophile?
So Harriet Harman was the lawyer for the Council of Civil Liberties more than 30 years ago. I guess it must be true that a person’s view always reflects that of their employer all those years ago. /sarc
Another one is out the door…
http://www.france24.com/en/20130125-tina-turner-become-swiss-give-us-passport
“A study by Kyung Hee Kim, professor of education for the College of William and Mary in Virginia, focused on the creativity of school age children between kindergarten and 12th grade using the measurement known as the Torrance tests of creative thinking.
He found a ‘massive’ decline of creativity the longer the students progressed through the school system as ‘children have become less emotionally expressive, less energetic, less talkative and verbally expressive, less humorous, less imaginative, less unconventional, less lively and passionate, less perceptive, less apt to connect seemingly irrelevant things, less synthesizing, and less likely to see things from a different angle.’”
http://www.davidicke.com/headlines/78788-eduction-paying-to-be-programmed
Author Stephen King sticks it to the NRA:
“Autos and semi-autos are weapons of mass destruction. When lunatics want to make war on the unarmed and unprepared, these are the weapons they use.”
He said blanket opposition to gun control was less about defending the second amendment of the US constitution than “a stubborn desire to hold onto what they have, and to hell with the collateral damage”.
He added: “If that’s the case, let me suggest that ‘fuck you, Jack, I’m okay’ is not a tenable position, morally speaking.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/jan/25/stephen-king-gun-control-essay-amazon-nra
You know what’s controversial on Kiwiblog? The holocaust; that’s what.
It’s an outrage that it gets such attention, when western left wing parties are just as bad. Dontchaknow.
*twitchy eye*
Welcome to New Zealand’s very own “Love Canal”. The water in Lake Horowhenua is now so toxic “that a mouthful could kill a child”:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1301/S00049/supreme-court-to-rule-on-lake-horowhenua.htm
As one report summarises, the chief causes are phosphorous pollution from Levin’s stormwater and nitrogen pollution from farming runoff. Click on the link at the bottom of this page:
http://www.ecofest.co.nz/Environment.html
I am looking for a site that gives a good summary of the pros and cons for selling minority interests in SOE’s – any suggestions? I’m not looking for ideological arguments, but facts and examples.
Any suggestions?
It’s a strategic decision, so it is a mix of strategic factors. That involves ideology.
It was debated at length on this site when first mentioned, but to me it comes down to:
BENEFITS
Cash now.
Maybe technological innovation if the purchaser has synergies.
Ideological beliefs that private sector is more efficient than the public sector.
COSTS
permanent deprivation of future dividends.
lack of government control as a sole shareholder (especially in relation to compromising market profits in favour of public good, e.g. employment or keeping power prices low).
redundancy: if it’s a private sector opportunity, why not let the private sector start their own and provide competition? Isn’t that the entire point of the private sector market?
Yep. Thats the financial analysis. In real economy terms, power generation is core economic infrastructure and as such, its loss of control is loss of control of economic sovereignty.
Rod Oram did a piece on (9 till noon} RNZ few months back. no link sorry
A few odd things happening.
The comments above have no numbers, just circles where the numbers should be.
I did a site search recently, and found that many Standard posts and comments are dated before the internet was even invented. Very prescient they were about recent events. But seriously last time I delved into the beginnings of the Standard the correct dates went right back to the begining (of the Standard, not of time).
Thirdly, the chronological search wasn’t chronological or even particlularly logical.
Might well be something my end.
edit: and now the circle comments are below this comment despite my writing this after they were written.
The date thing is a known glitch, Lynn said he’s working on it.
The comments appearing in a funny order seemed to start today. The comments at the bottom of this thread, where there is no post number, all ended up stuck to the bottom of the page (plus they were replies to posts not stand alone comments).
[lprent: Doing final release of the code of product two at work. I’m going to have problems finding any time until that is completed. ]
@ Hooten,The thing that struck me( yeth i’m a real perthon) is that there are others outside of TS that are feeling the same concerns as the high number of commenters here are, over the Shearer leadership, we all can’t be exteme leftist zelots.
Shearer says he was elected, not really, he lost the ‘around the mountain’ vote,it was his mates, inside caucus, that installed him as the leader, much to the angst of the members.
What an absolute waste of time it was to have 10 meetings,the planning,members setting
aside time to attend, the co-ordination of the halls, etc, then to have it all thrown back in
ones face and the result ignored, Cunliffe won 9 out of 10 meetings.
Then the ‘winning’ opponent was relegated to the backbenches after a supposed coup attempt,
beaten up by the media,the following demotion of Cunliffe was a disgrace and uncalled for,it
has just added fuel to the fire, this action was not reflective of a democraticly inclined
leader,hence the feeling many feel towards Shearer, who is the real Shearer ? ‘I dunno’
His character and his attitudes need some immediate adjustments though.