Will anyone be surprised if the National Party has vandalised the Prison Inspectorate over the last seven years, resulting in a sloppy report that lets SERCO off the hook?
I have been watching the collapse of the Dunedin branch of Labour closely, obviously there is deep disappointment of the Party’s ‘National lite’ appearance by some of the Labour membership.
Chris Trotter has scribed a reveiw which I’ve just read. So just to add to what is being said.
This is not the only Branch having problems, there is another one where the lead executives recently resigned, and the Branch is being managed out of HQ. One of the reasons appears to be the influence (not the resigning ones) of neo liberals within the executive committee, some being pro Robertson fans, who prior to the last election pushed some of those unpopular policies like the attack of workers, the raising of the retirement age. One party member resigned her membership in disgust with the final straw being the pro TPPA stance, she is now supporting NZF saying they have become Left of Labour with many better socialist policies. Peters has been very good opposing the TPPA I must say.
It was a very disappointing move which surprised myself also.
Labour really does need to make there mind up Left or Centre Right.
What other branch are you referring to, Skinny? Not saying you’re wrong, I’m just not aware of that situation.
Re: the now defunct branch in Dunedin, it was just an ego driven wankfest anyway. It’s demise is a cause for celebration. You’ll have spotted that the vocal members of it aren’t actually leaving Labour, they just didn’t have what it took to keep a branch going. There are many other properly run branches in Dunedin for those members to get active in, if they want to.
Well CV was asked if he was leaving Labour, and pointedly didn’t answer the actual question.
If they are quitting the party, it should be easy enough to say so. Why wouldn’t you say so? And if you won’t say so, then it’s safe to assume they are not, I would think.
“If they are quitting the party, it should be easy enough to say so. Why wouldn’t you say so? And if you won’t say so, then it’s safe to assume they are not”
None of it is anyone’s business. Why ‘report’ that you are throwing your toys out of the cot anyway? You want it known that certain things have happened, that your principles mean that blah blah blah. And yet you refuse, again, to say if y’all will quit the party. Whatever.
There are no demands being made that you answer, just questions being asked, and yes, people are fully entitled to assume things if you decide not to answer simple questions about a subject you have very publically raised.
By all means ask the questions Pb, and speculate as you will. I can think of reasons why someone might not want to answer. For instance if someone did that nasty character assassination shit to me over multiple days I also wouldn’t tell them anything about my life. Or, I can see that members might have any number or reasons that might not be apparent.
I’d still like to see a link that backs up the assertion that vocal ABP members (pl) haven’t resigned. I might have missed it. Or trp is making shit up.
everything else aside I don’t get this criticism. Having followed a bit on ts what the APB did I appreciated the announcement. Why wouldn’t that be announced?
It’s simply a fact. There was no ‘need’ to report anything at all, just as there is no ‘need’ for CV to say if he has quit the party.
He is refusing to say however. (As is his right). All I was saying is that contra his smarmy response, no one is demanding he report, just as no one demanded he write his post.
He chose to do one, and not the other. These are his choices. As is his choice to respond with weird implications that I am demanding anything of him.
One question, one refusal to answer, fine.
Repeated variations of the question, combined with turning a specious assumption into a factoid, borders on harassment.
The specious assumption is that CV’s refusal to answer = a negative reply to the question. We’ve already canvassed the fact that this is the inference you and TRP have chosen to draw from his non-answer. An assumption is just that, it’s an assumption. It becomes specious when it is presented as a fact. You have already stated that CV is well within his rights to refuse an answer. You are now claiming that his refusal is not reasonable.
Given there is no evidence at all to think he has quit the party, and that he twists and turns to avoid answering the question, I think the assumption he hasn’t quit has strong merit. Not specious at all.
He has the right not to answer, but that doesn’t mean it is reasonable to not answer.
If you want to play logic games, I can play them all day Grant.
CV made a big song and dance in public about how he feels about the Labour Party. That’s fine, obviously. He has been a strong critic, that too is obviously fine.
I think it is reasonable for other party members, and other members of his audience to have an answer to the question about whether or not he has quit the party as part of his disillusionment with it, or if he intends to keep on keeping on fighting it from within.
It wasn’t a fact, you asked a question about why announce the branch closure. I’ve seen a number of people criticise that decision to announce and I replied that I appreciated the announcement and can’t see what the problem is. If your question was instead part of a more oblique point about membership, sorry I’ve missed that.
I personally don’t believe it’s reasonable to keep asking someone about their membership esp in the context of this much antagonism. I get that quite a few people are annoyed with CV for various reasons, some of that seems valid. But there’s other stuff going on that seems really off.
It wasn’t a fact, you asked a question about why announce the branch closure.
Ok, here’s the full quote. I thought it was clear that the question is rhetorical (I mean, I do answer it myself straight away 🙂 )
“None of it is anyone’s business. Why ‘report’ that you are throwing your toys out of the cot anyway? You want it known that certain things have happened, that your principles mean that blah blah blah. And yet you refuse, again, to say if y’all will quit the party. Whatever.”
I’m not resposible for what other people have or haven’t said.
My sole point is that it is reasonable to ask if he has quit.
Here’s why I think that:
CV chose to go very public with the decision. He chose to put it here, in a national platform rather than just doing it all locally. He chose to make very strong criticisms of the national Labour Party as and org, and state that the branch could no longer see any point in existing and that they have some osrt of plans about doing something else.
Those choices imply that he is in part seeking support for whatever those plans might be, or at the least that he is explaining himself.
Given that, I think it is reasonable to know if those plans are outside or inside the party.
This is not personal, he is, by posting this stuff here, doing politics. He is seeking support. Answering basic questions is part and parcel of that. Refusal to answer is telling us something.
ok, thanks for that, I think I get it now (always better to be direct with me, I miss indirect sometimes 😉 ).
My sole point is that it is reasonable to ask if he has quit.
Yes, I agree it’s reasonable to ask. I aslo think it’s reasonable for CV (or anyone) to decline to answer, esp in the current climate. We don’t owe each other such things here.
Here’s why I think that:
CV chose to go very public with the decision. He chose to put it here, in a national platform rather than just doing it all locally. He chose to make very strong criticisms of the national Labour Party as and org, and state that the branch could no longer see any point in existing and that they have some osrt of plans about doing something else.
Those choices imply that he is in part seeking support for whatever those plans might be, or at the least that he is explaining himself.
Given that, I think it is reasonable to know if those plans are outside or inside the party.
This is not personal, he is, by posting this stuff here, doing politics. He is seeking support. Answering basic questions is part and parcel of that.
Yes, I largely agree with this, although I would say it’s too soon to go there. When he or any of the group start to talk publicly about what they are doing, then it may be an issue to raise again.
Refusal to answer is telling us something.
Maybe, but again I’d prefer if people were just up front about their concerns. If you think he is going to stay a member so that he can force Labour to throw him out of the party for instance, then bring that up (it’s been referred to a few times, I don’t see any evidence for that myself) and say why you think that’s important to discuss. I’m not sure how much of that should be done here though tbh, esp if trp is going to behave as he has. That’s out of concern for ts as much as anything, but as I’ve said elsewhere, if this were happening with the GP it’d be putting me off majorly. What’s happened in the past week is a really bad look for Labour and I’m not talking about just what CV has said.
I can’t really think of any other reasons why it would be a problem for him to still be a member. Maybe he just wants to keep getting the emails that members get, it could be as simple as that. But ultimately unless the plans for the new group involved actions that are incompatible with being a LP member I’m still not sure if it’s any of our business.
I was merely clarifying the point in context with the comparison (by Pascals bookie) and sentiment expressed up above (by Tracey) . Which, you agreed with.
Little’s approval was reported to have come from a piece in Politik, which sourced it from a spokesperson for Little.
This think tank is going to reach out to the right and one can see why a cash strapped party may support the notion.
Can you give me an example of what you deem to be provocative coming from CV? Keep in mind, he himself is copping a bit of flack.
ask yourself, why are the establishment players like TRP so dead keen that I leave Labour once and for all (given that we know that Labour is quite happy to turn down re-application for membership in the future).
1:That TRP is an establishment figure
2:that the establishment figures are dead keen to see CV to leave
3: that they are dead keen that he leave forever
Not going to ask myself anything of the sort CV. Merely syaing that if I despised an organisation I belong to as much as you have expressed disdain for the one you are currently in, I would fight, and then when it didn’t change, leave. As I said that is me. You do what you like. Just don’t expect a free ride from those who are in the same organisation and don’t have disdain for it.
Are you hoping they will throw you out/dispel you CV?
Geeezus, they’re not going to throw me out, I’m insignificant in the scheme of things. Especially considering the level of bullshit and blunder from Pagani, Nash, Curran et al, and they are all welcome to stay in the party.
No-one has made any such statement, although being so misrepresented is probably grounds for the sentiment.
You really are not this stupid, right?
Hey maybe you are right and I am wrong about what I am reading between the lines, and TRP and co. are actually quite happy for me to stay in the party. But seriously, unless you absolutely need it spelt out for you, I don’t think so.
“Hey maybe you are right and I am wrong about what I am reading between the lines, and TRP and co. are actually quite happy for me to stay in the party. But seriously, unless you absolutely need it spelt out for you, I don’t think so”
ask yourself, why are the establishment players like TRP so dead keen that I leave Labour once and for all (given that we know that Labour is quite happy to turn down re-application for membership in the future).
That would appear to confirm that he has not left, and does not intend to do so any time soon.
Pagani and the likes reckon the same; that constant public self aggrandising sniping about the fact you are in a minority and can’t get your way is a healthy thing.
Yeah OK, Josie Pagani and Colonial Viper both sit in the same box of Labour Party dissenters, while in reality Labour is right on track to win if it weren’t for these meddling kids.
Pagani and CV have different political beliefs but the the behaviour is starting to look very similar.
And the Chairman you are wrong – there was no approval for Pagani’s so-called think tank. Pagani was very happy to report that Little and King both opposed the idea. I think she hoped to be expelled.
“Yeah OK, Josie Pagani and Colonial Viper both sit in the same box of Labour Party dissenters, while in reality Labour is right on track to win if it weren’t for these meddling kids.”
is that what i said? No, it isn’t. You have a real problem being honest eh CV.
But at least you don’t try and deny that you and Pagani use the same basic playbook I described. Curious that.
Pagani and CV are pushing their political (albeit different) points of view. That’s not destroying the party.
If the party can’t withstand pundits expressing their view, then the Party is clearly on shaky ground.
The difference is Pagani wants to take the party further right, away from it’s founding principles (and further from its potential coalition partners). Whereas, CV wants to return to them.
The Chairman – I said nothing about destroying the party. Like CV you keep misrepresenting what people say.
I don’t see a direct quote from Andrew Little in the Claire Trevett article so as far as I can see this is just speculation. I do remember Pagani on Morning Report saying both King and Little were opposed to the idea, particularly King. I am sure Pagani was desperate for a public spat but Little sensibly did not oblige.
I criticise both Labour and the Greens occasionally, even though I am a supporter of both parties and CV is perfectly entitled to criticise any political party, whether he is a member or not.
However, the way he has been doing this recently seems to be deliberately provocative and I am starting to question his agenda. .
If you dig back through CVs comments (a mission no doubt 😉 ) you will come across an instance from about a week ago I think (this is from memeory) where he thanks someone for reminding him to cancel his AP.
That doesn’t make it a resignation. There are various forms of contributions; one off payments through to regular monthly DD’s. Stopping a DD changes nothing. The person concerned is happy to let people think this is a resignation (he sure fooled Chris Trotter!) but he is still a member.
I neither know nor care whether he’s still a member, in the same way that I neither know nor care whether other people who were involved with the ABP branch are members.
I’m also somewhat amused that such a ‘nothing’ – (ie, a branch going into recess) is causing so much frothing at the mouth!
That some people involved or mired in whatever shenanigans that may or may not have transpired have a need to vent is, to my miind, understandable and not any reason for ‘pistols at dawn’.
Under ‘busiiness as usual’ that post would have disappeared after half a day given that it was posted at night. But then the ‘big stick’ responses began to flow….
Oh yeah. And Chris trotters piece is cringe-worthy nonsense in my opinion, but hey.
I’m fairly sure Chris Trotter will do his usual thing with regards to commenting about me – I’m the fashionable flavour of topic today, goneburger fad tomorrow.
And I don’t care if it is Open Mike. We are authors and need to set a standard and this thing between you and CV is distasteful and very testosterony (I refer to your choice of epithet above)
That’s easily the most disingenuous comment I’ve seen on ts in a long time and I’ve never see such from an author before. How embarassing for this place.
Kia kaha Tracey. Completely agree about the macho stuff.
Actually it’s not disingenuous at all, weka. It is entirely consistent with the TS policy not to out pseudo-anonymous commenter’s real life identities. My comment was about the negative actions of Labour Party member Tat Loo.
Take it up with Bill, CV. He’s the one who banned someone yesterday for conflating you and the bloke from Dunedin I mentioned above. My argument is with the guy from Dunedin, not you. Apparently.
Yes, because CV wrote that post. I didn’t use the name of the guy from Dunedin at all in any of my comments because I’m polite and because it’s not appropriate to conflate the two here at TS. Apparently.
Look, it’s tricky, Lanth, but the decision was made yesterday to ban someone who crossed that line, so when referring to the shenanigans in Dunedin, I am going to use the real name of the person from Dunedin. If I am replying on a post by an author, I will use the name they prefer. Hope that’s not confusing, but that’s what I understand the current moderation stance to be.
Given it’s already a matter of public record, I find the moderation stance confusing. I suggest that the ban be reversed on that basis that there was no ‘speculation’ as to CVs identity.
Lanth, I haven’t seen the ban or moderation, but it’s pretty straight forward imo. If someone is using a pseudonym then refer to that and not their real life ID unless they give specific permission. It’s about respect for the principle, and that principle is designed to create safety.
There may be an issue about whether CV should have put up a formal notice under his real name or not, but tbh given the amount of attacks he gets on his real life for no good reason I can understand why he might choose his pseudonym.
Second, it appeared to me, from the way the conversation was progressing, if we are talking about KK (and I don’t know who we are talking about to be honest) , that it was deliberate to name him and bring his real name into something which could stand perfectly without that information. IOW it seemed to me, weighing up all that had gone before it was a deliberate outing.
People could search if they wanted to know without that action.
I suggest that the ban be reversed on that basis that there was no ‘speculation’ as to CVs identity.
I prefer to be known as CV or Colonial Viper on The Standard, Lanth. That’s why I use that handle. If nothing else, its rude nettiquette to ignore that.
However, some of the little shits who turn up like to use my full name instead of my pseudonym as a cheap intimidation trick. Just to remind me that they know who exactly I am, whereas they don’t think I know who they are.
The branch I am affiliate rep to. Quite a shock when I asked when the next executive meeting was? Only to be told of the resignations.
I do float around amongst the other party’s and groups and their activities. Like the climate change rally this weekend, but try attend LP meetings and events to.
I just don’t have the patience to try force out the neo libs within the LEC, or pander to people’s ego’s. And in this Tory held town the votes are minimal. Different story if everyone opposed to the Nats and their candidate voted for the one candidate in the electorate seat. I maintain the one candidate contest is the way forward.
Actually Karen I stand by what I’ve said. Unfortunately as an affiliate rep to the executive committee the ones who resigned failed to inform me.
Jenny got the wrong end of the stick I never accused her or any of the others who resigned as being neo liberals as I know they are not, I also didn’t say they were GR fans. BTW why did you really feel the need to name the branch? You stupid cow.
Labour’s membership is quite likely to be atrophying with their caucus attempting to sell watered down, bland Nat Lite chase-the-centre/swing voter policies in red bottles.
Members who have been dispirited or dissatisfied with Labour’s policies have probably been slowly falling away or drifting off and they end up not renewing their membership, rather than explicitly handing in their resignations.
Will the new President do a ‘stocktake’ of the membership number and their status (e.g. financial, inactive, resigned, deceased) to ascertain the real membership support the Party has? Or are some of the names being kept on the books as phantom members to prop up LEC delegate/voting numbers and their incumbent MPs?
Worth noting that Labour’s policies are only maybe ~25% of its issues. Its disconnect with the culture and mood of the electorate is at least as substantial a problem again.
Some members, BM. The vast majority are perfectly happy with the current direction, leadership and policies. And, as the recent polls suggest, Labour are on the cusp of being very electable as the biggest party in some form of coalition. So, the take home message would be ‘never mind the bollocks’.
Guess, that’s the one draw back with social media, a couple of people can make a hell of a lot of noise, which gives a rather distorted view of what is actually happening.
Just remember that one in five registered voters picked Labour in 2014, which was in itself only a slight drop from 2011. So I think the idea of dissatisfaction with Labour being the province of only a small minority is comforting to the establishment, but problematic to anyone who wanted to see real change coming out of Labour.
The main change the majority of members want to see is Andrew Little’s title. From leader of the opposition to PM. 😉
And, BM, there is no smoke and mirrors. The party is in good heart. Top conference, good membership levels, doing ok in the polls. Could do with some more cash, but you can’t have everything!
That’s not the approach the autocrats Douglas and Prebble took – they thought change should go the faster the better to paralyse opposition. Works for me – CGT & renationalised electricity overnight would be fine. Summary executions of asset thieves can begin the following day.
Oh come on, BM. Labour members are not mushrooms!
The Labour membership want the right (i.e. best) thing to be done for all in the country, not just the privileged few.
The caucus and leadership approach in giving up on the missing million, in not speaking up, arguing for and voting for their interests, have let down the collective citizenry.
Can you show me a place in the Western World where appealing to the ‘Missing’ voters has paid electoral dividends? Corbyn seems to be tanking and even Syriza is essentially implementing the austerity policies that they have been requested to.
Funny how you can use language to present a view point. For instance the line where they say 2 in 5 people belive labour should remove him as leader. Wow that sounds like a lot. Wait doesn’t that mean 60% believe he either should remain as leader or have no opinion.
His personal popularity is falling. That seems to be a given. He is certainly not reinvigorating the wider support for Labour in the UK either. What makes you think he is anything other than a failure at the moment?
OK lets for a second let you put words in my mouth as I never said he was or wasn’t a failure. I just pointed to the emotive use of figures in the artile which would lead me to believe that it was probably never going to give any form of positive press to Corbyn.
A failure is a strong word. The guy according to that article still has a 53% approval rating. Should he be concerned that he is dropping? Most definately. I don’t construe that as failure any more than I construe Key’s dropping polls as failure. They are an interesting indication and something both had best look at and assess.
Key has been in power for 7 years. Corbyn has been leader of the UK Labour party for less than 1. But if you think the signs are positive for Corbyn then more power to you.
The point I raised originally is that Corbyn’s appeal to the so called missing left wing voter hasn’t made much of a difference and in fact his popularity has fallen dramatically since his election as UK Labour Leader. This seems to run counter to the arguments made here.
Perhaps if you reply to people you should expect that people would associate your statements to those reply too. Unless you were just trying to attribute those statements in a dishonest deniable way so that if you get called on it you can use the “I said IF” defence.
You answered your own question. Yes Syriza is not living up to what they seemed to promise but their appeal to left ideals definately paid electoral dividends.
Not really. At the latest election the number of people who voted for any party fell back to what it was before Syriza’s first victory. Only just over 56% of the electorate bothered to vote. Hardly a sign that the party is energising the lost voters.
Yes but you could equally argue that is because the electorate felt that their actions did not match their promises from the first election. So there fore moving away from their left principle resulted in a drop electorally.
That’s probably right to a degree. But there were parties that were even more radical than Syriza running at the election and they didn’t pick up this disatisfied rump of voters.
Again the words you use explain it. Being left engaged those who felt disenfranchised from their society. When they first got to power there would have been more RADICAL left parties but that is not what people wanted.
Your false linking would be like me saying that because National’s numbers are slightly down and the number of Neo Nazi’s haven’t gone up that right wing ideals are not popular. Simply that is not a sensable position to take.
In the last 30 years both major parties have made a strong move to the right. This has left a large gap on the left. This coninceded with dropping participation in electoral turn outs.
I am not going to conflate causation here but I think it is a difficult push to say that left policies can’t be successful electorally. NZ don’t have a pure left wing party at the moment like Labour use to be. The Greens fill that position somewhat but people still pigeon hole them as only an environmental party and can’t seem to see that they actually offer much more.
A left wing party that is attached to a leader who rightly or wrongly has an over all negative perception amongst a large portion of Kiwi’s. Again it would be like me saying because Act don’t get any votes then right wing policies are not popular.
There is a lot to why a party is or isn’t successful. People on the right keep making the assertion that left wing parties can’t be successful. Based upon no research outside of “I saw da last elecshun”.
Cashcart – I think you have won this argument, but Gosman is a cunning linguist who changes meanings of words in mid-argument (and no, Gosman, I am not going to bother to give citations) and generally trolls to create as much damage on threads as possible on any lefty thread he can find. I respect Gosman for correct language and skilful deception. Otherwise, I would not bother replying to him. From what I have read to date, It is like swatting flies with a drinking straw. You, Crashcart, are basically honest. I could not possibly say any more about Gosman.
The question you don’t really answer is why it doesn’t do Left any more.
Also how are the political groupings that do do Left fairing around the world? Not very well by most accounts. Corbyn seems to be floundering massively in the UK for example.
Think about that for a second.
People who had just started school are now middle age.
A vast chunk of NZ has grown up without ever experiencing the socialist,big government controls everything approach of the pre 1980’s, the whole concept is totally foreign.
Facts are, there really is no going back, and if Labour and the rest of the left don’t start looking forward and get into the present, they’ll go the way of the Dinosaurs.
It’s not the age which is the problem re: Corbyn. I think that his tack of decrying austerity which hits the worst off in society is a necessary message for today – but then what? more jobs for everyone? More economic growth for everyone? More income and consumption for everyone?
Are we really going to complain about climate change at the same time as we push policies which are going to increase fossil fuel use and consumerism? It doesn’t make any sense, it’s incoherant.
The need for economic growth largely comes down to our debt based money supply.
Economies are required to grow their wealth (through exports) to cover the interest incurred. Hence, my earlier referral to the Democrats for Social Credit.
Additionally, unless we plan to stop population growth, extending life and the demand that creates, further growth will be required.
Therefore, the solution is in how are we going to sustain such growth.
or, we go with another approach – perhaps call it “survival socialism” or strategic “power down” – terms other commentators here at TS have previously used.
If new solutions can’t sustain growth to cater for population growth and extending life, the only way we are going to go is backwards, regardless what you call it.
And that is the concern about a number of so-called green solutions.
I’m of the crowd which believes that once fossil fuels goes away (circa 2040 to 2060), the human carrying capacity of the Earth is going to rapidly drop to roughly 1B.
That will be due to the loss of the ability to perform industrial agriculture, the loss of globalised logistics and the loss of the maintainability of basic infrastructure and services.
If we manage to grow our numbers to 10B before that point, there is going to be a massive cull in the decades after.
We already see some interesting trends – in most western countries, the birthrate is only very marginally above replacement levels. Japan face a crisis of a shrinking population while China (and many other countries) faces a crisis of an aging population. In the US the life expectancy of women is declining – as is the life expectancy of working class lower educated whites.
We’ve had 200 years of very rapid human population growth – we need to have a think whether or not this trend can continue, or if it is good that it does continue.
You can’t synthesise the hydroponic nutrients and build vertical farm structures like that without large starting inputs of fossil fuel energy. Ravensdown Fertiliser down the road from me requires massive inputs of purified chemicals (and phosphate rock mined then shipped in from around the world) in order for them to produce the fertiliser product farmers use.
It’s a different vision of the world; not everyone will accept that we cannot ecologically or energetically afford to have 9B, 10B, 11B people on the planet.
You can’t synthesise the hydroponic nutrients and build vertical farm structures like that without large starting inputs of fossil fuel energy.
Yes you can as I’ve explained to you before.
Ravensdown Fertiliser down the road from me requires massive inputs of purified chemicals (and phosphate rock mined then shipped in from around the world) in order for them to produce the fertiliser product farmers use.
The solution there is use the fertiliser base that comes out of our sewage treatment plants – essentially, rebuilding the natural cycle.
Not that I’m in favour of 9+ billion population nor do I think that we’ll make the necessary changes to be able to support that number while being a capitalist society.
CV
We’ve had 200 years of very rapid human population growth – we need to have a think whether or not this trend can continue, or if it is good that it does continue.
The Chairman
When coupled with policies of improving inequality, life spans will be extended. Moreover, families will afford to grow larger.
Industrial agriculture is evolving
CV is forward looking and taking into account known trends of factors in the human condition. The Chairman sounds like one of those comfortable types who has been successful at what he has attempted so far, following present practices and under the present hegemony. He can’t apparently read the warnings and precautions at the bottom of the instruction sheet (or else has followed the popular practice of ‘When all else fails read the instructions’).
Superphosphate has been used for yonks in NZ to increase production, grow more grass etc. Contains cadmium, heavy metal
and toxic, gets into bones,
Farmer urges more cadmium testing http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201780472
Other rural news on RadioNZ – read, listen and learn of the problems of industrialised agriculture.
North Canterbury irrigation proposal rejected
The water is not limitless – wants are though.)
Fonterra to meet with Greenpeace
Fonterra and Greenpeace will meet next week to discuss concerns about palm kernel expeller and major fires in Indonesia.
Keep an eye out for needle grass, farmers told
The stock destroying pasture pest Chilean needle grass is beginning to raise its head and farmers are being advised to keep an eye out.
Protesters take on huge caged chicken farm plan
Protesters outside the Environment Court in Auckland campaign against a planned caged hen farm.
New neonicotinoid studies ring alarm bells – Greens – Bees
The Green Party is calling for an urgent EPA review of the pesticides known as neoneonicotinoids.
Livestock antibiotics to be replaced with vaccines by 2030
Antibiotics for livestock are likely to be replaced with various vaccines by about 2030, and the value of New Zealand meat exports will grow because of the switch.
Lifestyle block sales volumes hit record levels again
Aerial of small lifestyle blocks in Canterbury.
Sales volumes for lifestyle blocks for the three month period ending October have again reached record levels.
Councillors’ secret vote to buy water from dam
The Central Hawke’s Bay District Council has agreed to buy water from Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme subject to further due diligence and public consultation.
All of these matters pose problems forNZ food production in a healthy sustainable way.
I’m more after a party that looks after the people and the country rather than the neo-liberal BS we have that looks after the corporations and the rich while screwing down everyone else. I suspect that many people are.
It is the opposite – Labour are appearing too ‘right wing’ not in the middle! They lost the election because they combined right wing foreign neoliberal economic policy with higher taxes for the middle classes! That is not LEFT wing policy that is STUPID policy.
If Labour bothered to look at corporate welfare and how much tax these companies are paying in this country. Corporations in some cases are paying nothing or very little tax on huge profits.
But again that does not fit in with neoliberalism, where workers all sweat and toil for the benefit of benevolent business and the ‘greater good’ and then we get the ‘trickle down’ and ‘more jobs’.
Post Neoliberalism we now have less jobs, lower wages, less taxes from companies and from the fewer jobs and greater inequality.
Does not sound like a good plan for Labour especially now opening up offshoring of government and council jobs via TPP and unchecked economic profiteering in NZ but all sounds fine to politicians isn’t it?
Labour made noises about companies like Google and Facebook not paying enough taxes here. They didn’t really offer any solutions beyond vaguely suggesting we might be able to do without them if they didn’t. Of course they quickly backtracked on that when they realised the implications.
The implications of companies that bludge off everyone else would leave and everyone else would no longer have to pay extra tax to make up for their bludging?
“Labour really does need to make there mind up Left or Centre Right.”
How about Centre L+ight?
Or Centre R-eft?
Some branches should draft a remit to propose making up their minds on that, put it through regional conference next year, vote on it, take it to conference, etc etc etc.
+100…good points Skinny…Labour must do as much as possible to distance itself from jonkey nactional….any agreement or support for Nactional’s policies or jonkey looks like weakness , or worse , a sellout.
The voters are in NO mood for any support of jonkey nactional
…and this is something NZF knows and Peters will play up next Election (unfortunately the Greens dont seem to have realised this)
Load of absolute tripe Skinny. No neo-libs among the executive, nor pro-Robertson fans – spreading this sort of rubbish does no-one (least of all yourself) any good.
This comment refers to Skinny talking about another “branch” of Labour which he described earlier this morning. My computer wasn’t working this morning so couldn’t reply then.
However, he continued to repeat it – he does not know what was involved, he has not been at meetings, and he is – as happens quite often – talking thru a hole in his head.
Jenny I suggest you re-read what I wrote, I referred to you and ya mates as the ones resigning and in brackets state ‘not the ones resigning’ so you messed that up. I was informed of the factions in this LEC before I moved up. Our union is an afiliate and I am the regions rep and you do what have to do. Bit disappointed before you lot through your toys out of the cot ya could have atleast flicked me an email, considering what I did for PN when I was contacted by you know who. Very poor comments indeed Jenny.
“The roots of Venezuela’s economic misfortunes are rooted in five factors: corruption and authoritarianism, the resource curse, the decline of Venezuela’s state oil company, state control over the economy, and drug gangs and violence”
Three of those five factors are related to old school left wing thinking.
For those of you who thought that Venezuela was going to offer some sort of new hope for democratic socialism you must be terribly dissapointed now.
Counts on breeding grounds are impractical – wrybills are highly cryptic and widely dispersed. Combined counts from wintering flocks suggest a total population of 5000-5500. Counts show high variability (which obscures trends), but the population is thought to be declining slowly.
The great tit (Parus major) is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central and Northern Asia, and parts of North Africa in any sort of woodland. It is generally resident, and most great tits do not migrate except in extremely harsh winters. Until 2005 this species was lumped with numerous other subspecies. DNA studies have shown these other subspecies to be distinctive from the great tit and these have now been separated as two separate species, the cinereous tit of southern Asia, and the Japanese tit of East Asia. The great tit remains the most widespread species in the genus Parus…
…Like all tits it is a cavity nester, usually nesting in a hole in a tree. The female lays around 12 eggs and incubates them alone, although both parents raise the chicks. In most years the pair will raise two broods. The nests may be raided by woodpeckers, squirrels and weasels and infested with fleas, and adults may be hunted by sparrowhawks.
Help me out tracey. I’ve had two hours sleep and am having trouble comprehending the lovely ornithological references in response to Gosman’s favourite topic, Venezuela. 🙂
EDIT. Oh ok, Have just seen your response to Sabine. Nice work though. I enjoyed the interlude.
I live with chronic insomnia. Sometimes I sleep, sometimes I don’t.
I try not to comment when I’m sleep deprived. I have been hovering over the conversation above with CV, trp and others but am in no fit state to enter into as much as I do have my thoughts on the issue of CV and his comrades actions and the state of the NZLP.
Yes it is. It has all sorts of mental and physical consequences. I had to leave my last job because of it. It’s no surprise that sleep dep has been used as a tool of torture for centuries.
No. Results from depression plus an assortment of physical health problems, both pain from illness and unresolved injuries. Sleep dep compounds the intensity of existing conditions.
Are you demonstrating the truth of Paula Bent’s point about Housing Corp clients who rejected houses because of bird noise?
You have good reason, of course. Too much wrybilling tittering and gosman honking to let a person carry on sleepwalking like real tories do.
Humour was my first response, but it works only if it helps the sufferer to trivialise their problems. Good point galeandra, and my best wishes to Rosie.
Golly Gosman, don’t you think the societal culture in NZ is just a little different from that of any country in Sth America, I can recall Rodney Hide praising them for their low or zero Tax system and thought it would be good idea for NZ , at least compare Apples with Apples.
Well, this is interesting. Not that I have ever used it, other than looking at it.
IPredict has suspended/wound up its NZ operations due to regulatory problems.
… As prediction markets do not comfortably fit within any existing regulatory boxes, we have been working closely and positively with the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) to enable us to operate economically within the financial market regulations.
Regrettably the Ministry of Justice has not been so positive. We applied for an exemption from the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. We believed we would secure an exemption due to the limited possible investment into iPredict trades and the small nature of the Prediction market transactions.
Our application has been declined by the Minister, Simon Bridges, on the grounds that we are “a legitimate money laundering risk”. This is essentially because we have no customer due diligence checks. He considered the level of regulatory burden is proportionate to the risk. He formed these views without any discussions with us.
We are an academic not-for-profit organisation and our agreement with the FMA dictates we place caps on transactions. For example, over the past seven years, we have handled a total of 3,782 withdrawals, with an average trader net worth of $41. Our withdrawal process is lengthy and we are a low risk of money laundering.
Because the cost of compliance is too high, we are forced to wind up operations in NZ. We are looking into the possibility of transferring our prediction activities to be included on PredictIt in the US, but this could take months to work through the regulatory requirements.
From now on, we are unable to take further deposits, sign ups or place new prediction stocks. We will continue existing stocks and you can continue to trade them.
So this means one avenue of dirty politics tactics has been closed down?
“Slater also used a small sum of money provided by Lusk to manipulate Victoria University’s iPredict rankings on the Rodney candidate and then wrote posts using the iPredict results to reinforce the campaign” etc.
If someone was planning a malicious act against a group of people, are they really likely to place a bomb right in the middle of a pedestrian lane? Hardly covert is it?
Yesterday we had a “bomb scare” kerfuffle in Wellington CBD. Several city blocks from Willis st right down to Brandon st were shut down for four hours and our busiest sector of bus corridor was diverted. Buildings were evacuated, and workers sent home early (including Mr R)
I am wondering if some folks are feeling unnecessarily fearful post Paris attacks and it is leading to catastrophic thinking. The woman who. last week, called the cops when a Sikh man entered the Columbus cafe she was a customer at in Auckland, thinking he was a terrorist, is another example. That was an unfortunate case of prejudice and ignorance induced paranoia. I’m guessing this is another false alarm, triggered by a flair for the irrational.
As for the statement that “are they really likely to place a bomb right in the middle of a pedestrian lane” you would have to ask “why not?”.
The Trades Hall bombing in Wellington in 1984 was carried out by someone unknown placing a suitcase in the foyer of the building. It went off when an unsuspecting caretaker picked it up to tidy the area. Hardly covert was it? The case was in open view just off the street.
The Trades Hall bombing did cross my mind – during yesterday afternoons commotion. But you can’t even begin to compare the motivations and methods of the event 30 years ago with the current situation.
Do we really have the population and risk factor that would lead to an event like the Lindt cafe seige? I’m no terror analyst but I don’t think so. I’m more afraid of what our government is going to do next than I am of any potential “terror threat”.
John Key did say the other day that there are people are who are being surveilled for suspected fund raising for ISIS and suspected of going to fight in Syria, and that surveillance has increased but how likely is their attention to be directed toward their home country? And again, how daft would they be to place a bomb right in the middle of a busy pedestrian access. (Yes, the Trades Hall bomb was in the foyer of the building, not out on the footpath)
From this story it appears that he/she was also a complete idiot who tried to make it look like an explosive device. If I was in the area and I found that the Police were not taking it very seriously I would be really p***d off.
The Police did take it very seriously alwyn. Mr R, who was caught up in it all noted the Police response. There’s been a massive use of resources to deal with this prank and a lot of disruption and inconvenience caused to commuters and businesses yesterday.
I may be misjudging you, and I hope I am but the wording of some of your comments appears to be a case of blaming the police for spending time on this, rather than the idiot who caused the fuss.
When you say things like
“are they really likely to place a bomb right in the middle of a pedestrian lane? Hardly covert is it?”
“That was an unfortunate case of prejudice and ignorance induced paranoia”
“I’m guessing this is another false alarm, triggered by a flair for the irrational”
“Do we really have the population and risk factor that would lead to an event like the Lindt cafe siege”
“how daft would they be to place a bomb right in the middle of a busy pedestrian access”
“More likely that someone dropped their novelty lunch box”
Which is then followed by
“There’s been a massive use of resources to deal with this prank and a lot of disruption and inconvenience caused to commuters and businesses yesterday”
It comes across as if you think the Police should not have taken much notice, and certainly should not have inconvenienced Mr R because it couldn’t possibly be real in a place like New Zealand and they simply wasted a lot of their own, and other peoples, time and money on something that was obviously not serious.
I hope you don’t mean that but it is the way it reads to me.
As far as I am concerned a possible bomb, even if it turns out to be a hoax, is very serious and I want the police to treat it that way. If it is a hoax, and they catch the person who did it I want that person to be punished.
A month of community service and a fine covering all the costs incurred seems to be a suitable reminder to them, and anyone else, that this behaviour is not acceptable.
What is it with right wing types and their need to constantly have their hands in the taxpayer trough???
Down here in Canterbury the Ecan dictatorship is in the news again due to the extension of said dictatorship.
The funny thing, especially in relation to Gosman’s tripe of tits and wrybills above, is that these right wingers have demanded and received taxpayer money and ratepayer money to pay for their businesses.
Bludgers.
The farmers are bludgers. The corporates are bludgers. Go fucking stand on your own two feet – like those in the big smoke, where countless private businesses are getting on with business without handouts and bludging. And for sums often in excess of the irrigation white elephants. Done on their own.
Not bloody farmers though, nope. They are so special. They need old lady ratepayers to support them, plus paye wage earners on the minimum wage.
pathetic
and at the end of their bludging they shit up their neighbours drinking water with the waste from their business. Wish I could dump my businesses waste in the street.
I have a great little word for you to ad to you’re vocabulary.
It is “”some,””! an example of an appropriate place to use it is ,
Some farmers are bludgers.
I know what you mean b waghorn, but “some” doesn’t cut it in these circumstances. It is in fact the majority of farmers in the Central Plains Water location. Or in fact anywhere that dairy can be jammed in with a bit of irrigation – out comes the hand.
So much so that Fed Farmers and this government actively support this behaviour.
So, nope sorry, don’t accept your assertion that “some” cuts it. It is way more. Point stands.
Marjority doesn’t mean all though and I think this is b’s (and my) point. I seem to remember some of the traditional sheep and beef farmers in North Canty objecting to the big irrigation schemes proposed for there.
If we say farmers are crap, instead of greedy farmers, or some farmers, or whatever farmers, then we can’t see the good ones any more.
Fed Farmers don’t represent farming in NZ, the represent ‘some’ farmers. Some farmers don’t belong. There is power in differentiating. Promoting hatred of farmers in general is not helpful IMO.
Noted weka. I agree an aggressive approach to farmers, or anyone in similar circumstances, is usually counter-productive.
The issues with NZ’s primary producers and their shitting up the lands have only become apparent to the wider public, I would suggest, in the last 10-15 years.
The time for yelling and stomping of feet is surely coming to an end yes. But the yelling and stomping of feet has been absolutely required to bring the farming lobby on board. We all know what their approach has been up until recently – complete and total rejection of the allegations and evidence.
They had to be yelled at for a time. I agree that time is now passing.
But it still frikkin’ irks me… the problems are acknowledged and ‘some’ are doing something about it. But the shitting up of our lands is still going on. Rivers and land are still going backwards in terms of health today.
Bit more yelling to go methinks…
(and look, most every sector in society gets yelled at for doing something, including the sector I work in. It is always getting yelled at. Nothing new.)
Apparently the regig of the RMA is going to give councils the power to force farmers to fence off rivers and lakes , I hope council gets onto it as you don’t have to look far around Taumarunui to see cattle in what would be easily fenced off rivers.
And on a positive note there was piece in the Farming section of the Press this morning where a local dairy farmer has found native freshwater mussels in his now fenced off creek. He was very happy to acknowledge the issues and act on them.
My 88 year old uncle, farming int he King Country, until 2 years ago at his death was VERY environmentally active and aware. It’s not age, imo, it’s life view and ethos… his impact on other farmers in his region was immense in this regard
I was thinking more about regulations that control runoff. If they’re overstocking and can’t control that then fine the shit out of them (ha!) and suggest they fence 😈
By all means stomp and yell vto, I have nothing against that and I agree it’s useful when its useful. I’m saying that you should target the farmers that are the problem, not farmers as a whole. Being angry at all farmers will prevent some from changing sooner, that’s why it’s counter-productive. Anger itself is a good tool, it just needs to be used right.
For instance, I have no problem heaping scorn on Fed Farmers, because they are a discrete group run by people that are elected, and they have constistenly favoured their own profits and wants over the good of the environment and the commons. I’m sure that not all FF members are bad farmers, but politically FF is a huge problem so any who belongs to them or supports them needs to take responsibility for that.
But I wouldn’t condemn farmers as a whole because I know good farmers using sustainable land management, and I know conventional farmers who want to do the right thing and are trying to. Many of the latter are the ones who are caught between change and digging their heels in in the face of damning criticism.
Another way to do this is to criticise the modality of farming while promoting the ways out. Many farmers are stuck because of the relationship between farming, farm advisors and banks. We’re going to have to come up with a plan on that, and telling them they’re shit is not going to help.
edit, one of the most potent political acts for those that can afford to is to eat locally produced food. This gives farmers a way out of the industrial/export model.
How much money is the Flag Consideration Panel paying for Jim Mora
to keep talking about this boring and unpopular referendum? The Panel, RNZ National, Wednesday 25 November 2015
Part 1 of 2: The Pre-Panel (3:45 to 4 p.m.)
Jim Mora, Andrew Clay, Peter Elliott, Zara Potts, Jesse Mulligan
Three things particularly bothered me about this Pre-Panel:
1. The fact that the first of today’s “Quick Questions” yet again concerned the flag referendum. I seriously think that the Flag Consideration Panel has paid some money to RNZ National to make sure it gets daily coverage during these discussions. Perhaps someone might like to put in an Official Information Act request.
2. Far worse than Prof. Burrows and his ridiculous band of troughers, however, was the light-hearted and unconcerned way the Panelists discussed the banning of the burqa in the Swiss canton of Ticino.
3. Worst of all, though, was the little item towards the end of this Pre-Panel. Zara Potts read out, in as neutral a tone as she could manage, that “a recent study out of ISRAEL shows that anxiety around threats of terrorism can actually wreak havoc with a person’s mental and physical health.” The idea of a terror study being carried out in Israel, a state which inflicts massive terror every day in the Occupied Territories and Gaza, is absurd, and an obscene distortion of the truth of the situation there. The fact that none of the other people even mentioned this absurdity tells you all you need to know about their serious they are, but also their basic sense of right and wrong.
Here are the “highlights”…..
JIM MORA: Coming up: How terrorism makes us sicker. On the Panel after 4 o’clock, with Andrew and Peter, two very convivial conversationalists— ANDREW CLAY:[snort] Ha ha! PETER ELLIOTT: No pressure! MORA: The shooting down of the Russian jet, what to do about drunks, the upcoming seasonal event—- ANDREW CLAY: Ha ha ha ha! MORA: Norwegian wood, isn’t it good, taking yoga into prisons, and is NIWA looking for oil? So a lot of things to chat about with, ahhh, Andrew and Peter after four. One Quick Question: “I understand that the winner out of the five choices in the first flag referendum must achieve 50 percent of the total vote. So it may not just be a question of saying the one with the most votes is the winner unless one is streets ahead of all the others. Are you able to confirm this please? I have this ghastly felling that the maths of this may be beyond the officials.”— Linda Wilkins of Petone. ANDREW CLAY: Ha ha ha ha! PETER ELLIOTT: Ha ha ha ha! MORA: I don’t know if the MATHS is beyond them Linda, it depends on whether you approve of the process. Here’s Professor Andrew Geddes on preferential voting, from Otago University’s Faculty of Law. ANDREW GEDDES:[He briefly explains how the process works and then finishes with….] You can rest assured the officials are more than capable of handling the maths associated with it. ZARA POTTS: Ha ha! MORA: Ha ha! Thank you, Andrew Geddes. …
………
ZARA POTTS: Now while we’re talking about banning things, the Swiss canton of Ticino has just voted to ban the burqa. Anyone flouting this new law will be fined 10,000 francs, which is about 15,000 New Zealand dollars. MORA: This is just this canton, is it? ‘Cos I think the Swiss parliament rejected the idea of banning them. ZARA POTTS: Yeah it’s just one canton, sort of, ahhh, the Italian-speaking one, so it’s basically that one.
……
JESSE MULLIGAN: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! ANDREW CLAY: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! PETER ELLIOTT: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! ZARA POTTS: Now terrorism is certainly the topic that seems to be on everybody’s mind at the moment, and with Christmas coming up it seems that Americans in particular are feeling more jittery than usual. The anxiety has been fueled in part by the travel alert that came out yesterday, in which they said that no place in the world is safe, so it’s no wonder that they’re feeling a little bit anxious. Ahh, but a recent study out of ISRAEL shows that anxiety around threats of terrorism can actually wreak havoc with a person’s mental and physical health, and in some cases, uh, terror threats have been linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke. So it basically showed that people can actually worry themselves sick, ahhh, through anxiety, and so what do you do to kind of, ahhh, not be anxious? And so what they were saying was tune out from the news, don’t watch the news. If you’re feeling particularly jittery, don’t watch the news and particularly those repeats where they just keep showing the same pictures again and again. ANDREW CLAY: But that’s sound advice for news, full stop. Because most news is news, you know, due to the fact that it’s bad. ZARA POTTS: That’s right. But I think people get caught in a pattern where they just keep watching it, and keep rewinding and watching the same pictures again and again. And they said don’t worry about flying, because the probability of a terrorist attack directly affecting YOU is quite low. MORA: I notice your voice got more soothing as you went along. ZARA POTTS: Did it? Ha ha ha ha! MORA: You can worry yourself sick about ANYTHING. ZARA POTTS: You can. The research on this is pretty good. They say it lowers your immune system so you’re more at risk from things like colds and flu as well as things like—- PETER ELLIOTT: I think that’s just higher stress generally isn’t it? ZARA POTTS: Well, anxiety, yeah. Anxiety and stress….
…ad nauseam
Worse—far worse—was to come, however. Professor Al Gillespie was on the way….
The US consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, illegally gave US visas to 10 out of the 15 Saudis involved in the 9/11 attacks. None of the Saudis qualified for the visas. CIA officers were involved.
Springmann says that during his tenure at the US embassy in Jeddah, he was repeatedly asked by his superiors to grant illegal visas to Islamist militants transiting through Jeddah from various Muslim countries. He eventually learned that the visa bureau was heavily penetrated by CIA officers, who used their diplomatic status as cover for all manner of classified operation, including giving visas to the same terrorists who would later execute the 9/11 attacks.
Thirteen out of the 15 Saudis among the 9/11 hijackers received US visas. Ten of them received visas from the US embassy in Jeddah. All of them were in fact unqualified, and should have been denied entry to the US.
This article also makes clear that the rise of ISIL/Daesh and Al Qaeda in Syria was a direct consequence of a well resourced western project to remove Assad from power “at any cost.”
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – 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 ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 KotahiThe fact that a ...
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 ...
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 CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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; ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
“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 ...
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, ...
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, ...
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, ...
.“$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 ...
“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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 → ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track 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 publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
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 publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
"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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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, ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. 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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 19 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rachael Potter, Research Associate and Lecturer in Work and Organisational Psychology, University of South Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Pregnant women and workers with children are often unfairly treated by their bosses and colleagues, despite laws to protect against workplace discrimination ...
Reacting to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s refusal to rule out introducing new taxes at the budget, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “Today’s refusal to rule out new taxes suggests the Government is nothing more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne Aila Images/Shutterstock Aged-care workers will receive a significant pay increase after the Fair Work Commission ruled they ...
He’s bringing ‘Sophie’ back, yeah. Goodshirt’s ‘Sophie’ music video is one of the most instantly recognisable New Zealand music videos of all time. Featuring a woman listening to the song on headphones while her entire house is burgled behind her, the video won the New Zealand music award for Best ...
Will anyone be surprised if the National Party has vandalised the Prison Inspectorate over the last seven years, resulting in a sloppy report that lets SERCO off the hook?
lefties will be unsurprised, and tory shills will say “Labour did it too so it’s ok”.
At least they can’t go through investor-state dispute settlement and argue that a negative report might harm their business…
I have been watching the collapse of the Dunedin branch of Labour closely, obviously there is deep disappointment of the Party’s ‘National lite’ appearance by some of the Labour membership.
Chris Trotter has scribed a reveiw which I’ve just read. So just to add to what is being said.
This is not the only Branch having problems, there is another one where the lead executives recently resigned, and the Branch is being managed out of HQ. One of the reasons appears to be the influence (not the resigning ones) of neo liberals within the executive committee, some being pro Robertson fans, who prior to the last election pushed some of those unpopular policies like the attack of workers, the raising of the retirement age. One party member resigned her membership in disgust with the final straw being the pro TPPA stance, she is now supporting NZF saying they have become Left of Labour with many better socialist policies. Peters has been very good opposing the TPPA I must say.
It was a very disappointing move which surprised myself also.
Labour really does need to make there mind up Left or Centre Right.
I’m more interested in the other branch you mentioned – got any more info?
What other branch are you referring to, Skinny? Not saying you’re wrong, I’m just not aware of that situation.
Re: the now defunct branch in Dunedin, it was just an ego driven wankfest anyway. It’s demise is a cause for celebration. You’ll have spotted that the vocal members of it aren’t actually leaving Labour, they just didn’t have what it took to keep a branch going. There are many other properly run branches in Dunedin for those members to get active in, if they want to.
“You’ll have spotted that the vocal members of it aren’t actually leaving Labour, they just didn’t have what it took to keep a branch going”
Citation needed.
Well CV was asked if he was leaving Labour, and pointedly didn’t answer the actual question.
If they are quitting the party, it should be easy enough to say so. Why wouldn’t you say so? And if you won’t say so, then it’s safe to assume they are not, I would think.
Hey PB, I didn’t say so because it’s none of your business and I don’t report to either you or TRP.
lol.
Like I said,
“If they are quitting the party, it should be easy enough to say so. Why wouldn’t you say so? And if you won’t say so, then it’s safe to assume they are not”
None of it is anyone’s business. Why ‘report’ that you are throwing your toys out of the cot anyway? You want it known that certain things have happened, that your principles mean that blah blah blah. And yet you refuse, again, to say if y’all will quit the party. Whatever.
There are no demands being made that you answer, just questions being asked, and yes, people are fully entitled to assume things if you decide not to answer simple questions about a subject you have very publically raised.
You’re entitled to draw inferences or make assumptions, but presenting an assumption as though it’s a fact is spurious.
Fair enough. If you go back through CVs comments on any given subject, you will find all the examples of that you could possibly want. 🙂
+1
By all means ask the questions Pb, and speculate as you will. I can think of reasons why someone might not want to answer. For instance if someone did that nasty character assassination shit to me over multiple days I also wouldn’t tell them anything about my life. Or, I can see that members might have any number or reasons that might not be apparent.
I’d still like to see a link that backs up the assertion that vocal ABP members (pl) haven’t resigned. I might have missed it. Or trp is making shit up.
Well, it made a popular post on The Standard. Over 300 comments.
everything else aside I don’t get this criticism. Having followed a bit on ts what the APB did I appreciated the announcement. Why wouldn’t that be announced?
It’s not a criticism.
It’s simply a fact. There was no ‘need’ to report anything at all, just as there is no ‘need’ for CV to say if he has quit the party.
He is refusing to say however. (As is his right). All I was saying is that contra his smarmy response, no one is demanding he report, just as no one demanded he write his post.
He chose to do one, and not the other. These are his choices. As is his choice to respond with weird implications that I am demanding anything of him.
One question, one refusal to answer, fine.
Repeated variations of the question, combined with turning a specious assumption into a factoid, borders on harassment.
What ‘specious assumption’?
It is a perfectly reasonable question, the refusal to answer it is less reasonable. The style of refusal, even less reasonable still.
The specious assumption is that CV’s refusal to answer = a negative reply to the question. We’ve already canvassed the fact that this is the inference you and TRP have chosen to draw from his non-answer. An assumption is just that, it’s an assumption. It becomes specious when it is presented as a fact. You have already stated that CV is well within his rights to refuse an answer. You are now claiming that his refusal is not reasonable.
Given there is no evidence at all to think he has quit the party, and that he twists and turns to avoid answering the question, I think the assumption he hasn’t quit has strong merit. Not specious at all.
He has the right not to answer, but that doesn’t mean it is reasonable to not answer.
If you want to play logic games, I can play them all day Grant.
CV made a big song and dance in public about how he feels about the Labour Party. That’s fine, obviously. He has been a strong critic, that too is obviously fine.
I think it is reasonable for other party members, and other members of his audience to have an answer to the question about whether or not he has quit the party as part of his disillusionment with it, or if he intends to keep on keeping on fighting it from within.
It wasn’t a fact, you asked a question about why announce the branch closure. I’ve seen a number of people criticise that decision to announce and I replied that I appreciated the announcement and can’t see what the problem is. If your question was instead part of a more oblique point about membership, sorry I’ve missed that.
I personally don’t believe it’s reasonable to keep asking someone about their membership esp in the context of this much antagonism. I get that quite a few people are annoyed with CV for various reasons, some of that seems valid. But there’s other stuff going on that seems really off.
It wasn’t a fact, you asked a question about why announce the branch closure.
Ok, here’s the full quote. I thought it was clear that the question is rhetorical (I mean, I do answer it myself straight away 🙂 )
“None of it is anyone’s business. Why ‘report’ that you are throwing your toys out of the cot anyway? You want it known that certain things have happened, that your principles mean that blah blah blah. And yet you refuse, again, to say if y’all will quit the party. Whatever.”
I’m not resposible for what other people have or haven’t said.
My sole point is that it is reasonable to ask if he has quit.
Here’s why I think that:
CV chose to go very public with the decision. He chose to put it here, in a national platform rather than just doing it all locally. He chose to make very strong criticisms of the national Labour Party as and org, and state that the branch could no longer see any point in existing and that they have some osrt of plans about doing something else.
Those choices imply that he is in part seeking support for whatever those plans might be, or at the least that he is explaining himself.
Given that, I think it is reasonable to know if those plans are outside or inside the party.
This is not personal, he is, by posting this stuff here, doing politics. He is seeking support. Answering basic questions is part and parcel of that. Refusal to answer is telling us something.
ok, thanks for that, I think I get it now (always better to be direct with me, I miss indirect sometimes 😉 ).
My sole point is that it is reasonable to ask if he has quit.
Yes, I agree it’s reasonable to ask. I aslo think it’s reasonable for CV (or anyone) to decline to answer, esp in the current climate. We don’t owe each other such things here.
Here’s why I think that:
CV chose to go very public with the decision. He chose to put it here, in a national platform rather than just doing it all locally. He chose to make very strong criticisms of the national Labour Party as and org, and state that the branch could no longer see any point in existing and that they have some osrt of plans about doing something else.
Those choices imply that he is in part seeking support for whatever those plans might be, or at the least that he is explaining himself.
Given that, I think it is reasonable to know if those plans are outside or inside the party.
This is not personal, he is, by posting this stuff here, doing politics. He is seeking support. Answering basic questions is part and parcel of that.
Yes, I largely agree with this, although I would say it’s too soon to go there. When he or any of the group start to talk publicly about what they are doing, then it may be an issue to raise again.
Refusal to answer is telling us something.
Maybe, but again I’d prefer if people were just up front about their concerns. If you think he is going to stay a member so that he can force Labour to throw him out of the party for instance, then bring that up (it’s been referred to a few times, I don’t see any evidence for that myself) and say why you think that’s important to discuss. I’m not sure how much of that should be done here though tbh, esp if trp is going to behave as he has. That’s out of concern for ts as much as anything, but as I’ve said elsewhere, if this were happening with the GP it’d be putting me off majorly. What’s happened in the past week is a really bad look for Labour and I’m not talking about just what CV has said.
I can’t really think of any other reasons why it would be a problem for him to still be a member. Maybe he just wants to keep getting the emails that members get, it could be as simple as that. But ultimately unless the plans for the new group involved actions that are incompatible with being a LP member I’m still not sure if it’s any of our business.
“Well, it made a popular post on The Standard. Over 300 comments.”
In the time it took to write that, you could have answered the simple, resonable, and relevant question; or given a reason as to why you refuse.
agree with this ^^^^^^
If the organisation I belong to no longer serves me or what I joine dfor, I leave, I don’t stay to destroy it from within. But that’s just me.
Me too, Tracey.
Me too Tracey and Karen. If this shit was happening, on all sides, in the Green Party, I’d be wanting to leave myself.
I wasn’t misrepresenting you, Karen.
I was merely clarifying the point in context with the comparison (by Pascals bookie) and sentiment expressed up above (by Tracey) . Which, you agreed with.
Little’s approval was reported to have come from a piece in Politik, which sourced it from a spokesperson for Little.
This think tank is going to reach out to the right and one can see why a cash strapped party may support the notion.
Can you give me an example of what you deem to be provocative coming from CV? Keep in mind, he himself is copping a bit of flack.
“sourced it from a spokesperson for Little”
Really? Is that the best you can do?
It’s just the reality of the situation.
By the way, we’ve yet to see you back your assertion and prove me wrong.
ask yourself, why are the establishment players like TRP so dead keen that I leave Labour once and for all (given that we know that Labour is quite happy to turn down re-application for membership in the future).
“ask yourself, why are the establishment players like TRP so dead keen that I leave Labour once and for all.”
Grant, can you see an assumption stated as fact there?
No, I see an invitation for his readers to make their own assumption. See the difference? 🙂
Honestly now.
Which is the supposed fact?
Supposed facts:
1:That TRP is an establishment figure
2:that the establishment figures are dead keen to see CV to leave
3: that they are dead keen that he leave forever
Not going to ask myself anything of the sort CV. Merely syaing that if I despised an organisation I belong to as much as you have expressed disdain for the one you are currently in, I would fight, and then when it didn’t change, leave. As I said that is me. You do what you like. Just don’t expect a free ride from those who are in the same organisation and don’t have disdain for it.
Are you hoping they will throw you out/dispel you CV?
I am beginning to think that is the agenda here – no other explanation that I can see.
Geeezus, they’re not going to throw me out, I’m insignificant in the scheme of things. Especially considering the level of bullshit and blunder from Pagani, Nash, Curran et al, and they are all welcome to stay in the party.
…so dead keen that I leave…
No-one has made any such statement, although being so misrepresented is probably grounds for the sentiment.
You really are not this stupid, right?
Hey maybe you are right and I am wrong about what I am reading between the lines, and TRP and co. are actually quite happy for me to stay in the party. But seriously, unless you absolutely need it spelt out for you, I don’t think so.
Grant and Weka:
“Hey maybe you are right and I am wrong about what I am reading between the lines, and TRP and co. are actually quite happy for me to stay in the party. But seriously, unless you absolutely need it spelt out for you, I don’t think so”
See, it was an assumptioon stated as fact.
Acknowledge whenever you like.
@ Tracey
I don’t see how pointing out what he believes Labour are doing wrong as destroying the party.
Pagani and the likes reckon the same; that constant public self aggrandising sniping about the fact you are in a minority and can’t get your way is a healthy thing.
Excellent comparison PB
Yeah OK, Josie Pagani and Colonial Viper both sit in the same box of Labour Party dissenters, while in reality Labour is right on track to win if it weren’t for these meddling kids.
How stupid.
Interesting you bring up Pagani.
Hasn’t she been given party approval for a right leaning think-tank while further pushing the Party divide and the need to go right?
Her dividing right leaning ways seems to muster more Party support than CV wanting to go left.
Moreover, she does it in a far more public way, often portrayed as a left wing or Labour commentator in the MSM.
Pagani and CV have different political beliefs but the the behaviour is starting to look very similar.
And the Chairman you are wrong – there was no approval for Pagani’s so-called think tank. Pagani was very happy to report that Little and King both opposed the idea. I think she hoped to be expelled.
“Yeah OK, Josie Pagani and Colonial Viper both sit in the same box of Labour Party dissenters, while in reality Labour is right on track to win if it weren’t for these meddling kids.”
is that what i said? No, it isn’t. You have a real problem being honest eh CV.
But at least you don’t try and deny that you and Pagani use the same basic playbook I described. Curious that.
@ Karen
Pagani and CV are pushing their political (albeit different) points of view. That’s not destroying the party.
If the party can’t withstand pundits expressing their view, then the Party is clearly on shaky ground.
The difference is Pagani wants to take the party further right, away from it’s founding principles (and further from its potential coalition partners). Whereas, CV wants to return to them.
Party leader Andrew Little said he was happy with it (the think-tank).
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11463086
Little had to take that position because a fair number of Labour caucus MPs spoke for Pagani’s right leaning initiative.
The Chairman – I said nothing about destroying the party. Like CV you keep misrepresenting what people say.
I don’t see a direct quote from Andrew Little in the Claire Trevett article so as far as I can see this is just speculation. I do remember Pagani on Morning Report saying both King and Little were opposed to the idea, particularly King. I am sure Pagani was desperate for a public spat but Little sensibly did not oblige.
I criticise both Labour and the Greens occasionally, even though I am a supporter of both parties and CV is perfectly entitled to criticise any political party, whether he is a member or not.
However, the way he has been doing this recently seems to be deliberately provocative and I am starting to question his agenda. .
If you dont think he ants to tear it down and recreate it an image he agrees with, all power to you.
If you dig back through CVs comments (a mission no doubt 😉 ) you will come across an instance from about a week ago I think (this is from memeory) where he thanks someone for reminding him to cancel his AP.
Draw your own infererences?
That doesn’t make it a resignation. There are various forms of contributions; one off payments through to regular monthly DD’s. Stopping a DD changes nothing. The person concerned is happy to let people think this is a resignation (he sure fooled Chris Trotter!) but he is still a member.
I neither know nor care whether he’s still a member, in the same way that I neither know nor care whether other people who were involved with the ABP branch are members.
I’m also somewhat amused that such a ‘nothing’ – (ie, a branch going into recess) is causing so much frothing at the mouth!
That some people involved or mired in whatever shenanigans that may or may not have transpired have a need to vent is, to my miind, understandable and not any reason for ‘pistols at dawn’.
Under ‘busiiness as usual’ that post would have disappeared after half a day given that it was posted at night. But then the ‘big stick’ responses began to flow….
Oh yeah. And Chris trotters piece is cringe-worthy nonsense in my opinion, but hey.
Agree about Trotter. And verging on racist to boot.
I’m fairly sure Chris Trotter will do his usual thing with regards to commenting about me – I’m the fashionable flavour of topic today, goneburger fad tomorrow.
Puts em in mind of a famous quote
There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
Oscar Wilde
Try writing future posts without such phrases as “ego driven wankfest”, especially when you are
A. an author at TS; and
B. the subject of your vitriol is an author at TS
And yeah, consider this a warning TRP
And I don’t care if it is Open Mike. We are authors and need to set a standard and this thing between you and CV is distasteful and very testosterony (I refer to your choice of epithet above)
[TRP time to chill it – MS]
That’s easily the most disingenuous comment I’ve seen on ts in a long time and I’ve never see such from an author before. How embarassing for this place.
Kia kaha Tracey. Completely agree about the macho stuff.
+1
Actually it’s not disingenuous at all, weka. It is entirely consistent with the TS policy not to out pseudo-anonymous commenter’s real life identities. My comment was about the negative actions of Labour Party member Tat Loo.
see more here: http://thestandard.org.nz/abp-branch-of-labour-goes-into-recess-all-branch-officers-resign/#comment-109947
And you wag your finger at me as being the passive aggressive one. Geeezus mate.
Take it up with Bill, CV. He’s the one who banned someone yesterday for conflating you and the bloke from Dunedin I mentioned above. My argument is with the guy from Dunedin, not you. Apparently.
Your comments from #23 onwards on that post are clearly referring to CV, not “the guy from Dunedin”.
Yes, because CV wrote that post. I didn’t use the name of the guy from Dunedin at all in any of my comments because I’m polite and because it’s not appropriate to conflate the two here at TS. Apparently.
Look, it’s tricky, Lanth, but the decision was made yesterday to ban someone who crossed that line, so when referring to the shenanigans in Dunedin, I am going to use the real name of the person from Dunedin. If I am replying on a post by an author, I will use the name they prefer. Hope that’s not confusing, but that’s what I understand the current moderation stance to be.
Given it’s already a matter of public record, I find the moderation stance confusing. I suggest that the ban be reversed on that basis that there was no ‘speculation’ as to CVs identity.
It’s not tricky, you’re shit stirring. Whatever CV’s sins are your own behaviour is destructive to this place.
Lanth, I haven’t seen the ban or moderation, but it’s pretty straight forward imo. If someone is using a pseudonym then refer to that and not their real life ID unless they give specific permission. It’s about respect for the principle, and that principle is designed to create safety.
There may be an issue about whether CV should have put up a formal notice under his real name or not, but tbh given the amount of attacks he gets on his real life for no good reason I can understand why he might choose his pseudonym.
Lanth
First someone has to search to find it.
Second, it appeared to me, from the way the conversation was progressing, if we are talking about KK (and I don’t know who we are talking about to be honest) , that it was deliberate to name him and bring his real name into something which could stand perfectly without that information. IOW it seemed to me, weighing up all that had gone before it was a deliberate outing.
People could search if they wanted to know without that action.
I prefer to be known as CV or Colonial Viper on The Standard, Lanth. That’s why I use that handle. If nothing else, its rude nettiquette to ignore that.
However, some of the little shits who turn up like to use my full name instead of my pseudonym as a cheap intimidation trick. Just to remind me that they know who exactly I am, whereas they don’t think I know who they are.
Perhaps it is time for both of you to step away from the topic for a while… if others want to traverse it, let them at it.
thanks tracey.
Sadly, I can’t remember exactly what I wrote there, ms, but it’s sad the censorship is only one way.
As I have stated before this is one of the reasons I don’t visit the standard as often as I used to.
As for TRP’s turn of phrase it’s not much different from the sites owner’s behaviour.
Sorry to hear that tinfoilhat. Truly.
The branch I am affiliate rep to. Quite a shock when I asked when the next executive meeting was? Only to be told of the resignations.
I do float around amongst the other party’s and groups and their activities. Like the climate change rally this weekend, but try attend LP meetings and events to.
Cheers, Skinny, hope the other members step up. Maybe you should put yourself forward, you’ve got the skills.
I just don’t have the patience to try force out the neo libs within the LEC, or pander to people’s ego’s. And in this Tory held town the votes are minimal. Different story if everyone opposed to the Nats and their candidate voted for the one candidate in the electorate seat. I maintain the one candidate contest is the way forward.
Please see the comment from Jenny Kirk at 2.5.
Jenny actually does know what happens in the Labour Party in Whangārei, unlike Skinny.
Actually Karen I stand by what I’ve said. Unfortunately as an affiliate rep to the executive committee the ones who resigned failed to inform me.
Jenny got the wrong end of the stick I never accused her or any of the others who resigned as being neo liberals as I know they are not, I also didn’t say they were GR fans. BTW why did you really feel the need to name the branch? You stupid cow.
Tip of the iceberg.
Labour’s membership is quite likely to be atrophying with their caucus attempting to sell watered down, bland Nat Lite chase-the-centre/swing voter policies in red bottles.
Members who have been dispirited or dissatisfied with Labour’s policies have probably been slowly falling away or drifting off and they end up not renewing their membership, rather than explicitly handing in their resignations.
Will the new President do a ‘stocktake’ of the membership number and their status (e.g. financial, inactive, resigned, deceased) to ascertain the real membership support the Party has? Or are some of the names being kept on the books as phantom members to prop up LEC delegate/voting numbers and their incumbent MPs?
The problem is Labour will never win with left policies, it has to be center left.
The Mps know it, Andrew Little knows it, the only people who don’t seem to know it is the members.
Which makes Labour unelectable for the foreseeable future.
Worth noting that Labour’s policies are only maybe ~25% of its issues. Its disconnect with the culture and mood of the electorate is at least as substantial a problem again.
Some members, BM. The vast majority are perfectly happy with the current direction, leadership and policies. And, as the recent polls suggest, Labour are on the cusp of being very electable as the biggest party in some form of coalition. So, the take home message would be ‘never mind the bollocks’.
So, it’s just a noisy minority.?
Guess, that’s the one draw back with social media, a couple of people can make a hell of a lot of noise, which gives a rather distorted view of what is actually happening.
Just remember that one in five registered voters picked Labour in 2014, which was in itself only a slight drop from 2011. So I think the idea of dissatisfaction with Labour being the province of only a small minority is comforting to the establishment, but problematic to anyone who wanted to see real change coming out of Labour.
So, there’s actually quite a lot of dissatisfaction?
All smoke and mirrors?
The main change the majority of members want to see is Andrew Little’s title. From leader of the opposition to PM. 😉
And, BM, there is no smoke and mirrors. The party is in good heart. Top conference, good membership levels, doing ok in the polls. Could do with some more cash, but you can’t have everything!
Like Hooton and Slater you mean, that kind of noise-making which some people then mistake forfacts or truth?
You do understand the centre has moved quite a bit since 1981 aye BM?
And it can be moved back.
Yup, but not without the will
Of course it can, probably take about 30 years though
well let’s not bother aye BM, like climate change, wait until the waters are lapping at the door of the welathy seasiders.
🙄
That’s not the approach the autocrats Douglas and Prebble took – they thought change should go the faster the better to paralyse opposition. Works for me – CGT & renationalised electricity overnight would be fine. Summary executions of asset thieves can begin the following day.
Nice one Stu. Overton window and half the Labour caucus dealt with in one bold move 😉
Well said Stuart. Douglas took only 3 years… the 30 years is the damage being done
Oh come on, BM. Labour members are not mushrooms!
The Labour membership want the right (i.e. best) thing to be done for all in the country, not just the privileged few.
The caucus and leadership approach in giving up on the missing million, in not speaking up, arguing for and voting for their interests, have let down the collective citizenry.
Can you show me a place in the Western World where appealing to the ‘Missing’ voters has paid electoral dividends? Corbyn seems to be tanking and even Syriza is essentially implementing the austerity policies that they have been requested to.
Corbyn seems to be tanking. Citation?
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/11/jeremy-corbyns-popularity-plummets-after-paris-attacks/
Do you disagree with that at all? If so, on what basis do you disagree?
Funny how you can use language to present a view point. For instance the line where they say 2 in 5 people belive labour should remove him as leader. Wow that sounds like a lot. Wait doesn’t that mean 60% believe he either should remain as leader or have no opinion.
Only 35% polled by TV3 think the TPP is good for NZ. Quik Gosman, rail the Government to not sign.
His personal popularity is falling. That seems to be a given. He is certainly not reinvigorating the wider support for Labour in the UK either. What makes you think he is anything other than a failure at the moment?
So is Key’s
61% in a poll in October 2014
now….
40-ish%
OK lets for a second let you put words in my mouth as I never said he was or wasn’t a failure. I just pointed to the emotive use of figures in the artile which would lead me to believe that it was probably never going to give any form of positive press to Corbyn.
A failure is a strong word. The guy according to that article still has a 53% approval rating. Should he be concerned that he is dropping? Most definately. I don’t construe that as failure any more than I construe Key’s dropping polls as failure. They are an interesting indication and something both had best look at and assess.
Key has been in power for 7 years. Corbyn has been leader of the UK Labour party for less than 1. But if you think the signs are positive for Corbyn then more power to you.
Again please point to where either myself or Tracey said that Corbyn’s dropping poll’s are positive.
I stated IF you think it is a positive.
The point I raised originally is that Corbyn’s appeal to the so called missing left wing voter hasn’t made much of a difference and in fact his popularity has fallen dramatically since his election as UK Labour Leader. This seems to run counter to the arguments made here.
Perhaps if you reply to people you should expect that people would associate your statements to those reply too. Unless you were just trying to attribute those statements in a dishonest deniable way so that if you get called on it you can use the “I said IF” defence.
You answered your own question. Yes Syriza is not living up to what they seemed to promise but their appeal to left ideals definately paid electoral dividends.
Not really. At the latest election the number of people who voted for any party fell back to what it was before Syriza’s first victory. Only just over 56% of the electorate bothered to vote. Hardly a sign that the party is energising the lost voters.
Yes but you could equally argue that is because the electorate felt that their actions did not match their promises from the first election. So there fore moving away from their left principle resulted in a drop electorally.
That’s probably right to a degree. But there were parties that were even more radical than Syriza running at the election and they didn’t pick up this disatisfied rump of voters.
Again the words you use explain it. Being left engaged those who felt disenfranchised from their society. When they first got to power there would have been more RADICAL left parties but that is not what people wanted.
Your false linking would be like me saying that because National’s numbers are slightly down and the number of Neo Nazi’s haven’t gone up that right wing ideals are not popular. Simply that is not a sensable position to take.
In the last 30 years both major parties have made a strong move to the right. This has left a large gap on the left. This coninceded with dropping participation in electoral turn outs.
I am not going to conflate causation here but I think it is a difficult push to say that left policies can’t be successful electorally. NZ don’t have a pure left wing party at the moment like Labour use to be. The Greens fill that position somewhat but people still pigeon hole them as only an environmental party and can’t seem to see that they actually offer much more.
New Zealand does have a left wing political party. It is called Mana. It just isn’t very successful.
A left wing party that is attached to a leader who rightly or wrongly has an over all negative perception amongst a large portion of Kiwi’s. Again it would be like me saying because Act don’t get any votes then right wing policies are not popular.
There is a lot to why a party is or isn’t successful. People on the right keep making the assertion that left wing parties can’t be successful. Based upon no research outside of “I saw da last elecshun”.
Cashcart – I think you have won this argument, but Gosman is a cunning linguist who changes meanings of words in mid-argument (and no, Gosman, I am not going to bother to give citations) and generally trolls to create as much damage on threads as possible on any lefty thread he can find. I respect Gosman for correct language and skilful deception. Otherwise, I would not bother replying to him. From what I have read to date, It is like swatting flies with a drinking straw. You, Crashcart, are basically honest. I could not possibly say any more about Gosman.
@ BM
No. The problem is that very notion.
Labour can indeed win with left wing policy. Take their widely welcomed housing policy for example.
BS
Labour is losing because it doesn’t do Left any more.
The question you don’t really answer is why it doesn’t do Left any more.
Also how are the political groupings that do do Left fairing around the world? Not very well by most accounts. Corbyn seems to be floundering massively in the UK for example.
I’ve answered that many times over the years – it’s because Labour is a right-wing party.
Yes, the Left need to pull together but mostly the power needs to be taken out of the hands of the rich.
[citation needed]
Link provided above to the issues facing Corbyn.
I am more interested in what you think are the reasons why Labour is now a right wing party. Surely you would like to understand this.
Conclusively debunked in the following comments.
I already understand it and explained it. The problem seems to be that you don’t want to believe it.
Yeah, Nah, those halcyon days were 35 years ago.
Think about that for a second.
People who had just started school are now middle age.
A vast chunk of NZ has grown up without ever experiencing the socialist,big government controls everything approach of the pre 1980’s, the whole concept is totally foreign.
Facts are, there really is no going back, and if Labour and the rest of the left don’t start looking forward and get into the present, they’ll go the way of the Dinosaurs.
I agree with your comments from the standpoint of the fact that a large part of the Left seems stuck on 20th century answers to 20th century problems.
And intuitively, more and more people understand that is just ‘pretend and extend’ BS.
(BTW the Right of politics is in no better shape).
So you’d agree that electing old guys like Jeremy Corbyn really isn’t a great idea.
It’s not the age which is the problem re: Corbyn. I think that his tack of decrying austerity which hits the worst off in society is a necessary message for today – but then what? more jobs for everyone? More economic growth for everyone? More income and consumption for everyone?
Are we really going to complain about climate change at the same time as we push policies which are going to increase fossil fuel use and consumerism? It doesn’t make any sense, it’s incoherant.
The need for economic growth largely comes down to our debt based money supply.
Economies are required to grow their wealth (through exports) to cover the interest incurred. Hence, my earlier referral to the Democrats for Social Credit.
Additionally, unless we plan to stop population growth, extending life and the demand that creates, further growth will be required.
Therefore, the solution is in how are we going to sustain such growth.
or, we go with another approach – perhaps call it “survival socialism” or strategic “power down” – terms other commentators here at TS have previously used.
Ponder this, CV:
If new solutions can’t sustain growth to cater for population growth and extending life, the only way we are going to go is backwards, regardless what you call it.
And that is the concern about a number of so-called green solutions.
I’m of the crowd which believes that once fossil fuels goes away (circa 2040 to 2060), the human carrying capacity of the Earth is going to rapidly drop to roughly 1B.
That will be due to the loss of the ability to perform industrial agriculture, the loss of globalised logistics and the loss of the maintainability of basic infrastructure and services.
If we manage to grow our numbers to 10B before that point, there is going to be a massive cull in the decades after.
We already see some interesting trends – in most western countries, the birthrate is only very marginally above replacement levels. Japan face a crisis of a shrinking population while China (and many other countries) faces a crisis of an aging population. In the US the life expectancy of women is declining – as is the life expectancy of working class lower educated whites.
We’ve had 200 years of very rapid human population growth – we need to have a think whether or not this trend can continue, or if it is good that it does continue.
Hi TC. Have you seen this? http://physics.ucsd.edu/do-the-math/2012/04/economist-meets-physicist/
@ Grant
Thanks. It was an interesting read.
When coupled with policies of improving inequality, life spans will be extended. Moreover, families will afford to grow larger.
Industrial agriculture is evolving
https://youtu.be/2nFQOkzEjxQ
You can’t synthesise the hydroponic nutrients and build vertical farm structures like that without large starting inputs of fossil fuel energy. Ravensdown Fertiliser down the road from me requires massive inputs of purified chemicals (and phosphate rock mined then shipped in from around the world) in order for them to produce the fertiliser product farmers use.
It’s a different vision of the world; not everyone will accept that we cannot ecologically or energetically afford to have 9B, 10B, 11B people on the planet.
Yes you can as I’ve explained to you before.
The solution there is use the fertiliser base that comes out of our sewage treatment plants – essentially, rebuilding the natural cycle.
Not that I’m in favour of 9+ billion population nor do I think that we’ll make the necessary changes to be able to support that number while being a capitalist society.
CV
We’ve had 200 years of very rapid human population growth – we need to have a think whether or not this trend can continue, or if it is good that it does continue.
The Chairman
When coupled with policies of improving inequality, life spans will be extended. Moreover, families will afford to grow larger.
Industrial agriculture is evolving
CV is forward looking and taking into account known trends of factors in the human condition. The Chairman sounds like one of those comfortable types who has been successful at what he has attempted so far, following present practices and under the present hegemony. He can’t apparently read the warnings and precautions at the bottom of the instruction sheet (or else has followed the popular practice of ‘When all else fails read the instructions’).
Superphosphate has been used for yonks in NZ to increase production, grow more grass etc. Contains cadmium, heavy metal
and toxic, gets into bones,
Farmer urges more cadmium testing
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201780472
Other rural news on RadioNZ – read, listen and learn of the problems of industrialised agriculture.
North Canterbury irrigation proposal rejected
The water is not limitless – wants are though.)
Fonterra to meet with Greenpeace
Fonterra and Greenpeace will meet next week to discuss concerns about palm kernel expeller and major fires in Indonesia.
Keep an eye out for needle grass, farmers told
The stock destroying pasture pest Chilean needle grass is beginning to raise its head and farmers are being advised to keep an eye out.
Protesters take on huge caged chicken farm plan
Protesters outside the Environment Court in Auckland campaign against a planned caged hen farm.
New neonicotinoid studies ring alarm bells – Greens – Bees
The Green Party is calling for an urgent EPA review of the pesticides known as neoneonicotinoids.
Livestock antibiotics to be replaced with vaccines by 2030
Antibiotics for livestock are likely to be replaced with various vaccines by about 2030, and the value of New Zealand meat exports will grow because of the switch.
Lifestyle block sales volumes hit record levels again
Aerial of small lifestyle blocks in Canterbury.
Sales volumes for lifestyle blocks for the three month period ending October have again reached record levels.
Councillors’ secret vote to buy water from dam
The Central Hawke’s Bay District Council has agreed to buy water from Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme subject to further due diligence and public consultation.
All of these matters pose problems forNZ food production in a healthy sustainable way.
Organic hydroponics.
To get a closed system you would have to recycle faeces and urine from the population of those cities for use in growing food.
Yes, correct. Something that we should be doing already in fact.
There is nothing stopping you from doing it already Draco.
Those halcyon days were a golden era that a good number of Kiwis have now been robbed of.
It was an era that enabled the Kiwi dream.
Who wouldn’t want to go back to a time when one income could pay off the family home?
A time our health system was internationally marveled, employment opportunity was rife, education was free and our current account was in surplus.
Clearly, successfully looking forward requires us to adopt a number of the qualities from the past.
Who said anything about going back?
I’m more after a party that looks after the people and the country rather than the neo-liberal BS we have that looks after the corporations and the rich while screwing down everyone else. I suspect that many people are.
@BM
It is the opposite – Labour are appearing too ‘right wing’ not in the middle! They lost the election because they combined right wing foreign neoliberal economic policy with higher taxes for the middle classes! That is not LEFT wing policy that is STUPID policy.
If Labour bothered to look at corporate welfare and how much tax these companies are paying in this country. Corporations in some cases are paying nothing or very little tax on huge profits.
But again that does not fit in with neoliberalism, where workers all sweat and toil for the benefit of benevolent business and the ‘greater good’ and then we get the ‘trickle down’ and ‘more jobs’.
Post Neoliberalism we now have less jobs, lower wages, less taxes from companies and from the fewer jobs and greater inequality.
Does not sound like a good plan for Labour especially now opening up offshoring of government and council jobs via TPP and unchecked economic profiteering in NZ but all sounds fine to politicians isn’t it?
Are you retired?
Labour made noises about companies like Google and Facebook not paying enough taxes here. They didn’t really offer any solutions beyond vaguely suggesting we might be able to do without them if they didn’t. Of course they quickly backtracked on that when they realised the implications.
The implications of companies that bludge off everyone else would leave and everyone else would no longer have to pay extra tax to make up for their bludging?
Yep and people wouldn’t be able to use Google or Apple or Facebook any more. If you would like to try and sell that good luck to you.
pffffft those countries are never going to boycott NZ lol
So glad that you’ve confirmed that you fully support subsidies for multi billion dollar offshore companies at NZers expense.
Countries??? I know they are big but they aren’t countries just yet.
“Labour really does need to make there mind up Left or Centre Right.”
How about Centre L+ight?
Or Centre R-eft?
Some branches should draft a remit to propose making up their minds on that, put it through regional conference next year, vote on it, take it to conference, etc etc etc.
+100…good points Skinny…Labour must do as much as possible to distance itself from jonkey nactional….any agreement or support for Nactional’s policies or jonkey looks like weakness , or worse , a sellout.
The voters are in NO mood for any support of jonkey nactional
…and this is something NZF knows and Peters will play up next Election (unfortunately the Greens dont seem to have realised this)
+100 Chooky
Load of absolute tripe Skinny. No neo-libs among the executive, nor pro-Robertson fans – spreading this sort of rubbish does no-one (least of all yourself) any good.
This comment refers to Skinny talking about another “branch” of Labour which he described earlier this morning. My computer wasn’t working this morning so couldn’t reply then.
However, he continued to repeat it – he does not know what was involved, he has not been at meetings, and he is – as happens quite often – talking thru a hole in his head.
Thanks for clearing this up Jenny.
Jenny I suggest you re-read what I wrote, I referred to you and ya mates as the ones resigning and in brackets state ‘not the ones resigning’ so you messed that up. I was informed of the factions in this LEC before I moved up. Our union is an afiliate and I am the regions rep and you do what have to do. Bit disappointed before you lot through your toys out of the cot ya could have atleast flicked me an email, considering what I did for PN when I was contacted by you know who. Very poor comments indeed Jenny.
This is not an organisation which knows how to give thanks.
Tomorrow some of the citizens of the US will celebrate Refugee Day,
https://www.facebook.com/scottkier/posts/10153795171091155
Such a huge part of of that population are of refugee or immigrant stock, so many people with such short memories.
http://www.internationalpolicydigest.org/2015/11/25/what-s-wrong-with-venezuela/
“The roots of Venezuela’s economic misfortunes are rooted in five factors: corruption and authoritarianism, the resource curse, the decline of Venezuela’s state oil company, state control over the economy, and drug gangs and violence”
Three of those five factors are related to old school left wing thinking.
For those of you who thought that Venezuela was going to offer some sort of new hope for democratic socialism you must be terribly dissapointed now.
Wrybill
Anarhynchus frontalis Quoy & Gaimard, 1830
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
New Zealand status: Endemic
Conservation status: Nationally Vulnerable
Other names: wrybilled plover, ngutuparore, ngutu pare, wrybill plover, crook-bill
Geographical variation: Nil
Counts on breeding grounds are impractical – wrybills are highly cryptic and widely dispersed. Combined counts from wintering flocks suggest a total population of 5000-5500. Counts show high variability (which obscures trends), but the population is thought to be declining slowly.
Still getting your email address mixed up, and still beating the same old drum
We’ve got plenty of socialism here already, it’s just for the wrong people.
Can I please have 24 million for oil exploration and borrow one of the few NZ vessels that should be helping the marine environment for my project.
No problem for this government!
Free money for corporates, come to NZ.
We’ll even change employment law for you!
http://americasquarterly.org/content/venezuelas-media-isnt-smearing-opposition-its-making-them-invisible
As with many authoritarian regimes the Chavista government in Venezuela is very good at denying access to the media.
The great tit (Parus major) is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central and Northern Asia, and parts of North Africa in any sort of woodland. It is generally resident, and most great tits do not migrate except in extremely harsh winters. Until 2005 this species was lumped with numerous other subspecies. DNA studies have shown these other subspecies to be distinctive from the great tit and these have now been separated as two separate species, the cinereous tit of southern Asia, and the Japanese tit of East Asia. The great tit remains the most widespread species in the genus Parus…
…Like all tits it is a cavity nester, usually nesting in a hole in a tree. The female lays around 12 eggs and incubates them alone, although both parents raise the chicks. In most years the pair will raise two broods. The nests may be raided by woodpeckers, squirrels and weasels and infested with fleas, and adults may be hunted by sparrowhawks.
from wikipedia
gosh i love tits, they are just the cutest things
i mean how an you not like a bird thats called the ‘tufted titmouse”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tit_(bird)
thanks for reminding me of these lovelies 🙂
You are welcome but really it was his posts which put me in mind of the wrybill and the great family of Tits.
Help me out tracey. I’ve had two hours sleep and am having trouble comprehending the lovely ornithological references in response to Gosman’s favourite topic, Venezuela. 🙂
EDIT. Oh ok, Have just seen your response to Sabine. Nice work though. I enjoyed the interlude.
😉
Only two hours? How come?
I live with chronic insomnia. Sometimes I sleep, sometimes I don’t.
I try not to comment when I’m sleep deprived. I have been hovering over the conversation above with CV, trp and others but am in no fit state to enter into as much as I do have my thoughts on the issue of CV and his comrades actions and the state of the NZLP.
Birds and bombs. That’s different though.
Sorry to hear that… sleep deprivation of that kind must be debilitating.
Yes it is. It has all sorts of mental and physical consequences. I had to leave my last job because of it. It’s no surprise that sleep dep has been used as a tool of torture for centuries.
Is it Restless Leg Syndrome you suffer from?
No. Results from depression plus an assortment of physical health problems, both pain from illness and unresolved injuries. Sleep dep compounds the intensity of existing conditions.
I am so sorry to hear this Rosie. It must be very difficult for you. Hope you have a better night tonight.
Are you demonstrating the truth of Paula Bent’s point about Housing Corp clients who rejected houses because of bird noise?
You have good reason, of course. Too much wrybilling tittering and gosman honking to let a person carry on sleepwalking like real tories do.
Humour was my first response, but it works only if it helps the sufferer to trivialise their problems. Good point galeandra, and my best wishes to Rosie.
Golly Gosman, don’t you think the societal culture in NZ is just a little different from that of any country in Sth America, I can recall Rodney Hide praising them for their low or zero Tax system and thought it would be good idea for NZ , at least compare Apples with Apples.
Well, this is interesting. Not that I have ever used it, other than looking at it.
IPredict has suspended/wound up its NZ operations due to regulatory problems.
… As prediction markets do not comfortably fit within any existing regulatory boxes, we have been working closely and positively with the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) to enable us to operate economically within the financial market regulations.
Regrettably the Ministry of Justice has not been so positive. We applied for an exemption from the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. We believed we would secure an exemption due to the limited possible investment into iPredict trades and the small nature of the Prediction market transactions.
Our application has been declined by the Minister, Simon Bridges, on the grounds that we are “a legitimate money laundering risk”. This is essentially because we have no customer due diligence checks. He considered the level of regulatory burden is proportionate to the risk. He formed these views without any discussions with us.
We are an academic not-for-profit organisation and our agreement with the FMA dictates we place caps on transactions. For example, over the past seven years, we have handled a total of 3,782 withdrawals, with an average trader net worth of $41. Our withdrawal process is lengthy and we are a low risk of money laundering.
Because the cost of compliance is too high, we are forced to wind up operations in NZ. We are looking into the possibility of transferring our prediction activities to be included on PredictIt in the US, but this could take months to work through the regulatory requirements.
From now on, we are unable to take further deposits, sign ups or place new prediction stocks. We will continue existing stocks and you can continue to trade them.
Full details in this announcement – https://www.ipredict.co.nz/app.php?do=message
Do you think the Right will be pisse doff at being treated like they espouse the Right treat others, or will some heads just explode?
So this means one avenue of dirty politics tactics has been closed down?
“Slater also used a small sum of money provided by Lusk to manipulate Victoria University’s iPredict rankings on the Rodney candidate and then wrote posts using the iPredict results to reinforce the campaign” etc.
Dirty Politics. pg.64
If someone was planning a malicious act against a group of people, are they really likely to place a bomb right in the middle of a pedestrian lane? Hardly covert is it?
Yesterday we had a “bomb scare” kerfuffle in Wellington CBD. Several city blocks from Willis st right down to Brandon st were shut down for four hours and our busiest sector of bus corridor was diverted. Buildings were evacuated, and workers sent home early (including Mr R)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/74429264/police-examine-cctv-footage-over-bomb-scare-that-closed-lambton-quay
I am wondering if some folks are feeling unnecessarily fearful post Paris attacks and it is leading to catastrophic thinking. The woman who. last week, called the cops when a Sikh man entered the Columbus cafe she was a customer at in Auckland, thinking he was a terrorist, is another example. That was an unfortunate case of prejudice and ignorance induced paranoia. I’m guessing this is another false alarm, triggered by a flair for the irrational.
And diversion of resources.
But he had wires hanging out of his pack. Scary headphones ?
The complainant seemed to think his headphone wires were scary…………
There can, unfortunately, be very good reason to be fearful of the actions of some people in public places.
It wasn’t that long ago that this happened in Sydney, was it?
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/dec/20/sydney-siege-timeline-how-a-day-and-night-of-terror-unfolded-at-the-lindt-cafe
Those who worry may, and almost always will, be wrong but every once in a while they are right to be concerned.
As for the statement that “are they really likely to place a bomb right in the middle of a pedestrian lane” you would have to ask “why not?”.
The Trades Hall bombing in Wellington in 1984 was carried out by someone unknown placing a suitcase in the foyer of the building. It went off when an unsuspecting caretaker picked it up to tidy the area. Hardly covert was it? The case was in open view just off the street.
The Trades Hall bombing did cross my mind – during yesterday afternoons commotion. But you can’t even begin to compare the motivations and methods of the event 30 years ago with the current situation.
Do we really have the population and risk factor that would lead to an event like the Lindt cafe seige? I’m no terror analyst but I don’t think so. I’m more afraid of what our government is going to do next than I am of any potential “terror threat”.
John Key did say the other day that there are people are who are being surveilled for suspected fund raising for ISIS and suspected of going to fight in Syria, and that surveillance has increased but how likely is their attention to be directed toward their home country? And again, how daft would they be to place a bomb right in the middle of a busy pedestrian access. (Yes, the Trades Hall bomb was in the foyer of the building, not out on the footpath)
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/290399/increased-watchlist-suspect-threat-pm
More likely that someone dropped their novelty lunch box or what looks like some part of machinery on the way to or from the cable car.
In fact, it was someone being a complete idiot:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/74429264/item-made-to-look-like-a-bomb-closed-lambton-quay
From this story it appears that he/she was also a complete idiot who tried to make it look like an explosive device. If I was in the area and I found that the Police were not taking it very seriously I would be really p***d off.
The Police did take it very seriously alwyn. Mr R, who was caught up in it all noted the Police response. There’s been a massive use of resources to deal with this prank and a lot of disruption and inconvenience caused to commuters and businesses yesterday.
I may be misjudging you, and I hope I am but the wording of some of your comments appears to be a case of blaming the police for spending time on this, rather than the idiot who caused the fuss.
When you say things like
“are they really likely to place a bomb right in the middle of a pedestrian lane? Hardly covert is it?”
“That was an unfortunate case of prejudice and ignorance induced paranoia”
“I’m guessing this is another false alarm, triggered by a flair for the irrational”
“Do we really have the population and risk factor that would lead to an event like the Lindt cafe siege”
“how daft would they be to place a bomb right in the middle of a busy pedestrian access”
“More likely that someone dropped their novelty lunch box”
Which is then followed by
“There’s been a massive use of resources to deal with this prank and a lot of disruption and inconvenience caused to commuters and businesses yesterday”
It comes across as if you think the Police should not have taken much notice, and certainly should not have inconvenienced Mr R because it couldn’t possibly be real in a place like New Zealand and they simply wasted a lot of their own, and other peoples, time and money on something that was obviously not serious.
I hope you don’t mean that but it is the way it reads to me.
As far as I am concerned a possible bomb, even if it turns out to be a hoax, is very serious and I want the police to treat it that way. If it is a hoax, and they catch the person who did it I want that person to be punished.
A month of community service and a fine covering all the costs incurred seems to be a suitable reminder to them, and anyone else, that this behaviour is not acceptable.
And all white men werent targetted after that as I recall.
Sigh
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/74433350/40k-payout-for-worker-who-crushed-hand-in-log-splitter
$40k isn’t enough but the big question we have to ask is:
Why was he working there doing that job at all?
Great question.
iPredict has to be closed down by Nat Govt:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/74438852/ipredict-to-close-after-govt-refuses-antimoney-laundering-law-exemption
Real reason?
Uncontrolled focus group not totally channelled through nact?
That’s one way of seeing it, indeed.
Sorry, I had not noticed an earlier heads up about this (at #6 above) while scrolling through Open Mike.
http://www.watchme.co.nz/like-mike/episode-1/
Very funny article about Corbyn’s problems with handling the topic of Defence in the UK Parliament.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/nov/23/jeremy-corbyn-goes-on-the-offence-defence-review
At least there’s a few writers who can still make politics entertaining.
Almost as funny as the Government closing down iPredict
Yes David Seymour was not happy. You must be pleased you and David have another issue you agree on Tracey.
Yes David Seymour was not happy. You must be pleased you and David have another issue you agree on Tracey.
We heard you the first time, idiot.
What is it with right wing types and their need to constantly have their hands in the taxpayer trough???
Down here in Canterbury the Ecan dictatorship is in the news again due to the extension of said dictatorship.
The funny thing, especially in relation to Gosman’s tripe of tits and wrybills above, is that these right wingers have demanded and received taxpayer money and ratepayer money to pay for their businesses.
Bludgers.
The farmers are bludgers. The corporates are bludgers. Go fucking stand on your own two feet – like those in the big smoke, where countless private businesses are getting on with business without handouts and bludging. And for sums often in excess of the irrigation white elephants. Done on their own.
Not bloody farmers though, nope. They are so special. They need old lady ratepayers to support them, plus paye wage earners on the minimum wage.
pathetic
and at the end of their bludging they shit up their neighbours drinking water with the waste from their business. Wish I could dump my businesses waste in the street.
wankers
I have a great little word for you to ad to you’re vocabulary.
It is “”some,””! an example of an appropriate place to use it is ,
Some farmers are bludgers.
+1 I know good farmers and we need to encourage them.
I know what you mean b waghorn, but “some” doesn’t cut it in these circumstances. It is in fact the majority of farmers in the Central Plains Water location. Or in fact anywhere that dairy can be jammed in with a bit of irrigation – out comes the hand.
So much so that Fed Farmers and this government actively support this behaviour.
So, nope sorry, don’t accept your assertion that “some” cuts it. It is way more. Point stands.
Marjority doesn’t mean all though and I think this is b’s (and my) point. I seem to remember some of the traditional sheep and beef farmers in North Canty objecting to the big irrigation schemes proposed for there.
If we say farmers are crap, instead of greedy farmers, or some farmers, or whatever farmers, then we can’t see the good ones any more.
Fed Farmers don’t represent farming in NZ, the represent ‘some’ farmers. Some farmers don’t belong. There is power in differentiating. Promoting hatred of farmers in general is not helpful IMO.
Noted weka. I agree an aggressive approach to farmers, or anyone in similar circumstances, is usually counter-productive.
The issues with NZ’s primary producers and their shitting up the lands have only become apparent to the wider public, I would suggest, in the last 10-15 years.
The time for yelling and stomping of feet is surely coming to an end yes. But the yelling and stomping of feet has been absolutely required to bring the farming lobby on board. We all know what their approach has been up until recently – complete and total rejection of the allegations and evidence.
They had to be yelled at for a time. I agree that time is now passing.
But it still frikkin’ irks me… the problems are acknowledged and ‘some’ are doing something about it. But the shitting up of our lands is still going on. Rivers and land are still going backwards in terms of health today.
Bit more yelling to go methinks…
(and look, most every sector in society gets yelled at for doing something, including the sector I work in. It is always getting yelled at. Nothing new.)
Apparently the regig of the RMA is going to give councils the power to force farmers to fence off rivers and lakes , I hope council gets onto it as you don’t have to look far around Taumarunui to see cattle in what would be easily fenced off rivers.
And on a positive note there was piece in the Farming section of the Press this morning where a local dairy farmer has found native freshwater mussels in his now fenced off creek. He was very happy to acknowledge the issues and act on them.
Maybe there is a generational aspect to it too
My 88 year old uncle, farming int he King Country, until 2 years ago at his death was VERY environmentally active and aware. It’s not age, imo, it’s life view and ethos… his impact on other farmers in his region was immense in this regard
Is there a reason regional councils can’t regulate fencing water ways already?
Tbh I don’t know ,but this just showed up on stuff and it makes it sound like there is no enforceable law at the moment.http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/74488555/All-large-livestock-should-be-excluded-from-waterways-report
It sounds like a good common sense law to me , it just shows that even idiots like national get it right on occasionally.
I was thinking more about regulations that control runoff. If they’re overstocking and can’t control that then fine the shit out of them (ha!) and suggest they fence 😈
By all means stomp and yell vto, I have nothing against that and I agree it’s useful when its useful. I’m saying that you should target the farmers that are the problem, not farmers as a whole. Being angry at all farmers will prevent some from changing sooner, that’s why it’s counter-productive. Anger itself is a good tool, it just needs to be used right.
For instance, I have no problem heaping scorn on Fed Farmers, because they are a discrete group run by people that are elected, and they have constistenly favoured their own profits and wants over the good of the environment and the commons. I’m sure that not all FF members are bad farmers, but politically FF is a huge problem so any who belongs to them or supports them needs to take responsibility for that.
But I wouldn’t condemn farmers as a whole because I know good farmers using sustainable land management, and I know conventional farmers who want to do the right thing and are trying to. Many of the latter are the ones who are caught between change and digging their heels in in the face of damning criticism.
Another way to do this is to criticise the modality of farming while promoting the ways out. Many farmers are stuck because of the relationship between farming, farm advisors and banks. We’re going to have to come up with a plan on that, and telling them they’re shit is not going to help.
edit, one of the most potent political acts for those that can afford to is to eat locally produced food. This gives farmers a way out of the industrial/export model.
How much money is the Flag Consideration Panel paying for Jim Mora
to keep talking about this boring and unpopular referendum?
The Panel, RNZ National, Wednesday 25 November 2015
Part 1 of 2: The Pre-Panel (3:45 to 4 p.m.)
Jim Mora, Andrew Clay, Peter Elliott, Zara Potts, Jesse Mulligan
Three things particularly bothered me about this Pre-Panel:
1. The fact that the first of today’s “Quick Questions” yet again concerned the flag referendum. I seriously think that the Flag Consideration Panel has paid some money to RNZ National to make sure it gets daily coverage during these discussions. Perhaps someone might like to put in an Official Information Act request.
2. Far worse than Prof. Burrows and his ridiculous band of troughers, however, was the light-hearted and unconcerned way the Panelists discussed the banning of the burqa in the Swiss canton of Ticino.
3. Worst of all, though, was the little item towards the end of this Pre-Panel. Zara Potts read out, in as neutral a tone as she could manage, that “a recent study out of ISRAEL shows that anxiety around threats of terrorism can actually wreak havoc with a person’s mental and physical health.” The idea of a terror study being carried out in Israel, a state which inflicts massive terror every day in the Occupied Territories and Gaza, is absurd, and an obscene distortion of the truth of the situation there. The fact that none of the other people even mentioned this absurdity tells you all you need to know about their serious they are, but also their basic sense of right and wrong.
Here are the “highlights”…..
JIM MORA: Coming up: How terrorism makes us sicker. On the Panel after 4 o’clock, with Andrew and Peter, two very convivial conversationalists—
ANDREW CLAY: [snort] Ha ha!
PETER ELLIOTT: No pressure!
MORA: The shooting down of the Russian jet, what to do about drunks, the upcoming seasonal event—-
ANDREW CLAY: Ha ha ha ha!
MORA: Norwegian wood, isn’t it good, taking yoga into prisons, and is NIWA looking for oil? So a lot of things to chat about with, ahhh, Andrew and Peter after four. One Quick Question: “I understand that the winner out of the five choices in the first flag referendum must achieve 50 percent of the total vote. So it may not just be a question of saying the one with the most votes is the winner unless one is streets ahead of all the others. Are you able to confirm this please? I have this ghastly felling that the maths of this may be beyond the officials.”— Linda Wilkins of Petone.
ANDREW CLAY: Ha ha ha ha!
PETER ELLIOTT: Ha ha ha ha!
MORA: I don’t know if the MATHS is beyond them Linda, it depends on whether you approve of the process. Here’s Professor Andrew Geddes on preferential voting, from Otago University’s Faculty of Law.
ANDREW GEDDES: [He briefly explains how the process works and then finishes with….] You can rest assured the officials are more than capable of handling the maths associated with it.
ZARA POTTS: Ha ha!
MORA: Ha ha! Thank you, Andrew Geddes. …
………
ZARA POTTS: Now while we’re talking about banning things, the Swiss canton of Ticino has just voted to ban the burqa. Anyone flouting this new law will be fined 10,000 francs, which is about 15,000 New Zealand dollars.
MORA: This is just this canton, is it? ‘Cos I think the Swiss parliament rejected the idea of banning them.
ZARA POTTS: Yeah it’s just one canton, sort of, ahhh, the Italian-speaking one, so it’s basically that one.
……
JESSE MULLIGAN: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
ANDREW CLAY: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
PETER ELLIOTT: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
ZARA POTTS: Now terrorism is certainly the topic that seems to be on everybody’s mind at the moment, and with Christmas coming up it seems that Americans in particular are feeling more jittery than usual. The anxiety has been fueled in part by the travel alert that came out yesterday, in which they said that no place in the world is safe, so it’s no wonder that they’re feeling a little bit anxious. Ahh, but a recent study out of ISRAEL shows that anxiety around threats of terrorism can actually wreak havoc with a person’s mental and physical health, and in some cases, uh, terror threats have been linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke. So it basically showed that people can actually worry themselves sick, ahhh, through anxiety, and so what do you do to kind of, ahhh, not be anxious? And so what they were saying was tune out from the news, don’t watch the news. If you’re feeling particularly jittery, don’t watch the news and particularly those repeats where they just keep showing the same pictures again and again.
ANDREW CLAY: But that’s sound advice for news, full stop. Because most news is news, you know, due to the fact that it’s bad.
ZARA POTTS: That’s right. But I think people get caught in a pattern where they just keep watching it, and keep rewinding and watching the same pictures again and again. And they said don’t worry about flying, because the probability of a terrorist attack directly affecting YOU is quite low.
MORA: I notice your voice got more soothing as you went along.
ZARA POTTS: Did it? Ha ha ha ha!
MORA: You can worry yourself sick about ANYTHING.
ZARA POTTS: You can. The research on this is pretty good. They say it lowers your immune system so you’re more at risk from things like colds and flu as well as things like—-
PETER ELLIOTT: I think that’s just higher stress generally isn’t it?
ZARA POTTS: Well, anxiety, yeah. Anxiety and stress….
…ad nauseam
Worse—far worse—was to come, however. Professor Al Gillespie was on the way….
End of Part 1.
ACT might like to give this guy a list seat
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/11/man-convicted-killing-wife-posting-facebook-photo-151126032832843.html
The US consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, illegally gave US visas to 10 out of the 15 Saudis involved in the 9/11 attacks. None of the Saudis qualified for the visas. CIA officers were involved.
This article also makes clear that the rise of ISIL/Daesh and Al Qaeda in Syria was a direct consequence of a well resourced western project to remove Assad from power “at any cost.”
By Dr Nafeez Ahmed
https://medium.com/insurge-intelligence/officials-islamic-state-arose-from-us-support-for-al-qaeda-in-iraq-a37c9a60be4#.tawm7y22s
Nice new investigative site there.
Personally I’m waiting for the book that shows the complicity of the Saudi Arabian government in all the wars since the Gulf War.
Oh God ! Let’s wind ourselves up with this then……
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11551875