I went to see Jeff Rubin speak last night, former Chief Economist of CIBC World Markets and now author of a number of books on peak oil and the end of growth. http://www.jeffrubinssmallerworld.com/
His basic premise is this: zero growth is the new global norm. This does not bode well for the recent budget forecasts. I think it is a pretty safe bet that New Zealand will not be in surplus by the next election.
He also predicts that we are at the beginning of a recession worse than the 2008 GFC and that Greece will default within 4-5 months with Italy, Portugal and Spain not far behind.
Great. Thanks for this. I see Rubin’s policy suggestions differ from some of the ways he sees things developing, if they are left unchecked.
e.g. He sees a trend to government contracting out work. This may be cheaper, but, it is not the most effective way to get work done. It lowers the quality and the pay of workers, while the private companies cream off profits.
Rubin also sees the trend going towards young people staying at home longer & people working til an older age. This could mean less work for younger people. However, Rubin’s policy solution is for more job share.
For myself, I plan to keep working as long as I can. But, now in my early 60s, I have shifted to part time work, and in an alternative occupation from my (previous) main career. This job pays less, and I have less responsibilities. But I live frugally so can live OK on my income. I also work weekends (the relatively unsociable hours that are least favoured by younger people with families or lively social lives).
However, one thing I would suggest as a policy for older workers, is more consideration of the requirements to making such transitions. In my case the in-service training development is focused more on career development for younger workers, via uni degrees (I already have a string of these, and in many ways am over-qualified for my current work). For older workers, there should be more focus on recognising transferable skills, and targeting inservice training/education on specific requirements of the current job.
Of course, contracting out is not actually “cheaper” if the quality and service you get in return is also cheaper.
Classic example are our defence forces catering services which have been contracted out. Cheaper is what it looks like, but you also get what you pay for less the private sector profit margin and higher financing costs.
Contracting out is certainly not cheaper here are some reasons why.
1: Govts are obliged to take the lowest tender….too bad if it turns out to be more expensive, as they don’t treat business case, or benefit realizations as living documents over the life of the transition.
2: Govts are deliberately poor at commercial contracts, and have a history of being miliked, with inside help from “public servants”.
3: Contracting out = Kiwis out of work = additional social costs which become exponential
4: Contracting out means that (most) likely, profits flow offshore, the profit has to be created out of the contract elsewhere, loweer wages, less staff, worse quality….We all pay for that one way or another.
Nice one SL, been a fan of Jeff for ages. His delightful phlegmatic delivery of crucial information in that wonderful Canadian drawl effectively make those who want to continue to prop up the clearly unsustainable look like they’ve missed a dose of their meds.
Thanks. Interesting material here with lots to think about.
Even if New Zealand is in surplus by next election, will that be reason for Government gloating? Fine to have a sound economy whilst we have a population in misery.
From today’s Herald, John Key revealing what I believe is one of his main reasons for returning to New Zealand for the PM gig:
He also said that if you were shopping for countries, New Zealand would be a good prospect.
“If you were really going to go out and buy a country, why wouldn’t you want to buy New Zealand?
“Would you really want these other countries that are highly indebted, have hugely inflexible and inefficient systems, don’t have the natural resources that we have, don’t have the potential that we have.”
I’m sure he will be richly rewarded by our owners to-be.
You’d think it would be unwise for Key to publicly associate himself with the idea of “buying” NZ. Do I see another cutesy photo-feature of the Key family (maybe at the beach) in a women’s magazine, in the near future?
This will become a part of the bigger picture that is emerging, especially if it is successfully exploited as such by the opposition.
Indeed those comments are a genuine attempt for Key inform people the real agenda, I would like to say that it might be attached to guilt, but that is not an emotion which people with psycopathic tendancies have, so I am going with brazen honesty..
Key is capable of telling the truth about the big picture as he has here, but then will lie openly when covering up the little links in the journey to that same big picture, as a way to try throw people off the trail.
This is a facinating insight, and I would hope that those in the public who still think Key is doing a good job, are paying attention to such statements as they are not throw aways!
Government will increasingly contract out services to private companies who can provide services at a cheaper rate in an effort to decrease government spending.
Ha, no they can’t. That’s one of the lies that this government and others have used for privatisation since the 1970s.
An excellent Kim Hill interview with Prof. Steven Keen on Radio NZ this morning. He’s a difficult subject to interview because he’s got so much information to convey and tends to come across as a little arrogant about it.. but Kim manages pretty well I thought. The essentials of Keen’s thinking are all there… plus few new ones I haven’t read lately.
Totally agree Red. I am not Economics literate but Steven Keen makes a great deal of sense. Perhaps our Financial Leaders should be forced to listen?
His point about banks enticing more people to borrow huge amounts in relation to their own stake which causes the Private Debt bubble to blow up, – again. Decades ago if you had $30,000 you could borrow $100,000 for your house. Again now, your $30,000 can let you borrow as much as $1,000,000. Banks want you to.
Crafar farms anyone? Inflated house prices?
We need to listen to and support economists which aren’t trapped in the cosy bank-sponsored neoliberal paradigm of the world.
Which is pretty difficult since virtually every economics department in the world is still teaching their undergrads demonstrably incorrect shit about “Value At Risk” analysis, the inter-changeability of savings, debt and money, and price/supply/demand curves.
Basically modern orthodox economics is dangerously over-financialised and false.
Thats right ianmac, it is exactly how banks, being at the center of the problem, inflating the debt (monetary) supply out of thin air, but with the consequence, that once the house of cards falls, the debt holder gets to own all the hard assets, and force the sale of those which is does not own…
And thats really just the retail banking sector interface you refer…of course behind those learly coloured banking stores lurks the casino banking cartels…
I wonder how long it will be before that $112 Billion, becomes an “official” problem..
Interesting interview, mainly Keen talking. Ultimately he proposes a kind of tinkering right up close to the inevitable line that will have to be crossed, eventually, if humanity really wants to begin addressing inequalities in society caused through the limitations of economics. His solution will certainly be palatable to many. A bit like voting Labour over National: same end, different speeds, one more ocmfortable than the other and the seats have cup holders. The admission that it is the gentle approach to major change is spelled out at the end, where both he and Hill unsurprisingly arrive at the Marxist conclusion as self evident.
The other problem with his scheme involves his focus on using it to attend to house prices (a specifically irrational NZ issue for the middle classes, why I don’t know, something to do with uncertain/irreconcilable moral values) in which he comes close to making the same mistake as neo-classical economic thinking, in that they assume the financial activites of an indivdual extrapolated how many times equal the activities of a society.
Keen says the amount of borrowing should be limited by a person’s level of savings, but forgets that (does he forget? Why did he not clarify?) businesses would be obliged to use the same model, and that a system that overnight abolishes our current blank cheque leverage lending idea, would make it impossible for construction firms – mainly smallish firms – to meet the ideal of a “middle income home” worth 2-2.5 times the median income. Not only would their formation become restricted, but sourcing materials cheap enough would risk either impossibility or the trap of monopoly. There are too many unexplained practicalities of building the utopian house. He often blends morals and values with economics, but he makes no attempt to understand why such a house would be required or even if the problem would still exist by the time his system began to function. It seemed like he was trying to sell his idea to specific group of people, who had no idea about the application discussed, but held some common and unexamined values and ideals about life. Man’s got to eat, I suppose. But who’ll pay the bill?
This idea wasn’t tagged onto his comments about allowing government lending to catch up to bank lending, so I have no idea if he thought the government would become the owner of construction firms. This idea seemed purely theoretical to me, it wasn’t explained, or at least it was explained within a vacuum; like calculating on paper how far a new type of aircraft with round section wings could travel in a 30 Knot headwind before the first protoype had been built.
Definitely worth a listen, overall, for an excellent explanation of effects of neo vs. classical economics, but there are some holes that are not explained. If anyone here can fill them in, I’d appreciate it.
businesses would be obliged to use the same model, and that a system that overnight abolishes our current blank cheque leverage lending idea, would make it impossible for construction firms – mainly smallish firms – to meet the ideal of a “middle income home” worth 2-2.5 times the median income.
Agree, that ideal ratio is not going to be achievable any time soon.
I personally don’t see why a quality (albeit modest) 3 bedroom house can’t be built for $200,000 plus land if private sector profit taking was set aside, and highly common plans and materials used. Plus centralised bulk purchasing of course. In other words, state housing, built by the state.
• allowed queues of up to 90 patients at a time to build up at its telephone helpline;
• met its targets, in part, by adjusting figures to blame delays on patients;
• rang at least one patient who had waited too long to see a doctor to give them a new waiting target instead;
• repeatedly took visiting doctors off roving duties in order to operate clinics and hotlines because it had too few staff on duty to cover the county.
And who was this font of capitalist efficiency? None other than Serco – the people this government just hired to do prisons for us which is having difficulty meeting targets.
The Serious Fraud Office last night said it might yet make its own inquiry into how William Yan – also known as Yang Liu and Yong Ming Yan – was granted citizenship.
Hardly a surprising considering this from an internal affairs official:
During the High Court trial, a Department of Internal Affairs official said Mr Yan was confident of gaining citizenship because of support from MPs such as Labour’s Dover Samuels. “He was so anxious that we send the files to the minister. He just wanted the file to go to the minister,” said Johannes Gambo, an Internal Affairs case officer in Auckland.
Mr Gambo wanted to make further inquiries with immigration authorities in Australia. “I had a phone call that I was told not to ask any more questions because there was a lot of political pressure to send the file to Wellington. I was told to just process the file, send it to Wellington, don’t worry about asking any more questions.”
This case must be like a Jaws movie for Labour. “Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water…”
I read that TS and couldn’t quite see what the problem is. While the system allows for Ministerial intervention, then cases will be referred onwards.
Funny that the SFO might express an interest given that they usually are only involved with sums over $200,000. Don’t think that Mr Jones was offered or given any financial gain nor anyone involved with Mr Yan. The agent who acted for him charged $10,000 which is presumably the going fee.
The problem is, ianmac, that this guy had serious unanswered questions about him, yet there still appeared to be a rush to get his citizenship approved at a political level. And there was no need for the rush, because the guy had residency, so couldn’t be sent back to China anyway.
You are correct about the SFO being only interested in cases exceeding $200k. So, perhaps they could be interested because they are aware of information that hasn’t hit the media yet?
Its been reported that yan/liu dropped upward on $10 mil at sky city and if he could afford to throw away that kinda coin who knows what he threw at Samuels/Jones/Labour.
Good to see also that it has been confirmed that there is no “note” supporting the Jones claim that he would be killed and chopped up for spare parts.
Yan was one of SkyCity casino’s biggest gamblers where he was considered to be volatile. The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) said in 2009 that he was “one of a number of gamblers of significance whom the department has discussed [with] SkyCity”.
The police have investigated Yan’s activities. No charges have been laid.
The Serious Fraud Office this week told the Attorney-General it is interested in any information relevant to its role that may come to light if an inquiry goes ahead. SFO boss Adam Feeley said he would not rule out starting his own inquiry.
[…]
A DIA official told him Yan would be executed and his organs harvested if he returned to China. Jones therefore approved citizenship on humanitarian grounds. The DIA has nothing on record to indicate that advice was given but Shane Jones believes he took a note of it and is trying to find it.
I think the only requirement is that they not make their bigotry so obvious. Not to mention their incompetence. The only question I have is how many drinks he’s been shouted at the Northern Club since his travesty of justice.
Um, just out of curiosity, how do you manage to get “the dog whistle of terrorism” from “But I regard it as highly relevant that the offending was not gang-related or associated with what I might call ‘conventional’ avenues of criminal activity. On the contrary, it occurred in pursuit of a worthy ideal and, perhaps most significantly, involved only a remote risk that it would lead to crimes of violence.”?
When you say the charges are unprecedented, what exactly are you comparing them too as I can’t recall any similar examples? If you compare it to the case of Bernard Shapiro in Christchurch, the judge held that “the offences were technical breaches in which Shapiro had exercised poor judgment, had been taken advantage of by a friend, and had relied on advice which proved to be not entirely accurate, from an arms dealer.” However, he was an a sole actor and had a clean record. Tame Iti had that previous weapons charge from 2005, which would have counted against him in sentencing. Ten firearms charges is not insignificant.
I’m not saying an investigation isn’t called for, but the ridiculous terrorism charges had already been dismissed so I fail to see the relevance to the current sentence. To harp on about the terrorism canard doesn’t help matters in the slightest. I have my doubts as to whether prison and not community service was the right option. I agree with Auckland University law professor Bill Hodge that “I think there was a serious issue there. You don’t demonstrate with molotov cocktails. On the other hand, was there overcharging, was there overkill, was that a sledgehammer? I think there’s an element of overkill.”
I wonder what you would be saying if it had been Kyle Chapman and mates running around with sawn-off rifles, semi-automatics and Molotov cocktails? Also defence lawyer Russell Fairbrother’s assertion “What Tuhoe do is their business. We’ve got to stop judging other people by our standards.” strikes me as patronising. It suggests that Maori belong in a category not responsible for their actions along with children and the mentally ill. Maori are modern people with modern lives in a modern world. Misuse of firearms is a serious issue and if someone had gotten hurt or killed because of a bunch of overgrown kids playing sillybuggers, we would be having a very different conversation. </end cathartic rant>
I’m comparing them to similar cases Populuxe1. For example where somebody is caught with Molotove cocktails and premeditation of a crime is proven but not undertaken, they recieve less than a year. Most offenses concerning unregistered firearms receive a warning.
So while Hansen says he thinks there’s only a remote risk that the training would lead to crimes of violence, he hands down a sentence that is completely disproportionate to that contention, leaving myself and many other commentators to think that he’s been listening to the dog whistle that continues to be promoted by the police.
Let’s take another example where Cameron Slater publishes material calling for somebody to be gut shot, is known to have a mental illness, weapons and a large cashe of ammunition… but the police don’t even bother to question the hate monger. Do you not see the disproportionate treatment certain people get over others?
You quote Bill Hodge who says that people don’t demonstrate with Molotov cocktails, however sometimes they do. In this case it’s spurious to say that the Urewera four were using Molotov cocktails at all. There is no clear evidence linking them to what the police claim were Molotov cocktails. These so-called “restricted weapons” were not even taken off private land were they?
You then make a link between what was occurring in the Urewera’s and what white supremacist groups undertake all the time. The disproportionate focus on Maori in comparison to white supremacists couldn’t be starker. It shows an endemic racism within not just the police force, but policy makers as well.
Also defence lawyer Russell Fairbrother’s assertion “What Tuhoe do is their business. We’ve got to stop judging other people by our standards.” strikes me as patronising. It suggests that Maori belong in a category not responsible for their actions along with children and the mentally ill.
It does not! It suggest there is some truth to the argument that Tuhoe is a sovereign nation that has never signed its right over to invading forces. Where on earth you got “children and the mentally ill” from is what is patronizing. Fairbrother also raises the issue of what private land actually is. Now that a retrospective law change has allowed the police unfettered access to spy on people no matter where they are, his statement is even more pertinent.
Misuse of firearms is a serious issue and if someone had gotten hurt or killed because of a bunch of overgrown kids playing sillybuggers, we would be having a very different conversation.
I couldn’t agree more. In fact I’ve written extensively on the subject… but the point you seem incapable of fathoming is that nobody was hurt, the crowns case was largely based on speculation and the sentences handed down were unprecedented in such circumstances. There are serious grounds for an appeal here, and I wont be surprised when Hansen’s prejudiced decisions are overturned.
14. When the statements are considered in context, a reasonable reader would assume they are referring to Maori as a race rather than to just the protesters at Waitangi.
While there may be truth in the “hopeless failure” of some Maori to educate their children and stop bashing their babies, it is inaccurate to make the allegation against Maori as a race.
15. The inaccuracies upon which some of the opinions are based also make the opinions so extreme that in the Council’s view they go beyond what is acceptable and become a gratuitous offence to Maori as a race.
16. It is because the allegations against Maori as a race are inaccurate, and the opinions are extreme to the extent of being a gratuitous offence to Maori, that the complaints are upheld.
It’s interesting that the Herald also reports that their readership has increased dramatically, which is one of the main reasons they publish such articles. It causes a scandal and people therefore buy more papers and visit the Herald website more, which means they can sell more advertising… have you seen how much advertising is in the Herald these days?
Unless there are some real financial disincentives to promoting such racist claptrap, we will continue to see similar bigoted and inaccurate articles being published.
Lifestyle Creep; peoples lifestyles being led by MARKETEERS for PROFIT.
Committing people and families to PAYMENT PLANS and DEBT
DEBT
DEBT. Follows around like a bad smell.
An ongoing CASH-COW for the corporate level and WANNABEES elite.
THINKING STUDENTS reference to Foucaults analyses of POWER DISCIPLINE PUNISHMENT
EXCELLENT analysis and synthesis there.
Great Work.
Liberal Studies at unis being CUT first.
RODD CARR, what a small-minded man.
Axe any Philosophy courses that direct one away from Utilitarianism?
Watch the mass-produced cohorts of non-utility “professionals” and their addiction to credentialism flee with the neglected productive classes.
Paul Thomas seems like a poor historicist apologist shoeshine boy.
IF one is aged between 30 AND 47 years of age and existentially relaxed, they are most able to challenge and modify the values beliefs and attitudes of the OLDER GENERATION who could know better.
DAVID PARKER.Not growth, ASIAN INVESTMENT in INFRASTRUCTURE.
EMPLOYMENT, of greater value to a LABOUR representative. Or give the portfolio to That Cunliffe chap.
The failed free-market ideology that National blindly follows and greedy multinational’s are just as much to blame as those hapless idiots Captain Mauro Balomaga and navigational officer Leonil Relon who piloted the MV Rena into the Astrolabe reef…
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
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 ...
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. ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 23 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The following korero between Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku, author of the newly published memoir Hine Toa, one of the year’s most important books, and Dale Husband from e-tangata, was first published in October. It traverses her involvement with the activist group Ngā Tamatoa at Auckland University in the early 1970s, her ...
In the 16 years since it was bought by the government for $690 million, KiwiRail has had several overhauls and turnaround plans worth billions of dollars. Its ambitions as a successful, profitable operator of tourism, freight and ferries have often been derailed by disasters from earthquakes to cyclones, mine explosions ...
Black Ferns trailblazer Kendra Cocksedge was on the verge of tears when her young protégé, Hannah King, unassumingly broke the news. Three-time Rugby World Cup winner Cocksedge and Lincoln agriculture student King meet every few weeks over a hot chocolate, in an enduring mentorship that’s spanned years. “Before we even ...
By Russell Palmer, RNZ News digital political journalist New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters is putting off recognition of Palestine as a state, despite opposition Labour’s formal request that he make the move. Peters said diplomatic recognition of Palestine was a matter of “when not if”, but doing so now ...
The opposition has laid into the government's plan to reintroduce a "three strikes" regime, saying it's inequitable and there's very little evidence it works. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Nicholls, Senior research associate, University of Sydney Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has ordered social media platform “X” (formerly known as Twitter) to remove graphic videos of the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in Sydney last week from the site. The incident ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Turnbull, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Sydney John Turnbull, CC BY-NC-ND In past bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef, the southern region has sometimes been spared worst of the bleaching. Not this time. This year’s intense underwater heat has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Austin, Lecturer in Theatre, The University of Melbourne Darren Gill/Mackey, Darling & Collaborators The relationship between witchcraft and teenage girls has been the subject of many books, films and television shows. Over time, the traditional image of witch as crone ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Becky Freeman, Associate Professor, School of Public Health, University of Sydney Andres Siimon/Unsplash There are no silver bullets, magic tricks or secret hacks to solving complex public health problems. Taking on the global tobacco industry and reducing the devastating consequences of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam B. Watts, Research Associate in galaxy evolution, The University of Western Australia ESO/A. Watts et al., CC BY We breathe oxygen and nitrogen gas in our atmosphere every day, but did you know that these gases also float through space, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Nielsen, Professor and Deputy Director, Monash Addiction Research Centre, Monash University Maxime Bhm/Unsplash A new group of drugs called nitazenes has been detected in Australia. They have been sold as heroin as well as other drugs like ketamine. Concerns ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anne Twomey, Professor emerita, University of Sydney Image from Bradlow + Bock campaign Can the job of being a federal member of parliament be shared by two or more persons? Two prospective candidates for the inner-Melbourne federal seat of Higgins, Lucy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zoe Rathus, Senior Lecturer in Law, Griffith University Shutterstock In October 2023, the federal parliament passed major changes to how children’s cases are decided under the Family Law Act, which kick in next month. Among other things, they repeal a ...
By Salwa Amor in Istanbul Palestine solidarity activists are preparing a flotilla to deliver urgently needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, vowing to break Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian territory on board the Akdeniz, a seven-deck passenger ship. Currently docked in Istanbul, the ship will carry 800 people from more than ...
The Government is putting at risk the defences of our land and sea borders against organised crime, and our online defences against child exploitation, terrorism and online crime with cuts to critical frontline roles at Customs and Internal Affairs. ...
I went to see Jeff Rubin speak last night, former Chief Economist of CIBC World Markets and now author of a number of books on peak oil and the end of growth. http://www.jeffrubinssmallerworld.com/
I wrote a review on his talk here if anyone is interested: http://www.southernlimitsnz.com/2012/05/review-jeff-rubin-on-end-of-growth.html
His basic premise is this: zero growth is the new global norm. This does not bode well for the recent budget forecasts. I think it is a pretty safe bet that New Zealand will not be in surplus by the next election.
He also predicts that we are at the beginning of a recession worse than the 2008 GFC and that Greece will default within 4-5 months with Italy, Portugal and Spain not far behind.
Great. Thanks for this. I see Rubin’s policy suggestions differ from some of the ways he sees things developing, if they are left unchecked.
e.g. He sees a trend to government contracting out work. This may be cheaper, but, it is not the most effective way to get work done. It lowers the quality and the pay of workers, while the private companies cream off profits.
Rubin also sees the trend going towards young people staying at home longer & people working til an older age. This could mean less work for younger people. However, Rubin’s policy solution is for more job share.
For myself, I plan to keep working as long as I can. But, now in my early 60s, I have shifted to part time work, and in an alternative occupation from my (previous) main career. This job pays less, and I have less responsibilities. But I live frugally so can live OK on my income. I also work weekends (the relatively unsociable hours that are least favoured by younger people with families or lively social lives).
However, one thing I would suggest as a policy for older workers, is more consideration of the requirements to making such transitions. In my case the in-service training development is focused more on career development for younger workers, via uni degrees (I already have a string of these, and in many ways am over-qualified for my current work). For older workers, there should be more focus on recognising transferable skills, and targeting inservice training/education on specific requirements of the current job.
Of course, contracting out is not actually “cheaper” if the quality and service you get in return is also cheaper.
Classic example are our defence forces catering services which have been contracted out. Cheaper is what it looks like, but you also get what you pay for less the private sector profit margin and higher financing costs.
Contracting out is certainly not cheaper here are some reasons why.
1: Govts are obliged to take the lowest tender….too bad if it turns out to be more expensive, as they don’t treat business case, or benefit realizations as living documents over the life of the transition.
2: Govts are deliberately poor at commercial contracts, and have a history of being miliked, with inside help from “public servants”.
3: Contracting out = Kiwis out of work = additional social costs which become exponential
4: Contracting out means that (most) likely, profits flow offshore, the profit has to be created out of the contract elsewhere, loweer wages, less staff, worse quality….We all pay for that one way or another.
So it goes on!
Nice one SL, been a fan of Jeff for ages. His delightful phlegmatic delivery of crucial information in that wonderful Canadian drawl effectively make those who want to continue to prop up the clearly unsustainable look like they’ve missed a dose of their meds.
Thanks. Interesting material here with lots to think about.
Even if New Zealand is in surplus by next election, will that be reason for Government gloating? Fine to have a sound economy whilst we have a population in misery.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10808597
From today’s Herald, John Key revealing what I believe is one of his main reasons for returning to New Zealand for the PM gig:
He also said that if you were shopping for countries, New Zealand would be a good prospect.
“If you were really going to go out and buy a country, why wouldn’t you want to buy New Zealand?
“Would you really want these other countries that are highly indebted, have hugely inflexible and inefficient systems, don’t have the natural resources that we have, don’t have the potential that we have.”
I’m sure he will be richly rewarded by our owners to-be.
Indeed, an interesting exposure of how Key (and his cronies) mind/s work – it’s all about trading and playing the market.
“If you were really going to go out and buy a country, why wouldn’t you want to buy New Zealand?
This exposure of Key’s outlook should be put up on billboards and t-shirts everywhere.
John key – the man with a mission to sell NZ to the highest bidder!
John Key: trader in money and countries – he’s busy selling yours!
You’d think it would be unwise for Key to publicly associate himself with the idea of “buying” NZ. Do I see another cutesy photo-feature of the Key family (maybe at the beach) in a women’s magazine, in the near future?
This will become a part of the bigger picture that is emerging, especially if it is successfully exploited as such by the opposition.
Uh, not quite. I don’t believe that you have understood John Key’s mindset correctly.
He is going to sell NZ to his mates for cheap so that they can maximise their profits off us, and in doing so owe him.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see John Key get offered a board position at one of the big investment banks soon after he leaves office, for instance.
Indeed those comments are a genuine attempt for Key inform people the real agenda, I would like to say that it might be attached to guilt, but that is not an emotion which people with psycopathic tendancies have, so I am going with brazen honesty..
Key is capable of telling the truth about the big picture as he has here, but then will lie openly when covering up the little links in the journey to that same big picture, as a way to try throw people off the trail.
This is a facinating insight, and I would hope that those in the public who still think Key is doing a good job, are paying attention to such statements as they are not throw aways!
Ha, no they can’t. That’s one of the lies that this government and others have used for privatisation since the 1970s.
Gah, that was actually a reply to Southern Limits.
An excellent Kim Hill interview with Prof. Steven Keen on Radio NZ this morning. He’s a difficult subject to interview because he’s got so much information to convey and tends to come across as a little arrogant about it.. but Kim manages pretty well I thought. The essentials of Keen’s thinking are all there… plus few new ones I haven’t read lately.
Well worth a listen.
Totally agree Red. I am not Economics literate but Steven Keen makes a great deal of sense. Perhaps our Financial Leaders should be forced to listen?
His point about banks enticing more people to borrow huge amounts in relation to their own stake which causes the Private Debt bubble to blow up, – again. Decades ago if you had $30,000 you could borrow $100,000 for your house. Again now, your $30,000 can let you borrow as much as $1,000,000. Banks want you to.
Crafar farms anyone? Inflated house prices?
We need to listen to and support economists which aren’t trapped in the cosy bank-sponsored neoliberal paradigm of the world.
Which is pretty difficult since virtually every economics department in the world is still teaching their undergrads demonstrably incorrect shit about “Value At Risk” analysis, the inter-changeability of savings, debt and money, and price/supply/demand curves.
Basically modern orthodox economics is dangerously over-financialised and false.
Thats right ianmac, it is exactly how banks, being at the center of the problem, inflating the debt (monetary) supply out of thin air, but with the consequence, that once the house of cards falls, the debt holder gets to own all the hard assets, and force the sale of those which is does not own…
And thats really just the retail banking sector interface you refer…of course behind those learly coloured banking stores lurks the casino banking cartels…
I wonder how long it will be before that $112 Billion, becomes an “official” problem..
Whih bank lets you borrow 1,000,000 on 30,000?
Not sure that you would in NZ. However, 5% deposit mortgages are coming back in NZ. With $30K down you’ll get a $600K mortgage.
In the US, zero down mortgages are still common.
Okay, thats 600k, not the mil that was mentioned.
Interesting interview, mainly Keen talking. Ultimately he proposes a kind of tinkering right up close to the inevitable line that will have to be crossed, eventually, if humanity really wants to begin addressing inequalities in society caused through the limitations of economics. His solution will certainly be palatable to many. A bit like voting Labour over National: same end, different speeds, one more ocmfortable than the other and the seats have cup holders. The admission that it is the gentle approach to major change is spelled out at the end, where both he and Hill unsurprisingly arrive at the Marxist conclusion as self evident.
The other problem with his scheme involves his focus on using it to attend to house prices (a specifically irrational NZ issue for the middle classes, why I don’t know, something to do with uncertain/irreconcilable moral values) in which he comes close to making the same mistake as neo-classical economic thinking, in that they assume the financial activites of an indivdual extrapolated how many times equal the activities of a society.
Keen says the amount of borrowing should be limited by a person’s level of savings, but forgets that (does he forget? Why did he not clarify?) businesses would be obliged to use the same model, and that a system that overnight abolishes our current blank cheque leverage lending idea, would make it impossible for construction firms – mainly smallish firms – to meet the ideal of a “middle income home” worth 2-2.5 times the median income. Not only would their formation become restricted, but sourcing materials cheap enough would risk either impossibility or the trap of monopoly. There are too many unexplained practicalities of building the utopian house. He often blends morals and values with economics, but he makes no attempt to understand why such a house would be required or even if the problem would still exist by the time his system began to function. It seemed like he was trying to sell his idea to specific group of people, who had no idea about the application discussed, but held some common and unexamined values and ideals about life. Man’s got to eat, I suppose. But who’ll pay the bill?
This idea wasn’t tagged onto his comments about allowing government lending to catch up to bank lending, so I have no idea if he thought the government would become the owner of construction firms. This idea seemed purely theoretical to me, it wasn’t explained, or at least it was explained within a vacuum; like calculating on paper how far a new type of aircraft with round section wings could travel in a 30 Knot headwind before the first protoype had been built.
Definitely worth a listen, overall, for an excellent explanation of effects of neo vs. classical economics, but there are some holes that are not explained. If anyone here can fill them in, I’d appreciate it.
Agree, that ideal ratio is not going to be achievable any time soon.
I personally don’t see why a quality (albeit modest) 3 bedroom house can’t be built for $200,000 plus land if private sector profit taking was set aside, and highly common plans and materials used. Plus centralised bulk purchasing of course. In other words, state housing, built by the state.
In The Guardian:
And who was this font of capitalist efficiency? None other than Serco – the people this government just hired to do prisons for us which is having difficulty meeting targets.
Matthew Hooton has a bigoted small minded story in the NBR, accusing Helen Clark of being corrupt.
He should no longer be referred to as a “political commentator” by the various media that give him oxygen.
This story indicates that National is going to push a ” Labour is Corrupt” theme. Time to fight fire with fire.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/labour-still-paying-clark-governments-corruption-119679#comment-395228
Are there people in Labour shitting themselves at the moment?
From the article:
Hardly a surprising considering this from an internal affairs official:
This case must be like a Jaws movie for Labour. “Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water…”
I read that TS and couldn’t quite see what the problem is. While the system allows for Ministerial intervention, then cases will be referred onwards.
Funny that the SFO might express an interest given that they usually are only involved with sums over $200,000. Don’t think that Mr Jones was offered or given any financial gain nor anyone involved with Mr Yan. The agent who acted for him charged $10,000 which is presumably the going fee.
The problem is, ianmac, that this guy had serious unanswered questions about him, yet there still appeared to be a rush to get his citizenship approved at a political level. And there was no need for the rush, because the guy had residency, so couldn’t be sent back to China anyway.
Also, the claim that this was on humanitarian grounds doesn’t stack up with previous decisions Jones had been making with respect to immigration. For instance this case which on the face of it would seem just as deserving of ministerial intervention, if not more so.
You are correct about the SFO being only interested in cases exceeding $200k. So, perhaps they could be interested because they are aware of information that hasn’t hit the media yet?
Its been reported that yan/liu dropped upward on $10 mil at sky city and if he could afford to throw away that kinda coin who knows what he threw at Samuels/Jones/Labour.
Good to see also that it has been confirmed that there is no “note” supporting the Jones claim that he would be killed and chopped up for spare parts.
Link?
I guess David C is talking about this article: The mysteries of Citizen Yan
A bit of over exaggeration again by David C.
Unfortunately, that’s just one of a slew of similar cases… 🙁
The real problem of course is that “all sides” are neck deep in dodgy dealings….
Notice how we have Banks, followed by Jones, all with the aim of confusing the electorate.
To control all sides, you have to corrupt all involved…
Are we getting it yet!
Interesting article.
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Earth_water_cycle_intensifying_with_atmospheric_warming_999.html
This too.
http://www.salon.com/2012/05/24/my_break_with_the_extreme_right/singleton/
John Hansen – Asshole of the Week
While the dog whistle of terrorism reverberates around the empty skulls of racist bigots, a judge is meant to be free from such prejudices…
I think the only requirement is that they not make their bigotry so obvious. Not to mention their incompetence. The only question I have is how many drinks he’s been shouted at the Northern Club since his travesty of justice.
Um, just out of curiosity, how do you manage to get “the dog whistle of terrorism” from “But I regard it as highly relevant that the offending was not gang-related or associated with what I might call ‘conventional’ avenues of criminal activity. On the contrary, it occurred in pursuit of a worthy ideal and, perhaps most significantly, involved only a remote risk that it would lead to crimes of violence.”?
When you say the charges are unprecedented, what exactly are you comparing them too as I can’t recall any similar examples? If you compare it to the case of Bernard Shapiro in Christchurch, the judge held that “the offences were technical breaches in which Shapiro had exercised poor judgment, had been taken advantage of by a friend, and had relied on advice which proved to be not entirely accurate, from an arms dealer.” However, he was an a sole actor and had a clean record. Tame Iti had that previous weapons charge from 2005, which would have counted against him in sentencing. Ten firearms charges is not insignificant.
I’m not saying an investigation isn’t called for, but the ridiculous terrorism charges had already been dismissed so I fail to see the relevance to the current sentence. To harp on about the terrorism canard doesn’t help matters in the slightest. I have my doubts as to whether prison and not community service was the right option. I agree with Auckland University law professor Bill Hodge that “I think there was a serious issue there. You don’t demonstrate with molotov cocktails. On the other hand, was there overcharging, was there overkill, was that a sledgehammer? I think there’s an element of overkill.”
I wonder what you would be saying if it had been Kyle Chapman and mates running around with sawn-off rifles, semi-automatics and Molotov cocktails? Also defence lawyer Russell Fairbrother’s assertion “What Tuhoe do is their business. We’ve got to stop judging other people by our standards.” strikes me as patronising. It suggests that Maori belong in a category not responsible for their actions along with children and the mentally ill. Maori are modern people with modern lives in a modern world. Misuse of firearms is a serious issue and if someone had gotten hurt or killed because of a bunch of overgrown kids playing sillybuggers, we would be having a very different conversation. </end cathartic rant>
I’m comparing them to similar cases Populuxe1. For example where somebody is caught with Molotove cocktails and premeditation of a crime is proven but not undertaken, they recieve less than a year. Most offenses concerning unregistered firearms receive a warning.
So while Hansen says he thinks there’s only a remote risk that the training would lead to crimes of violence, he hands down a sentence that is completely disproportionate to that contention, leaving myself and many other commentators to think that he’s been listening to the dog whistle that continues to be promoted by the police.
Let’s take another example where Cameron Slater publishes material calling for somebody to be gut shot, is known to have a mental illness, weapons and a large cashe of ammunition… but the police don’t even bother to question the hate monger. Do you not see the disproportionate treatment certain people get over others?
You quote Bill Hodge who says that people don’t demonstrate with Molotov cocktails, however sometimes they do. In this case it’s spurious to say that the Urewera four were using Molotov cocktails at all. There is no clear evidence linking them to what the police claim were Molotov cocktails. These so-called “restricted weapons” were not even taken off private land were they?
You then make a link between what was occurring in the Urewera’s and what white supremacist groups undertake all the time. The disproportionate focus on Maori in comparison to white supremacists couldn’t be starker. It shows an endemic racism within not just the police force, but policy makers as well.
It does not! It suggest there is some truth to the argument that Tuhoe is a sovereign nation that has never signed its right over to invading forces. Where on earth you got “children and the mentally ill” from is what is patronizing. Fairbrother also raises the issue of what private land actually is. Now that a retrospective law change has allowed the police unfettered access to spy on people no matter where they are, his statement is even more pertinent.
I couldn’t agree more. In fact I’ve written extensively on the subject… but the point you seem incapable of fathoming is that nobody was hurt, the crowns case was largely based on speculation and the sentences handed down were unprecedented in such circumstances. There are serious grounds for an appeal here, and I wont be surprised when Hansen’s prejudiced decisions are overturned.
Seconded!
Mirror mirror on the wall?
Don’t look too closely jack-off
The judgement on Liu is like Scottish Law (a very good one)
“Not Proven”.
This is not over yet by a long way.
Those wise economy boffins in National have discovered a new revenue stream to fund the $150 million refurbishment of New Zealand House – link
Complaints against Waitangi column upheld
It’s interesting that the Herald also reports that their readership has increased dramatically, which is one of the main reasons they publish such articles. It causes a scandal and people therefore buy more papers and visit the Herald website more, which means they can sell more advertising… have you seen how much advertising is in the Herald these days?
Unless there are some real financial disincentives to promoting such racist claptrap, we will continue to see similar bigoted and inaccurate articles being published.
Nope, can’t say I have. Don’t get the paper version and I have Adblock to remove advertising.
Somebody was nice enough to work out the content of the Weekend Herald, which just won Newspaper of the Year…
Sat 19 May: Pages 30. Advertising 56%. Opinion 11%. News 26%. Other 7%.
That’s by centimetre columns I take it. Man that’s some work, credit to whoever did it 😀
I think that’s how Chris worked it out.
Sunday Star Times is the worst. I swear to god a few times I have found them to be almost entirely content free.
Lifestyle Creep; peoples lifestyles being led by MARKETEERS for PROFIT.
Committing people and families to PAYMENT PLANS and DEBT
DEBT
DEBT. Follows around like a bad smell.
An ongoing CASH-COW for the corporate level and WANNABEES elite.
THINKING STUDENTS reference to Foucaults analyses of POWER DISCIPLINE PUNISHMENT
EXCELLENT analysis and synthesis there.
Great Work.
Liberal Studies at unis being CUT first.
RODD CARR, what a small-minded man.
Axe any Philosophy courses that direct one away from Utilitarianism?
Watch the mass-produced cohorts of non-utility “professionals” and their addiction to credentialism flee with the neglected productive classes.
Paul Thomas seems like a poor historicist apologist shoeshine boy.
IF one is aged between 30 AND 47 years of age and existentially relaxed, they are most able to challenge and modify the values beliefs and attitudes of the OLDER GENERATION who could know better.
DAVID PARKER.Not growth, ASIAN INVESTMENT in INFRASTRUCTURE.
EMPLOYMENT, of greater value to a LABOUR representative. Or give the portfolio to That Cunliffe chap.
Rena disaster – who’s really to blame
The failed free-market ideology that National blindly follows and greedy multinational’s are just as much to blame as those hapless idiots Captain Mauro Balomaga and navigational officer Leonil Relon who piloted the MV Rena into the Astrolabe reef…
Short the dollar.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1205/S00176/sludge-report-197-short-the-dollar.htm
shed a tear for james gurley.
passed on monday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_0S8adKy1o&t=1m0s
Mr Smith. Very Helpful. U the bomb.
Joe 90; Groovy.