I will confidently predict the Stormy Daniels affair will not hurt Donald Trump, but only because he is already so deeply unpopular and heartily loathed by practically every female demographic in America that in would be difficult to imagine what he could do to chip off the odd one or two women who still support him.
I was talking to a couple of conservative middle aged women on the weekend and the thing that earned their undying loathing was the fact his wife was giving birth at the time. No coming back from that, Donster.
Has anyone noticed the statements from the (insincere) commentariat made on media websites for over 10 years now (since Norman), about how past leaders of the Green Party (when the vote barely got over 5%) had credibility, but not today.
Which is an irony, as probably the most anti-Green editorial written (by the Herald back in 2005) was during the old leadership period. It represents of course, as it did in 2005, fear of a government taking Green issues seriously.
Whether the environment, energy, or a progressive society (feminism, bi-cultural nation, multi-cultural society) etc.
The over the top reaction to comments made by Genter (on the slowing rate of change in the make up of boards) demonstrate the capacity of the mob to claim challenge to established privilege (most wealth and power being held by older white males) is ageist, racist and sexist. The most extreme, unsurpisingly came from the co-apologist for power Hawkesby, suggesting challenge to continuing privilege is yesterdays feminism …
Having spent the weekend back in the provinces I was struck at mutual reinforcement between racism and crime that amplifies each other.
The biggest Pakeha fear in provincial NZ is to lose your job and drop into the “ferals” of the white trash and especially dispossessed and unemployed urbanised Maori. That fear translates to a shocking level of class (not colour) based racism where the the racism comes from the simple fact the poor are overwhelmingly brown. The objectification is appalling – “they” are the problem, “they” are all drug addicts “they” are all lazy.
Now, this is a provincial audience that is fed a constant diet of sensationalist crime stories by our clickbait MSM. The siege mentality is astonishing – everything is padlocked, alarmed and baseball bats and shillelaghs reside under every bed. Yet these people suffer no higher level of crime than Aucklanders.
The fear of crime and the hatred of the poor translates into paranoid assumptions – a Maori in a nice car is all the evidence needed for an immediate assumption of the driver being a LA style gangsta drug dealer. If you point out that a bit of money is now about in Iwi at least due to treaty settlements then the driver is ripping off the taxpayer to sit on their arse smoking drugs.
Fear of crime leads to every unusual activity being labelled as suspicious, which in turn labels every poor brown person being labelled a criminal.
Thus the paranoid reaction to such terms as bi-cultural nation.
It is why NZ First (with many Maori MP’s) promotes jobs in the regions and higher wages while being tough on crime and Maori “separatism” – to be of “common hard working values”.
There is a lot if truth in that Sanctuary – re the media rubbish and conservative mentality- but it’s not so bad everywhere. There is also a lot of good in that tight knit wall that you see from the outside, those communities are very strong and look after each other.
Flip side is suspicion of anyone/thing different.
I see RNZ is blindly pushing ahead with the Russia hysteria narrative that is seemingly being pushed down our throats every single day without even a hint of fairness and balance in reporting….sadly, no surprises here though.
I am not saying Russia didn’t commit this crime, but I am saying I think fairness, balance and cool headed journalistic coverage is what is needed, and I sure as hell haven’t heard much of that in the MSM…or any from RNZ.
Agreed Adrian ,on the really transparent framing of the Skripal poisoning
But I must say I’m not surprised
Being a loyal member of 5 Eyes does not make for independent journalism or foreign policy
I’m pretty disappointed all the same, but I suspect our politicians are advised by those who get their information from the US Embassy /Reuters/AP
No divergent voices please, but its good all the same to see Chris Trotter kicking back in the weekends Press, and there were 3 good letters also questioning pre emptive guilt
And also , Adrian ,
having made such confrontational assertions of predetermined Russian guilt, any investigators will be well aware of the official stance, and will be rather wary, in terms of job security, of deviating from that.
It doesn’t augur well for a demonstrably impartial search for the truth
I hope I’m wrong about that, but the OPCW breached its own terms of chain of custody in the Khan Shaykhoun enquiry, and refused to inspect the Sharyat air base
despite Syrian invitations.
Did you see the reaction of the media to Obama? They have a serious cultural cringe. The MSM want NZ to be a player, get noticed in Moscow, stand resolutely with our allies rattling our rusty sabre and all that colonial stuff. They don’t want us minding our own business and quietly making money all Swiss like. That is far to grown up and boring for our needy media.
Don’t worry I don’t want a dissuasion on moderation, I had a pretty good go at having a open and honest discussion on this whole bizarre banning thing a while back…I came away from that little chat quite depressed….seems a lot of people quite like a rigid and brutally enforced authority guiding them, I guess it makes them feel safe.
Oh well each to their own I say.
Yes. I would like to know too. PM is a valuable contributor to this site. Maybe he went too far on the occasion of the ban but 12 months was way, way too much.
Isn’t it wonderful how the current Government have solved all the bread and butter issues and now have the resources to produce the circuses?
Housing problems – solved
Children in Poverty – solved
Health expenditure – solved
Water pollution – solved.
Nurses pay – solved.
Infrastructure problems – solved.
We can, after a mere five months, forget about all those things and we can now throw hundreds of millions of dollars at the sport of billionaires. Roll on the America’s Cup.
I’m sure that all those people Labour talked about last year who were said to be living in cars will be pleased with their new warm housing they now inhabit. Or not.
I’m also sure they will be off to the waterfront to enjoy looking at the multimillion dollar yachts entertaining current and previous MPs.
Aunty Helen will be particularly pleased that her favourite toy boy Mr Dalton is receiving $40,000,000 to let us have the Cup races in Auckland.
The texting between them will no doubt be in overdrive.
Now will someone who is involved in this ridiculous affair please tell me what I should say to a friend who is still waiting for knee replacement surgery? This is despite being told in August last year that it would be done within six months Should I just tell her she should be proud to sacrifice for Phil Goff’s fantasies?
Well, it is very easy to see where your priorities lie.
I guess you are a great fan of Oracle’s Ellison are you?
What will you say when we spend all that money on your dream at the waterfront and no-one, including your mate Larry turn up?
Meanwhile another lot of children get rheumatic fever because, as you want, the money was spent on your hobby. It clearly won’t bother you, will it?
My, my.
When you lose the debate just abuse the person who was putting forward rational opinions. I see why you are embarrassed having to support the current lot though.
…as the previous National Government has underfunded the NZ public health system to such a degree, we will (as a country) now have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to make again fit for purpose, so consequently the Government will no longer be able to fund the America’s Cup…if you have a problem with this, please do contact your local National Party representative….oh and here is Jonathan Coleman’s DDI, cell phone number, address and a contact for him in his new job in the private healthcare sector, in case you might want to discuss it with him personally.
Now that would have started some interesting conversations in the smoko room.
You say that like NAct wouldn’t have done it too… not to be in the “they did it too” crowd, but it is highly hypocritical of a right winger to whinge about Labour not solving all the problems created by NAct within 5 months… Also over throwing a few million (of the 10’s of billions being spent, or the billion odd surplus), which if they didn’t would have caused a furore of news articles and angry rich white men ranting about how the Labour govt. was full of no-fun spoilsport femi-nazis.
Oh, and also Labour is getting on and solving those issues…
And you friend can blame National for the funding issues that meant that the DHBs can’t even pay their nurses a decent wage, or be able to ensure their hospitals don’t have mold on the wall, or that they can actually treat patients… I am sure once Labour have had a chance to pass a budget things will get better…
I love the way that you can turn a minimum of $212 million into, as you word it “a few million “.
I wish I was as rich as you must be to regard $212,000,000 as just a trivial amount. Can I please have my share back? I would like to put it toward more useful things than feeding Goff’s and Ardern’s egos.
“blame National for the funding issues”.
When National was the Government she was promised the Op. It was only after the change of Government it has slipped.
” am sure once Labour have had a chance to pass a budget things will get better”.
What difference is that going to make? If they can promise this much money without having any budget allocation for it at all why do they need to worry about silly little things like a budget in order to try and meet things they claimed were important before the election?
“strawmen” he says.
What’s a mere $212,000,000 between friends?
Surely you can think of better things to do with that amount of money?
You would get about 14,000 knee or hip replacements for that amount of money. That would certainly improve a lot of people’s lives wouldn’t it?
Still they are just the little people and don’t matter to the plutocrats like you and your friends.
I guess you would rather play with the Billionaires though?
Did you vote for the parties that degraded the health service to the point your friend is suffering its consequences?
Were you outraged at 20m to Warner Bros or 30 million to Rio Tinto or 11m in money and kind to a Saudi businessman or the SCF gift to foreign investors? Or 26m to the flag? All of those sums could have helped your friend
““blame National for the funding issues”.
When National was the Government she was promised the Op. It was only after the change of Government it has slipped.”
And yes I did vote for National. I didn’t want to because I think 3 terms is enough for any Government. I didn’t think that Winston and his satellites in Labour and the Green parties were up to the job of Government though. Sadly I was right.
Mind you I didn’t think that Labour would tolerate the corrupt behaviour we are getting, particularly from NZF and the Labour Party organisation.
What a silly little fellow you are.
You remind me of the glorious bumper sticker of the 1960s.
“They told me if I voted for Goldwater we would have 500,000 men in Vietnam within 18 months. Well I did and there are”
Our equivalent would be.
“They told me if I voted for National the Government would set up billion dollar slush funds and would put hundreds of millions into the Americas Cup.
Well I did and the Government has.”
Why don’t you crawl back into your hole you stupid obnoxious prick.
National promised to cut taxes and they did – just what you voted for. Then, after the serious decrease in income they also cut government services. A direct consequence of what you voted for and were informed would happen on this site.
Now you’re whinging that you’re being held to account for your actions.
I find it truly fascinating that you regard a few hundred million being spent on a Billionaire’s sport as being necessary Government services.
How ridiculous can you get?
Ah, I didn’t say that. I said that you’re personally responsible for your friends surgery not going ahead because you voted National who cut funding to the hospitals and run down services.
Where to start?
I suppose I can start with the simple fact that National did not cut funding for hospitals or run down the health services. Labour argued that but to do so they had to carry out some very selective date choices.
I commented on this on a couple of occasions.
Anyone who continues to argue that line is either stupid, or lying, or both.
Which category are you?
He’s nothing but an ideological nong, a bit of a c–t. Without union action we wouldn’t have received the 1% per year we have had. The NZNO provides other sevices, indemnity insurance and professional developement among them.
I can just imagine the response an individual nurse would get going cap in hand to a CEO stating the case as to why they deserve more than a collegue, no commercial logic for paying a nurse more than another, we dont bring an income with us unlike a broadcaster who may have a fan base of like minded c–ts.
Shaw’s stated take is that because land-use represents such a high proportion of NZ’s emissions, then energy can be somewhat ignored. There’s an opening for NZ to lead the world (apparently) – a great business opportunity.
I notice that’s echoed throughout the piece (the crest of a wave etc)
And also, in line with that, your quote from Benton is about the future of the world economy – not the world’s biosphere.
Don’t get me wrong. Net zero emissions from land use is a critical part of bringing down carbon levels. If land-use is treated as a discrete sector, and depending on how it’s accounted (so no buying or swapping or any kind of carbon credit nonsense), I fully support it.
But without zero from energy, it’s just so much pissing in the wind. And there is no commitment to get energy down to zero (energy’s just hidden away in the bullshit – ie, inadequate – package deal of net zero).
This morning is a morning when (yet again) I unfortunately find myself concluding that we’s fucked.
We’ve got to get rid of these clowns and their insane attachment to so-called economic viability.
Hirschfeld worth more than her and a huge loss. Dick Griffin must be the closest NZ has to Sir Humphrey surely? Though aside from the headlines I haven’t followed his career closely.
Couple of stupid own goals. And yes the Newstalk ZB Herald has a clear dog in the fight.
Bring back Steve Maharey? Broadcasting almost as important as housing. Lots to do and who to do it?
Looks like they both lied. I haven’t been following it, do you have a sense of why they would have lied about that instead of just being upfront about it?
No idea. The meeting was in December. Unless Hirschfeld had reasons for not letting her bosses know she was talking to Curran in a pre-arranged meeting?
Ardern said today that the minister was “splitting hairs” in deciding initially to exclude the meeting under questioning from the National Party.
Curran had initially omitted the meeting with Hirschfeld from a list of meetings when she was asked about it in a Parliamentary written question in December.
She later corrected her answer to the written question to include the meeting with Hirschfeld.
Curran was defending excluding the meeting in her answer to a Parliamentary written question as recently as February 20 during Question Time in the House.
“If they did have breakfast together, as the Minister’s office has confirmed, and discussed a range of issues about the future of media in New Zealand, why did she not include this extremely relevant meeting in her answer to written question?” National’s broadcasting spokeswoman Melissa Lee asked Curran during Question Time.
Curran eventually responded: “Because I didn’t perceive it as an official meeting.”
Is this partly the result of one of national’s broad fishing questions to minsiters late last year?
Also, NZ Herald is very quick to make this headline news today.
Nothing yesterday from them when the Kim Dotcom decisions was published… and still nothing obvious on the top of their website.
12. MELISSA LEE (National) to the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media: Does she stand by all of her answers to oral and written questions?
Hon CLARE CURRAN (Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media): Yes, in the context that they were given.
Melissa Lee: Does she stand by her answer to written question No. 19129 (2017) in regard to meeting with board members or staff of TVNZ or RNZ since 1 December?
Hon CLARE CURRAN: Yes.
Melissa Lee: How can she stand by that answer when she failed to mention her breakfast meeting with RNZ head of content Carol Hirschfeld on 2 December?
Hon CLARE CURRAN: I have a range of discussions, informal or otherwise, with many people in a range of portfolio areas.
Melissa Lee: If they did have breakfast together, as the Minister’s office has confirmed, and discussed a range of issues about the future of media in New Zealand, why did she not include this extremely relevant meeting in her answer to written question No. 19129 (2017)?
Hon CLARE CURRAN: Unlike the previous Government, this Government consults broadly—[Interruption]
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I think there’s probably quite a lot of interest in this answer. I’m interested in it. I would like to be able to hear it, and there are a number of members, especially on the cross benches, who are interfering with that. Clare Curran—start again, please.
Hon CLARE CURRAN: Unlike the previous Government, this Government consults broadly with a range of stakeholders on a range of matters to ensure that we are out there engaging on the issues and on the policies that we’re proposing—
Melissa Lee: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. .
Mr SPEAKER: No, no—can the member resume her seat. I think I know what the member was going to say, but I’d like to give the Minister a chance to actually address the question before she finishes.
Hon CLARE CURRAN: Unlike the previous Government, this Government’s members engage widely with stakeholders on a broad range of issues on policy matters and to ensure that we’re getting them right. [Interruption]
Mr SPEAKER: No. I don’t think the member needs a point of order. I’m going to ask the member to repeat that question.
Melissa Lee: Thank you, Mr Speaker. If she did have breakfast together, as the Minister’s office has confirmed, and has discussed a range of issues about the future of New Zealand media, why did she not include this extremely relevant meeting in her answer to written question No. 19129?
Mr SPEAKER: And the Minister will answer that, but because of Nathan Guy’s interjections, a supplementary will be taken from the National Party.
Hon CLARE CURRAN: Because I didn’t perceive it as an official meeting. [Interruption]
Mr SPEAKER: No. That’s the end of the supplementaries.
I imagine one of the things ‘casually’ discussed could have been the manner in which the gNats stacked the PS with board members and CEOs who were complete lackies
/speculate speculate
I’m assuming at this stage it was because of the political backlash from Hirschfeld’s superiors had she told the truth. Therefore the meeting/private conversation had to remain confidential. Had the boot been on the other foot and Hirschfeld had spoken to a new National Broadcasting minister, then nothing would have happened.
This state of affairs has been prevalent among some in the Public Service hierarchy for many decades. I can confirm it from personal experience. And I can also confirm the fallout was venomous and went beyond the work-place.
Beneath Mr Griffin’s guileless exterior is a sharp intellect that enabled him to become the voice of politics for 14 years and subsequently to wheel and deal behind the scenes – first as press secretary to Mr Bolger, then as TVNZ’s lobbyist and finally as a public relations consultant in partnership with former TVNZ chief executive Ian Fraser and former National Party president Sue Wood.
…
The latest chapter of that life is overseeing the fortunes of his financially stricken former employer Radio NZ. Mr Griffin was appointed to the board by Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman last year and made chairman six weeks ago. His elevation has raised hackles in some quarters, with one newspaper, The Sunday Star-Times, speculating that the first order of business for one of the National Party’s “greatest mates” could be to prepare Radio NZ for sale “because there’s no good argument for government to own radio stations”.
Looks like Griffin was “tipped off”. Assuming it came from someone in the Minister’s office and the Nats heard from the same source (we don’t know for sure yet), then its looking more and more like a political stunt.
Having said that though, if it was Clare Curran who sought the meeting then she must be reprimanded at the least for attempting to hold a confidential meeting with someone in Hirschfeld’s position… perhaps even lose her portfolio.
Another blindly dogmatical line of questioning by Anne. Labour ministers do things wrong too. But that’s ok coz National would have done worse in your opinion.
Hirschfeld has been fired for not observing public sector neutrality, lying about it and then getting caught. Curran has to be next in the current climate
Sorry, Anne you do not have a private meeting/conversation in the Astoria in Wellington! It is the last place you do that. It is always teeming with public servants, pollies, press etc.
I don’t disagree veutoviper. Clare Curran has a reputation for doing and/or saying stupid things. In fact it has been in the back of my mind that if anyone was going to embarrass the Ardern govt. it was likely to be Curran.
Doesn’t stop it from being a Nat inspired political stunt.
I agree, Anne. Curran is the weakest link in my opinion. I was hoping when she called her press conference an hour ago that she would step down. Sadly not.
But the Astoria is where you go to be seen, not the opposite. Its for the “want to be’s”.
How is this a national inspired political stunt? It’s a minister and a senior executive meeting without the knowledge and sanction of the board. Then lo and behold rnz get $38 million?
Why am I not surprised it was Astoria!
I mean….if they were actually conscious of blue dragons and snr public servants and various thugs still grieving over a gNat loss, at least they could have considered a ‘safe’ environment of Mal and Scott’s in upper Cuba, or perhaps a quick jaunt over the Takas to a litle twee breakfast provider in Martinborough.
I’m feeling increasingly depressed at some of the naivety I continue to see.
But then Jacinda is the same age as my son and some his thought patterns continue to worry me
I agree. It’s probably where a couple of Snr Management PS’s committed to complacency, and spin and preserving their own coziness tested out the blu and white pin strip shirts in order to determine just how sharp they looked.
I was in the area earlier and it struck me by some of the body language, their lack of spatial awareness, basically how they reacted to their immediate environment JUST HOW FUCKING out of touch with the real, and in tune with the virtual some of them were.
Well it should be chief executives who talk to their ministers, or at the very least when their subordinates do it is with their knowledge of what is discussed and what decisions are made. Especially with state broadcasting when editorial independence is so important. The fact Hirschfeld misled her boss about this suggests she knows this.
It was Carol’s job to tell her boss about the meeting, not Currans that is the impression I am getting. If Curran has done anything wrong no doubt we will hear about it soon enough.
By no means – it’s a long arduous task stripping the useless far-right political hacks out of public positions – but it’s important. They won’t all resign as they should like most of Coleman’s health rorters.
Perhaps you could name an example? And then explain how that has any relevance at all to Curran’s incompetence and Arderns increasingly obvious leadership weaknesses?
” to Curran’s incompetence and Arderns increasingly obvious leadership weaknesses”
These are delusions. Leadership is not about yapping in parliament like an abandoned bichon frise – which is why the Gnats cannot get any traction.
You have to wait for an actual screw up to score a hit, and the more often you overegg distinctly minor puddings the less credibility your claims retain.
The Gnats have been a screaming disaster for most New Zealanders – anything that Labour does that distinguishes them from that wretched interregnum is pretty much a step in the right direction.
Ok – so you’re the kind of buffoon who was impressed by Key’s “get some guts” rant. And you miss it.
There’s no point being tough on Curran – the questioning has little or no relation to the public interest.
Histrionics are not particularly indicative of good governance. They’re not even indicative of competent opposition. Your idiots aren’t in charge anymore.
“I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill and think things over” Hal, 2001.
“There’s no point being tough on Curran – the questioning has little or no relation to the public interest. ”
Spoken like a true lefty. Ethics only matter when you’re caught. Those sentiments go down well when paralleled with the Labour Youth sexual abuse accusations.
In the sexual abuse case, I can only quote one of my political favourites “Asked what she would have done if she had not been told, the former prime minister said: “If you get out the book and ask ‘what would Helen have done?’ … draw your own conclusions.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12021261
Must be the Gnat motto. Much you lot know about ethics – the party that put Carter in so that no ministerial questions were answered for nine years.
Frankly, Griffin has been so useless his underlings playing away is a given. Why all the fuss? Did you think the coalition was going to let him keep on screwing up till he died of old age? Poor baby!
He’s got a couple of months to run and that’s it.
But give it heaps, you shed votes by the truckload whenever you go full retard.
They had a cuppa and some bikkies – if that isn’t a storm in a teacup, what is?
“Must be the Gnat motto.”
It’s certainly Labour’s motto under Ardern.
“… the party that put Carter in so that no ministerial questions were answered for nine years.”
I am not National, but then watching Mallard run interference for so many inept Labour Ministers, perhaps you have the wrong party and Speaker?
“Why all the fuss? Did you think the coalition was going to let him keep on screwing up till he died of old age?”
This is not about Griffin, it is about the perception (now the reality) that Red radio favours Labour.
“They had a cuppa and some bikkies – if that isn’t a storm in a teacup, what is?”
Then why lie about it?
Ah yes, you belong to some other disingenuous far-right hate group. Of course. No-one would ever want to admit supporting National.
“perhaps you have the wrong party and Speaker?”
Nope – Carter is the kind of scum who in less permissive times would face a severe accounting for his crimes.
“This is not about Griffin,”
Yes it is – Griffin’s not going quietly into that good night, but raging, raging, against the dying of the totally undeserved sinecure.
Then why lie about it?
You’d have to ask Curran – panic attack by the looks. Storm in a teacup though – she need only announce Griffin is not renewed and Labour seeks a suitable replacement. You can beat it up as much as you like, there’s nothing of substance there.
“Ah yes, you belong to some other disingenuous far-right hate group.”
No, I’m a centre right voter. I tend to vote National anyway!
“Nope – Carter is the kind of scum who in less permissive times would face a severe accounting for his crimes.”
Watch Q2 in Parliament yesterday. Mallard was disgraceful, and he is quickly matching Labour for incompetence.
“Yes it is…”
No, it really isn’t. This is about CH lying and Curran being, well, useless.
There’s nothing centrist about National, and sod all right about them either – they are the rotting carcass of the party my family used to vote for – they’re simply not up to snuff. Crooks make for shit government. Always.
“There’s nothing centrist about National…”
Are you delusional? The first party to increase benefits in 40 years. A party who raised the minimum wage every year. A party who borrowed heavily to fund massive welfare expenditure. National are pushing on the left hand door of centre.
Curran pretty much lied about the meeting. I can understand Curran wanting to go around the RNZ Chairman, a Nat party appointment. But to meet with hirschfeld behind Griffin’s back, then to lie about it in the House was a bad move.
And just incompetent. Apparently this off-book meeting was at a cafe frequented by Wellington public service employees…. many of whom have been in the Nat government pocket.
just
*head desk* Not a smart move. The minister for a very important policy needs to be smarter than that.
Is that what all the fuss is about? That Curran was meeting with the then next head of RNZ behind the current head and Nat appointment’s back?
No wonder the rabid right is pissed off. Looks like a massive hit job on Hirschfeld. The Nats can’t fight the inevitable though, and that is the next head of RNZ will be a Labour-led government appointment.
No one cares, Curran ( who seems to give great leadership value with Dunedin ) had a coffee meeting that wasn’t on the books.
Look at it this way, it was actually saving the org. money from being billed for the coffee and fudge cake or whatever that could have come down the pipe if was an official chin wag!!
The actual deep issue is that there is no ‘neutral’ media, it is all coming from somewhere with a point of view, & as is the case in current structures often very lobby driven, and the mis-leading counter productive and wasteful nature of media, which is endemic in modern society, comes from pretending that is not so.
Essentially the govt parties of the day should have it’s own produced content on across the telly channels one night of the week, and the opposition parties another night, with a lesser overall time since they are doing less than the govt.
So the govt. gets say a 2 hour slot and the opposition an one hour slot, which they produce themselves, with all relevant parties having creative control over how and what they present.
Without having thought about ratios, something like National 55 mins and Act 5 * say Tuesday.
Labour gets 70 mins, NZ1st 30 mins and Greens 20 mins the following night.
Meh – they haven’t had time to make more than a damp patch themselves yet – in the squalid Okefenokee created by gross National corruption, laziness, and incompetence.
“Wellington public service employees…. many of whom have been in the Nat government pocket.”
But I promise you not all Carolyn, There are still some public servants with integrity who act in the jobs as neutral public servants although at times it is hard.
Being neutral means not having meetings with the Minister without the knowledge of the CEO (as opposed to the Board).
The Minister likewise has to advise either the CEO or the Board Chair of meetings with people within an organisation.
These rules are not actually hard to comply with. It is just plain commonsense and a curtesy to do so.
If you a “review” you do that independently, you don’t go through an employee of the organisation who is accountable to a CEO.
There are @Vv. There are. Problem is their overlords.
You know, i’m told there are decent folk in INZ, AND worksafe, and the Labour Inspectorate among other agencies.
I’ve met some of them. It doesn’t/ hasn’t changed many of the outcomes much.
And if (say) Curran was trying to shoulder tap CH for a position in a new improved environment, or tryng to get an understanding of the existing environment RNZ staff are labouring under, she needs to learn a few tricks from the previous government. Perhaps Setevie Choice is now available to buy advice from.
Ok, this looks like the timeline on this whole issue.
On Tuesday, 5 Dec 2017, Carol Hershfelt and Clare Curran met for breakfast in a Wellington café frequented by many other pollies, parliamentary press people, public servants etc. This is by no means strange or unusual. Around downtown Wellington you often see MPs meeting publicly with MPs from different parties, public servants, business people, press people etc at all sorts of venues and times.
On Thursday, 7 Dec 2027, Clare Curran also met with the Board of RNZ.
On 7 December 2017, Melissa Lee filed a Written Question 191129 (2017) to Curran:
19129 (2017). Melissa Lee to the Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media (Minister – Clare Curran) (07 Dec 2017): Has the minister met with Board members or staff of TVNZ or RNZ since 1 December 2017 and, if so; what were the dates of those meetings and the names of those attending from either TVNZ or RNZ as applicable?
Hon Clare Curran (Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media (Minister – Clare Curran)) replied: Corrected reply: I had an informal breakfast with Carol Hirschfeld from RNZ on 5 December 2017 and I met with the Board of RNZ on 7 December 2017. The following staff members also attended the meeting with the Board: Paul Thompson – Chief Executive, Carol Hirschfeld – Head of News, Glen Scanlon – Head of Digital, Alma Hong – Chief Technology & Operations Officer, Alan Withrington – Head of Business Transformation & Strategy, Heather Abbot – Executive Assistant. (Cannot find when the original answer was filed or the corrected one.)
On Friday, 8 December 2017, Lee followed up this single question with 24 further written questions to Curran about various subjects directly relating to RNZ and/or seemingly unrelated but most of these latter questions started with “As of 7 December 2017, …?” (In total Lee asked something of the order of 71 Written Questions of Curran in Dec 2017.)
In December 2017, Melissa Lee also asked two Oral Questions of Curran but neither related directly to RNZ. On 14 Dec, Q11 was a general question re broadcasting priorities etc; and on 20 Dec, Q12 was about the difference between the Government Chief Technology Officer, the Government Chief Information Officer, and the new Chief Technology Officer role that Curran had created.
On 20 February 2018, however, Lee first raised in the House Curran’s meeting with Hirschfeld on 5 December in Oral Question 12; and she then followed up on this on 21 February in Q12 and in the General Debate. Hipkins answered Q12 on behalf of Curran on 21 Feb.
Since then, Lee has raised three further Oral Questions of Curran in question time but none have related to the Herschfeld/Curran breakfast: Q9 on 27 Feb, Q7 on 1 March and Q12 on 22 March. I haven’t checked Lee’s Written questions to Curran in 2018 – big job!
Going back, to the Written Questions filed by Lee on 7 and 8 December, like lawyers, MPs rarely ask loaded questions without knowing what the answer should be; or they ask fishing questions because they have some knowledge/suspicion and want more.
Looking at these written questions and the subjects raised and their timing, IMO Lee heard about the Curran/Herschfeld meeting almost immediately (unsurprising considering the venue) and also about the Board meeting – and may have also been briefed by someone as to some of the subjects discussed at one or both of those meetings.
The fact that Curran considered her meeting with Herschfeld an informal one and did not register it as a formal meeting, IMO is not unusual. But how Curran handles questions in the House leaves a lot to be desired, and this rather than anything underhand may be to blame for the situation she now finds herself in. I am not making any judgement re Herschfeld and her relationship/transparency with her CEO and Board, but I am sad as she is a very talented person and will be a loss to RNZ.
Radio New Zealand is having various internal ‘issues’and is like many state underfunded entities. RNZ also has right wing senior management and Carol probably had a different view, which she was seeking a ‘work around’ and chatting to Minister Curran. I have little faith that the Minister is up to the task of fixing our rubbish TVNZ and Public Broadcasting in general. A sad loss. Major pruning required in our Public Media.
“RNZ also has right wing senior management and Carol probably had a different view.”
This is probably closest to the truth re the resignation. Having been placed there by the last government the RW bosses at RNZ refused to support her. So she left.
Ever wonder how the Nats learned about the meeting?
Radio New Zealand’s chairman Richard Griffin says he uncovered the discrepancies about Carol Hirschfeld’s account of a secret meeting with Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran after a tipoff.
Griffin says a personal source contacted him late last week to tell him that the meeting between Hirschfeld, Radio NZ’s head of content, and Curran was not coincidental and was in fact scheduled in the minister’s diary.
One minute (Richard Griffin) is a journalist; the next he’s prime minister Jim Bolger’s press secretary…then a TVNZ’s lobbyist and finally a public relations consultant in partnership with former TVNZ chief executive Ian Fraser and former National Party president Sue Wood.
His elevation has raised hackles in some quarters, with one newspaper, The Sunday Star-Times, speculating that the first order of business for one of the National Party’s “greatest mates” could be to prepare Radio NZ for sale “because there’s no good argument for government to own radio stations”.
Dickie must think all his Christases had come at once!
A reason to assist in getting rid of CH.
The hypocracy and arrogance of the gNats never ceases to amaze me. But seriously!!! Labour need some learnings if we’re not to belive they aren’t complete masochists.
I’m not suggesting they need to lose all principle and go the dirty politics way….but they DO need to challenge the word of their ‘public service officials’ (read stacked Natzi Party CEOs and boards and Snr Management) a fucking sight harder.
Yes people….they might come across as nice blokes and blokesses, and yes H1 and H2 did it too in the name of pragmatism, but the uphill.shit.push you face is not only your VERY worst enemy, but’ll prevent you from doing anythung that could mildly be seen as progressive.
But then ya know, maybe a progressive agenda is not really what you’re about
I tend to agree with you Mathew!
I always thought RNZ+ might be a good start, but not very ambitious. Same with CBB (I forget their rebranding’)
But then I come from the perspective that public money is for public good…in this case public service media. And there is no reason a population of 4.5 mill can’t have a Natrad, a concertFM, AND an ONAIR 103FM The Wireless ( for people who grew up in the digital/convergant/divergant age.
Nor is there a reason a TV1 (TVNZ7), TVNZ2 drama/music/NZ cultural identity AND KidzoneTv can’t be accommodated.
And I say that bcos currently we have an RNZ, a TVNZ, A NuZull on Ear and a commercial Kordia. All complete with their highly-paid CEOs and boards and bureacracies and crony appointments.
I know the ideologically inclined can’t get past the fact that there is no reason TVNZ or Kordia ( if it still is….it’d not surprise me if gNats managed to flog it off) HAVE to remain SOEs delivering a commercial return.
There is also no reason why (other that neolib thinking and ideology) cannot use income from publicly owned commercial enterprise to offset the costs in providing services in the interests of the public good
Philg
Which you are not allowed to do with non-notified meetings with employees of the organisation. The normal approach is to get external trusted advice. There are heaps of “friendly” senior media people who could do that. You then act on that.
Just a question @Wayne.
As you know, sovereign governments have the ability to change legislation and rules. They have even been known to flout law in the knowledge THEIR citizens (Tex Payas if u prefer) will pick up the tab.
Is your thinking and ideology so constrained – and not just you….still some in the Labour Party…..possibly even our new PM, that you fail to remember that.?
I mean I’m not sure your ilk has managed to dispose of the kitchen sink yet, or our ability to legislate.
It’s only blind failed ideology and timidity that appears to be getting in the way
Wayne, this is not a ‘normal’ situation. There is clearly a change of direction in Broadcasting Policy and direction. How would one change a culture from below? CC possibly thought the current leadership was tainted. and sought, off the record opinion. CC didn’t go about it the right way. She was naive and CH miscalculated. A mistake that was exploited by u no who.
The world ultimately will have a single currency, the internet will have a single currency. I personally believe that it will be bitcoin…[this will play out] probably over ten years, but it could go faster
So the author of the article ran a few calculations:
So what would the monetary system world look like if Mr Dorsey, per chance, turned out to be correct…
The year is 2028: Niall Ferguson is World President, ruling the smog-darkened skies of mother earth with a waifish fist.
Bitcoin is the global currency following the Hodling Uprising of ’21, funded by a shadowy triumvirate: Satoshi, revealed to be Alan Sugar, and the Winkleveii.
With Ferguson as their puppet, the three control 5 per cent of the world’s money.
Using that power, they have directed much of the world’s resources towards one end: bitcoin mining.
Floating nuclear power-plants bob over sunken lower-Manhattan, gargantuan hydro-electric dams feed off dissolving ice caps and sub-Saharan Africa is decked in solar-paneled splendour.
The incessant hum of graphic processors has become the soundtrack to life on earth, as fresh bitcoin is mined and recycled in an endless loop.
Reality defies the delusions of the rich yet again.
PS. You will need a log in to read that opinion piece.
Herald going hard on Curran with multiple breaking news banners and even a live feed!
Remember the Herald now competes for funding from NZ on Air (or its replacement), and will be a direct competitor for visual content delivery with RNZ+ when it goes ahead…
And how many hours are they guaranteeing because happen to know that Sky City as well as paying historically appalling rates and importing in 600 chefs from overseas to cover it – they also have the equivalent of zero hour contracts for many of staff with 40 hours not guaranteed.
So good to see $20 p/h minimum but how many hours are actually guaranteed – 40 and enough to live on?
Hi SaveNZ, SKYCITY abolished so-called ‘zero hours’ contracts two years ago. We only ever had a handful of people on them – around 30 out of a staff of 6000, and they were in our Conventions on-call team. Everyone is now on either full time or part-time contracts depending on their own requirements as well as those of the business.
I’m not too sure where you got the idea we imported 600 chefs. We don’t even have 600 chefs. We do from time to time apply to Immigration NZ for special category visas for positions that are hard to fill in NZ, but more because of a specialist culinary skill than anything to do with wages. While wages in the hospitality industry are not high, SKYCITY doesn’t pay minimum wage and tries to be above-market in our wage settlements. We also train our own chefs – you might not know we have the largest apprentice chef programme in New Zealand outside of the military.
As to whether $20 an hour is enough, that’s an ongoing discussion, and we certainly don’t claim this to be the end of the journey towards sustainable wages. But it is a pretty decent first step, and one that it would be good to see other corporates taking before government mandates it on them.
Regards
Colin Espiner
GM Communications
SKYCITY Entertainment Group
Today is day 2 of the Green Party giving their allocated oral questions to the National Party/Opposition – as it is day 31 of the oral question roster.
Last week their only question allocated on 21 March at Q10 was taken by Dr Nick Smith and ended up being quite a hot section of question time, with Smith coming back later to make a Personal Explanation. https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=198885
The Green Party were allocated the Q12 slot today – and this is again taken up with a question from Dr Nick Smith. I know it is just day 2 but why Smith again?
Oh, I see. It is about the waka jumping Bill.
12. Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Minister of Justice: Does he agree with the statement by Rt Hon Winston Peters on electoral law regarding MPs joining other parties, when he stated, “Members of Parliament have to be free to follow their conscience. They were elected to represent their constituents, not swear an oath of blind allegiance to a political party. If an MP feels that membership in another elected party better serves his or her constituents then that can be put to the test at election time”?
Newshub Wow Mike is that Hirschfeld resigning what a well I won’t say but some will be happy .
It is not on that the police in America shot that poor Brown boy 20 times come on that’s the mentality of the police being untouchable . Minority cultures are getting treated like dirt in this country to we will end up like America if those old white men in charge of our civil service aren’t forced to retire and retire there bigot racist chauvinistic views with them they have a 80% majority in New Zealand management . Ka kite ano
The old saying treat people like you would like to be treated rings true to
ECO MAORI because eventually bad karma will bite one on the ass .Ana to kai
Ka kite ano P.S sorry for being in the middle of your thread I will stay in the old open mike from now on
And misogynist also applies in relation to his attitude towards women, especially those that challenge him. All nice on the surface, but it surfaces well and truly in such instances.
If I were a cupid matchmaker, i’d pick Dickie as the perfect partner for Chris Finlayson
They could busy themselves in their dotage looking out over Cook Strait, making each other cups of English Breakfast, monitoring each other’s bef sores, and pondering how they might go about privatising that Moa Point Sewage facility.
No doubt the young Ralston and his bitch the Fran would visit from time to time to check on their welfare. (Wouldn’t want a minimum wage Philipino Age care worker to have to turn either after all)
And if things turn to shit…well no doubt Aunty Ruth (as in Ruth Richardson Limited) would be on hand to advise
Help yourself to anything you like or agree with and feel free to add anything else you feel strongly about 🙂
27 March 2018
‘Submission’ on the 10-year budget and Auckland Plan 2050.
First name: Penny
Last name: Bright
Postal address: 86A School Rd, Kingsland Auckland 1021
* I believe there is not enough time or detailed financial information provided in the “Consultation Document” for the 10-year budget and Auckland Plan 2050.
Exactly how much public money is being spent – on what?
Exactly how much money is being borrowed, from whom exactly and for what exactly?
Exactly how much public money is being exposed to derivatives trading across Auckland Council and Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs)?
* I do not accept that all this ‘growth’ has to come to Auckland.
There should be a national population growth, migration and regional employment strategy, in order to stop overloading our transport, water services, housing and related infrastructure.
* This Auckland (forced) ‘Supercity’ amalgamation may have been successful for corporates, property developers, investors, bankers, land-bankers, but it has been a disaster for local communities, residents and local small businesses.
* There is now very little ‘local’ about Auckland local government.
* The Auckland region is now being run ‘like a business – by business- for business’, and the mechanism for this effective corporate takeover, has been the replacement of 8 former democratically-elected Councils, with 1 ‘Supercity’ Council, and first 7, now 6 unelected, (CORPORATE) ‘Council’ Controlled Organisations (CCOs).
* CCOs need to be abolished and key Auckland infrastructure and trading functions brought back ‘in-house’ under the direct control of Auckland Council.
* Water, wastewater and stormwater need to be integrated and brought back under direct Council control.
* Auckland CCO Auckland Transport (AT) is particularly ‘out of control’, destroying local communities and causing significant congestion, by pushing urban cycleways on main arterial roads and suburban shopping centres, to help drive intensification.
How? By removing parking (for cycleways) to help kill off local small businesses ‘no parking – no stopping – no shopping’.
Who will benefit when these small businesses wither and die?
Property developers and corporate shopping malls.
* I do NOT support a ‘Regional Fuel Tax’.
There is no such thing as ‘PUBLIC’ transport in Auckland.
Bus, ferry and train services are privately owned / operated / managed.
* Make Auckland transport PUBLIC again – PUBLICLY owned, operated and managed.
* Stop the proposed spending of another $635 million on another 150kms of Auckland cycleways, in order to increase the number of cycling commuters from 1-4%.
The 99% of commuters who are not cyclists are entitled, as directly-affected residents, businesses, customers and local communities to proper, lawful consultation.
* I am opposed to ANY further rates increases when Aucklanders do not know exactly where public monies are being spent on private sector consultants and contractors, and the NZ Public Records Act 2005 is not being lawfully implemented and enforced:
(1)Every public office and local authority must create and maintain full and accurate records of its affairs, in accordance with normal, prudent business practice, including the records of any matter that is contracted out to an independent contractor.
* Provide the following details of awarded contracts on the websites of Auckland Council and Auckland CCOs:
The unique contract number; name of consultant/contractor; brief description of scope of contract; contract start/finish dates; exact dollar value of every contract, including those sub-contracted; how contract was awarded, by direct appointment or public appointment or public tender.
* Auckland Council and CCOs cannot check for ‘value for money’ or ‘cost-effectiveness’ if you don’t know exactly where the costs fall.
* Auckland Council and CCOs cannot provide genuine transparency or accountability without full and accurate records available for public scrutiny.
Wherever possible, public services should be brought back ‘in house’, as international research has proven that the contracting-out of public services can be twice as expensive:
“POGO’s study analyzed the total compensation paid to federal and private sector employees, and annual billing rates for contractor employees across 35 occupational classifications covering over 550 service activities.
Our findings were shocking—POGO estimates the government pays billions more annually in taxpayer dollars to hire contractors than it would to hire federal employees to perform comparable services.
Specifically, POGO’s study shows that the federal government approves service contract billing rates—deemed fair and reasonable—that pay contractors 1.83 times more than the government pays federal employees in total compensation, and more than 2 times the total compensation paid in the private sector for comparable services.”
Good morning The AM Show Duncan off to the boxing a good on you .
There is know way I’m getting in a self driving car that could be hacked and take you to your end.
As for trumps approval rating he is cheating and getting the data changed just like he has the words Global Warming Climate change suppressed in the western Papatuanuku World Media that’s reality his stats are going in the opposite direction to what the punters are saying .What about the controversy over Stormy Daniels ????????????. Ka kite ano
The sandflies were doing what they do best today at a sports event spinning——-about me and what happened .There was a incident with the sandflies in Tauranga today I was not involved just the sandflies Ana to kai
That sense able sentenceing trust is another old man who should retire his archaic old views it is plane logic that there are more problems in a house with no money than the neighbours who have heaps of money for one the poor family has to work 60 hours just to keep afloat who’s looking after the mokos while they are slaving away. How does the SS TRUST Get air time well the exclusive brethren funds them this trust is just a extention of the exclusive brethren garth mc vicar is a idiot puppet. Ana to kai
Newshub The Russia thing shows me the world media spin things out of context to suite there objective that is to discredit New Zealand on OUR stand on the Russia incident.
The privacy commissioner is full of —– what about the 3 times I used the privacy ACT and 3 times I got nothing why target Facebook I say that someone is trying to use Facebook as a scapegoat for the cambridge analytical scandal they are to scared to drag the other culprits into the Arena they are to powerful this is pick on the smallest. O that’s right a poor brown person has no rights in the west. Ana to kai ka kite ano
NewsHub its raining in Rotorua at the moment. I have a great like of Birds now just learnt the real value of OUR bird’s That wedding was hard case ka kite ano P.S I m watching The Crowd Goes Wild now on TV 4
The Crowd Goes Wild James McOnie when Mulls started back at The Rock for the first couple of days I thought he was you LOL my son in law corrected my mistake apologize to Mulls for me James . We have a good line up of sports this weekend yeea Kia Kaha
ka kite ano P.S did you feel the thunder
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School is outAnd I walk the empty hallwaysI walk aloneAlone as alwaysThere's so many lucky penniesLying on the floorBut where the hell are all the lucky peopleI can't see them any moreYesterday morning, I’d just sent out my newsletter on Tama Potaka, and I was struggling to make the coffee. ...
Hi,I wanted to check in and ask how you’re doing.This is perhaps a selfish act, of attempting to find others feeling a similar way to me — that is to say, a little hopeless at the moment.Misery loves company, that sort of deal.Some context.I wish I could say I got ...
I have hitherto been fairly quiet on the new season of Rings of Power, on the basis that the underwhelming first season did not exactly build excitement – and the rumours were fairly daft. The only real thing of substance to come out has been that they have re-cast Adar ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
“The thing is,” Chris Luxon says, leaning forward to make his point, “this has always been my thing.”“This goes all the way back to the first multinational I worked for. I was saying exactly the same thing back then. The name of our business needs to be more clear; people ...
Buzz from the Beehive It’s been a momentous few days for Children’s Minister Karen Chhour. The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision which blocked a summons order from the Waitangi Tribunal for her. And today she has announced the Government is putting children first by introducing to ...
In 2014 former Australian army lawyer David McBride leaked classified military documents about Australian war crimes to the ABC. Dubbed "The Afghan Files", the documents led to an explosive report on Australian war crimes, the disbanding of an entire SAS unit, and multiple ongoing prosecutions. The journalist who wrote the ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – According to the respected Pew Research Centre, “In seven of eight [European] countries surveyed, the most trusted news outlet asked about is the public news organization in each country”. For example, “in Sweden, an overwhelming majority (90%) say they trust the public broadcaster SVT”. ...
David Farrar writes – Kata MacNamara reports: Details of Tony Blakely’s involvement in the New Zealand Government’s response to the pandemic raise serious questions about the work of the Covid-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry over which he presides. It has long been clear that Blakely, a ...
Chris Trotter writes – Are you a Brahmin or a Merchant? Or, are you merely one of those whose lives are profoundly influenced by the decisions of Brahmins and Merchants? Those are the questions that are currently shaping the politics of New Zealand and the entire West. ...
RNZ reports – It’s supposed to be a haven of healing and spiritual awakening but residents of the Kawai Purapura community say they’ve been hurt and deceived. It’s the successor to the former Centrepoint commune, and has been on the bush block opposite Albany shopping centre since 2008. It ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. Usually we have a video chat to go with this wrap, but were unable to do one this week. We’ll be back next week.Several reports ...
The Transport Minister has set a hard 'fiscal envelope' of $6.54 billion for transport capital spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy is settling into a state of suspended animation as the Government’s funding freezes and job cuts chill confidence and combine with stubbornly high interest rates to ...
To be precise, the term “anti- Zionism” refers to (a) criticism of the political movement that created a modern Jewish state on the historical land of Israel, and to (b)the subjugation of Palestinians by the Israeli state. By contrast, the term “anti-Semitism” means bigotry and racism directed at Jewish people, ...
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...
Yesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...
And it's a pleasure that I have knownAnd it's a treasure that I have gainedAotearoa’s coalition government is fragile. It’s held together by the obsequious sycophancy of Christopher Luxon, who willingly contorts his party into the fringe positions of his junior coalition partners and is unwilling to contradict them. The ...
The Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...
Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
Buzz from the BeehiveTolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
David Farrar writes – Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
The Government’s introduction of legislation that would enable landlords to end tenancies with no reason marks a dark day for the 1.4 million people who rent their home in Aotearoa. ...
The Minister for Mental Health has found the Suicide Prevention Office and mental health support for 111 calls slipping through his fingers, says Labour spokesperson for Mental Health Ingrid Leary. ...
Today’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...
The Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...
“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...
The Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Te Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced that the Government will make it easier for lines firms to take action to remove vegetation from obstructing local powerlines. The change will ensure greater security of electricity supply in local communities, particularly during severe weather events. “Trees or parts of trees falling on ...
Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani were the top winners at this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy awards recognising the best in Māori dairy farming. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the winners and congratulated runners-up, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, at an awards celebration also attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister ...
"On the 27th of March, I sought assurances from the Chief Executive, Department of Internal Affairs, that the Department’s correct processes and policies had been followed in regards to a passport application which received media attention,” says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden. “I raised my concerns after being ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools. “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...
Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...
New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019. “It is my pleasure ...
New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says. “This ...
Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners. “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
Arawata Shane Arawata Shane had wandered long In the wild tangled hills of the West Coast. He came to a stop on the mighty range And looked down at the wide river flats. He breathed in the clean air, And he took in the shadows playing across The face of ...
SPECIAL REPORT:Islands Business in Suva Today is the 24th anniversary of renegade and failed businessman George Speight’s coup in 2000 Fiji. The elected coalition government headed by Mahendra Chaudhry, the first and only Indo-Fijian prime minister of Fiji, was held hostage at gunpoint for 56 days in the country’s ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist and Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific digital journalist Police have used tear gas and stun grenades on rioters at an airport near Nouméa as the chaos in New Caledonia stretched into its sixth day. Five people, including two police officers, have died and hundreds of ...
Asia Pacific ReportThe global human rights watchdog Amnesty International has called on France to not “misuse” a crackdown in the ongoing unrest in the non-self-governing French Pacific territory of Kanaky New Caledonia in the wake of a controversial vote by the French Parliament to adopt a bill changing the territory’s ...
A major provider of school lunches fears the government's new $3 limit for most students will see them eating more pre-packaged and processed food. ...
The star of Dark City: The Cleaner takes us through his life in TV, including the VHS revolution and the John Campbell impression that started it all. Best known for his comedic roles, Cohen Holloway says he struggled at times to maintain the stone cold facade of serial killer on ...
David Hill remembers an old friend, who you’ve probably never heard of. My friend Doug never travelled; he had little interest in the world beyond his own tiny rural town. I’ve rarely known anyone who radiated such contentment. Doug (I’ll call him that) died in March. You won’t know him. ...
Some of the earliest photos of life in Aotearoa are on display at Auckland Museum right now – but the identities of some of the people in them are a mystery.What was it like to be one of the first people in New Zealand to have their photo taken? ...
Since its founding almost a decade ago, Featherston Booktown has grown into one of the country’s most interesting and idiosyncratic literary events. Erin Banks reports from the audience. “Come in, have you had lunch? I’m about to make a cheese toastie.” Mary Biggs, operations manager of Featherston Booktown Karukatea Festival, ...
After 33 years abroad, Loveni Enari recently returned to Aotearoa and Samoa in what a friend joked was an “existential crisis”. He learnt and re-learnt so much about his family, friends and both countries. Almost as an afterthought, he got a Samoan tatau. This is his story. (Accompanying it are ...
Nearly 30 years ago, two people told me they’d killed a woman they knew. I thought the truth would come out, that others would tell it. In the end, I had to. The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Fact: in 1995, Angela Blackmoore ...
Editor Madeleine Chapman looks back at the week and shines a light on some increasingly rare longform journalism. Mōrena and welcome to The Weekend where there will sadly be no aurora to see. After a busy week last week of short, sharp pieces, this week we swung the other way, ...
ANALYSIS:By David Robie, editor of Asia Pacific Report Jean-Marie Tjibaou, a revered Kanak visionary, was inspirational to indigenous Pacific political activists across Oceania, just like Tongan anthropologist and writer Epeli Hao’ofa was to cultural advocates. Tragically, he was assassinated in 1989 by an opponent within the independence movement during ...
Forget thin is in, apparently now bigger is better … or is it? After over a decade of body positivity, girls, teens and women are even more confused about what body positivity actually is. The movement began with women confronting unrealistic expectations of how their bodies should look. But sub-strands ...
Grace always sat at the bar at the back of The Cambridge, where she could watch who came in. A huge mirror ran the length of the pub, so you could sometimes watch people without them knowing. The mirror made the place seem a lot bigger than it really was. ...
MONDAY Sheriff Mark Mitchell rose at dawn. He had a long day’s ride ahead of him. He was headed for Waikeria. Waikeria! Even the name itself stirred his blood, and set root in his imagination. There was nothing and no one in Waikeria. But he would bend it to his ...
The first phase of the inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones finished this week, turning up plenty of revelations and few answers. But through all the confusion, heartbreak and antipathy on display, the simple fact at the heart of this case remains: if little Lachie’s body had ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger Benjamin, Professor in Art History, University of Sydney “She’s no oil painting”. Those were the unkind words of a colleague commenting on the subject of Vincent Namatjira’s acrylic painting, Gina. Every one of the prominent Australians and cultural heroes in Namatjira’s ...
Government plans to require local councils hold a referendum on whether to have Māori wards breaches the Treaty of Waitangi, a Waitangi Tribunal report has found. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney This year the National Rugby League (NRL) opened its season in Las Vegas. It was an audacious move by the league’s ambitious head honcho Peter V’Landys to showcase the game in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate Professor, Music Industry, RMIT University Leading music organisations have praised the federal budget for its investment in the live music sector. The budget includes A$8.6 million for a program called Revive Live: to provide essential support to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marnee Shay, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, The University of Queensland The 2024 federal budget contains A$110 million for Indigenous education. This includes funding for various different organisations to represent and help Indigenous people as well as scholarships in a bid to ...
Air New Zealand has confirmed Nouméa’s Tontouta International airport in New Caledonia is closed until Tuesday. The airline earlier told RNZ it would update customers as soon as it could. Earlier today, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Morning Report government officials had been working on an “hourly basis” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Linley, PhD Candidate in Ecology, Charles Sturt University Grant Linley Australia’s unprecedented Black Summer bushfires in 2019–20 created ideal conditions for misinformation to spread, from the insidious to the absurd. It was within this context that a bizarre story ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marcel Scharth, Lecturer in Business Analytics, University of Sydney OpenAI executive Mira Murati launching GPT-4o.OpenAI Earlier this week OpenAI launched GPT-4o (“o” for “omni”), a new version of the artificial intelligence (AI) system powering the popular ChatGPT chatbot. GPT-4o is promoted ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treasure McGuire, Assistant Director of Pharmacy, Mater Health SEQ in conjoint appointment as Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Bond University and as Associate Professor (Clinical), The University of Queensland Speedkingz/Shutterstock Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a ...
A new poem by Hannah Patterson. Xiāng There’s a pear tree in our backyard And Xiāng tells me She can’t eat them anymore Not after some things that have happened in her life. She tells me, in Mandarin The word for pear sounds the same as the word for disassociation ...
‘Cycling Works’ aims to show business support for citywide cycle infrastructure. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, supermarket giant Foodstuffs lost its attempt to block the construction of a cycle lane outside Thorndon New World in Wellington. The Spinoff’s Wellington editor ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Slow Productivity by Cal Newport (Penguin, $40)Taking out the top spot in Auckland this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Lowe, Emeritus Professor, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University For decades, Australia has exported uranium – but not used it, other than in the Lucas Heights research reactor. But change is coming. We now face a rapidly deepening commitment to ...
"In future I should walk away," Green MP Julie Anne Genter says after complaints over an exchange in Parliament and from two members of the public. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Graffam, PhD Candidate in Theatre, Monash University Gianna Rizzo/Malthouse Music pumps; lights pulsate; two sweaty bodies sway together, touching, breathing in each other’s scent. A male body framed by downlight restlessly shifts between stances and gestures. He undresses. The intensity ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sandra van der Laan, Professor of Accounting, University of Sydney Mtaya/Shutterstock At some point, you or someone else will need to make a decision about your “send-off”. Most Australians die in an institution, such as a hospital or aged care facility. ...
Asia Pacific Report Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai — who is also Chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group — has reaffirmed MSG’s support of the pro-independence umbrella group Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) stance opposing the French government’s constitutional bill “unfreezing” the New Caledonia Electoral Roll. It is ...
Producer Susan Leonard remembers her father Ernie, a pioneer of Māori television, and how his legacy lives on in Pathfinders.My father was a fabulous man. His name was Ernie Leonard and he started in TV in the 1970s when it was still glamorous – when TVNZ made behind the ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk, and Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist The suspected ringleaders of the unrest in New Caledonia have been placed in home detention and the social network TikTok has been banned as French security forces struggle to restore law and order. The French ...
Multi-year appropriations - which give the government authority to spend money without reapplying annually - are loosening Parliament's control of the public purse, auditor-general says. ...
Dr. Eric Chuah who stood for a centrist NZ political party in the October 2023 NZ Elections for Maungakiekie Auckland will stand as a candidate for Tauranga City Council Ward of Matua-=Otumoetai and Mayor of Tauranga. ...
If you can’t get to the comedy fest, let us bring the comedy fest to you. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. The New Zealand International Comedy Festival is in full swing at the moment, with a veritable smorgasboard of comedy treats ...
A new poll commissioned by Unions Wellington shows an overwhelming majority of Wellingtonians oppose the Council’s plan to sell the 34% public stake in Wellington Airport. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aruna Sathanapally, Chief Executive, Grattan Institute, Grattan Institute A central focus of this week’s budget is the treasury’s forecast for inflation. By this time next year, inflation is projected to be back within the Reserve Bank’s 2-3% target range. Inflation has ...
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“I have received threats and have been informed by several sources that a number of law firms and a Government agency have blacklisted me,” she said.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/102581366/wellington-metoo-blogger-says-shes-been-blacklisted-by-a-government-agency
She doesn’t have to out the govt agency who did this. Somebody out there knows…
Disgraceful – hope the government agency in question is named/shamed and those responsible are dismissed.
As for the law firms it’s about what you’ve come to expect from those losers.
Read this morning news of Telsa crash within months.
How depressing. Really wanted them to succeed.
At least you can tell your Kiwisaver scheme hasn’t done due dilligence if they hold Telsa s.hares. Best to find out now and switch before major losses
This?
http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-on-verge-of-bankruptcy-hedge-funder-says-2018-3/?r=AU&IR=T
Why won’t regime favourites Eva Bartlett, or Vanessa Beeley visit Sednaya?
Eva Bartlett,
Vanessa Beeley,
Both Beeley and Bartlett, who call themselves “Independent journalists” know where Sednaya is, everyone does.
Sednaya is the regime’s extermination camp on the outskirts of Damascus.
Sednaya
“About the Sednaya Prison”
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I will confidently predict the Stormy Daniels affair will not hurt Donald Trump, but only because he is already so deeply unpopular and heartily loathed by practically every female demographic in America that in would be difficult to imagine what he could do to chip off the odd one or two women who still support him.
I was talking to a couple of conservative middle aged women on the weekend and the thing that earned their undying loathing was the fact his wife was giving birth at the time. No coming back from that, Donster.
What stuns me is the hypocrisy of the Republicans (the Evangelical wing especially).
If this were Obama they’d be baying for blood.
It might be a bridge too far for his mad fundamentalist Christian supporters (both men and women), and there are a few of those I believe.
Has anyone noticed the statements from the (insincere) commentariat made on media websites for over 10 years now (since Norman), about how past leaders of the Green Party (when the vote barely got over 5%) had credibility, but not today.
Which is an irony, as probably the most anti-Green editorial written (by the Herald back in 2005) was during the old leadership period. It represents of course, as it did in 2005, fear of a government taking Green issues seriously.
Whether the environment, energy, or a progressive society (feminism, bi-cultural nation, multi-cultural society) etc.
The over the top reaction to comments made by Genter (on the slowing rate of change in the make up of boards) demonstrate the capacity of the mob to claim challenge to established privilege (most wealth and power being held by older white males) is ageist, racist and sexist. The most extreme, unsurpisingly came from the co-apologist for power Hawkesby, suggesting challenge to continuing privilege is yesterdays feminism …
yup.
Fortunately, I think the greens and possible voters are used to it by now, so won’t fall into the hype.
Easy go, easy come. The Greens will be beck up to decent levels next election.
Having spent the weekend back in the provinces I was struck at mutual reinforcement between racism and crime that amplifies each other.
The biggest Pakeha fear in provincial NZ is to lose your job and drop into the “ferals” of the white trash and especially dispossessed and unemployed urbanised Maori. That fear translates to a shocking level of class (not colour) based racism where the the racism comes from the simple fact the poor are overwhelmingly brown. The objectification is appalling – “they” are the problem, “they” are all drug addicts “they” are all lazy.
Now, this is a provincial audience that is fed a constant diet of sensationalist crime stories by our clickbait MSM. The siege mentality is astonishing – everything is padlocked, alarmed and baseball bats and shillelaghs reside under every bed. Yet these people suffer no higher level of crime than Aucklanders.
The fear of crime and the hatred of the poor translates into paranoid assumptions – a Maori in a nice car is all the evidence needed for an immediate assumption of the driver being a LA style gangsta drug dealer. If you point out that a bit of money is now about in Iwi at least due to treaty settlements then the driver is ripping off the taxpayer to sit on their arse smoking drugs.
Fear of crime leads to every unusual activity being labelled as suspicious, which in turn labels every poor brown person being labelled a criminal.
It is all so sad and dispiriting.
Thus the paranoid reaction to such terms as bi-cultural nation.
It is why NZ First (with many Maori MP’s) promotes jobs in the regions and higher wages while being tough on crime and Maori “separatism” – to be of “common hard working values”.
There is a lot if truth in that Sanctuary – re the media rubbish and conservative mentality- but it’s not so bad everywhere. There is also a lot of good in that tight knit wall that you see from the outside, those communities are very strong and look after each other.
Flip side is suspicion of anyone/thing different.
When you say provinces do you mean suburbs sancy?
I see RNZ is blindly pushing ahead with the Russia hysteria narrative that is seemingly being pushed down our throats every single day without even a hint of fairness and balance in reporting….sadly, no surprises here though.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018637964/no-undeclared-russian-spies-here-jacinda-ardern
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018637968/russian-diplomats-expelled-from-18-countries
I am not saying Russia didn’t commit this crime, but I am saying I think fairness, balance and cool headed journalistic coverage is what is needed, and I sure as hell haven’t heard much of that in the MSM…or any from RNZ.
Agreed Adrian ,on the really transparent framing of the Skripal poisoning
But I must say I’m not surprised
Being a loyal member of 5 Eyes does not make for independent journalism or foreign policy
I’m pretty disappointed all the same, but I suspect our politicians are advised by those who get their information from the US Embassy /Reuters/AP
No divergent voices please, but its good all the same to see Chris Trotter kicking back in the weekends Press, and there were 3 good letters also questioning pre emptive guilt
And also , Adrian ,
having made such confrontational assertions of predetermined Russian guilt, any investigators will be well aware of the official stance, and will be rather wary, in terms of job security, of deviating from that.
It doesn’t augur well for a demonstrably impartial search for the truth
I hope I’m wrong about that, but the OPCW breached its own terms of chain of custody in the Khan Shaykhoun enquiry, and refused to inspect the Sharyat air base
despite Syrian invitations.
Did you see the reaction of the media to Obama? They have a serious cultural cringe. The MSM want NZ to be a player, get noticed in Moscow, stand resolutely with our allies rattling our rusty sabre and all that colonial stuff. They don’t want us minding our own business and quietly making money all Swiss like. That is far to grown up and boring for our needy media.
My favorite Obama moment…well not him exactly, but pretty funny, and the only time he was ever under the thumb in public that know of…
Jeez sancy, we should just take our nice holocaust gold and keep shtum?
No Russian spies in NZ… ok. But we DO have a Chinese one, and in Parliament! What are we doing about that???
No Russian spies in New Zealand…..
There’s a song in that.
Agree about the Chinese rooster, but get with the program, the Russians are coming.
Psycho Milt was banned eight days ago. At the time it was noted that “this moderation is under review”.
Is it rude to ask for a progress report please?
Ed was banned a few days ago, and made a cheeky appearance the other day. Can’t wait till he’s back to be honest. Bring back Ed.
What was he banned for?
Sorry, should’ve added a link. I don’t want to get into a discussion about the moderation, I just want to know whether anything’s been resolved.
Don’t worry I don’t want a dissuasion on moderation, I had a pretty good go at having a open and honest discussion on this whole bizarre banning thing a while back…I came away from that little chat quite depressed….seems a lot of people quite like a rigid and brutally enforced authority guiding them, I guess it makes them feel safe.
Oh well each to their own I say.
Hopefully CV gets to come back too
Those who have moderation rights also have lives so not everyone gets to the “backend” to join all convoes.
It is nearing resolution.
Thanks Tracey.
Yes. I would like to know too. PM is a valuable contributor to this site. Maybe he went too far on the occasion of the ban but 12 months was way, way too much.
Isn’t it wonderful how the current Government have solved all the bread and butter issues and now have the resources to produce the circuses?
Housing problems – solved
Children in Poverty – solved
Health expenditure – solved
Water pollution – solved.
Nurses pay – solved.
Infrastructure problems – solved.
We can, after a mere five months, forget about all those things and we can now throw hundreds of millions of dollars at the sport of billionaires. Roll on the America’s Cup.
I’m sure that all those people Labour talked about last year who were said to be living in cars will be pleased with their new warm housing they now inhabit. Or not.
I’m also sure they will be off to the waterfront to enjoy looking at the multimillion dollar yachts entertaining current and previous MPs.
Aunty Helen will be particularly pleased that her favourite toy boy Mr Dalton is receiving $40,000,000 to let us have the Cup races in Auckland.
The texting between them will no doubt be in overdrive.
Now will someone who is involved in this ridiculous affair please tell me what I should say to a friend who is still waiting for knee replacement surgery? This is despite being told in August last year that it would be done within six months Should I just tell her she should be proud to sacrifice for Phil Goff’s fantasies?
Tell her you’re still grieving that you lost the election, and apologise for exploiting her situation for your political bile.
Well, it is very easy to see where your priorities lie.
I guess you are a great fan of Oracle’s Ellison are you?
What will you say when we spend all that money on your dream at the waterfront and no-one, including your mate Larry turn up?
Meanwhile another lot of children get rheumatic fever because, as you want, the money was spent on your hobby. It clearly won’t bother you, will it?
Piss off numpty. Yachting is boring, just like your parasitic exploitation of other people’s misery.
My, my.
When you lose the debate just abuse the person who was putting forward rational opinions. I see why you are embarrassed having to support the current lot though.
You posited a false dichotomy, based on political bile. Then you attacked me as uncaring. Now you’re declaring yourself the winner.
What a winner you are 🙄
Yachting is boring?
I fucking love the Americas Cup. One’s mans boring is another mans dream I guess.
But don’t get me started on golf…..
😆
But curling- that’s the sport of kings in my opinion
What Labour should have done is come out with a statement (in the case of Middlemore) https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/353075/hospital-buildings-full-of-rot-and-mould , something along these lines…
…as the previous National Government has underfunded the NZ public health system to such a degree, we will (as a country) now have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to make again fit for purpose, so consequently the Government will no longer be able to fund the America’s Cup…if you have a problem with this, please do contact your local National Party representative….oh and here is Jonathan Coleman’s DDI, cell phone number, address and a contact for him in his new job in the private healthcare sector, in case you might want to discuss it with him personally.
Now that would have started some interesting conversations in the smoko room.
+111
You say that like NAct wouldn’t have done it too… not to be in the “they did it too” crowd, but it is highly hypocritical of a right winger to whinge about Labour not solving all the problems created by NAct within 5 months… Also over throwing a few million (of the 10’s of billions being spent, or the billion odd surplus), which if they didn’t would have caused a furore of news articles and angry rich white men ranting about how the Labour govt. was full of no-fun spoilsport femi-nazis.
Oh, and also Labour is getting on and solving those issues…
And you friend can blame National for the funding issues that meant that the DHBs can’t even pay their nurses a decent wage, or be able to ensure their hospitals don’t have mold on the wall, or that they can actually treat patients… I am sure once Labour have had a chance to pass a budget things will get better…
I love the way that you can turn a minimum of $212 million into, as you word it “a few million “.
I wish I was as rich as you must be to regard $212,000,000 as just a trivial amount. Can I please have my share back? I would like to put it toward more useful things than feeding Goff’s and Ardern’s egos.
“blame National for the funding issues”.
When National was the Government she was promised the Op. It was only after the change of Government it has slipped.
” am sure once Labour have had a chance to pass a budget things will get better”.
What difference is that going to make? If they can promise this much money without having any budget allocation for it at all why do they need to worry about silly little things like a budget in order to try and meet things they claimed were important before the election?
Bored much, Alwyn, setting up strawmen and then setting them alight?
“strawmen” he says.
What’s a mere $212,000,000 between friends?
Surely you can think of better things to do with that amount of money?
You would get about 14,000 knee or hip replacements for that amount of money. That would certainly improve a lot of people’s lives wouldn’t it?
Still they are just the little people and don’t matter to the plutocrats like you and your friends.
I guess you would rather play with the Billionaires though?
Did you vote for the parties that degraded the health service to the point your friend is suffering its consequences?
Were you outraged at 20m to Warner Bros or 30 million to Rio Tinto or 11m in money and kind to a Saudi businessman or the SCF gift to foreign investors? Or 26m to the flag? All of those sums could have helped your friend
As I pointed out just above Tracey.
““blame National for the funding issues”.
When National was the Government she was promised the Op. It was only after the change of Government it has slipped.”
And yes I did vote for National. I didn’t want to because I think 3 terms is enough for any Government. I didn’t think that Winston and his satellites in Labour and the Green parties were up to the job of Government though. Sadly I was right.
Mind you I didn’t think that Labour would tolerate the corrupt behaviour we are getting, particularly from NZF and the Labour Party organisation.
You must be outraged by the finding against Finlayson then.
I have a friend who finally got his hip operation a few weeks ago. He was promised it 18 months ago and time and time again after that.
So, I might erroneously attribute this latest date to the chanfe in govt coming quicker than the 18 months promised by National.
I assume you are being intentionally obtuse. A degraded health system completely fixed in 6 months…
Dude, you seem to be having the problem of who actually caused the problem. So, being the generous soul that I am I shall inform you:
IT WAS YOU WHEN YOU VOTED FOR THE NATIONAL LED GOVERNMENT.
You need to tell your friend that the reason why she hasn’t gotten her surgery is because you’re a selfish schmuck.
What a silly little fellow you are.
You remind me of the glorious bumper sticker of the 1960s.
“They told me if I voted for Goldwater we would have 500,000 men in Vietnam within 18 months. Well I did and there are”
Our equivalent would be.
“They told me if I voted for National the Government would set up billion dollar slush funds and would put hundreds of millions into the Americas Cup.
Well I did and the Government has.”
Why don’t you crawl back into your hole you stupid obnoxious prick.
None of which applies.
National promised to cut taxes and they did – just what you voted for. Then, after the serious decrease in income they also cut government services. A direct consequence of what you voted for and were informed would happen on this site.
Now you’re whinging that you’re being held to account for your actions.
I find it truly fascinating that you regard a few hundred million being spent on a Billionaire’s sport as being necessary Government services.
How ridiculous can you get?
Ah, I didn’t say that. I said that you’re personally responsible for your friends surgery not going ahead because you voted National who cut funding to the hospitals and run down services.
Where to start?
I suppose I can start with the simple fact that National did not cut funding for hospitals or run down the health services. Labour argued that but to do so they had to carry out some very selective date choices.
I commented on this on a couple of occasions.
Anyone who continues to argue that line is either stupid, or lying, or both.
Which category are you?
At promoting one of New Zealand’s few promising high tech. industries, so we can get out of our undue reliance on third world style commodity exports.
But, being a National supporter, you would rather spend on irrigation schemes for unsustainable dairy farming. Right?
I presume you mean boat building or suchlike.
If so can you tell me whether the village plans have been amended so that this company can keep operating? It would seem to be a major own goal if they were forced to move overseas wouldn’t it?
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/351508/america-s-cup-no-alternative-site-for-big-mast-maker
I don’t have much to do with boatbuilding these days, so can’t tell you.
Though, on observation so far, there is not much difference between National, and the neo-li bs in
Labour, though I am hoping Labour will still surprise me.
Though it it almost impossible to cause as much destruction as National have.
If you like.
Agree about yacht race.
Thank you for the (partial) list of problems left by the natz 9 years
Hosking on Nurses and Unions
It would seem Mr Hosking believes that pay and working conditions will improve if you don’t join a union. Does anyone have any evidence?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/author/mike-hosking/
My understanding is the evidence supports the opposite.
http://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.2014.0952
Poor Mike, Hisking has given his country a lot – that facial expression as the Nats lost power was a true gift for which I shall always be grateful.
Sadly he knows he doesnt need evidence. Like Joyces 11bn hole as long as you say it it gets traction and reinforces the former myths on the subject.
Exactly, because there are powerful people supporting the Hosking version of “fake news”.
The nice thing about that cock no longer being on telly is that it’s so much easier to avoid him.
Nasty little manchild.
My understanding is the evidence supports the opposite
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://ips.ac.nz/publications/files/96ca55a3196.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjUofbk7IraAhXGiLwKHfP4BlMQFjAAegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw2L5XXi1hdVq8C2PwsDzJBI
such “EVIDENCE” doubtlessly exists only in Hosking’s vile, deluded, weaselly mind.
Hosking is full of crap in this case. There is a clear positive correlation unionisation vs pay and conditions.
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/08/union-inequality-wages/497954/
He’s nothing but an ideological nong, a bit of a c–t. Without union action we wouldn’t have received the 1% per year we have had. The NZNO provides other sevices, indemnity insurance and professional developement among them.
I can just imagine the response an individual nurse would get going cap in hand to a CEO stating the case as to why they deserve more than a collegue, no commercial logic for paying a nurse more than another, we dont bring an income with us unlike a broadcaster who may have a fan base of like minded c–ts.
Hey good luck if it gets to striking.
Y’all deserve more, a fairer allocation of the resources.
Was explaining industrial action to the 16 yr old.
The concept of not getting paid when on strike was frown inducing for him.
“The future of food systems and their relationship to climate … is really key for the future of the world economy.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/102510601/changing-agricultural-practices-key-to-cutting-greenhouse-emissions–shaw
Tick tock…
Shaw’s stated take is that because land-use represents such a high proportion of NZ’s emissions, then energy can be somewhat ignored. There’s an opening for NZ to lead the world (apparently) – a great business opportunity.
I notice that’s echoed throughout the piece (the crest of a wave etc)
And also, in line with that, your quote from Benton is about the future of the world economy – not the world’s biosphere.
Don’t get me wrong. Net zero emissions from land use is a critical part of bringing down carbon levels. If land-use is treated as a discrete sector, and depending on how it’s accounted (so no buying or swapping or any kind of carbon credit nonsense), I fully support it.
But without zero from energy, it’s just so much pissing in the wind. And there is no commitment to get energy down to zero (energy’s just hidden away in the bullshit – ie, inadequate – package deal of net zero).
This morning is a morning when (yet again) I unfortunately find myself concluding that we’s fucked.
We’ve got to get rid of these clowns and their insane attachment to so-called economic viability.
we’s are…and the clowns will remain
Accepting what you say, Pat, what next?
Tomorrow?
Next month?
Next year?
what next?….in what respect?
Hey, sorry, I am not sure what I was getting at, it made sense last night.
no worries
I wonder what was discussed…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/102619960/rnz-senior-manager-carol-hirschfeld-resigns-over-meeting-with-minister
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/102605929/national-accuses-nz-first-mp-of-holding-regional-projects-to-ransom
Curran not up to the job I’d say.
Hirschfeld worth more than her and a huge loss. Dick Griffin must be the closest NZ has to Sir Humphrey surely? Though aside from the headlines I haven’t followed his career closely.
Couple of stupid own goals. And yes the Newstalk ZB Herald has a clear dog in the fight.
Bring back Steve Maharey? Broadcasting almost as important as housing. Lots to do and who to do it?
Holy shit.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1803/S00396/statement-from-rnz-chair-richard-griffin-ce-paul-thompson.htm
But, also, what was Claire Curran thinking when she avoided answering questions about this?
Carol Hirschfeld will be a great loss to RNZ.
Looks like they both lied. I haven’t been following it, do you have a sense of why they would have lied about that instead of just being upfront about it?
No idea. The meeting was in December. Unless Hirschfeld had reasons for not letting her bosses know she was talking to Curran in a pre-arranged meeting?
NZ Herald report:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12020873
Is this partly the result of one of national’s broad fishing questions to minsiters late last year?
Also, NZ Herald is very quick to make this headline news today.
Nothing yesterday from them when the Kim Dotcom decisions was published… and still nothing obvious on the top of their website.
The written question and answer in December is here:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/order-paper-questions/written-questions/document/WQ_19129_2017/19129-2017-melissa-lee-to-the-broadcasting-communications
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1802/S00175/parliament-questions-and-answers-20-february-2018.htm“>The oral question and answer on Feb 20, 2018, is here:
Snap! Sorry, had not seen your detailed comments here before submitting my 13.3 but they come from a slightly different perspective,
I imagine one of the things ‘casually’ discussed could have been the manner in which the gNats stacked the PS with board members and CEOs who were complete lackies
/speculate speculate
I’m assuming at this stage it was because of the political backlash from Hirschfeld’s superiors had she told the truth. Therefore the meeting/private conversation had to remain confidential. Had the boot been on the other foot and Hirschfeld had spoken to a new National Broadcasting minister, then nothing would have happened.
This state of affairs has been prevalent among some in the Public Service hierarchy for many decades. I can confirm it from personal experience. And I can also confirm the fallout was venomous and went beyond the work-place.
+1 @Anne and Uncooked.
Resistance as in elsewhere in the PS.
Richard Griffin, Chairman of RNZ, who Hirschfeld kept telling the meeting with Curran was unplanned.
Reported in 2011.
Here we go:
Looks like Griffin was “tipped off”. Assuming it came from someone in the Minister’s office and the Nats heard from the same source (we don’t know for sure yet), then its looking more and more like a political stunt.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12020962
Having said that though, if it was Clare Curran who sought the meeting then she must be reprimanded at the least for attempting to hold a confidential meeting with someone in Hirschfeld’s position… perhaps even lose her portfolio.
Another blindly dogmatical line of questioning by Anne. Labour ministers do things wrong too. But that’s ok coz National would have done worse in your opinion.
Hirschfeld has been fired for not observing public sector neutrality, lying about it and then getting caught. Curran has to be next in the current climate
Sorry, Anne you do not have a private meeting/conversation in the Astoria in Wellington! It is the last place you do that. It is always teeming with public servants, pollies, press etc.
I don’t disagree veutoviper. Clare Curran has a reputation for doing and/or saying stupid things. In fact it has been in the back of my mind that if anyone was going to embarrass the Ardern govt. it was likely to be Curran.
Doesn’t stop it from being a Nat inspired political stunt.
I agree, Anne. Curran is the weakest link in my opinion. I was hoping when she called her press conference an hour ago that she would step down. Sadly not.
But the Astoria is where you go to be seen, not the opposite. Its for the “want to be’s”.
A motto I try to live by (not always successfully) is:
think first… act second.
Curran seems to do it the other way around and then wonders why she gets into trouble.
She is certainly not Mallard’s favourite either.
How is this a national inspired political stunt? It’s a minister and a senior executive meeting without the knowledge and sanction of the board. Then lo and behold rnz get $38 million?
No lo and behold at all. Labour campaigned on setting up RNZ+ with $38 million. Nothing to do with the Curran/Herschfeld meeting months later.
The first three links are from 12 Sept 2017; the last from eary Nov 2017 – all before 5 December 2017.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/09/labour-commits-38m-for-rnz-plus.html
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/politics/labour-commits-38-million-for-rnz-plus/
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/96745395/radio-nz-television-channel-no-snub-to-tvnz-says-labour
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/98684061/rnz-television-no-direct-competition-to-commercial-stations-minister-says
Why am I not surprised it was Astoria!
I mean….if they were actually conscious of blue dragons and snr public servants and various thugs still grieving over a gNat loss, at least they could have considered a ‘safe’ environment of Mal and Scott’s in upper Cuba, or perhaps a quick jaunt over the Takas to a litle twee breakfast provider in Martinborough.
I’m feeling increasingly depressed at some of the naivety I continue to see.
But then Jacinda is the same age as my son and some his thought patterns continue to worry me
I agree. It’s probably where a couple of Snr Management PS’s committed to complacency, and spin and preserving their own coziness tested out the blu and white pin strip shirts in order to determine just how sharp they looked.
I was in the area earlier and it struck me by some of the body language, their lack of spatial awareness, basically how they reacted to their immediate environment JUST HOW FUCKING out of touch with the real, and in tune with the virtual some of them were.
I’m not understanding this either. Maybe the problem is that CH met the minister without the knowledge of her RNZ bosses?
Well it should be chief executives who talk to their ministers, or at the very least when their subordinates do it is with their knowledge of what is discussed and what decisions are made. Especially with state broadcasting when editorial independence is so important. The fact Hirschfeld misled her boss about this suggests she knows this.
Clare Curran should have known it too.
It was Carol’s job to tell her boss about the meeting, not Currans that is the impression I am getting. If Curran has done anything wrong no doubt we will hear about it soon enough.
So far a wet bus ticket from an increasingly weak looking leader.
“Prime Minister Ardern said today that Curran was “splitting hairs” in deciding initially to exclude the meeting under questioning from the National Party.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12020962.
By no means – it’s a long arduous task stripping the useless far-right political hacks out of public positions – but it’s important. They won’t all resign as they should like most of Coleman’s health rorters.
Perhaps you could name an example? And then explain how that has any relevance at all to Curran’s incompetence and Arderns increasingly obvious leadership weaknesses?
There’s no relation.
” to Curran’s incompetence and Arderns increasingly obvious leadership weaknesses”
These are delusions. Leadership is not about yapping in parliament like an abandoned bichon frise – which is why the Gnats cannot get any traction.
You have to wait for an actual screw up to score a hit, and the more often you overegg distinctly minor puddings the less credibility your claims retain.
The Gnats have been a screaming disaster for most New Zealanders – anything that Labour does that distinguishes them from that wretched interregnum is pretty much a step in the right direction.
Ardern was weak over Peters comments on Russia.
She was weak in her response to the sexual assault allegations.
She was weak in regards to Shane Jones.
She is being weak on Curran.
Peters is playing her like a piano.
Ok – so you’re the kind of buffoon who was impressed by Key’s “get some guts” rant. And you miss it.
There’s no point being tough on Curran – the questioning has little or no relation to the public interest.
Histrionics are not particularly indicative of good governance. They’re not even indicative of competent opposition. Your idiots aren’t in charge anymore.
“I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill and think things over” Hal, 2001.
How was she weak babby?
“There’s no point being tough on Curran – the questioning has little or no relation to the public interest. ”
Spoken like a true lefty. Ethics only matter when you’re caught. Those sentiments go down well when paralleled with the Labour Youth sexual abuse accusations.
“How was she weak babby?”
In regards to which example?
In Curran’s case, she should be being hauled over the coals and publicly. Curran has just confirmed the true status of Red Radio (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12021163).
In the sexual abuse case, I can only quote one of my political favourites “Asked what she would have done if she had not been told, the former prime minister said: “If you get out the book and ask ‘what would Helen have done?’ … draw your own conclusions.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12021261
“Ethics only matter when you’re caught.”
Must be the Gnat motto. Much you lot know about ethics – the party that put Carter in so that no ministerial questions were answered for nine years.
Frankly, Griffin has been so useless his underlings playing away is a given. Why all the fuss? Did you think the coalition was going to let him keep on screwing up till he died of old age? Poor baby!
He’s got a couple of months to run and that’s it.
But give it heaps, you shed votes by the truckload whenever you go full retard.
They had a cuppa and some bikkies – if that isn’t a storm in a teacup, what is?
“Must be the Gnat motto.”
It’s certainly Labour’s motto under Ardern.
“… the party that put Carter in so that no ministerial questions were answered for nine years.”
I am not National, but then watching Mallard run interference for so many inept Labour Ministers, perhaps you have the wrong party and Speaker?
“Why all the fuss? Did you think the coalition was going to let him keep on screwing up till he died of old age?”
This is not about Griffin, it is about the perception (now the reality) that Red radio favours Labour.
“They had a cuppa and some bikkies – if that isn’t a storm in a teacup, what is?”
Then why lie about it?
“I am not National,”
Ah yes, you belong to some other disingenuous far-right hate group. Of course. No-one would ever want to admit supporting National.
“perhaps you have the wrong party and Speaker?”
Nope – Carter is the kind of scum who in less permissive times would face a severe accounting for his crimes.
“This is not about Griffin,”
Yes it is – Griffin’s not going quietly into that good night, but raging, raging, against the dying of the totally undeserved sinecure.
Then why lie about it?
You’d have to ask Curran – panic attack by the looks. Storm in a teacup though – she need only announce Griffin is not renewed and Labour seeks a suitable replacement. You can beat it up as much as you like, there’s nothing of substance there.
“Ah yes, you belong to some other disingenuous far-right hate group.”
No, I’m a centre right voter. I tend to vote National anyway!
“Nope – Carter is the kind of scum who in less permissive times would face a severe accounting for his crimes.”
Watch Q2 in Parliament yesterday. Mallard was disgraceful, and he is quickly matching Labour for incompetence.
“Yes it is…”
No, it really isn’t. This is about CH lying and Curran being, well, useless.
“No, I’m a centre right voter.”
And denial is the longest river in Africa.
There’s nothing centrist about National, and sod all right about them either – they are the rotting carcass of the party my family used to vote for – they’re simply not up to snuff. Crooks make for shit government. Always.
“There’s nothing centrist about National…”
Are you delusional? The first party to increase benefits in 40 years. A party who raised the minimum wage every year. A party who borrowed heavily to fund massive welfare expenditure. National are pushing on the left hand door of centre.
“National are pushing on the left hand door of centre.”
The Gnats, God help them, are so far right they’re unelectable without a totally supine media.
Any shred of truth out in public and their kakistocracy is utterly doomed.
“The Gnats, God help them, are so far right they’re unelectable without a totally supine media. ”
You really are delusional.
Curran pretty much lied about the meeting. I can understand Curran wanting to go around the RNZ Chairman, a Nat party appointment. But to meet with hirschfeld behind Griffin’s back, then to lie about it in the House was a bad move.
And just incompetent. Apparently this off-book meeting was at a cafe frequented by Wellington public service employees…. many of whom have been in the Nat government pocket.
just
*head desk* Not a smart move. The minister for a very important policy needs to be smarter than that.
Is that what all the fuss is about? That Curran was meeting with the then next head of RNZ behind the current head and Nat appointment’s back?
No wonder the rabid right is pissed off. Looks like a massive hit job on Hirschfeld. The Nats can’t fight the inevitable though, and that is the next head of RNZ will be a Labour-led government appointment.
“Is that what all the fuss is about? ”
You mean an accusation that a Labour MP lied to Parliament? https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-27-03-2018/#comment-1466485.
Or met secretly with a senior RNZ Executive when during discussions around possible increased funding?
Or that the PM has failed to actually do anything (call another meeting?) to address Curran’s incompetence?
Perhaps you should update yourself on some of the problems currently facing RNZ, some of which go right to the incompetence of this government http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12021310.
Increased ratings? Yeah, what a fucking disaster. No wonder the Nats want it shut down.
What do the nats want shut down?
No one cares, Curran ( who seems to give great leadership value with Dunedin ) had a coffee meeting that wasn’t on the books.
Look at it this way, it was actually saving the org. money from being billed for the coffee and fudge cake or whatever that could have come down the pipe if was an official chin wag!!
The actual deep issue is that there is no ‘neutral’ media, it is all coming from somewhere with a point of view, & as is the case in current structures often very lobby driven, and the mis-leading counter productive and wasteful nature of media, which is endemic in modern society, comes from pretending that is not so.
Essentially the govt parties of the day should have it’s own produced content on across the telly channels one night of the week, and the opposition parties another night, with a lesser overall time since they are doing less than the govt.
So the govt. gets say a 2 hour slot and the opposition an one hour slot, which they produce themselves, with all relevant parties having creative control over how and what they present.
Without having thought about ratios, something like National 55 mins and Act 5 * say Tuesday.
Labour gets 70 mins, NZ1st 30 mins and Greens 20 mins the following night.
It’s incremental.
Jones.
Hipkins.
Twyford.
Davis.
Curran.
etc.
There is a swamp of incompetence, dishonesty and maybe worse (Jenny Marcroft?) passing for a government.
You need to catch up B.Y.
The swamp is what those folk are having to wade through – before Nick Smith it would’ve been swimmable.
The swamp of their own making. Dishonesty, incompetence…and there’s a just a bit of a hint of the ‘c’ word in the background.
Meh – they haven’t had time to make more than a damp patch themselves yet – in the squalid Okefenokee created by gross National corruption, laziness, and incompetence.
“…they haven’t had time to make more than a damp patch…”
In just a matter of months they have surpassed anything National did. And then there’s this https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/pms-spy-comments-make-nz-a-laughing-stock/ar-BBKMSHp?li=AAaeXZz&ocid=spartandhp.
“Wellington public service employees…. many of whom have been in the Nat government pocket.”
But I promise you not all Carolyn, There are still some public servants with integrity who act in the jobs as neutral public servants although at times it is hard.
I should imagine so. But if you wanted to keep a meeting under the radar, meeting where some Nat flunkies could be present is not a great idea.
Exactly, and you would avoid the Astoria like the plague! See my 13.1.2.4 and 13.1.2.4.1.1 to Anne. LOL
Being neutral means not having meetings with the Minister without the knowledge of the CEO (as opposed to the Board).
The Minister likewise has to advise either the CEO or the Board Chair of meetings with people within an organisation.
These rules are not actually hard to comply with. It is just plain commonsense and a curtesy to do so.
If you a “review” you do that independently, you don’t go through an employee of the organisation who is accountable to a CEO.
There are @Vv. There are. Problem is their overlords.
You know, i’m told there are decent folk in INZ, AND worksafe, and the Labour Inspectorate among other agencies.
I’ve met some of them. It doesn’t/ hasn’t changed many of the outcomes much.
Are you saying it was inappropriate for CH to meet with CC, because of their respective positions?
And if (say) Curran was trying to shoulder tap CH for a position in a new improved environment, or tryng to get an understanding of the existing environment RNZ staff are labouring under, she needs to learn a few tricks from the previous government. Perhaps Setevie Choice is now available to buy advice from.
Ok, this looks like the timeline on this whole issue.
On Tuesday, 5 Dec 2017, Carol Hershfelt and Clare Curran met for breakfast in a Wellington café frequented by many other pollies, parliamentary press people, public servants etc. This is by no means strange or unusual. Around downtown Wellington you often see MPs meeting publicly with MPs from different parties, public servants, business people, press people etc at all sorts of venues and times.
On Thursday, 7 Dec 2027, Clare Curran also met with the Board of RNZ.
On 7 December 2017, Melissa Lee filed a Written Question 191129 (2017) to Curran:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/order-paper-questions/written-questions/document/WQ_19129_2017/19129-2017-melissa-lee-to-the-broadcasting-communications
Published date: 7 Dec 2017
19129 (2017). Melissa Lee to the Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media (Minister – Clare Curran) (07 Dec 2017): Has the minister met with Board members or staff of TVNZ or RNZ since 1 December 2017 and, if so; what were the dates of those meetings and the names of those attending from either TVNZ or RNZ as applicable?
Hon Clare Curran (Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media (Minister – Clare Curran)) replied: Corrected reply: I had an informal breakfast with Carol Hirschfeld from RNZ on 5 December 2017 and I met with the Board of RNZ on 7 December 2017. The following staff members also attended the meeting with the Board: Paul Thompson – Chief Executive, Carol Hirschfeld – Head of News, Glen Scanlon – Head of Digital, Alma Hong – Chief Technology & Operations Officer, Alan Withrington – Head of Business Transformation & Strategy, Heather Abbot – Executive Assistant. (Cannot find when the original answer was filed or the corrected one.)
On Friday, 8 December 2017, Lee followed up this single question with 24 further written questions to Curran about various subjects directly relating to RNZ and/or seemingly unrelated but most of these latter questions started with “As of 7 December 2017, …?” (In total Lee asked something of the order of 71 Written Questions of Curran in Dec 2017.)
In December 2017, Melissa Lee also asked two Oral Questions of Curran but neither related directly to RNZ. On 14 Dec, Q11 was a general question re broadcasting priorities etc; and on 20 Dec, Q12 was about the difference between the Government Chief Technology Officer, the Government Chief Information Officer, and the new Chief Technology Officer role that Curran had created.
On 20 February 2018, however, Lee first raised in the House Curran’s meeting with Hirschfeld on 5 December in Oral Question 12; and she then followed up on this on 21 February in Q12 and in the General Debate. Hipkins answered Q12 on behalf of Curran on 21 Feb.
Q12 20 Feb 2018
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=198411
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20180220_20180220_04
Q10 21 Feb 2018
Video https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=198493
Hansard https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20180221_20180221_16
Gen Debate 21 Feb 2018
Video https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=198505
Hansard https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20180221_20180221_20
Last speech, and about the third subject Lee addressed in her speech.
Since then, Lee has raised three further Oral Questions of Curran in question time but none have related to the Herschfeld/Curran breakfast: Q9 on 27 Feb, Q7 on 1 March and Q12 on 22 March. I haven’t checked Lee’s Written questions to Curran in 2018 – big job!
Going back, to the Written Questions filed by Lee on 7 and 8 December, like lawyers, MPs rarely ask loaded questions without knowing what the answer should be; or they ask fishing questions because they have some knowledge/suspicion and want more.
Looking at these written questions and the subjects raised and their timing, IMO Lee heard about the Curran/Herschfeld meeting almost immediately (unsurprising considering the venue) and also about the Board meeting – and may have also been briefed by someone as to some of the subjects discussed at one or both of those meetings.
The fact that Curran considered her meeting with Herschfeld an informal one and did not register it as a formal meeting, IMO is not unusual. But how Curran handles questions in the House leaves a lot to be desired, and this rather than anything underhand may be to blame for the situation she now finds herself in. I am not making any judgement re Herschfeld and her relationship/transparency with her CEO and Board, but I am sad as she is a very talented person and will be a loss to RNZ.
Curran now having press conference. I am hoping…
Tip Top importing ice cream from Spain and Montana wines using Australian grapes…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/102611360/how-some-nz-brands-are-shortchanging-domestic-customers
You can add Shingle Peak to that list, their current savvy is made from Australian grapes.
Snowflake – Westland dairy’s product – made the best vanilla since god knows when.
Radio New Zealand is having various internal ‘issues’and is like many state underfunded entities. RNZ also has right wing senior management and Carol probably had a different view, which she was seeking a ‘work around’ and chatting to Minister Curran. I have little faith that the Minister is up to the task of fixing our rubbish TVNZ and Public Broadcasting in general. A sad loss. Major pruning required in our Public Media.
Clare Curran is secretive, lying and hopelessly incompetent. Jacinda needs to sack her immediately.
“RNZ also has right wing senior management and Carol probably had a different view.”
This is probably closest to the truth re the resignation. Having been placed there by the last government the RW bosses at RNZ refused to support her. So she left.
Ever wonder how the Nats learned about the meeting?
Apparently it was at Astoria. So probably half of the public service and the nation’s politicians were in the room.
Ok, so they weren’t trying to hide which is the framing which is being presented by the usual suspects.
Then there’s this…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12020962
…and…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5113211/How-the-Silver-Fox-turned-gamekeeper
I look forward to the incoming Broadcasting Minister cleansing the board of RNZ with efficiency and speed.
Dickie must think all his Christases had come at once!
A reason to assist in getting rid of CH.
The hypocracy and arrogance of the gNats never ceases to amaze me. But seriously!!! Labour need some learnings if we’re not to belive they aren’t complete masochists.
I’m not suggesting they need to lose all principle and go the dirty politics way….but they DO need to challenge the word of their ‘public service officials’ (read stacked Natzi Party CEOs and boards and Snr Management) a fucking sight harder.
Yes people….they might come across as nice blokes and blokesses, and yes H1 and H2 did it too in the name of pragmatism, but the uphill.shit.push you face is not only your VERY worst enemy, but’ll prevent you from doing anythung that could mildly be seen as progressive.
But then ya know, maybe a progressive agenda is not really what you’re about
The Griff gets the jobs he wants cos he knows what’s in ministerial diaries.
Exactly – see my 13.3
I tend to agree with you Mathew!
I always thought RNZ+ might be a good start, but not very ambitious. Same with CBB (I forget their rebranding’)
But then I come from the perspective that public money is for public good…in this case public service media. And there is no reason a population of 4.5 mill can’t have a Natrad, a concertFM, AND an ONAIR 103FM The Wireless ( for people who grew up in the digital/convergant/divergant age.
Nor is there a reason a TV1 (TVNZ7), TVNZ2 drama/music/NZ cultural identity AND KidzoneTv can’t be accommodated.
And I say that bcos currently we have an RNZ, a TVNZ, A NuZull on Ear and a commercial Kordia. All complete with their highly-paid CEOs and boards and bureacracies and crony appointments.
I know the ideologically inclined can’t get past the fact that there is no reason TVNZ or Kordia ( if it still is….it’d not surprise me if gNats managed to flog it off) HAVE to remain SOEs delivering a commercial return.
There is also no reason why (other that neolib thinking and ideology) cannot use income from publicly owned commercial enterprise to offset the costs in providing services in the interests of the public good
Philg
Which you are not allowed to do with non-notified meetings with employees of the organisation. The normal approach is to get external trusted advice. There are heaps of “friendly” senior media people who could do that. You then act on that.
Just a question @Wayne.
As you know, sovereign governments have the ability to change legislation and rules. They have even been known to flout law in the knowledge THEIR citizens (Tex Payas if u prefer) will pick up the tab.
Is your thinking and ideology so constrained – and not just you….still some in the Labour Party…..possibly even our new PM, that you fail to remember that.?
I mean I’m not sure your ilk has managed to dispose of the kitchen sink yet, or our ability to legislate.
It’s only blind failed ideology and timidity that appears to be getting in the way
She just couldn’t find her non ministerial hat in time Wayney.
Sir Ponyboy would’ve had it on at a rakish angle.
Wayne, this is not a ‘normal’ situation. There is clearly a change of direction in Broadcasting Policy and direction. How would one change a culture from below? CC possibly thought the current leadership was tainted. and sought, off the record opinion. CC didn’t go about it the right way. She was naive and CH miscalculated. A mistake that was exploited by u no who.
The awful Richard Griffin’s contract only runs to the middle of this year.
Thank God! At last – salvation is at hand.
+1, good to know.
Sorry Jack, Bitcoin will not become the global currency
So, we got this stupid idiot saying this:
So the author of the article ran a few calculations:
Reality defies the delusions of the rich yet again.
PS. You will need a log in to read that opinion piece.
Herald going hard on Curran with multiple breaking news banners and even a live feed!
Remember the Herald now competes for funding from NZ on Air (or its replacement), and will be a direct competitor for visual content delivery with RNZ+ when it goes ahead…
Clare Curran
Minister for Astoria Stories
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DZQM_03VAAAYPsV.jpg:large
Great to see Sky City commit to $20 per hour as the minimum wage.
And how many hours are they guaranteeing because happen to know that Sky City as well as paying historically appalling rates and importing in 600 chefs from overseas to cover it – they also have the equivalent of zero hour contracts for many of staff with 40 hours not guaranteed.
So good to see $20 p/h minimum but how many hours are actually guaranteed – 40 and enough to live on?
Hi SaveNZ, SKYCITY abolished so-called ‘zero hours’ contracts two years ago. We only ever had a handful of people on them – around 30 out of a staff of 6000, and they were in our Conventions on-call team. Everyone is now on either full time or part-time contracts depending on their own requirements as well as those of the business.
I’m not too sure where you got the idea we imported 600 chefs. We don’t even have 600 chefs. We do from time to time apply to Immigration NZ for special category visas for positions that are hard to fill in NZ, but more because of a specialist culinary skill than anything to do with wages. While wages in the hospitality industry are not high, SKYCITY doesn’t pay minimum wage and tries to be above-market in our wage settlements. We also train our own chefs – you might not know we have the largest apprentice chef programme in New Zealand outside of the military.
As to whether $20 an hour is enough, that’s an ongoing discussion, and we certainly don’t claim this to be the end of the journey towards sustainable wages. But it is a pretty decent first step, and one that it would be good to see other corporates taking before government mandates it on them.
Regards
Colin Espiner
GM Communications
SKYCITY Entertainment Group
Today is day 2 of the Green Party giving their allocated oral questions to the National Party/Opposition – as it is day 31 of the oral question roster.
Last week their only question allocated on 21 March at Q10 was taken by Dr Nick Smith and ended up being quite a hot section of question time, with Smith coming back later to make a Personal Explanation.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=198885
The Green Party were allocated the Q12 slot today – and this is again taken up with a question from Dr Nick Smith. I know it is just day 2 but why Smith again?
Oh, I see. It is about the waka jumping Bill.
12. Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Minister of Justice: Does he agree with the statement by Rt Hon Winston Peters on electoral law regarding MPs joining other parties, when he stated, “Members of Parliament have to be free to follow their conscience. They were elected to represent their constituents, not swear an oath of blind allegiance to a political party. If an MP feels that membership in another elected party better serves his or her constituents then that can be put to the test at election time”?
Now on.
Newshub Wow Mike is that Hirschfeld resigning what a well I won’t say but some will be happy .
It is not on that the police in America shot that poor Brown boy 20 times come on that’s the mentality of the police being untouchable . Minority cultures are getting treated like dirt in this country to we will end up like America if those old white men in charge of our civil service aren’t forced to retire and retire there bigot racist chauvinistic views with them they have a 80% majority in New Zealand management . Ka kite ano
Newshub Joseph Parker is the MAN we know why Anthony Joshua won’t give Samoan and New Zealand reporters any time enough said Kia kaha
I’m watching The Crowd Goes Wild on TV 4 the sports is awesome Kia kaha ka kite ano P.S did Mulls get pink eye lol
The old saying treat people like you would like to be treated rings true to
ECO MAORI because eventually bad karma will bite one on the ass .Ana to kai
Ka kite ano P.S sorry for being in the middle of your thread I will stay in the old open mike from now on
Griffin doesn’t sound like a particularly nice little fellow ?
I don’t think ‘devious little snot’ would be a cruelly unfair description.
And misogynist also applies in relation to his attitude towards women, especially those that challenge him. All nice on the surface, but it surfaces well and truly in such instances.
If I were a cupid matchmaker, i’d pick Dickie as the perfect partner for Chris Finlayson
They could busy themselves in their dotage looking out over Cook Strait, making each other cups of English Breakfast, monitoring each other’s bef sores, and pondering how they might go about privatising that Moa Point Sewage facility.
No doubt the young Ralston and his bitch the Fran would visit from time to time to check on their welfare. (Wouldn’t want a minimum wage Philipino Age care worker to have to turn either after all)
And if things turn to shit…well no doubt Aunty Ruth (as in Ruth Richardson Limited) would be on hand to advise
URGENT REMINDER FOLKS!
You have until 8pm Wednesday 28 March 2018 (tomorrow night)
to get your ‘submission’ into Auckland Council 10 year budget and Auckland Plan 2050!
Email to akhaveyoursay@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
This was my ‘submission’.
Help yourself to anything you like or agree with and feel free to add anything else you feel strongly about 🙂
27 March 2018
‘Submission’ on the 10-year budget and Auckland Plan 2050.
First name: Penny
Last name: Bright
Postal address: 86A School Rd, Kingsland Auckland 1021
* I believe there is not enough time or detailed financial information provided in the “Consultation Document” for the 10-year budget and Auckland Plan 2050.
Exactly how much public money is being spent – on what?
Exactly how much money is being borrowed, from whom exactly and for what exactly?
Exactly how much public money is being exposed to derivatives trading across Auckland Council and Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs)?
* I do not accept that all this ‘growth’ has to come to Auckland.
There should be a national population growth, migration and regional employment strategy, in order to stop overloading our transport, water services, housing and related infrastructure.
* This Auckland (forced) ‘Supercity’ amalgamation may have been successful for corporates, property developers, investors, bankers, land-bankers, but it has been a disaster for local communities, residents and local small businesses.
* There is now very little ‘local’ about Auckland local government.
* The Auckland region is now being run ‘like a business – by business- for business’, and the mechanism for this effective corporate takeover, has been the replacement of 8 former democratically-elected Councils, with 1 ‘Supercity’ Council, and first 7, now 6 unelected, (CORPORATE) ‘Council’ Controlled Organisations (CCOs).
* CCOs need to be abolished and key Auckland infrastructure and trading functions brought back ‘in-house’ under the direct control of Auckland Council.
* Water, wastewater and stormwater need to be integrated and brought back under direct Council control.
* Auckland CCO Auckland Transport (AT) is particularly ‘out of control’, destroying local communities and causing significant congestion, by pushing urban cycleways on main arterial roads and suburban shopping centres, to help drive intensification.
How? By removing parking (for cycleways) to help kill off local small businesses ‘no parking – no stopping – no shopping’.
Who will benefit when these small businesses wither and die?
Property developers and corporate shopping malls.
* I do NOT support a ‘Regional Fuel Tax’.
There is no such thing as ‘PUBLIC’ transport in Auckland.
Bus, ferry and train services are privately owned / operated / managed.
* Make Auckland transport PUBLIC again – PUBLICLY owned, operated and managed.
* Stop the proposed spending of another $635 million on another 150kms of Auckland cycleways, in order to increase the number of cycling commuters from 1-4%.
The 99% of commuters who are not cyclists are entitled, as directly-affected residents, businesses, customers and local communities to proper, lawful consultation.
* I am opposed to ANY further rates increases when Aucklanders do not know exactly where public monies are being spent on private sector consultants and contractors, and the NZ Public Records Act 2005 is not being lawfully implemented and enforced:
The Public Records Act 2005;
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2005/0040/31.0/DLM345729.html
17Requirement to create and maintain records
(1)Every public office and local authority must create and maintain full and accurate records of its affairs, in accordance with normal, prudent business practice, including the records of any matter that is contracted out to an independent contractor.
* Provide the following details of awarded contracts on the websites of Auckland Council and Auckland CCOs:
The unique contract number; name of consultant/contractor; brief description of scope of contract; contract start/finish dates; exact dollar value of every contract, including those sub-contracted; how contract was awarded, by direct appointment or public appointment or public tender.
* Auckland Council and CCOs cannot check for ‘value for money’ or ‘cost-effectiveness’ if you don’t know exactly where the costs fall.
* Auckland Council and CCOs cannot provide genuine transparency or accountability without full and accurate records available for public scrutiny.
Wherever possible, public services should be brought back ‘in house’, as international research has proven that the contracting-out of public services can be twice as expensive:
http://www.pogo.org/our-work/reports/2011/co-gp-20110913.html
“POGO’s study analyzed the total compensation paid to federal and private sector employees, and annual billing rates for contractor employees across 35 occupational classifications covering over 550 service activities.
Our findings were shocking—POGO estimates the government pays billions more annually in taxpayer dollars to hire contractors than it would to hire federal employees to perform comparable services.
Specifically, POGO’s study shows that the federal government approves service contract billing rates—deemed fair and reasonable—that pay contractors 1.83 times more than the government pays federal employees in total compensation, and more than 2 times the total compensation paid in the private sector for comparable services.”
Good morning The AM Show Duncan off to the boxing a good on you .
There is know way I’m getting in a self driving car that could be hacked and take you to your end.
As for trumps approval rating he is cheating and getting the data changed just like he has the words Global Warming Climate change suppressed in the western Papatuanuku World Media that’s reality his stats are going in the opposite direction to what the punters are saying .What about the controversy over Stormy Daniels ????????????. Ka kite ano
The sandflies were doing what they do best today at a sports event spinning——-about me and what happened .There was a incident with the sandflies in Tauranga today I was not involved just the sandflies Ana to kai
That sense able sentenceing trust is another old man who should retire his archaic old views it is plane logic that there are more problems in a house with no money than the neighbours who have heaps of money for one the poor family has to work 60 hours just to keep afloat who’s looking after the mokos while they are slaving away. How does the SS TRUST Get air time well the exclusive brethren funds them this trust is just a extention of the exclusive brethren garth mc vicar is a idiot puppet. Ana to kai
These old men like mcvay can’t sleep because cause of ECO MAORI. Ana to kai
Newshub The Russia thing shows me the world media spin things out of context to suite there objective that is to discredit New Zealand on OUR stand on the Russia incident.
The privacy commissioner is full of —– what about the 3 times I used the privacy ACT and 3 times I got nothing why target Facebook I say that someone is trying to use Facebook as a scapegoat for the cambridge analytical scandal they are to scared to drag the other culprits into the Arena they are to powerful this is pick on the smallest. O that’s right a poor brown person has no rights in the west. Ana to kai ka kite ano
NewsHub its raining in Rotorua at the moment. I have a great like of Birds now just learnt the real value of OUR bird’s That wedding was hard case ka kite ano P.S I m watching The Crowd Goes Wild now on TV 4
The Crowd Goes Wild James McOnie when Mulls started back at The Rock for the first couple of days I thought he was you LOL my son in law corrected my mistake apologize to Mulls for me James . We have a good line up of sports this weekend yeea Kia Kaha
ka kite ano P.S did you feel the thunder
Middlemore Hospital needs to install mast and sail on their roof and put their name down as a contender in the Americas Cup.
No seriously.