There is an old fashioned look to the Labour party now.
As David Shearer was out of NZ from 1989 to 2009 with a short retuen 2000 to 2002, it is understandable that he reference people and reference points are 80s. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Shearer
Retaining old codgers like Mike Smith, Mike Williams and Ian Fraser is keeping him in touch with the 80s!.
Being advised on tactic by Aneetee King, Phil Goff and Trevor Mallars. (& Tamahere?)…not exactly the Social Medial Generation….
Keeping back talent like Little, Cunliffe, Wall and Chauvel compounds the problem .
David Shearer is running out of time to make Labour relevant to the 16, 17 , 18, 19 year olds who are voting the first time
David Shearer is running out of time to make Labour relevant to the 800,000 who did not see a reason to vote.
There is some time. David needs to get fresh youthful people (non- parliamentary staffers ffs) experienced in this NOW world.
Sadly, all too true KV. From the outside, the current Labour caucus seems to be drifting with the tide and totally lacking the guts and brains required to lead in Opposition. In contrast, the Greens are making waves with regular displays of analysis and initiative on a number of topics.
Intriguing to compare, on a daily basis, the posts and comments on NZ left wing blogs with actual Labour efforts. No wonder they claim not to read the blogs!
Certainly NZ deserves a better government. But it also deserves a better Labour opposition.
State owned Genesis Energy is being ready for the sales block. Announcing a 85 % rise in profit & a return of $72 million for the last 6 months. So what have their 265,000 customers got to say?
I am a customer and have this to say ” give us customers a rebate since your making such healthy returns, 85 % rise & 72 million says your over charging us.”
“Get rid of Chairwoman Jenny Shipley as I am uncomfortable with her recent failures.”
“I am giving my notice as a & customer & consumer in protest to state assets being sold.”
Genesis Energy have been up dating all their meters so they do not have to come out for a reading or do an estimate. The cost of upgrade would have cut into their profit.
Oh please. If you move to the state owned energy company with the lowest profits, and everyone else does, we would all be using our customer power to lower our power prices.
So which companies made the least profit???
Jackson could do a movie about the Hobbit deal and he could be nominated for an oscar, (best director, best lead male role). Key likes the camera and having the Crown Law emails released would add to the intrigue of the relationship between Key and Jackson.
The Artistic Taxi Driver on the disastrous U$K situation where the banks and the privateers are being bailed out with trillions, but the people especially the disabled, the sick, and unemployed are being screwed with workfare and sanctions. The Tory scum have abandoned ordinary brits in favour of the casino speculating banks. All this has been prepared with a press campaign on scroungers and the like. This is the NeoLiberal scumbag system of profit before people and KeyBoy is following the exact same path here. At this moment they’re taking advice from a Welsh Pommie Toffter on how to reduce the disabled roles here and it won’t be pretty. 🙁
Same crap happening in the U$ which is in depression. The bail out money received by the casino crook banks has been invested for profit in the BRIC countries NOT in the has been U$ economy. Refer Michael Hudson for this. The U$ and the U$K are fighting in the last ditch to avoid the inevitable: a socialist society as the UK had just after the end of WW11.Note that is NOT a communist society. The Market has clearly been shown to be a socially and environmentally a destructive force as a nuclear war.
“Australian corporate chief calls for major welfare cuts” Key’s mates are egging him on:
“The Australian corporate elite’s demands for the government to impose the kind of drastic austerity measures being implemented in Europe and the US were spelt out again on Saturday in a speech by Don Argus, the former chairman of mining conglomerate BHP Billiton and the National Australia Bank. Argus declared that public spending in Australia was “unsustainable” and demanded a “national conversation about our welfare budget and how it could be better calibrated for the challenging period ahead.”
Argus, a multi-millionaire who wants for nothing, stated that his view, which means millions of working people will suffer severe cuts to their living standards, was “common sense.” Government spending, he asserted, had “outpaced income” and therefore had to be reduced. Feigning concern over rising youth unemployment, Argus called for increases in productivity to create jobs. In reality, “productivity” is the corporate code word for lowering wages and working conditions, and destroying jobs in order to boost profits.”
So NZ signed a deal with the US with regards to our food safety. What does that mean? Well, for starters the second guy at the FDA is a Monzanto guy and guess what? We are going to cut some red tape with regards to “potential” regulatory burden: What does that mean? Watch Farmageddon and find out!
Funny how he is happy to accept the story about Muslims conspiring without a real shred of evidence while dissing real questions such as how come a building twice reinforced to withstand a nuclear blast collapsed in 6.5 seconds into its own footprint for the first and last time in history?
Now that awaths of North Island are being declared *state of drought*, this is the perfect opportunity for Monsanto, woops I mean the FDA to to come to rescue of NZ.
Health services in Northland and Manukau are pioneering school-based treatment for children, but they are exposing big gaps in health coverage, particularly rheumatic fever, and highlighting housing issues.
Dr Lance O’Sullivan says he would not see most of Kaitaia’s children with skin infections if he didn’t go into schools to look for them.
“Vulnerable children are not getting into doctors’ surgeries enough,” he says in the general practice clinic that he opened last year at Kaitaia Hospital, from which he visits children in 14 local schools.
“We can sit here in a particular role, or we can take health services to where people live, work and play,” he says.
“This is actually getting out of our rooms, getting off our butts and working through the schools and reaching the kids and getting them early.”
Dr O’Sullivan, until recently one of only two Maori general practitioners in Northland, has taken Health Ministry funding for tackling rheumatic fever and topped it up with money from the food charity KidsCan to put five nurses and health workers into the district’s schools.
A brilliant initiative but surely it is the job of government, not charity?
Yes, it is..but ultimately Northland is lucky to have Dr O’S. IMHO he looks as though he is crossing some boundaries BUT THANK GOD HE IS!
Without him these kids would just be someone else’s problem and would develop life long consequences of the gov’s health neglect.
Once they have a good model of delivering a service at low/no cost they would be in a much better position to obtain government funding (thanks again to Dr O’S and his supporters). Northland is really a crucible for the rest of the country who are following at a less noticeable pace.
Yes, it takes people like Dr O’S to shake the system up a bit. However the MoH should be funding a trial, not relying on a driven GP to seek out charity funding. It’s hard enough doing the work without having to sort out how to fund it.
To me it’s another example of the government’s lack of focus on primary care, population health and prevention of illness.
“but surely it is the job of government, not charity?”
I don’t think what O’Sullivan is doing is charity. It’s the community organising itself. We should all be doing this – it creates more stable communities, and better health services (locals know better than MoH in Welly). It also futureproofs communities in the face of teotwawki.
Yes, govt ‘should’ be providing health services to all NZ kids. But they’re not, and it’s been a long time now since we’ve had a comprehensive, accessible health system. Time to take things into our own hands.
O’Sullivan’s points about how GPs practice are pertinent. Doctors SHOULD be going into the community and making themselves accessible. The whole making people travel to the GP, sit and wait sometimes for a long time, for 10 minutes of the GPs time model… that’s an insane way to run primary health care, and it’s come about because the people with privilege have organised it that way to suit themselves, not the people in need.
As an aside to that, every GP I have had has worked less then full time. I’m sure this varies hugely depending on many factors, but many GPs get paid very well for what they do, and seem to be benefiting greatly from the state subsidy to primary health care. All my GPs trained pre-student loans though, so that’s another factor.
Well, they’d know the local conditions better but the ministry would have better knowledge of drugs and therapies available.
O’Sullivan’s points about how GPs practice are pertinent. Doctors SHOULD be going into the community and making themselves accessible. The whole making people travel to the GP, sit and wait sometimes for a long time, for 10 minutes of the GPs time model… that’s an insane way to run primary health care, and it’s come about because the people with privilege have organised it that way to suit themselves, not the people in need.
Agreed but it still comes down to resources – what resources are available and which option uses less.
Will the ‘HairDo from Ohariu’ Minister of Revenue, Peter Dunne make it through to the 2014 election, the ‘skunk’ look has gone in favor of a totally white bouffant and seen yesterday Dunne has lost a hell of a lot of weight,
Perhaps another MP in the grip of vanity fear having had a stomach staple job, or has the piece of string which is the ‘Hairdo’s” lifeline come to an untimely end…
Lockdown’s Pelican Bay, that’s where the killers wanna’ be to “hone their skills”. Southern Mexicans certainly prepared amongst the BRIICS (beware the NLR). Silver Ants are expert at navigating by the sun and proportionately cross the desert at 450km/hr. It’s an Enigma, yet Joyce looked decidedly uncomfortable around The Hobbit.
Daniel Day-Lewis IS the “Greatest Actor of All Time” (Foot Supports Intl. is a registerd Work and Income supplier apparently; better put ya’ best foot forward while special offer lasts.
RNZ- Helen Kelly is Everywhere (spooky).
GB-“Bob the Builder”of Backbenchers seems more like Rob the Gilder and Tolley the smoking gun.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
What IF! What if after the next election National rule alone, Labour have less seats, the greens have more! Will we blame Shearer, will we blame policies or will we blame the poll and the press? just asking!
Greens get a proportion, When Labour voters vote Labour in constituent seats and Greens in the list vote then Labour get a overhang (like the Maori party now) – parliament is now 121 seats.
So if you are say Greens get more seats and Labour less, it means Labours vote has collapsed again!!! Which is what happened at the last election, Goffed.
Labour needs to get back in touch with NZ voters by standing up to and for policies that are good for NZ voters, and it still hasn’t been able to sell a CGT or a tax free threshold on income, why?
Because nobody believes they have rejected Rogernomics.
Hear this; you leaders of the house of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel who despise justice and distort all that is right; who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness. Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet,
they lean upon the Lord and say “Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us.” (the opening prayer of parliament always cracks me up). Therefore, because of you, Zion will be ploughed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound (interesting)
overgrown with thickets. 😉
Eccl. 5:* : If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things: for one official is engaged by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.
10: Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.
11: As goods increase, so do those who consume. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them.
12: The sleep of a laborer is sweet whether he eats little or much, yet the abundance of a rich man often permits him no sleep.
I agree, if the Greens are on the ascendancy and Labour on the decline ,it’s not left wing policies that are at fault. It’s got to be that the higherarchy of the party is ineffective.
farewell sweet aotearoa … what a tragedy for us all. then gnats will also approve the destruction of milford sound courtesy of the ‘trusted’ nick smith … wow… miserable day. and the referendum is not binding is it ?
Werewolf is out. The article linked above is particularly interesting:
Its an example of how ingrained the culture of low pay has become in our society: it is now seen as a core duty of government to effectively subsidise corporate profits (and hence the incomes of the wealthy) by compensating for their sub-standard wages. We spend over a billion dollars a year doing this; meanwhile the idea of government regulating for decent wages (or even paying them itself) is apparently now politically unthinkable for the major parties.
“….So….where do we go from here in order to make the Living Wage become a reality? Not to mention to achieve a Universal Basic Income that can address the income/participation needs of the unwaged on benefits who could miss out on the Living Wage, just as they do not qualify for the Working For Families subsidies at present.
One way forward would be to vote for political parties who promise to regulate for a Living Wage and to increase the benefit levels. (Good luck with convincing the Labour Party to do either.) There is another avenue however. The political parties could be pressured to amend the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, in order to put social, cultural and economic rights on the same legal footing as the civil and political rights that we already recognize under BORA. That way, people would have a legal mechanism to seek a decent standard of living as a fundamental right, and not as an act of charity bestowed by employers and/or by benevolent governments. It would also mean that all future legislation would have to be vetted for its impact on the standard of living – and for the extent, for instance, to which it may contribute to economic hardship and income inequality. Any retrogressive socio-economic legislation would then need to justify its existence.
This may sound like airy-fairy stuff. It isn’t. It might be the only way to escape from the whims and expediency of the government of the day. And luckily, the intellectual spadework has already been done. Wellington-based lawyer Joss Opie wrote his law thesis on the subject, and that’s available online (click item 6 on the list here.)…”
I trust the link at the top of the page meets the requirements of all site regulations regarding linkage, Draco.
Hey Xtasy,
I saw this note from Gordon Campbell in today’s ‘Werewolf’ and thought of you*
Thanks to Lyndon for helping me post this online. And thanks to everyone who’s got this far, and shown an interest in reading Werewolf and keeping it going. Thanks a lot. If you want to be involved and want to talk over some story ideas, contact me at gordon@scoop.co.nz
just saying: I invite Gordon to read the Standard and get inspired! Thanks for the suggestion though. I have as of recent been a bit nocturnal, I am afraid, I have my bizarre “cycles” of activity.
Had a thought last night re getting NZ out of debt…
Would like to know if this is feasable…
This all needs to be relatively top secret if it were to be done
Have a series of SOEs. lets say 5 for good measure
Have a govt owned bank. (Reserve Bank)
Have a Govt owned bank that is customer facing
Set up a long list of fictitious customers via a data entry upload into SOE systems
Have the Reserve Bank secretly generate more money than National debt.
Funnel Money through SOEs via ficticious customers.
That money is then returned clean and clear to the Govt via dividend payments
Pay off overseas debt.
And yes I know what it is. 🙂
The question is, is it feasible at least in principle without tanking the dollar.
If not are there any tweaks that could be made so that it is.
To start off, perhaps do it the Argentine way, simply default and have it written off, to start anew? That is always a last option solution. But then the debt collectors inside and outside of NZ do not like this, do they?
RN: “Does the minister think it’s a laughing matter when a minister of the crown comes to this house and misleads this house, directly misleads this house by telling the house that there had been no pressure from Warner bros when the email traffic released just yesterday proves that there was very significant pressure from Warner bros to change our law?”
SJ: “Well Mr Speaker I think that what is a laughing matter is that this member talks constantly about creating jobs in the NZ economy, but opposes every hands on measure in which to do that.”
Norman objects that the question was not answered, and the Speaker denies him saying he should re-read his question and that Joyce answered the question “very adequately.” Is “Does the minister think…” not a good way to frame the question perhaps? Or am I missing something?
Anyway the whole 14 odd minutes is Joyce dodging Norman’s questions with responses like “I wasn’t the minister at the time,” “I haven’t read that speech,” “I’m not aware of the details of that question, but blah blah blah about something else.”
At one point the speaker agrees that Joyce hasn’t answered a question and asks Norman to repeat it. Joyce gives more of the same bollocks, and Norman is allowed to repeat the question again. Another non-answer. Norman objects, but the speaker rules that it’s simply time to move on. Cosgrove asks whether one can now ‘get off the hook’ to a question if one simply repeats a BS answer three times. The Speaker answers that it’s now for the public to judge Joyce’s answer. I’m so sure it will be all over Seven Sharp.
Thank goodness we have parliament’s ‘robust’ debates to keep our politicians in check in this perceived least corrupt country.
Perhaps the Speaker has been reminded ‘just who’s side He is on’, yesterday on a point of order from NZFirst’s Winston Peters who accused Slippery the Prime Minister of giggling like a school boy instead of answering a question from the Labour Benches the Speaker angrily directed Slippery to answer the question,
Slippery certainly didn’t look to happy about the rebuke…
No sorry i didn’t take note of the questions, it may have even have been a question asked by Russell Norman that had Winston telling the Speaker that Slippery’s answer was ”giggling like a schoolboy”,
That was yesterday’s question time just in case your confused…
Found it, near the end of question 2. The calmly speaker said it would be helpful if the PM could give concise answers, but equally helpful if the the opposition could cut out the loud interjections. Not much of a win for the left. I didn’t see Slippery bat an eyelid either.
The present “speaker” of the House is also a “speaker” for his favoured government, it sounds more and more like. I could not believe the crap that man came up with over recent days. He now so often asks opposition questioners to repeat their questions, frustrating the whole process, and then he lets off most of the government ministers with the slack comment, that he believed the question was answered totally satisfactorily.
This is the worst speaker in the House that I can remember. NO bias, yeah right, pull out yet another TUI board, thanks.
The dipshit from dipton, aka bill english, has just given the reserve bank the ability to make banks require larger deposits for mortgages. So now it’ll be even harder for kiwis to get into their first home.
If he doesn’t provide other complementary policies to go with this then he’s just screwed over NZers even more.
Those responsible for Labour’s 2011election defeat should be identified and make a “dignified exit’’ from the caucus, Charles Chauvel said in his valedictory speech today.
Chauvel said he wished to make public two thoughts he had shared privately with Labour Party Leader David Shearer
First – He sincerely wished Shearer would be the next Prime Minister and regretted he would not be the Attorney General.
Second – In an apparent reference to the recent reshuffle which had seen many of those supportive to David Cunliffe’s leadership aspirations demoted, he said it was unproductive to keep seeking the “supposed’’ enemy within.
Instead in order to stop history repeating there needed to be an open and honest look at why Labour suffered its worst ever defeat in 2011
“Those responsible for it should make dignified exits and all the undoubted talent and diversity should be included in the shadow Cabinet, Chauvel said’’.
True and i think Labour need look no further than having Phill Goff kick off the 2011 election campaign with the ‘raising of the age for super policy’ as the number one culprit,
What a thing to tell the 40 odd % of workers who struggle every day to pay the bills while at the same time expecting their vote…
Just trying to find out where the problem is. Just ignore it whilst I do work on it. Problem only seems to happen on the production platform so I have to test it here.
FOUR ANTI-CORRUPTION ‘WHISTLE-BLOWERS’ – WILL BE TAKING OUR CONCERNS ABOUT ALLEGED CORRUPT AUCKLAND COUNCIL ‘COVER-UPS’ DIRECTLY TO THE MAYOR AND ALL COUNCILLORS – 10 AM THURSDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2013:
Speaking Rights at Public Forum, Governing Body meeting of Auckland Council, Thursday 28 February 2013 have been confirmed for Penny Bright, (and other ‘anti-corruption whistle-blowers’, Grace Haden, Gary Osbourne, and Lisa Prager).
Time: 10.00am
Venue: Council Chamber
Manukau Civic Building
31-33 Manukau Station Road
Manukau
_____________________________________________________________________________
(25 February 2013)
Good afternoon Penny
Your request to be heard in the Public Input section of the 28 February Governing Body meeting at Manukau has been accepted. You will be allocated five minutes in which to make your presentation.
Should you wish to distribute any material in support of your presentation, please provide 25 copies.
The Public Input section is at the beginning of the meeting so I would advise that you should be in attendance from 10.00am.
The Mayor’s Office has noted reference in your request to variously the Serious Fraud Office or fraud. It would be appreciated if you do have concerns in this area to forward them to the relevant authorities via proper formal complaint processes. The Mayor’s Office cautions against making statements that impugn the reputation of individuals in a public forum.
Penny Bright’s subject matter will be: “WHO IS RUNNING AUCKLAND COUNCIL?”
This is, in my considered opinion, of SIGNIFICANT ‘Public Interest’, and needs to be dealt with by the Governing Body, because it appears that the Auckland Mayor and Councillors are NOT in control of Auckland Council.
As an ‘Anti-corruption whistle-blower’ – I wish to raise directly with the Mayor and ALL Councillors:
1) Their statutory duties arising from the NZ Bill of Rights Act 1990; the Local Government Act 2002, and the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, regarding the lawful rights of citizens to directly communicate with their elected representatives.
2) I also wish to cover, not only the lack of protection for ‘whistle-blowing’ citizens and ratepayers, trying to raise alleged corrupt ‘conflicts of interest directly with elected representatives, but the attempts by unelected Council staff to ‘block’ this information from getting directly to elected representatives.
3) Given there is evidence which confirms that the ‘blocking’ / ‘filtering’ of such information, has come directly from the ‘the top’, I also wish to request a ‘Special’ / ‘Extraordinary’ meeting of the CEO Strategy Review Committee, where the actions and performance of the CEO of Auckland Council, Doug McKay are reviewed directly by the Mayor and Councillors, who, in my considered opinion, should request independent legal advice from competent, legal professionals who specialise in ‘human rights’ law – unlike – ( in my considered opinion), the current General Counsel for Auckland Council).
4) For your information, I shall be requesting the attendance of representatives of the NZ Police and Serious Fraud Office (the ‘lead agency’ dealing with alleged corruption) at this, and any subsequent meetings on this matter.
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For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
COMMENTARY:By Ronny Kareni Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia’s army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding. Nowhere is this more evident ...
Analysis - Nicola Willis is holding firm on tax cuts despite the economic outlook being worse than forecast and critics urging her to wait, writes Peter Wilson for The Week In Politics. ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
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 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
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Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
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There is an old fashioned look to the Labour party now.
As David Shearer was out of NZ from 1989 to 2009 with a short retuen 2000 to 2002, it is understandable that he reference people and reference points are 80s. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Shearer
Retaining old codgers like Mike Smith, Mike Williams and Ian Fraser is keeping him in touch with the 80s!.
Being advised on tactic by Aneetee King, Phil Goff and Trevor Mallars. (& Tamahere?)…not exactly the Social Medial Generation….
Keeping back talent like Little, Cunliffe, Wall and Chauvel compounds the problem .
David Shearer is running out of time to make Labour relevant to the 16, 17 , 18, 19 year olds who are voting the first time
David Shearer is running out of time to make Labour relevant to the 800,000 who did not see a reason to vote.
There is some time. David needs to get fresh youthful people (non- parliamentary staffers ffs) experienced in this NOW world.
Sadly, all too true KV. From the outside, the current Labour caucus seems to be drifting with the tide and totally lacking the guts and brains required to lead in Opposition. In contrast, the Greens are making waves with regular displays of analysis and initiative on a number of topics.
Intriguing to compare, on a daily basis, the posts and comments on NZ left wing blogs with actual Labour efforts. No wonder they claim not to read the blogs!
Certainly NZ deserves a better government. But it also deserves a better Labour opposition.
State owned Genesis Energy is being ready for the sales block. Announcing a 85 % rise in profit & a return of $72 million for the last 6 months. So what have their 265,000 customers got to say?
I am a customer and have this to say ” give us customers a rebate since your making such healthy returns, 85 % rise & 72 million says your over charging us.”
“Get rid of Chairwoman Jenny Shipley as I am uncomfortable with her recent failures.”
“I am giving my notice as a & customer & consumer in protest to state assets being sold.”
Genesis Energy have been up dating all their meters so they do not have to come out for a reading or do an estimate. The cost of upgrade would have cut into their profit.
while we are on the subject of water (Hint: it’s not oil)
http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2013/02/25/the-coming-water-wars/
as in the Days of Noah (who needs to be able to swim on The Beach? shoot!)
Oh please. If you move to the state owned energy company with the lowest profits, and everyone else does, we would all be using our customer power to lower our power prices.
So which companies made the least profit???
Time to change suppliers.
I wonder if peter jackson will be brave enough to admit he decieved the country
Sociopaths never admit to doing wrong.
Jackson could do a movie about the Hobbit deal and he could be nominated for an oscar, (best director, best lead male role). Key likes the camera and having the Crown Law emails released would add to the intrigue of the relationship between Key and Jackson.
The Artistic Taxi Driver on the disastrous U$K situation where the banks and the privateers are being bailed out with trillions, but the people especially the disabled, the sick, and unemployed are being screwed with workfare and sanctions. The Tory scum have abandoned ordinary brits in favour of the casino speculating banks. All this has been prepared with a press campaign on scroungers and the like. This is the NeoLiberal scumbag system of profit before people and KeyBoy is following the exact same path here. At this moment they’re taking advice from a Welsh Pommie Toffter on how to reduce the disabled roles here and it won’t be pretty. 🙁
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpctuA5OtLs&list=UUGThM-ZZBba1Zl9rU-XeR-A&index=2
Same crap happening in the U$ which is in depression. The bail out money received by the casino crook banks has been invested for profit in the BRIC countries NOT in the has been U$ economy. Refer Michael Hudson for this. The U$ and the U$K are fighting in the last ditch to avoid the inevitable: a socialist society as the UK had just after the end of WW11.Note that is NOT a communist society. The Market has clearly been shown to be a socially and environmentally a destructive force as a nuclear war.
“Australian corporate chief calls for major welfare cuts” Key’s mates are egging him on:
“The Australian corporate elite’s demands for the government to impose the kind of drastic austerity measures being implemented in Europe and the US were spelt out again on Saturday in a speech by Don Argus, the former chairman of mining conglomerate BHP Billiton and the National Australia Bank. Argus declared that public spending in Australia was “unsustainable” and demanded a “national conversation about our welfare budget and how it could be better calibrated for the challenging period ahead.”
Argus, a multi-millionaire who wants for nothing, stated that his view, which means millions of working people will suffer severe cuts to their living standards, was “common sense.” Government spending, he asserted, had “outpaced income” and therefore had to be reduced. Feigning concern over rising youth unemployment, Argus called for increases in productivity to create jobs. In reality, “productivity” is the corporate code word for lowering wages and working conditions, and destroying jobs in order to boost profits.”
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/02/26/aust-f26.html Key is trying to work up the nerve to serve his kleptocratic masters, you better believe it, he doesn’t serve ordinary kiwis who don’t exist to him! 🙁
So NZ signed a deal with the US with regards to our food safety. What does that mean? Well, for starters the second guy at the FDA is a Monzanto guy and guess what? We are going to cut some red tape with regards to “potential” regulatory burden: What does that mean? Watch Farmageddon and find out!
Perhaps Monsanto was behind the WTC attack?
Perhaps you’re a dickhead who likes his GMO breakfast cereals. Who knows! In the mean time
Contrario doesn’t think that human beings conspire. It has never happenned. It doesn’t happen.
Nope, never happened and never will!
What a silly strawman. Of course people conspire. Why some Islamic terrorist conspired to bring down the WTC centre
How do you decide when there has been a conspiracy? And how do you determine whether you would know or not?
Funny how he is happy to accept the story about Muslims conspiring without a real shred of evidence while dissing real questions such as how come a building twice reinforced to withstand a nuclear blast collapsed in 6.5 seconds into its own footprint for the first and last time in history?
Now that awaths of North Island are being declared *state of drought*, this is the perfect opportunity for Monsanto, woops I mean the FDA to to come to rescue of NZ.
Just think of the possibilities!
Say no to GM dope
What, no earthquakes.
http://www.nrl.navy.mil/media/news-releases/2013/nrl-scientists-produce-densest-artificial-ionospheric-plasma-clouds-using-haarp
locally, could be the “worst drought in 50 years” though.
Whereabouts RT?
Here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8359060/Northland-in-drought-Government-declares
Would there be a drought if all the ground cover had not been burned off last century?
No Joe, no earthquakes…What was your comment about!
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/25/world/asia/japan-earthquake
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/02/us-quake-japan-idUSBRE91107T20130202
GPs rely on charity to ensure the basic health needs of children are met.
A brilliant initiative but surely it is the job of government, not charity?
Yes, it is..but ultimately Northland is lucky to have Dr O’S. IMHO he looks as though he is crossing some boundaries BUT THANK GOD HE IS!
Without him these kids would just be someone else’s problem and would develop life long consequences of the gov’s health neglect.
Once they have a good model of delivering a service at low/no cost they would be in a much better position to obtain government funding (thanks again to Dr O’S and his supporters). Northland is really a crucible for the rest of the country who are following at a less noticeable pace.
Yes, it takes people like Dr O’S to shake the system up a bit. However the MoH should be funding a trial, not relying on a driven GP to seek out charity funding. It’s hard enough doing the work without having to sort out how to fund it.
To me it’s another example of the government’s lack of focus on primary care, population health and prevention of illness.
Agree.
God this government makes me sick.
The New Zealand people have tasked the government with providing health care to all, regardless of wealth. But that just aint happening.
Perhaps that $400 million for businessmen farmers could go to looking after these children.
Bleeaaarrgh, vomit spew, cough splutter croak.
I have nothing but contempt for this government and even more so for their supporters.
“but surely it is the job of government, not charity?”
I don’t think what O’Sullivan is doing is charity. It’s the community organising itself. We should all be doing this – it creates more stable communities, and better health services (locals know better than MoH in Welly). It also futureproofs communities in the face of teotwawki.
Yes, govt ‘should’ be providing health services to all NZ kids. But they’re not, and it’s been a long time now since we’ve had a comprehensive, accessible health system. Time to take things into our own hands.
O’Sullivan’s points about how GPs practice are pertinent. Doctors SHOULD be going into the community and making themselves accessible. The whole making people travel to the GP, sit and wait sometimes for a long time, for 10 minutes of the GPs time model… that’s an insane way to run primary health care, and it’s come about because the people with privilege have organised it that way to suit themselves, not the people in need.
As an aside to that, every GP I have had has worked less then full time. I’m sure this varies hugely depending on many factors, but many GPs get paid very well for what they do, and seem to be benefiting greatly from the state subsidy to primary health care. All my GPs trained pre-student loans though, so that’s another factor.
Well, they’d know the local conditions better but the ministry would have better knowledge of drugs and therapies available.
Agreed but it still comes down to resources – what resources are available and which option uses less.
“They started it!” http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2013/02/national-needs-to-grow-up.html
Ha, ha, good one.
Will the ‘HairDo from Ohariu’ Minister of Revenue, Peter Dunne make it through to the 2014 election, the ‘skunk’ look has gone in favor of a totally white bouffant and seen yesterday Dunne has lost a hell of a lot of weight,
Perhaps another MP in the grip of vanity fear having had a stomach staple job, or has the piece of string which is the ‘Hairdo’s” lifeline come to an untimely end…
form Echo Beach; (Rose, Maria and Time grow Where The Wild Things Are)
http://gwend0lynleigh.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/susanna-and-the-elders-4452-mid.jpg
O Susanna, don’t you cry for me, better wormwood than Wormtongue
Hotere (2001) http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/hotere-2001 may be our greatest artist Ever without doubt Francis
Lockdown’s Pelican Bay, that’s where the killers wanna’ be to “hone their skills”. Southern Mexicans certainly prepared amongst the BRIICS (beware the NLR). Silver Ants are expert at navigating by the sun and proportionately cross the desert at 450km/hr. It’s an Enigma, yet Joyce looked decidedly uncomfortable around The Hobbit.
Daniel Day-Lewis IS the “Greatest Actor of All Time” (Foot Supports Intl. is a registerd Work and Income supplier apparently; better put ya’ best foot forward while special offer lasts.
RNZ- Helen Kelly is Everywhere (spooky).
GB-“Bob the Builder”of Backbenchers seems more like Rob the Gilder and Tolley the smoking gun.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
**Same sex marriage bill recommended to be passed into law by committee**
What IF! What if after the next election National rule alone, Labour have less seats, the greens have more! Will we blame Shearer, will we blame policies or will we blame the poll and the press? just asking!
Greens get a proportion, When Labour voters vote Labour in constituent seats and Greens in the list vote then Labour get a overhang (like the Maori party now) – parliament is now 121 seats.
So if you are say Greens get more seats and Labour less, it means Labours vote has collapsed again!!! Which is what happened at the last election, Goffed.
Labour needs to get back in touch with NZ voters by standing up to and for policies that are good for NZ voters, and it still hasn’t been able to sell a CGT or a tax free threshold on income, why?
Because nobody believes they have rejected Rogernomics.
forMicah:
Hear this; you leaders of the house of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel who despise justice and distort all that is right; who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness. Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet,
they lean upon the Lord and say “Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us.” (the opening prayer of parliament always cracks me up). Therefore, because of you, Zion will be ploughed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound (interesting)
overgrown with thickets. 😉
fro Living In the FuTure:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Esp_hOlFqiM
Eccl. 5:* : If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things: for one official is engaged by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.
10: Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.
11: As goods increase, so do those who consume. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them.
12: The sleep of a laborer is sweet whether he eats little or much, yet the abundance of a rich man often permits him no sleep.
WOW
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Wayne%27s_Musical_Version_of_The_War_of_the_Worlds#Track_listing
(’cause you’re not here)
I’ll blame Shearer and those who selected him as leader. If the greens have more seats than Labour I think I’d be right to do so.
I agree, if the Greens are on the ascendancy and Labour on the decline ,it’s not left wing policies that are at fault. It’s got to be that the higherarchy of the party is ineffective.
Doesn’t have to be just the hierarchy, the entire party could be out of touch with the majority of the populace and reality.
Getting people to vote is what has to happen. There has to be a good reason for people to vote. A policy for under 30s, those age 30 – 65 and over 65.
Shearer will not be the leader this time next year if Labour do not improve by at least 5%.
English admits there is a problem, and LVR will be used.( or maybe as it will become wheelers problem)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8358864/House-buyers-may-need-bigger-deposit
The first option should be the low hanging fruit ie taxing non resident housing investments.
The Bewitched, The Beguyled and The Bewildered Nichol in the palm is worth two in the Bush.
LPRENT: Have you fixed the mobile version? Page scrolling works sweetly for me now.
New Air NZ saftey video, this time with Bear G!
http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/bear-grylls-stars-in-air-new-zealands-new-safety-video/story-e6frfq80-1226586455323
No it doesn’t, i was just using the full version on my phone.
Via Twitter:
Vernon Small @VernonSmall
Chief justice Sian Elias says court unanimous on all issues and held crown actions are reviewable
Retweeted by Idiot/Savant
Via Twitter:
Adam Bennett @AdDeville
The Supreme Court has upheld the Maori Council’s legal challenge to the Government’s flagship asset sales policy.
Update:
Adam Bennett @AdDeville
Sorry, got that wrong!!!!
______________
Aw, stink.
Twitter is saying the Supreme Court has ruled against the Government and granted Maori’s application for an injunction …
Hold that …
Appeal dismissed …
Share float can go ahead.
Bugger !
farewell sweet aotearoa … what a tragedy for us all. then gnats will also approve the destruction of milford sound courtesy of the ‘trusted’ nick smith … wow… miserable day. and the referendum is not binding is it ?
Appeal dismissed.
Now on to the referendum.
http://werewolf.co.nz/2013/02/bringing-the-living-wage-to-life/
Werewolf is out. The article linked above is particularly interesting:
Its an example of how ingrained the culture of low pay has become in our society: it is now seen as a core duty of government to effectively subsidise corporate profits (and hence the incomes of the wealthy) by compensating for their sub-standard wages. We spend over a billion dollars a year doing this; meanwhile the idea of government regulating for decent wages (or even paying them itself) is apparently now politically unthinkable for the major parties.
I trust the link at the top of the page meets the requirements of all site regulations regarding linkage, Draco.
Damn, still no edit function. The first paragraph after its first sentence should be part of the block quote
[lprent: Tonight’s build at work is the production release. I start having time again. ]
Hey Xtasy,
I saw this note from Gordon Campbell in today’s ‘Werewolf’ and thought of you*
(emboldening mine)
*I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to follow this up in the middle of the night – just saying.
just saying: I invite Gordon to read the Standard and get inspired! Thanks for the suggestion though. I have as of recent been a bit nocturnal, I am afraid, I have my bizarre “cycles” of activity.
Had a thought last night re getting NZ out of debt…
Would like to know if this is feasable…
This all needs to be relatively top secret if it were to be done
Have a series of SOEs. lets say 5 for good measure
Have a govt owned bank. (Reserve Bank)
Have a Govt owned bank that is customer facing
Set up a long list of fictitious customers via a data entry upload into SOE systems
Have the Reserve Bank secretly generate more money than National debt.
Funnel Money through SOEs via ficticious customers.
That money is then returned clean and clear to the Govt via dividend payments
Pay off overseas debt.
And yes I know what it is. 🙂
The question is, is it feasible at least in principle without tanking the dollar.
If not are there any tweaks that could be made so that it is.
To start off, perhaps do it the Argentine way, simply default and have it written off, to start anew? That is always a last option solution. But then the debt collectors inside and outside of NZ do not like this, do they?
Question time:
RN: “Does the minister think it’s a laughing matter when a minister of the crown comes to this house and misleads this house, directly misleads this house by telling the house that there had been no pressure from Warner bros when the email traffic released just yesterday proves that there was very significant pressure from Warner bros to change our law?”
SJ: “Well Mr Speaker I think that what is a laughing matter is that this member talks constantly about creating jobs in the NZ economy, but opposes every hands on measure in which to do that.”
Norman objects that the question was not answered, and the Speaker denies him saying he should re-read his question and that Joyce answered the question “very adequately.” Is “Does the minister think…” not a good way to frame the question perhaps? Or am I missing something?
Anyway the whole 14 odd minutes is Joyce dodging Norman’s questions with responses like “I wasn’t the minister at the time,” “I haven’t read that speech,” “I’m not aware of the details of that question, but blah blah blah about something else.”
At one point the speaker agrees that Joyce hasn’t answered a question and asks Norman to repeat it. Joyce gives more of the same bollocks, and Norman is allowed to repeat the question again. Another non-answer. Norman objects, but the speaker rules that it’s simply time to move on. Cosgrove asks whether one can now ‘get off the hook’ to a question if one simply repeats a BS answer three times. The Speaker answers that it’s now for the public to judge Joyce’s answer. I’m so sure it will be all over Seven Sharp.
Thank goodness we have parliament’s ‘robust’ debates to keep our politicians in check in this perceived least corrupt country.
is the speaker elected by simple majority? 2/3 majority might be in order, given such shameless corruption described in your comment…
Where did I describe corruption?
Maybe think first next time.
Perhaps the Speaker has been reminded ‘just who’s side He is on’, yesterday on a point of order from NZFirst’s Winston Peters who accused Slippery the Prime Minister of giggling like a school boy instead of answering a question from the Labour Benches the Speaker angrily directed Slippery to answer the question,
Slippery certainly didn’t look to happy about the rebuke…
Ah Winnie… I don’t suppose you can remember which question that was bad12?
No sorry i didn’t take note of the questions, it may have even have been a question asked by Russell Norman that had Winston telling the Speaker that Slippery’s answer was ”giggling like a schoolboy”,
That was yesterday’s question time just in case your confused…
Found it, near the end of question 2. The calmly speaker said it would be helpful if the PM could give concise answers, but equally helpful if the the opposition could cut out the loud interjections. Not much of a win for the left. I didn’t see Slippery bat an eyelid either.
The present “speaker” of the House is also a “speaker” for his favoured government, it sounds more and more like. I could not believe the crap that man came up with over recent days. He now so often asks opposition questioners to repeat their questions, frustrating the whole process, and then he lets off most of the government ministers with the slack comment, that he believed the question was answered totally satisfactorily.
This is the worst speaker in the House that I can remember. NO bias, yeah right, pull out yet another TUI board, thanks.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/129230/reserve-bank-deal-on-house-price-controls-pending
The dipshit from dipton, aka bill english, has just given the reserve bank the ability to make banks require larger deposits for mortgages. So now it’ll be even harder for kiwis to get into their first home.
If he doesn’t provide other complementary policies to go with this then he’s just screwed over NZers even more.
From Scoop.co.nz …
Those responsible for Labour’s 2011election defeat should be identified and make a “dignified exit’’ from the caucus, Charles Chauvel said in his valedictory speech today.
Chauvel said he wished to make public two thoughts he had shared privately with Labour Party Leader David Shearer
First – He sincerely wished Shearer would be the next Prime Minister and regretted he would not be the Attorney General.
Second – In an apparent reference to the recent reshuffle which had seen many of those supportive to David Cunliffe’s leadership aspirations demoted, he said it was unproductive to keep seeking the “supposed’’ enemy within.
Instead in order to stop history repeating there needed to be an open and honest look at why Labour suffered its worst ever defeat in 2011
“Those responsible for it should make dignified exits and all the undoubted talent and diversity should be included in the shadow Cabinet, Chauvel said’’.
(I can only add – well said).
Burn him! He’s a witch!! etc.
True and i think Labour need look no further than having Phill Goff kick off the 2011 election campaign with the ‘raising of the age for super policy’ as the number one culprit,
What a thing to tell the 40 odd % of workers who struggle every day to pay the bills while at the same time expecting their vote…
Good on him, for being so civilised and so forthright. We have lost a fine mind with him going.
“Chauvel said he wished to make public two thoughts he had shared privately with Labour Party Leader David Shearer”
I would LOVE to the thoughts he that he shared with Shearer that he did not make public….today.
“A Party needs both wings to fly”
Charles Chauvel has made an excellent valedictory speech in Parliament:
Have a look here. http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/AboutParl/SeeHear/PTV/
Full text later:
http://thestandard.org.nz/charles-valedictory/
There is a discussion stream under another stream elsewhere.
Test the re-edit 3
Looking good!
But not for me … lol.
Just trying to find out where the problem is. Just ignore it whilst I do work on it. Problem only seems to happen on the production platform so I have to test it here.
Looks like a conflict in JQuery versions to sort out. That appears to be the problem.
Test the re-edit 7 – RSS Feed off
FOUR ANTI-CORRUPTION ‘WHISTLE-BLOWERS’ – WILL BE TAKING OUR CONCERNS ABOUT ALLEGED CORRUPT AUCKLAND COUNCIL ‘COVER-UPS’ DIRECTLY TO THE MAYOR AND ALL COUNCILLORS – 10 AM THURSDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2013:
Speaking Rights at Public Forum, Governing Body meeting of Auckland Council, Thursday 28 February 2013 have been confirmed for Penny Bright, (and other ‘anti-corruption whistle-blowers’, Grace Haden, Gary Osbourne, and Lisa Prager).
Time: 10.00am
Venue: Council Chamber
Manukau Civic Building
31-33 Manukau Station Road
Manukau
_____________________________________________________________________________
(25 February 2013)
Good afternoon Penny
Your request to be heard in the Public Input section of the 28 February Governing Body meeting at Manukau has been accepted. You will be allocated five minutes in which to make your presentation.
Should you wish to distribute any material in support of your presentation, please provide 25 copies.
The Public Input section is at the beginning of the meeting so I would advise that you should be in attendance from 10.00am.
The Mayor’s Office has noted reference in your request to variously the Serious Fraud Office or fraud. It would be appreciated if you do have concerns in this area to forward them to the relevant authorities via proper formal complaint processes. The Mayor’s Office cautions against making statements that impugn the reputation of individuals in a public forum.
Regards
Elaine Stephenson | Democracy Advisor |
Governance Support I Democracy Services
Ph 09 301 0101 | DDI 373 6328 | Fax 09 301 0100
Auckland Council, Level 14, Civic Building,
1 Greys Ave, Auckland 1142_
__________________________________________________________
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/SiteCollectionDocuments/aboutcouncil/governingbody/governingbodyag20130228.pdf
Penny Bright’s subject matter will be: “WHO IS RUNNING AUCKLAND COUNCIL?”
This is, in my considered opinion, of SIGNIFICANT ‘Public Interest’, and needs to be dealt with by the Governing Body, because it appears that the Auckland Mayor and Councillors are NOT in control of Auckland Council.
As an ‘Anti-corruption whistle-blower’ – I wish to raise directly with the Mayor and ALL Councillors:
1) Their statutory duties arising from the NZ Bill of Rights Act 1990; the Local Government Act 2002, and the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, regarding the lawful rights of citizens to directly communicate with their elected representatives.
2) I also wish to cover, not only the lack of protection for ‘whistle-blowing’ citizens and ratepayers, trying to raise alleged corrupt ‘conflicts of interest directly with elected representatives, but the attempts by unelected Council staff to ‘block’ this information from getting directly to elected representatives.
3) Given there is evidence which confirms that the ‘blocking’ / ‘filtering’ of such information, has come directly from the ‘the top’, I also wish to request a ‘Special’ / ‘Extraordinary’ meeting of the CEO Strategy Review Committee, where the actions and performance of the CEO of Auckland Council, Doug McKay are reviewed directly by the Mayor and Councillors, who, in my considered opinion, should request independent legal advice from competent, legal professionals who specialise in ‘human rights’ law – unlike – ( in my considered opinion), the current General Counsel for Auckland Council).
4) For your information, I shall be requesting the attendance of representatives of the NZ Police and Serious Fraud Office (the ‘lead agency’ dealing with alleged corruption) at this, and any subsequent meetings on this matter.
Kind regards,
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’.
http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/OCCUPY-AUCKLAND-APPEAL-APPLICATION-BY-APPELLANT-BRIGHT-TO-ADDUCE-NEW-EVIDENCE-pdf.pdf
(2013 Auckland Mayoral Candidate).
THURSDAY 28 FEBRUARLY 2013 – LAST DAY FOR SUBMISSIONS TO THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT REFORM BILL!
http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/SC/MakeSub/2/4/d/50SCLGE_SCF_00DBHOH_BILL11932_1-Resource-Management-Reform-Bill.htm
(Thanks for the ‘heads up’ Mels! )
Penny Bright
Awesome speech by Mr David Cunliffe about generations and fairness. I hope Trevor watches it. Real Labour.
http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/17360