Open mike 26/06/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 26th, 2016 - 122 comments
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122 comments on “Open mike 26/06/2016 ”

  1. Paul 1

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    Selfish, greedy.
    Max Key.

    David Slack: ‘Greed, and hair gel, is good’

    New Zealand. It might not be a great place to bring up children any more but it’s still a really good one to bring up Max. If he and his friends like the idea of a Wall Street career and aren’t too troubled by the deepening gulf between the vastly wealthy and the poor, we could hardly be shocked and ask: “where did that come from?”
    He might say I’m judging him without really knowing him. Perhaps the next video will make things more clear. But there does seem to be a pattern and I’m not picking up much of a Buddhist monk vibe.
    What the Max character seems to be saying is: “Greed, and hair gel, is good.” There’s no overt political statement in that, but in a funny kind of way, as his Dad likes to say, it’s political all the way through.’

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/social-networking/81397094/david-slack-greed-and-hair-gel-is-good

    • it is creepy being so concerned about the son.

      • tc 1.1.1

        Yes he is 100% distraction so criticism just gives it oxygen when it needs to be ignored along with all the others celebrity reality BS.

      • ianmac 1.1.2

        Though Max does push himself into the front line with his father’s pride and his blessing. Otherwise who would mind what he did. Didn’t Thatcher have an errant son?

      • Naki man 1.1.3

        “it is creepy being so concerned about the son”

        Yes, i have thought Pauls obsession with the Key boy is very creepy.

  2. Paul 2

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    Greedy.
    New Zealand property investors.

    ‘Housing ‘mess’ has spread from Auckland to Tauranga
    New Zealand First leader and MP Winston Peters last night told a crowd of 150 people that Auckland’s “housing mess” had spread to Tauranga.
    Speaking at Matua Hall, Mr Peters said Auckland’s problems had become Tauranga’s, with the influx of Aucklanders fleeing the housing shortage and creating one in Tauranga.
    Property prices and rent prices were going through the roof and he acknowledged those in desperate situations, living in cars, tents and caravans.
    Mr Peters said in the last quarter of 2015 figures showed 29 per cent of houses sold in Tauranga were to Aucklanders.’

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503343&objectid=11663358

    • tc 2.1

      Hamilton also

      • Colonial Viper 2.1.1

        yep buying up of houses in Hamilton for investment is huge at the moment.

    • ianmac 2.2

      I saw a headline from Bryan Gould predicting house price bubble burst, but can’t find it now.

        • Ad 2.2.1.1

          The Reserve Bank have been tracking the same risks.

          And yet, all the factors that are holding up Auckland’s real estate are still tracking there for quite a while.

          1. Net immigration has tracked up, is still tracking up, and looks like it will continue for at least a couple more years.

          2. There are not enough houses, either to rent or to buy. This has been building for years, and will take years of building to even out, just a little.

          3. Inflation rates are at rock bottom, and tracking to stay this way for several more years.

          4. Our tax regime is still highly favorable to real estate. This appears to be the case whoever is in power in 2017, so it’s stable for at least 4 years.

          You all know these factors, they are not going away.
          There’s a risk of an Auckland real estate crisis. Of course. But let’s not overplay it.

    • Incognito 2.3

      If Winston Peters has his way he’d drastically reduce the number of ‘immigrants’ coming from Auckland to the Hinterland and ‘interview’ every new-comer at the ‘borders’.

      New Zealand is for all New Zealanders and Peters is preying on people’s fears again; same tune, same hymn sheet, same old same old.

  3. Paul 3

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    Greedy.
    New Zealand property investors.

    ‘Market tough for renters
    A Whangarei mother has “given up hope” searching for a rental because of high demand and a spike which has seen the average rent increase by about $30 per week over the past six months.
    Kristie Lowe has been trying to find a rental closer to her family in Ruakaka so she is able to work full time. But an increase in rent prices has made the hunt difficult.
    “It’s a pretty crap situation. If you apply for a house you can’t get one simply because you’re like me and have a bad credit rating, or you’re a single mum on the benefit,” she said.
    “I’ve given up hope.”
    Renee Wilkinson, new business consultant at Harcourts Just Rentals Whangarei, has been tracking the rent increase since January this year by going on Trade Me, adding rental prices of properties listed in Whangarei together and dividing that number by the number of houses listed. In January the average rent was $338.33 and up to the end of this week it was $368.20.
    “In six months, that’s quite a large increase,” she said.
    Ms Wilkinson said there were a number of things contributing to the price increase – including homeowners who had become “accidental” landlords after the market crashed in 2007 and have decided to sell and take advantage of the today’s housing market.
    “Basically houses are being sold but there aren’t enough to go around. Based on what I’ve noticed, I can’t see it [the rent increase] is going to stop any time soon.”
    ……………
    Ms Lowe said she had been to Housing New Zealand and was currently on a waiting list.’

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11662998

  4. Paul 4

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    Greedy, selfish, uncaring.
    New Zealand’s private landlords

    One of the worst years for housing problems, says union.

    More people require emergency accommodation in Palmerston North but community members say housing options are too sparse.
    About 20 people attended the Manawatu Tenants Union AGM on Friday, where various community members spoke of growing concerns about the city’s housing.
    Social worker Debs Radley told Stuff she had seen an increase in people needing emergency accommodation in the city.
    She was currently working with four families living in motels because of the city’s shortage of housing and emergency accommodation.
    But big weekend events for the city, which increased tourism numbers, also booked out motel rooms that could be needed to accommodate homeless people.
    These were people on the brink of homelessness with nowhere to go, she said.
    In the meeting Massey University advocacy co-ordinator Kerry Howe said the price of increasing rent was still a growing concern for many students.
    She said despite the increasing prices in rent there was little, if any, change to accommodation supplements for students and community members.
    TradeMe property statistics show nationally, the median weekly rent has increased by 4.8 per cent over the year.
    While rental prices in the Manawatu and Whanganui areas have increased by 8 per cent over the year.
    In the meeting Manawatu Tenants Union co-ordinator Kevin Reilly said this year had been one of the worst years he had seen in terms of housing problems in the city.
    He said issues ranged from people having problems with landlords and high rents to others in desperate need of social or emergency housing.’

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/81431262/one-of-the-worst-years-for-housing-problems-says-union

  5. Paupial 5

    Firstly: I do not condone child abuse (to preempt any facile splutterings), & trigger warnings aplenty for those who chose to follow the links (the quotes should be low impact).

    Is anyone else uncomfortable by the way the Moko Rangitoheriri killing is being exploted? This was in this morning’s ODT:

    Dunedin members of the Sensible Sentencing Trust will lead a peaceful march to the Dunedin courthouse on Monday… Co-ordinators of the Dunedin SST march, Amy Telfer Chiles and Robert Washick… A recent arrival from the United States, Mr Washick said New Zealand was “a paradise” and he wanted to ensure the country avoided going down a “bad road”.

    http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/388037/sentencing-group-march

    Googling Washick shows that he is involved in Rotary, and works; “Yacht Buying, Selling and Chartering”. I wish I could be more certain that he had no involvement with Cerco &/or isn’t riding a cause for publicity. Monday the 27th of June is the day set for sentencing:

    The man and woman accused of killing a Taupo 3-year-old have pleaded guilty to manslaughter and ill-treating a child.

    http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/381774/pair-admit-taupo-boys-manslaughter

    The main contention of the SST seems to be that they should have been sentenced for murder. The problem is that murder implies intention and that doesn’t seem to have been provable in this case. This is supported by the police adding the lesser charges in February of this year, after the killers had plead not guilty to murder in September 2015. It reads more like a desperate covering up of abuse leading to death.

    All kinds of trigger warnings if you follow this link:

    Moko and his sister were left in the care of the couple on June 12 for what was expected to be a short period of time.

    During the two months Moko was living with Haerewa and Shailer, their animosity towards the toddler grew.

    Haerewa told police he “didn’t like [Moko’s] ways” and that he was “angry at him for taking us for granted”.

    The couple began assaulting the toddler, with the severity of the assaults escalating…

    On August 10 Shailer phoned 111 saying Moko had fallen from a wood pile the day before, sustaining severe bruising. She told the operator that he had been fine earlier in the day but was now “really cold, unconscious, not breathing properly and that his stomach was really hard”…

    [The Mother] said Shailer was in regular contact until two weeks before Moko’s death.

    “Her phone was off and I couldn’t call to talk to him. Those are signs that I should’ve picked up on.”

    http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/383481/mokos-mother-speaks-out-about-sons-death

    What makes me uncomfortable is that the Sensible Sentencing Trust were adamently opposed to the amendment of section 59. Their solution never seems to be prevention, only ever longer incarceration – I generally refer to them as “Predatory Prisoning”. Read this McVicar editorial from 2009 if you need confirmation:

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503462&objectid=10984999

    This Unicef piece from 2014 seems to coincide with my understanding:

    Along with the Section 59 law came increased public
    awareness that violence against children shouldn’t
    be tolerated. Increased awareness and reporting are
    important for ensuring action is taken on behalf of children
    living with violence. The law is part of creating social
    norms that don’t tolerate physical punishment.
    In the period 2008-2013 there was a dramatic increase
    in notifications to Child, Youth and Family. There was a
    60 percent increase in notifications (representing 60,000
    additional notifications) and a 40 percent increase in
    substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect…

    However, child abuse is a complex problem requiring
    complex solutions. Anyone interested in reducing child
    abuse must focus on ensuring that the appropriate legal
    protections are in place and we have a culture of respect
    and care for children, that parents are equipped with child
    management skills, that parents are well supported and
    have good mental health, that alcohol and drug abuse are
    reduced, and that families are not living with the constant
    stress caused by poverty.

    https://www.unicef.org.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/11281/Section59informationsheet.pdf

    [Hmm, this is very long for OM – perhaps better suited as a post? The problem is that I’m only going to sporadically near a keyboard today to repond to comments. If someone else wants to take it up and put there own spin on it that’d be fine by me.]

    Anyway, my suggestion is that anyone who agrees with me should go along to the marches with; “yay for Bradford!”, “Better funding for CYFs”, “Enforce s59” banners.

  6. Paul 6

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    Yet there are people who still care and who are unselfish.
    Marie Retimana represents the best of New Zealand.
    A government that does not ensure its citizens are not paid enough to feed themselves represents the worst of New Zealand.

    Helping the needy through social media
    Tokoroa’s Kelly Marie Retimana and her family of six decided to gather extra food while doing their shopping last week to help out a family in need that they came across on Facebook.
    Retimana said she made the “on the spot decision” while out doing her weekly shop.
    She saw the specials and just bought extra for a food parcel.
    Having felt the struggle themselves in the past, Retimana and her family were often giving to people in need.
    “It feels good”, Retimana said.
    “We (my family) have felt the struggle and it doesn’t feel nice, so when we do have enough to share we do so happily, every time.”
    The number of people each week who struggle with buying food is high, Food Bank volunteer Ruth Ramea said.
    Basic supplies are given in food parcels such non-perishable foods, flour rice and
    recently milk powder, which is all funded through donations and trustees.
    The situation is made worse because there are a lot of people moving from out of town, she said.
    The Tokoroa Food Bank helps families from areas as far apart as Lichfield, Tokoroa and Atiamuri.
    Ramea said the year is constant, but Christmas and school holidays are the busiest times.
    The team of about 30 staff involving volunteers, trustees and helpers, buy and collect the food to put into parcels, but Ramea said more was always needed.
    “We are always looking for donations.”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/south-waikato-news/80479414/helping-the-needy-through-social-media

    • Paupial 6.1

      Paul

      If you’re going to spam OM everyday by cut&pasting entire articles, could you at least learn how to use blockquotes (or even simple quotation marks). You surely don’t want to be a plagiarist – support journalism by leaving people a reason to click on the link to the original article.

      • Paul 6.1.1

        Paupial

        I try and use quote marks.
        I try and edit reports so only excerpts are used.
        If you look at some of the stories I have referenced, they are in provincial papers, so hopefully, I am increasing the readership of these articles and creating greater awareness of these journalists’ work.

        Have you a problem with my highlighting the housing crisis in New Zealand?

        • Pasupial 6.1.1.1

          Paul

          If that was your attempt at using quote marks, then it was an abject failure. Everything from; “Helping the needy…” in the third paragraph, through to; “…looking for donations” just before the link was a direct quote. The only quote marks are those in the original article which you then cut&pasted in total (the only change I could see is that you deleted the many spaces between paragraphs, which admittedly is an improvement).

          What I have a problem with, is the way you mass dump your spam onto OM every single fucking day. Today you posted at; 6:55, 7:03, 7:09, 7:21, & 7:37 am, with barely enough original material between these five to fill one post. Your slogan does at least seem original (though just as cut&pasted), and is catchy enough:

          Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
          We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

          See how easy that was; the FAQ in the header bar will tell you how. [Edit – here I’ve even found it for you:]

          http://thestandard.org.nz/faq/comment-formatting/#quoting

          The problem with your spamming OM is that it makes everyone else’s comments less salient. Say there are 15 posts in OM in a day (probably more like 10 since you’ve been doing your little routine), that means a third (if not half) of today’s posts are yours. However, despite your obsessive firsting of this forum, you will see that your posts now generally have short discussion threads (especially by the last of them). Why? Because you are not saying anything new, or adding anything much beyond unattributed quotes.

          If you think that you are highlighting anything for me anymore except the imminent RSI in my scrolling finger you are sadly mistaken.

          • BM 6.1.1.1.1

            He’s the new Penny Bright.

            • reason 6.1.1.1.1.1

              I think Paul highlights the relentless failings of a uncaring incompetent government ………… they are a disgrace from which there is no hiding.

              Once people read Dirty Politics they can understand why John Keys Government supports things like tax havens while hurting poor children and vulnrable families.

              Freeze them in cars over winter ……………. poison them with fecal soup river water in summer.

              Check out their values and jokes in parliament …..

              “David Seymour: In what century did the wine-box inquiry take place?

              Rt Hon JOHN KEY: One so far back I can hardly remember it.”

              Also note JKs admiration for a guy who attempted to steal $2.2 billion of revenue………………. That would have been a HUGE handout to the aussie banks.

              Did shewan support the wine box tax scam? http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/8515361/Money-trail-leads-home-to-New-Zealand

              • BM

                Nah, it’s boring spamming.

                Same article, video posted again and again, seriously you’ve got to wonder if Paul isn’t a bot.

                • reason

                  whereas we do not have to wonder if BM is a miserable troll.

                  I keep asking you to drink a glass of Johns river water while wearing white disco pants ……….

                  just to show how full of shit you are……

                • Paul

                  Lots of different articles.
                  All showing up the wretched government you defend.

        • Ad 6.1.1.2

          Be a better author:

          – Be succinct
          – You better have a clear and original twist if you’re using someone else’s material
          – Be a punchy, not preachy, author
          – Have a sense of humor (at least about yourself)
          – Don’t take attacks personally, you might learn something
          – Try and imagine being as good a writer as your favorite columnist. Bin the drafts that aren’t as good for a while.

          I betcha if you can be a better author than the current authors, the quality of your writing will get more hits and hence be rewarded with better placement.

          And if you can’t be as good as a current author, just admit it, and practise until you can be.

          Time to step up to the plate Paul.

          • b waghorn 6.1.1.2.1

            Good advice sensei !

          • Sans Cle 6.1.1.2.2

            Paul I appreciate the watch you keep on some of the deteriorating social conditions in NZ. Your scanning and synopsis is very important. However I also agree with Ad, that it could be condensed into one post.

  7. Paul 7

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    Yet there are people who still care and who are unselfish.
    Park Up represents the best of New Zealand.
    A government that does not house its citizens adequately represents the worst of New Zealand.

    ‘Park Up For Homes camp out on Beehive backdoor.
    Around 150 people have gathered in Wellington, to sleep in their cars in a show of solidarity with those who have to.
    The group Park Up For Homes has been joined by politicians, city councillors, the Child Poverty Action Group and everyday families, young and old for “Park Up Parliament.”
    Spokeswoman Bex Rillstone said it’s just one part of a nation-wide campaign for better homes.
    “We’re outside the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, which is just on the doorstep of the Beehive, and we are here to say to the Government that we need better housing policies.”‘

    http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/park-up-for-homes-camp-out-on-beehive-backdoor/

    More expected at Park Up For Homes events
    200 people are expected to attend each of the two Park Up For Homes events tonight.

    One is being held at Wellington Cathedral, opposite The Beehive, and the other is taking place at the Otara Town Centre carpark in Auckland.
    They follow one in Mangere last week that attracted around 1000 people.
    Child Poverty Action Group housing spokesman Alan Johnson said it’s a chance for people to make their voices heard.
    “If you’re not happy with the way in which we’re failing many tens of thousands of children with their housing, then just come up and participate in a quiet, peaceful protest.”
    Mr Johnson said it’s also a chance to show support and acknowledge those who are doing it tough, living on the streets and in carparks.
    He said ordinary New Zealanders are now starting to understand the problems poorer people are facing.
    “And I think they’re becoming more concerned about that, and I think that’s starting to change the political response to this.”
    Another Park Up For Homes event, organised by boxer David Tua, is scheduled for Onehunga on the 2nd of July.
    Others are in the pipeline for Napier and Papakura.

    http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/more-expected-at-park-up-for-homes-events/

    Strong community support for Park Up Otara
    https://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/strong-community-support-park-otara

  8. save nz 8

    Why they voted ‘leave’.

    Meet 10 Britons who voted to leave the EU

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/25/meet-10-britons-who-voted-to-leave-the-eu

  9. Pat 9

    the pressure is showing….they are really working this one hard …

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/81429047/small-number-of-taxpayers-bear-the-brunt-of-new-zealand-tax-bill

    “By comparison, the top 3 per cent of individual income earners, earning more than $150,000 a year, pay 24 per cent of all tax received.

    Mark Keating, a senior lecturer in tax at the University of Auckland Business School, said the idea of “net tax” – the amount paid after credits and benefits were deducted – was hard for some people to get their heads around.

    But he said people who received any benefit, or superannuation, as well as people who worked and met the criteria for Working for Families tax credits could end up with a net result that was negative or neutral.”

    A tax lecturer and an accountant making misleading statements on net tax positions and conveniently ignoring half the forms of taxation and the impact of time……even the “balancing ” view fails to note this.

    Slanted reporting, advertorial or sponsored piece.

    • Colonial Viper 9.1

      if the courtiers to the power elite want more people to pay more income tax, then the dickheads should increase the income of ordinary people.

      • Richardrawshark 9.1.1

        That would be to bloody logical for these people CV.

        Everyone including the dump rat knows wages need to rise dramatically.

        Sit back and listen to the stupid, weak and crazy excuses they make for not doing it.

        Why is it National, seem to work for an entity called business, and not a person who actually votes.

      • Pat 9.1.2

        there is no antipathy between the haves and the have nots in NZ, it is an overseas problem.

        • Paul 9.1.2.1

          If you say so

          • Pat 9.1.2.1.1

            “Gareth Kiernan, an economist at Infometrics, said the data showed that New Zealand did not have the same issues that had driven protests such as the Occupy Wall Street movement, which rallied against a rich “top 1 per cent”. ”

            was a sarc tab necessary?

        • Colonial Viper 9.1.2.2

          one word: Talleys

        • Richardrawshark 9.1.2.3

          Should we dumb it down just a bit, for the reason any prospective people who visit the site, I would hope we all have a gut wish to show them National and capitalism, John Keys policies are failing and there are better options,

          I wonder how many of the people who come here straight off understand the meaning of the intellectual conversations here? Antipathy?

          It’s all great using big words and making out we are not stupid and know what the word economy is, but we should not lose our ability to make our points using language we commonly employ day to day

          I don’t know what others think about what I said, it’s just a thought that’s been bothering me for some reason and keeps nagging at me to blurt out.

          This is not a go at you either Pat , I have no issues with you at all mate, it just came out at this point of reading and seeing the word antipathy.

          • Pat 9.1.2.3.1

            my apologies….hadnt considered antipathy an intellectual word, and computers provide instant access to explanation if any are unsure.

            I was expressing my disgust at what passes for journalism now….among other things.

            • Paupial 9.1.2.3.1.1

              If antipathy is to be binned, then can we still use sympathy? Animosity is a bigger word, though roughly similar and widely understood. Not everyone uses language the same. Should we not use Māori terms because we want to; “dumb it down”? And our conflicting opinions and discussions might put “prospective people” off the site too – why don’t we all just endlessly type: “rugby is great, mate!”, at one another.

              In response to your earlier comment Pat – evidently; “a sarc tab [was] necessary”. I should probably use one myself at that.

              • Have you lost your ‘s’?

              • Richardrawshark

                Ouch.. but damn good reply.. lol damn good.

                Perhaps the fact I had not seen the word antipathy often, in my circle and had to check I knew the correct meaning was the reason I actually wrote that.

                Bloody googling wastes to much time when your a commoner like me.

                And some bloody spell checker here auto changes my typing. Sometimes when I re read I wonder how a certain word got there I never typed?

    • Greg 9.2

      With wage growth being barely near inflation, if not on the lower side,
      few workers will be affected by bracket creep. However, the fiction creation of the average wage in total statistics figures paints another picture.

      https://home.kpmg.com/nz/en/home/insights/2016/05/nz-budget-2016-bracket-creep.html

      In December 2014 John Key made a prediction that wages would rise in 2015 by 3.6%
      I believe this was on the back of receiving reports about power company share sell of, and CEO’s pay rises, National have used this wonderful fictional creation statistic to crow about economic performance and workers income is wonderfully improving.
      This also gives opportunity for overseas landlords to raise rents, .

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11466255

      It would be nice to see some challenges to National in Parliament when they make these fictional economic claims, but their is none.

      Because I belong to a union, we are getting a begrudged 2% pay increase next year, the first one hopefully above inflation, since 2008

    • riffer 9.3

      Seems false equivalence to state the top 3% pay 24% of all tax as if the $$$ were what counted. Those that can, should.

      As CV said, the problem lies not in the rebates paid to those who don’t earn enough to exist in our society, but that we have a society that is unable to remunerate a significant percentage of the population enough for them to exist in it without additional state benefits.

      • Richardrawshark 9.3.1

        Wouldn’t personal tax be trivial compared to the tax take from businesses for the governments coffers, ?

        If this is in fact so, dropping the business tax rate effected the coffers far more than any changes to people’s personal tax rates.

        Secondly switching business up a percent would probably allow us to drop personal tax more.

        If the above is true this could be used to curry voter favour if spun correctly.

      • Greg 9.3.2

        After nearly a decade of working for families rebates for the breeders, and Kiwisaver being used to offset wage increases, workers are now going backward without the compounding wage increases to counter rising living costs.
        What more evidence is there that is needed why NZs productivity is low.

        National are also relying on fictional economic prosperity in trade deals.
        There is simply no evidence primary producers increase their employment costs on the back of higher export volumes, in fact the opposite happens.
        Hence why there has been no media reports on the Dairy economy over the last decade, it will show employment costs reducing. Despite the Rock Star Economy preceding 2008, Did farmers employ more kiwi workers or immigrants.

        Or do a report on apples, any increase in employment costs since the Aussie market opened up, meanwhile apples have tripled in price in the supermarket, for export rejected cases.

        • Richardrawshark 9.3.2.1

          Do automated milking sheds increase or decrease staff costs?

          Automation is the enemy of personal employment.

          • Greg 9.3.2.1.1

            Meat works will all be automated with a decade, especially when the Chinese own all of them,

            If non living entity corporations can be given legal status as a person, Reagan did this,
            =then robots should be taxed,
            overseas owned businesses are welfared off tax …
            making corporations pay tax on their real profit will come to nothing.

    • DH 9.4

      I despair whenever I see this bullshit promulgated. It makes a mockery of our education system that so few people can immediately see through it. We all did percentages and averages at school, I expected it would be second nature for most of us.

      The actual claims are false or misleading and the net tax concept they portray is worthless.

      The last chart I saw can be found here…

      https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/Net_Tax_Paid_by_Households,_estimated_for_the_tax_year_ending_31_March_2015.png

      It’s patently absurd and dishonest. The overwhelming majority of beneficiaries are on low incomes so of course the low income households will show more Govt transfers than the high income households (yes their numbers include welfare beneficiaries)

      • KJT 9.4.1

        Net tax, excluding petrol tax, user pays fees, GST etc etc is meaningless, but looks good in reinforcing the right wing narrative.

    • Ad 9.5

      GST has been spectacularly regressive.

      As is petrol tax.

      And school fees.

      Mr Keating would do well to show the full cumulative weight of all taxes, then work that weifht out across all income brackets.

      Just a couple of intelligent bar graphs would do it.

      But no, he would rather just make a political point.

    • save nz 9.6

      @ Pat Quite frankly would not surprise me at all. The reality is that PAYE workers are one of the few groups paying tax. Those who are self employed, through trusts and businesses etc can manipulate their income legally and use copious legal loop holes to pay less tax. Obviously we seem to want to attract offshore investors who don’t pay GST… corporations that can manipulate their income so they make losses on millions in income…etc etc (sarc). Those on lower incomes are now propped up by the state for their employees with working for families, accommodation benefit etc

      The problem is that the government are just not interested in looking at the 21st century globalism, and how to make tax fair again. They are certainly not interested in looking at why transnational profits are now one of our biggest exports. in front of milk powder and fishing.

      • Pat 9.6.1

        one of the aspects of WFF that appears ignored is it is a temporary position….those receiving the benefit of it only receive it for a limited period and then return to a net positive tax position, often a very short period….this sort of framing (demonstrated in the linked article) pisses me off no end especially when so called experts are quoted and such outrageous bullshit is unchallenged by the journalist.

    • Richardrawshark 10.1

      Ok I made a statement Corbyn was in the leave camp yesterday and this comes out.

      I repeated this fact too mum, who explained in detail to me, Corbyn was definitely in the LEAVE camp personally, he was Pusauded by party members to vote remain, or back the remain camp.

      She has just returned from ten years there and is also a UK citizen born there and lived there about half her life, she’s now 72. Basing m,y facts on mummy, but I have to go with her inside knowledge.

      HE was always Pro Leave, on a personal basis, but party politics have meddled again.

      Hope that clears it up.

      • Colonial Viper 10.1.1

        Corbyn is closer to ordinary working people than most of his MPs. He should be forcing them to his beliefs not the other way around. He’ll be gone if he keeps this up.

        • Richardrawshark 10.1.1.1

          Mum doesn’t like him, she’s saying he’s more a green than a Labour. She uses a lot of nasty words about him when I ask. throw back, cardy wearing lib, err. not nice stuff.

          Unfortunately my mums a love Thatcher woman, something excited a lot of women about a woman rising to British PM. She’s from that era.

          We have fun convo’s here, I have pretty much won the war with intellect and a better argument showing her outcomes of policies, she hates key now, can’t understand the policies and thinks he’s batshit crazy along with all the other National MP’s, she also uses the word arrogant a lot.

          Not bad for a Tory to come here and in(3 weeks ish) hate national!!!!

          • Colonial Viper 10.1.1.1.1

            ha very well done!!!

            • Richardrawshark 10.1.1.1.1.1

              I know, CV, and like me she is no slouch in the upstairs dept. But the one thing that helped and I had not seen it before or thought of it this way.

              Too a British born Tory, it appeared after she got to know things, John Key is not a Tory, Nor does it appear he rolls the Tory way..if you get it.

              The BIGGEST epiphany is John Key is a Tory Hoon, he acts as PM like they imagine a Labour leader would behave.

              He has no dignity, He does not hold himself as a Tory would in power. He is a fact a common born YOB.

              HA

              Real Tories don’t run and hide. refuse interviews. At All. Thatcher did not hide.

              • Colonial Viper

                Common born and state house raised. Neuveau riche, even worse. Clearly wasn’t taught the ‘proper’ etiquette and demeanour from youth.

                An interesting observation you’ve made here.

        • Richardrawshark 10.1.1.2

          I got as gut feeling from the way mum goes on about him, he’s toast, he’s not viable, he’s a joke.

          His party is heavily divided over him, he has to go. Apprently

  10. Richardrawshark 11

    Perhaps today is a day to rejoice.

    The people of Britain just slapped that non elected body in Brussels a right slap in the face, and a great, grading on their performance. If Brussels was doing such a great job of running the EU perhaps the British may not have quit.

    It’s also a giant slap in the face to Germany and Frau Merkel no one likes(gen) and especially how She seems to be running the purse strings. Politically correct or not, most grass roots Britain’s despise Germany having ANY power.

    A giant slap over Brussels and immigration. The thing they feared came true as soon as it happened mass immigration and people coming to claim instant benefits.

    Immigration policies that Key thinks are different but the grass roots feelings are the same here.

    To many immigrants changes from interest in their culture, to crikey they are everywhere.

    • Sabine 11.1

      https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/25/boris-johnson-michael-gove-eu-liars?CMP=fb_gu

      “Now they have won and what Kipling said of the demagogues of his age applies to Michael Gove, Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage.

      I could not dig; I dared not rob:
      Therefore I lied to please the mob.
      Now all my lies are proved untrue
      And I must face the men I slew.
      What tale shall serve me here among
      Mine angry and defrauded young?

      Sign up to our EU referendum morning briefing
      Read more
      The real division in Britain is not between London and the north, Scotland and Wales or the old and young, but between Johnson, Gove and Farage and the voters they defrauded. What tale will serve them now? On Thursday, they won by promising cuts in immigration. On Friday, Johnson and the Eurosceptic ideologue Dan Hannan said that in all probability the number of foreigners coming here won’t fall. On Thursday, they promised the economy would boom. By Friday, the pound was at a 30-year low and Daily Mail readers holidaying abroad were learning not to believe what they read in the papers. On Thursday, they promised £350m extra a week for the NHS. On Friday, it turns out there are “no guarantees”.

      If we could only find a halfway competent opposition, the very populist forces they have exploited and misled so grievously would turn on them. The fear in their eyes shows that they know it.”

      Poor England. So scared of the rest of the world, and still not being able to escape it.

      • Richardrawshark 11.1.1

        I am assuming, your assuming the people actually heard these broadcasts, promises, and that the people who did, believed every word of it.

        People are way past the point we trust a word spoken from Media and Politicians, the planet is full of sceptics right now. IMHO

        Truth being people voted more on the right to self direction and control, and immigration. These two issues were totally a failure of Brussels and that’s where any blame lies.

        Let’s not forget the body that controlled the EU. They don’t get to sit there holier than thou.

        • Sabine 11.1.1.1

          actually yes, i would assume that many did listen to Farrage and the likes. Just like in NZ they listen to Hoskins, the other jerk and Key and his mates.

          and yes, fear is the biggest killer of them all.

          lower, middle class England saw their benefits eroded, bedroom tax installed, draconic sanctions handed out to everyone who ever dared to be unemployed, being declared fit for work while dying of cancer two weeks later, schools being turned into academies, NHS being prepped to be offered for a coin to the next crony or bestie of Cameron, Ian Duncan Smith – aint he a lovely fellow, and so on and so on and so on.

          So yes, i would assume that the English would have listend to the ones that offered easy ways out, Namely Make Britain Great Again….tell me when was it ever great? Under Queen Elisabeth 1? Under Queen Victoria? Under Thatcher?
          Blame the Polish builder? The Hungarian fruit pickers? Or rather blame their own elected officials, which btw. like in NZ the wast majority of people elected several times in a row? No, that would not happen, that would mean the voters actually have to take responsibility for their votes and the consequences. A bit like the tory voter who realised that after the unemployed, the handicapped, the sick and unable to work, they are now coming for their tax credits and benefits….(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11935413/Ex-Tory-voter-breaks-down-on-Question-Time-over-tax-credit-cuts.html) . Pretty much what now is happening in NZ…..oh noes i did vote to have the benefits cut of the lazy bludger, of the slutty mother of many who is not married, of the pretend sick who should go work, and so on and so on, but i did not vote for my children to not find an affordable house or a decent paying job.

          You know what, they listended and they voted. And with it they removed a lot of options from their young one (just like they did in NZ), namely to work in 27 countries without needing a visa, being able to start a business anywhere within the EU, being able to access health care and the likes anywhere in the EU, and so on and so on.

          but yeah, lets be scared of Germany being made Great again. And worry about the Polish geezer coming to seek work in England, cause no English Fellow did the same.

          they fucked over their young ones. Just like they did in NZ…..and they voted for it. Several times in a row did they vote for the fine English Man and Women that fucked them over every day of the year, just like they did in NZ.

          • Richardrawshark 11.1.1.1.1

            Yeah it’s silly, but that’s how the grass roots talk.

            I think studies have been done on this particular social behaviour.

            • Sabine 11.1.1.1.1.1

              You are still ignoring the main point about all this raging against polititians and the likes, namely that people vote for them, and that voting has consequences.

              • Richardrawshark

                I was very young when the EEC, EU started , I cannot comment on how it started, mums saying the Brits refused to join for ages, but the French kept pressuring and finally Tory Ted Heath signed up.

                What was said to promote it by Heath I have no idea, I certainly see the outcomes of the choices those voters made, and should it not now be the right for the generations who have lived this choice and seen it’s effects to now evaluate and have a choice in their future? Who says anything is binding on future generations?

                They made their choice it’s done now, we can sit back and criticize in the negative or we can positively support them, using positivity and look at the good not just the bad.

                • Peter Swift

                  You’ve been incorrectly informed.

                  1963 Britain’s first attempt to join the Common Market was vetoed by Charles de Gaulle, who was said to be worried about English taking over as Europe’s main language.

                  1967: A second UK attempt to join was blocked by President de Gaulle.

                  • Richardrawshark

                    So what was the real story about GB joining the EU Pete, I need a wider circles perspective then, obviously mums at that age then when she’s getting a tad mixed up… walks off to label the salt and sugar jars., and the one I keep the Ajax in.
                    .

                    • Peter Swift

                      You could start looking on google.
                      Here’s the first one that came up after searching for ‘britain’s attempts to join the eec’

                      http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/political-guides-eu-history-timeline-of-key-eu-events-politi

                    • Richardrawshark

                      Thanks pete, bloody De Gaulle eh, wise man or fool?

                      then Heath became Prime Minister after winning the 1970 election. In 1971 he oversaw the decimalisation of British coinage and in 1972, he reformed Britain’s system of local government, reducing the number of local authorities and creating a number of new metropolitan counties. Possibly most significantly, he took Britain into the European Economic Community in 1973. Heath’s Premiership also oversaw the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, with the suspension of the Stormont Parliament and the imposition of direct British rule. Unofficial talks with Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) delegates were unsuccessful, as was the Sunningdale Agreement of 1973, which caused the Ulster Unionist Party to withdraw from the Conservative whip.

                      Heath also tried to curb the trade unions with the Industrial Relations Act 1971, and had hoped to deregulate the economy and make a transfer from direct to indirect taxation. However, rising unemployment in 1972 caused Heath to reflate the economy, attempting to control the resulting high inflation by a prices and incomes policy. Two miners’ strikes, in 1972 and at the start of 1974, damaged the government, the latter causing the implementation of the Three-Day Week to conserve energy. Heath eventually called an election for February 1974 to obtain a mandate to face down the miners’ wage demands, but this instead resulted in a hung parliament in which Labour, despite winning fewer votes, had four more seats than the Tories. Heath resigned as Prime Minister after trying in vain to form a coalition with the Liberal Party.

          • Greg 11.1.1.1.2

            immigrants work cheaper and harder because the locals cant live on the wages.

            Bill English admitted this when he said we are lazy or unable to work because of a certain lifestyle, how many unemployed have they tested and kicked of the benefit, they cant call the policy a success because the numbers are so low,

            And then Max Key does a music video, saying how wonderful it is in Paradise,
            only for the rich, or subliminally, i have another girlfriend,

      • miravox 11.1.2

        +1 Sabine.
        and all this because a few old public school boys had a bit of a power play.

  11. Robertina 12

    I am just about Brexited out having read just about every tortured piece of analysis on the Guardian . . . but Nick Cohen’s j’accuse to Gove and Johnson is a must:

    ”The media do not damn themselves, so I am speaking out of turn when I say that if you think rule by professional politicians is bad wait until journalist politicians take over. Johnson and Gove are the worst journalist politicians you can imagine: pundits who have prospered by treating public life as a game. Here is how they play it. They grab media attention by blaring out a big, dramatic thought. An institution is failing? Close it. A public figure blunders? Sack him. They move from journalism to politics, but carry on as before. When presented with a bureaucratic EU that sends us too many immigrants, they say the answer is simple, as media answers must be. Leave. Now. Then all will be well.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/25/boris-johnson-michael-gove-eu-liars?CMP=share_btn_fb

  12. ianmac 13

    There is a petition being mounted in Britain to limit the final result of Brexit. And call for another Referendum whereby the winning numbers would have to be 60%+
    2 million have signed the petition already!
    (Some voted for Brexit not expecting it the exit to happen???)
    PS “We the undersigned call upon HM Government to implement a rule that if the Remain or Leave vote is less than 60 per cent based a turnout less than 75 per cent there should be another referendum.”
    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-petition-latest-eu-referendum-rules-change-force-second-vote-poll-government-a7102486.html

    • Richardrawshark 13.1

      I think you should read the individual results, In Brittain apart from London the leave poll was so much higher the two people who wasted there vote won’t matter, nor do I think the poll will.

      The percentage of Britons is far higher to leave than the overall voting including scotland.

      Got a feeling Scotland will soon be independent Nation under the Eu, the split has been now forced upon them. Good luck Scotland I mean that Sincerely.

      As the Chinese say, “it is fortunate to live in interesting times”

    • Greg 13.2

      changing the goal posts, that sound familiar,

  13. The Chairman 14

    Little said he would have preferred Britain to stay in the EU.

    Surely Little is aware how anti-democratic the EU is, thus does his position imply he is anti-democratic at heart?

    Thoughts?

    • Thoughts? You should try having one that wasn’t stoopid.

      • The Chairman 14.1.1

        It was a question, not a thought. Don’t attack the player.

        • Te Reo Putake 14.1.1.1

          So it was a thoughtless question? That changes everything …

          • The Chairman 14.1.1.1.1

            Far from it.

            Ponder this. Some say voters are still getting to know Little. What kind of impression do you think they’ll get from a comment such as that?

            One would expect a Labour Party leader to be supportive of such a move.

    • Richardrawshark 14.2

      More likely this is a deeply thought out response more about stability and not about personal preference, as PM in waiting his answer would be of a governmental position. No Government I think would want an unstable Europe where we have had the conflicts of the past IE 2 world wars.

      • The Chairman 14.2.1

        More about stability opposed to sovereignty?

        Surely a nation is more stable when making it’s own decisions?

        Leaving the EU doesn’t impact the NATO agreement.

    • The Chairman 14.3

      Winston Peters has long spoke up in favour of a Brexit, putting him at odds with Little.

      Shaw, on the other hand, said he was quite sad about the decision to leave. Therefore, can we take it he’s another that is anti-democratic at heart?

      Thoughts?

      • Colonial Viper 14.3.1

        Shaw’s CV and professional skills fit right in with the City of London corporate scene so no surprise there.

      • Stuart Munro 14.3.2

        Perhaps Little wishes the EU were worth staying with.

    • b waghorn 14.4

      Globalization is the only way, that doesn’t mean that people should quietly accept unelected rulers like the eu and or being run by corperates and their rent boys like key , but once you sulk off the field your out of the game.

    • miravox 14.5

      Is the EU more anti-democratic than a Tory FPP government in the UK?

      Thoughts?

      • Colonial Viper 14.5.1

        Look at the austerity and poverty that has been forced on to the people of Ireland, Greece, Spain, Portugal from Brussels right over the tops of their sovereign parliaments. So the answer is yes, definitely.

        • miravox 14.5.1.1

          Fair call. But that’s not more anti-democratic. That’s undeniably vicious decision-making from a democratic institution.

          The UK Tory government has done exactly the same to its people (as has the NZ government) without the EU.

          • Colonial Viper 14.5.1.1.1

            Yes I agree that the final effect in terms of austerity and human suffering may be the same, but the democratic aspect of it, i.e. whether the harmful decisions come from fellow citizen politicians you elected or from foreign bureaucrats whose names you don’t even know, who have never even been to your home town, its quite different.

            • miravox 14.5.1.1.1.1

              But communities/nations did elect their representatives in the EU. That’s the democratic bit. Nor are the bureaucrats citizens of some foreign place called EU, they’re from the nations that make up the EU.

              Your point that people may prefer elected neo-lib representatives and anonymous bureaucrats closer to home to destroy their lives is valid. But if they were these closer to home representatives that’s not more democratic. If the point is about geography, local issues and visibility the argue that point. I guess I just get tired of seeing framing through shorthand phrases that sound like they mean something, but don’t and are often fudging the truth. The EU is democratically elected and executive has no more power, some times less, than the national governments of the EU countries.

              The left and other supporters of the people who are suffering under austerity should be up in arms about what is being done to the less well-off people and their communities. I wish they would think about what’s behind these right wing phrases instead of parroting them.

              Question – what if Yanis Varoufakis put himself up for election to the EU parliament and won, and then got his parliamentary group to reject the executive who are the purveyors of austerity measures. Meanwhile George Osborne became PM in the UK and continued with his destruction of social support and the NHS. Would you still be complaining about the anti-democratic, unelected and faceless bureaucrats in the EU, or start talking about the validity of policies and which should be implemented?

              • Colonial Viper

                You do understand that elected MEPs have zero power over the ECB, IMF and Euro Group don’t you?

                That’s why it is utterly undemocratic. Schaubles attitude has always been: Greek voters and the Greek Parliament have zero say over what economic and monetary policies are to be implemented in Greece. The rights of the creditors is ultimate.

                • miravox

                  That’s about as much power as the House of Commons has over the Bank of England, IMF and Euro Group… and cabinet.

                  Once again, is it more undemocratic than the Tory government, or as you suggested earlier, more culturally and geographically distant?

                  • Colonial Viper

                    I’d pick rule by the NZ National Government any day of the week ahead of rule by the EU, ECB and German finance heads like Schauble.

                    At least David Cameron, a Tory, acknowledges the validity of the BREXIT poll result, unlike all the tap dancing lefties on this site.

                    • miravox

                      “I’d pick rule by the NZ National Government any day of the week ahead of rule by the EU, ECB and German finance heads like Schauble.”

                      Obviously that’s your prerogative.

                      And I have not argued the validity of the result. Save that criticism for when you find someone who did thanks.

      • The Chairman 14.5.2

        “Is the EU more anti-democratic than a Tory FPP government in the UK?”

        It sure is. And one would assume Little is aware of this.

        • miravox 14.5.2.1

          another link

          and just in case it’s too long…

          The verdict

          Clearly the EU structure has defects when assessed by the normal standards of Western democracy – but I would argue that the British parliament, with its unelected House of Lords and an unrepresentative House of Commons (in terms of the balance of political parties to votes cast), is even less democratic.

          Eurosceptics have for a long time questioned the legitimacy of the EU – but that charge is difficult to sustain. Of course national parliaments have all agreed to pool sovereignty in the EU institutions, but they are entitled to do that and have done so with their eyes wide open. Many even asked their citizens to vote on the decision in a referendum.

          What’s more, national governments, through the Council of Ministers, are still the most powerful collective influence in shaping EU decisions – not the European Parliament. They have the right to raise a yellow card about EU legislation, which can cause the Commission to change it.

          And the EU is in the process of strengthening the ability of national parliaments to call a halt to EU legislation if they object to it.

          So all in all, the EU is, or is at least working to be, a democratic organisation. It has its failings but national governments have just as many – if not more.

          • Colonial Viper 14.5.2.1.1

            Given this, I wonder if the EU is about to increase the say of the Greek people in their own economy and their own country. No? OK.

            • miravox 14.5.2.1.1.1

              EU and Eurozone (and IMF) are exactly the same thing. No? OK.

              • Colonial Viper

                I understand the point you are making but do not believe that that is the end of it.

                Tell me, did the EU intercede on behalf of one of its member states, Greece, to protect it from the undemocratic actions taken by the ECB, IMF and Euro Group against the people of Greece which included interfering in elections, undermining the elected government, overruling decisions made by the elected government, etc.?

                You do know that the Euro Group of finance ministers are all finance ministers of EU nations right? They were also pivotal to fucking over fellow EU member Greece.

                As you know, even working class British yobs have visited the Greece and the Greek Islands. I bet you they noticed how the poor of Greece was being treated by these EU Finance Ministers and the ECB.

                • miravox

                  In terms of Greece making its own financial decisions it would have to leave the Eurozone. This discussion has been had before and I think we pretty much agreed that it was disappointing the Greece didn’t do that.

                  Did the MEPs intercede? They certainly discussed the situation with Tsipras at least once and seemed to get Junker to concede to mistakes… as always, with a democratic institution there was a wide range of opinions
                  http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20150706STO74708/Greece-MEPs-debate-the-country%E2%80%99s-situation-with-Prime-Minister-Tsipras

                  I also know, from listening in at a meeting in Brussels, that the Social Democratic group was extremely sympathetic to the Greek position and made that clear. However, in parliament there are several other blocks and they too had their own view, as obviously happens in most democratic parliamentary organisations most of the time.

                  I’m not arguing with the points you’re making about Greece – this situation is an on-going neo-lib nightmare (and yes, I have seen the evidence of that first-hand) – It doesn’t relate to the question of whether the EU is a less democratic organisation than the UK Tory government that has devastated its own communities though.

                  The evidence is that the EU is least as democratic.

                  Whether that is democratic enough is a whole other issue and stands for national as well as supranational governance.

                  • Colonial Viper

                    Yes, a number of MEPs (including Farage…) expressed sympathy and solidarity with the Greeks.

                    In general terms the global elite seem keen to weaken the effectiveness of individual sovereign governments, and hand power to supranational/transnational arrangements and institutions.

                    In specific terms, it appears now that a majority in both Italy and France now want EU membership referendums to be held.

                    If the EU want to impress ordinary citizens of Europe with positive and democratic changes, now would be a good time.

                    • miravox

                      “If the EU want to impress ordinary citizens of Europe with positive and democratic changes, now would be a good time.”

                      Absolutely.

                      And if media organisations decided to take the EU parliament seriously and give it a bit more scrutiny that would be right too.

  14. adam 15

    You should read this from Frank Macskasy, apart from being very depressing the easy which this national government and it’s ministers can lie.

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/06/26/tdb-exclusive-investigation-cyf-the-hollowing-out-of-a-state-agency/

    The mad drive to ideological purity has kicked up a notch.

    And no one is safe.

  15. Muttonbird 16

    Lots of action in the British Labour cabinet over the weekend.

    http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36632539

    Who will be left standing?

  16. Paul 18

    The media is a major part of the problem.

    The Herald reports ‘Balmy June heading for a record’ and manages to avoid mentioning climate change. Rather than discussing this topic at a serious level, it turns a climate change issue into a ski report.

    ‘The unseasonably mild winter has been good news for some – but not if you are a skier.
    Nearly all the snow that fell on the Coronet Peak ski field, near Queenstown, earlier in the month has melted, and the “Big Defreeze” has impacted on the the town’s annual 10-day Winter Festival, which began on Friday.
    The lack of snow meant some events had to relocate.’

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11663518

    • save nz 18.1

      @Paul – Maybe the business roundtable gives Granny an extra bonus if they avoid the word ‘climate change’.

    • Graeme 18.2

      There were a couple of winters in late 80’s early 90’s that were as dire, one had a huge fall in May and then almost nothing, then another a couple of years alter when Coronet was only open for about a week all season, and keeping Remarkables open took a heroic effort, we were trucking snow down the mountain. It was pretty tough for the staff that year. There were other dry or warm years before that too. When they got into snow making in a big way it gave more reliability in dry years, but can’t do much in warm years. I was involved with snow making in the early years and remember weather figures that showed about 1 in 20 or 30 year return for a winter too warm for reliable snow making on Coronet. It was like 8 in 10 where it was too cold and dry for natural snow to maintain the snowpack.

      The traditional start of season was early July pre snow making. The changes to school holidays from late August to early July created an imperative to try and bring things forward, with a corresponding redefinition of normal by the media.

      The sign of a warming climate here will be snow making at Coronet becoming redundant or ineffective. (as the atmosphere warms it can carry more moisture, so more snow, to a point) I’ll reserve my judgement on that as it’s going to take 10 or so years to show a statistical variation, but the last couple of years have got my attention.

  17. Ad 20

    Will it be too much to ask for Unidos Podemos and the Socialists to get their shit together and take Spain together, this time around?

  18. mauī 21

    Hmm, another one. Have to say I’m disappointed, I had an idea that Foster-Bell is/was a religious man at least back in University days when he was my residential assistant and seemed like a nice enough guy then.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/81474280/high-turnover-of-staff-in-national-mps-office-and-claims-of-bullying

    • Rodel 21.1

      Don’t think religiosity is correlated with non bullying. Quite the contrary.

  19. joe90 22

    Delightful antidote to some of the shit going on right now.

    https://twitter.com/i/moments/746845931434287104

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  • Don’t run your business like a criminal enterprise
    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    8 hours ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    9 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    9 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    10 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    13 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    14 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    14 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    14 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    15 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    16 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    18 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    2 days ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
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