A good, concise article on Greece and the EU. It outlines what’s at stake, and shows, indirectly, why Western left wing parliamentary parties are prone to fail their supporters – they continually find themselves between a stone and a hard place.
Independently of whether you are extreme left, extreme right, extreme centre (and yes, there is such a thing as extreme centre) or a moderate of any kind, you will have to agree that what is unfolding before our eyes today is a struggle for the future not only of the European ideal, but also of neoliberal capitalism…
and Whether Syriza wins or loses the battle, the good news is that there has been a battle in the first place. The war against this sort of neoliberal capitalism that cares not about people but money is full on now.
I was quoting from an article written by someone else. However, what is happening in Greece was a catastrophic human rights disaster before the election of Syriza – I take the author to mean that it is good that the current government is at least standing up to those who are inflicting the disaster.
Fighting the neo-liberal ‘public is bad – private is good’ mantra at Auckland Council – PROVE IT!
Got speaking rights at the Auckland Council Governing Body meeting on 25 June 2015 – exposed how there is no such thing as ‘public’ transport in Auckland, and asked why should the public subsidise that which we no longer own, operate or manage?
(Scroll to 7.30 for the start of my presentation …)
There are 10 private bus companies, 4 private ferry companies and a French multi-national company operating and managing Auckland trains.
How much do Auckland citizens and ratepayers subsidise PRIVATELY owned, operated and managed ‘passenger transport’ services?
If the private sector got to own, operate and manage passenger transport services because they were purportedly ‘more efficient’ – then why do they need public subsidies?
Where’s the ‘cost-benefit’ analyses that PROVE that public subsidy of private passenger transport services is a more ‘cost-effective’ use of public money than providing PUBLIC transport, under the ‘not for profit’ PUBLIC SERVICE model?
Why aren’t the Mayor, Councillors and Auckland Council staff asking these questions?
Why are Auckland citizens and ratepayers being told to pay a $114 per year ‘transport levy’ – when the question of the ‘cost-effectiveness’ of public money being used to subsidise privately owned, operated and managed ‘passenger transport’ apparently has never been asked?
(I am supposed to get an extensive OIA reply from Auckland Transport by
3 July 2015).
John Stringer on Colin Craig:according to Philip Matthews in ‘the Press’
“Colin seems to say whatever he needs to say to get what he wants and he disregards people he doesn’t need. He changes the narrative to suit his objective.”
Exactly – is Stringer naive or cynical?
I was brought up as the daughter of a Methodist minister (now quite removed from all of it), but I cannot get a grip on these right-wing religious weirdos, or work out how they justify their entitled, essentially unchristian stance !!??
For those interested I have posted on my website about “The role of writers as truth tellers – and the threat to freedom of speech” http://www.mandyhager.com
This headline gave me a laugh on One News Facebook feed. Appears to me someone is having a crack at Hosking;
“TPPA is one step closer to becoming reality in New Zealand. You can probably guess where Mike Hosking stands on the matter. Warning: If you’re among the many who oppose the deal, this may get your blood boiling”.
I heard Hosking raving on 7 TV1 last night on the subject of TPPA. He says TPPA is a marvellous opportunity and all those doom-sayers should butt out etc etc. What Hosking should be asked is how comes that he knows what is in it for NZ?
And does he know what the contents in TPPA are? I don’t know. We don’t know.
So either Hosking is in the elite group who do know, or he is a raving biased stooge.
(PS I watch TV1 7 so I can judge it. Wouldn’t be too bad if Hosking wasn’t there.)
I heard an interview with that dude Jessie Mullens who originally co hosted Seven Sharp. He went on about feeling bullied on the show hinting at Hosking but stopped short of naming him. I think I’d wind him up abit if a ran into him and wait for him to over step the mark and give him a crack for bullying Jessie, call it Karma lol.
I think you mean Jessie Mulligan, Skinny. Jessie was a guest panelist several years ago at the Great Mt Albert Debate, (a major fundraiser for the Mt Albert Branch of the Labour Party) always a great night out with heaps of fun with the debate.
Freedom of expression is alive and well on the NBR!
Taking on ‘Rogernomics’ from ‘inside the tent’ – as it were?
My comment in response to a post by Rodney Hide:
“State’s waste leaves fewer leftovers
WEEKEND REVIEW Fri 26 Jun
We should all be wishing Jordan Williams and the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union every success.”
———————————————————————
Sorry Rodney – I beg to differ.
In my considered opinion, the ingrained and chronic waste of taxpayer and ratepayer money at central and local government, has arisen from the myth and mantra upon which neo-liberal ‘Rogernomics’ was/is based.
The ‘public is bad – private is good’ myth and mantra.
Under this myth and mantra – services previously provided ‘in house’ under the single layer, not-for-profit, public service model, have been replaced with a double layer, for profit private sector model – where consultants ‘project manage’ works contractors – all out to make as much as they can.
As soon as you get into contracting – you get into ‘contract management’.
Government and Council ‘in-house’ staff are regarded as being too dumb to do that – so in come the consultants.
A single layer public service ‘BUREAUCRACY ‘ is replaced with a double layer of private sector ‘CONTRACTOCRACY’.
How on earth can that be a more ‘cost-effective’ use of public money?
The late, great George Burns often quipped that the most important attribute for an actor is sincerity; fake that and you’ve got it made. Nowhere is that truism more appropriate than in the obscene farce of American politics.
In December 2013, there was widespread anger after a shameless impostor perpetrated an outrageous display of fakery at the funeral service for Nelson Mandela. Comments included: “He was moving his hands around, but there was no meaning”; “What happened at the memorial service is truly a disgraceful thing to see”; “Disgusting”; “Shameful hypocrisy” and “It should not happen at all.”
Here’s a photo of the fraudster, waving his arm in the air…. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/deaf-interpreter-nelson-mandela-memorial-fake-officials-article-1.1544251
Morrissey. If you say Obama is an imposter I suppose you would suggest that Key cliche-ing over the Whanganuian plight is equally impostering. Surely not?
Can’t quite work out why you say, “Good for Australia” – do you mean it is good for the Australian country or good on those Australians?
This idea is foul imo – this english state housing clusterfuck needs to be shut down and tied off.
I agree with Labour, “Bill English should face reality and admit his state house sell off policy has collapsed.” and the Greens on this, “Bill English is also admitting that no-one in New Zealand wants to buy them, and that his grand sell-off plan is in tatters”
“I thought that was fairly obvious from the entire sentence.”
Well I asked for clarification as nicely as I could – pity you couldn’t answer the same way – although that may be mean because that might be as nice as you can be.
“A Gold Coast non-profit charity, Horizon Housing, had visited New Zealand this week to look at the houses. It was interested in possibly buying at least 400 state houses.”
Is that, “Australia is going to be getting richer at our expense”?
Being able to love who you love and show a legal commitment is a human right. Hopefully the USA legalising it will push other countries to, like Australia. There is much more to be done on global LGBTQ+ rights, including where in some countries you can be jailed or executed simply for being who you are, but hopefully this is part of a global movement towards equality.
Where is the electoral mandate for the privatisation of State Housing – via ‘social housing’?
How desperate and obscene is THIS?
————————————————————-
Hundreds of New Zealand’s state houses could be sold to Australians, Bill English said this morning.
Appearing on TV3’s The Nation this morning, Finance Minister Bill English said it was possible state houses could be sold to an Australian company.
A Gold Coast non-profit charity, Horizon Housing, had visited New Zealand this week to look at the houses. It was interested in possibly buying at least 400 state houses.
“So far it looks interesting to us, Horizon Housing’s chief executive Jason Cubit said.
“We’d like to expand our business because we’re good at it and we [will] hopefully make some surpluses and re-invest it into the community.”
English told The Nation that Australians would be able to buy the state houses if they were registered as community housing providers.
Labour’s housing spokesperson Phil Tywford described English’s admission as “the latest lurch in the Government’s stumbling, half-baked housing policy”.
“Bill English should face reality and admit his state house sell off policy has collapsed. The Salvation Army didn’t want a bar of it. Iwi leaders said they’d only take them if they got them for free.
“Now Bill English is so desperate to keep his failed policy afloat that he’ll even flick the houses off to the Aussies,” he said.
………
Especially the suggested remedy to ‘ghost housing’ in Auckland?
————————————————————————-
As the Auckland property market continues to heat up, our readers share their ideas for cooling it down. Peter Johnson says it’s simple math.
The numbers are self-evident – any high school student can work out these questions yet the so-called experts can’t see the basics:
Question 1: If New Zealand has net immigration of 55,000 each year and 80 per cent move to Auckland, assuming we have four people per house how many extra houses are needed each year in Auckland?
Answer 1: 11,000
Question 2: If Auckland needs 11,000 houses per year just for immigration and is only building 7,500, how many houses short is Auckland each year?
Answer 2: 3,500
Question 3: If Auckland has been building 3,500 houses less than demand each year for 10 years, how many houses is Auckland short of?
Answer 3: 35,000
Question 4: Basic economics states that free market pricing is a combination of supply and demand. If supply is low but demand is high, what will happen to the commodity price?
Answer 4: The price will go up
Here’s how we answer these questions in relation to Auckland housing:
Limit immigration: If we do not have the housing we have nowhere for immigrants to live. In effect it is time to hang out the No Vacancy sign until there is a surplus of housing.
Build more houses: This is part of the plan and it should continue until the backlog is dealt with.
Ghost housing: Auckland has the housing stock, it just has low utilisation, which in some ways could be seen as market manipulation. A simple law that makes it illegal to have a house unoccupied for a period of 12 months without a suitable reason should be implemented. To have a situation where houses are being bought for capital gain and taken out of circulation to add heat to the market is ridiculous. Failure to have your house occupied could result in forfeit to the crown for forced sale.
Special legislation, similar to the Christchurch rebuild legislation, to fast-track building in Auckland: We have the skills, experience and personnel for the agency in Christchurch right now. Also, the agency that handled the fast-track of building Christchurch is about to be made redundant.
How can we reduce demand?
Firstly, by reducing immigration, as above.
We can also give New Zealand citizens first rights over residents and over foreign buyers. If you are a New Zealand citizen then you can have multiple ownership rights. If you are a resident then you can only own one house – the house that you live in. If you want to have multiple houses then you need to commit to New Zealand and become a citizen.
Anyone from overseas who wants to buy housing in New Zealand needs to stand in line behind New Zealand citizens and then residents. The house must first be offered to the domestic market and if it does not sell then it can be offered overseas.
If the property does sell overseas for a premium then an overseas purchase levy of 10-20 percent as way of tax/stamp duty must be paid on both purchase and sale. If we are going to sell property offshore to the detriment of New Zealand citizens then there should be some additional benefit to New Zealand.
Overseas interests can only own property for a maximum of 50 years, then the property must be put on the open market to give New Zealand citizens a chance to purchase their land back at market rates.
I see the problem as very simple math. I know there are complexities of foreign exchange flow into New Zealand propping up a poorly performing economy, but the price we are paying is just too high.
This is basic math and economics 101. Trying to sell us on the idea that supply will fix the problem is utter dribble.
———————————————————————
Penny Bright
People don’t immigrate to Auckland Penny – people immigrate to New Zealand. If there is no housing in Auckland, new immigrates will have to live in another city or town. If the Hilton is full try the Holiday Inn – not the park bench.
Also immigrates have been known to bring money into New Zealand and spend said money to build themselves a house(s), which ‘in theory boosts the economy’. Hanging out the ‘No Vacancy’ sign is premature – though your point is received.
Has the Murray McCully – in my view – the ‘Minister of Bribery’s sordid Saudi sheep gate debacle, been the reason why National have not supported
ALL ‘facilitation payments’ being outlawed as BRIBES?
————————————————————————-
The Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Legislation Bill:
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand minority view
The Green Party supports the majority of the Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Legislation Bill in its current form.
The Green Party intends to continue with its support of this bill; it will bring us in line with our obligations under various international treaties and conventions dealing with national and international organised crime and corruption, and it will strengthen our ability to effectively respond to people trafficking and private sector corruption.
However, the Green Party holds the view that this bill is a missed opportunity to address the issue of facilitation payments, which will still be excepted from the foreign bribery offence under section 105C(3) of the Crimes Act 1961–
(3)This section does not apply if—
(a)the act that is alleged to constitute the offence was committed for the sole or primary purpose of ensuring or expediting the performance by a foreign public official of a routine government action; and
(b)the value of the benefit is small.
The Ministry of Justice departmental report refers to these payments as being for things such as “small payments relating to the grant of a permit or licence, the provision of utility services, or loading or unloading cargo.
The Ministry commented that these payments do not yield an “undue advantage”, and that measures in the bill to ensure the recording of these payments mitigate any concerns that the exception may be abused.
However, the select committee heard persuasive submissions on the issue from the Human Rights Commission, Transparency International New Zealand and Michael Macaulay, Director of the Institute for Governance and Policy Studies at Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Government.
These ‘grease’ payments are bribes, no matter their size, and help breed a culture where low-level corruption is permitted and accepted, contrary to international guidance from groups like the Serious Fraud Office, the UNCAC Implementation Review Group, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the OECD.
New Zealand is seen as a leader in public sector ethics and transparency, and we are proud of that legacy.
It is disappointing that when provided an opportunity to take a strong stance on a controversial and unethical practice like facilitation payments – a stance already taken by the United Kingdom and Australia, and allegedly being pursued in China and India – we choose to split hairs about semantics and ‘balance’, leaving the door open for facilitation payments and subtly undermining our international reputation for honesty and transparency.
———————————————————
Absolutely agree with the Greens on this point.
After the sordid Saudi sheep gate debacle – in my view – ALL political parties should support the outlawing of ‘facilitation payments’ as BRIBES – end of story.
Facilitation payments are fine with me if the desired result is achieved. Money certainly is a motivator. Facilitation payments aren’t a silver bullet though and diffidently could run parallel to bribery. If you have to bribe someone you should ask yourself, “do I really want to be in business with this kind of person/company”. I don’t see the government using facilitation payments as a magic wand… …yet…
Clearly McCully has had a bad week.
1. Found out lying to cabinet about the real reason behind the Saudi Sheep in the desert saga
2. Had to go to the dentist
3. But this tops them all. His performance last night saying he was going to solve the Israeli – Palestinian conflict 1 day into the job. This sounds like he is either trying to take the heat off the Saudi Sheep saga or, is suffering under the heat and has gone completely mad! I would suggest both. If he thinks he can get the UN into accepting his way of thinking on the Palestinian issue when he can’t even get a bilateral relationship sorted.
Maybe a very interesting cabinet conversation on Monday.
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
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Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
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Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
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Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
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Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
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Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
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Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
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The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Petrobas got permission to drill for oil.
Look what happened in Brazil.
http://gu.com/p/4a3bt
A good, concise article on Greece and the EU. It outlines what’s at stake, and shows, indirectly, why Western left wing parliamentary parties are prone to fail their supporters – they continually find themselves between a stone and a hard place.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/manuel-barcia/greek-economy_b_7665240.html
Independently of whether you are extreme left, extreme right, extreme centre (and yes, there is such a thing as extreme centre) or a moderate of any kind, you will have to agree that what is unfolding before our eyes today is a struggle for the future not only of the European ideal, but also of neoliberal capitalism…
and
Whether Syriza wins or loses the battle, the good news is that there has been a battle in the first place. The war against this sort of neoliberal capitalism that cares not about people but money is full on now.
“the good news is that there has been a battle in the first place”… you know this is a catastrophic human rights disaster for the Greek people right?
I was quoting from an article written by someone else. However, what is happening in Greece was a catastrophic human rights disaster before the election of Syriza – I take the author to mean that it is good that the current government is at least standing up to those who are inflicting the disaster.
Fighting the neo-liberal ‘public is bad – private is good’ mantra at Auckland Council – PROVE IT!
Got speaking rights at the Auckland Council Governing Body meeting on 25 June 2015 – exposed how there is no such thing as ‘public’ transport in Auckland, and asked why should the public subsidise that which we no longer own, operate or manage?
http://councillive.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/video/250615-governing-body-items-7-part-2-11
(Scroll to 7.30 for the start of my presentation …)
There are 10 private bus companies, 4 private ferry companies and a French multi-national company operating and managing Auckland trains.
How much do Auckland citizens and ratepayers subsidise PRIVATELY owned, operated and managed ‘passenger transport’ services?
If the private sector got to own, operate and manage passenger transport services because they were purportedly ‘more efficient’ – then why do they need public subsidies?
Where’s the ‘cost-benefit’ analyses that PROVE that public subsidy of private passenger transport services is a more ‘cost-effective’ use of public money than providing PUBLIC transport, under the ‘not for profit’ PUBLIC SERVICE model?
Why aren’t the Mayor, Councillors and Auckland Council staff asking these questions?
Why are Auckland citizens and ratepayers being told to pay a $114 per year ‘transport levy’ – when the question of the ‘cost-effectiveness’ of public money being used to subsidise privately owned, operated and managed ‘passenger transport’ apparently has never been asked?
(I am supposed to get an extensive OIA reply from Auckland Transport by
3 July 2015).
Penny Bright
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
John Stringer on Colin Craig:according to Philip Matthews in ‘the Press’
“Colin seems to say whatever he needs to say to get what he wants and he disregards people he doesn’t need. He changes the narrative to suit his objective.”
In other words Just another Tory politician.
Exactly – is Stringer naive or cynical?
I was brought up as the daughter of a Methodist minister (now quite removed from all of it), but I cannot get a grip on these right-wing religious weirdos, or work out how they justify their entitled, essentially unchristian stance !!??
+1
For those interested I have posted on my website about “The role of writers as truth tellers – and the threat to freedom of speech” http://www.mandyhager.com
Actual link
Why Corporations, Not Government, Are the Most Ruthless Enemies of Journalists (w/ Mark Ames)
I haven’t actually watched that yet but seems to be on the same subject.
This headline gave me a laugh on One News Facebook feed. Appears to me someone is having a crack at Hosking;
“TPPA is one step closer to becoming reality in New Zealand. You can probably guess where Mike Hosking stands on the matter. Warning: If you’re among the many who oppose the deal, this may get your blood boiling”.
I heard Hosking raving on 7 TV1 last night on the subject of TPPA. He says TPPA is a marvellous opportunity and all those doom-sayers should butt out etc etc. What Hosking should be asked is how comes that he knows what is in it for NZ?
And does he know what the contents in TPPA are? I don’t know. We don’t know.
So either Hosking is in the elite group who do know, or he is a raving biased stooge.
(PS I watch TV1 7 so I can judge it. Wouldn’t be too bad if Hosking wasn’t there.)
I heard an interview with that dude Jessie Mullens who originally co hosted Seven Sharp. He went on about feeling bullied on the show hinting at Hosking but stopped short of naming him. I think I’d wind him up abit if a ran into him and wait for him to over step the mark and give him a crack for bullying Jessie, call it Karma lol.
I think you mean Jessie Mulligan, Skinny. Jessie was a guest panelist several years ago at the Great Mt Albert Debate, (a major fundraiser for the Mt Albert Branch of the Labour Party) always a great night out with heaps of fun with the debate.
Yes that’s him. Sounds like a decent guy Jilly Bee no wonder Hosking picked on him!
Go Bernie give Clinton a dealing too!
http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/06/25/new-hampshire-poll-shows-bernie-sanders-in-dead-heat-with-hillary-clinton/?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0
FYI.
Freedom of expression is alive and well on the NBR!
Taking on ‘Rogernomics’ from ‘inside the tent’ – as it were?
My comment in response to a post by Rodney Hide:
“State’s waste leaves fewer leftovers
WEEKEND REVIEW Fri 26 Jun
We should all be wishing Jordan Williams and the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union every success.”
———————————————————————
Sorry Rodney – I beg to differ.
In my considered opinion, the ingrained and chronic waste of taxpayer and ratepayer money at central and local government, has arisen from the myth and mantra upon which neo-liberal ‘Rogernomics’ was/is based.
The ‘public is bad – private is good’ myth and mantra.
Under this myth and mantra – services previously provided ‘in house’ under the single layer, not-for-profit, public service model, have been replaced with a double layer, for profit private sector model – where consultants ‘project manage’ works contractors – all out to make as much as they can.
As soon as you get into contracting – you get into ‘contract management’.
Government and Council ‘in-house’ staff are regarded as being too dumb to do that – so in come the consultants.
A single layer public service ‘BUREAUCRACY ‘ is replaced with a double layer of private sector ‘CONTRACTOCRACY’.
How on earth can that be a more ‘cost-effective’ use of public money?
Where’s the ‘prudent stewardship’?
Where’s the ‘cost-benefit’ analysis?
How is this not corporate welfare – on steroids?
Who else is asking THIS question Rodney?
Kind regards
Penny Bright
It can’t be but it does make the rich so much more profit.
This shameless imposter should be in prison
The late, great George Burns often quipped that the most important attribute for an actor is sincerity; fake that and you’ve got it made. Nowhere is that truism more appropriate than in the obscene farce of American politics.
In December 2013, there was widespread anger after a shameless impostor perpetrated an outrageous display of fakery at the funeral service for Nelson Mandela. Comments included: “He was moving his hands around, but there was no meaning”; “What happened at the memorial service is truly a disgraceful thing to see”; “Disgusting”; “Shameful hypocrisy” and “It should not happen at all.”
Here’s a photo of the fraudster, waving his arm in the air….
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/deaf-interpreter-nelson-mandela-memorial-fake-officials-article-1.1544251
Six months before that outrage, the impostor had disgusted the world with a display of OTT method acting….
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2013/jul/01/barack-obama-nelson-mandela-robben-island-video
And now, unfortunately, the impostor is at it again. This time he’s pretending to be Martin Luther King….
http://edition.cnn.com/videos/us/2015/06/26/obama-sings-amazing-grace-during-pinckney-eulogy-sot-nr.cnn
Morrissey. If you say Obama is an imposter I suppose you would suggest that Key cliche-ing over the Whanganuian plight is equally impostering. Surely not?
As horrible and hypocritical as Key is, he is not presiding over a world-wide programme of torture, kidnapping and extra-judicial assassination.
A short spiel on the Neutral Observer fallacy.
It appears that the government is going to sell the state houses to Australia:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1506/S00499/national-to-put-state-houses-in-overseas-hands.htm
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1506/S00500/dont-sell-our-state-houses-to-the-aussies-mr-english.htm
Good for Australia but we get to see even more of our hard work going to support foreigners for no gain.
Can’t quite work out why you say, “Good for Australia” – do you mean it is good for the Australian country or good on those Australians?
This idea is foul imo – this english state housing clusterfuck needs to be shut down and tied off.
I agree with Labour, “Bill English should face reality and admit his state house sell off policy has collapsed.” and the Greens on this, “Bill English is also admitting that no-one in New Zealand wants to buy them, and that his grand sell-off plan is in tatters”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11472186
I mean Australia is going to be getting richer at our expense. I thought that was fairly obvious from the entire sentence.
Yep. It’s just more legalised theft of NZs’ assets and wealth.
“I thought that was fairly obvious from the entire sentence.”
Well I asked for clarification as nicely as I could – pity you couldn’t answer the same way – although that may be mean because that might be as nice as you can be.
“A Gold Coast non-profit charity, Horizon Housing, had visited New Zealand this week to look at the houses. It was interested in possibly buying at least 400 state houses.”
Is that, “Australia is going to be getting richer at our expense”?
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jun/26/gay-marriage-legal-supreme-court
Same-sex marriage is now legal in all 50 states in the USA!
The White House is also lit up in rainbow lights in celebration! https://www.facebook.com/WhiteHouse/videos/vb.63811549237/10153566817364238/?type=2&theater Truly amazing sight.
Being able to love who you love and show a legal commitment is a human right. Hopefully the USA legalising it will push other countries to, like Australia. There is much more to be done on global LGBTQ+ rights, including where in some countries you can be jailed or executed simply for being who you are, but hopefully this is part of a global movement towards equality.
Where is the electoral mandate for the privatisation of State Housing – via ‘social housing’?
How desperate and obscene is THIS?
————————————————————-
Hundreds of New Zealand’s state houses could be sold to Australians, Bill English said this morning.
Appearing on TV3’s The Nation this morning, Finance Minister Bill English said it was possible state houses could be sold to an Australian company.
A Gold Coast non-profit charity, Horizon Housing, had visited New Zealand this week to look at the houses. It was interested in possibly buying at least 400 state houses.
“So far it looks interesting to us, Horizon Housing’s chief executive Jason Cubit said.
“We’d like to expand our business because we’re good at it and we [will] hopefully make some surpluses and re-invest it into the community.”
English told The Nation that Australians would be able to buy the state houses if they were registered as community housing providers.
Labour’s housing spokesperson Phil Tywford described English’s admission as “the latest lurch in the Government’s stumbling, half-baked housing policy”.
“Bill English should face reality and admit his state house sell off policy has collapsed. The Salvation Army didn’t want a bar of it. Iwi leaders said they’d only take them if they got them for free.
“Now Bill English is so desperate to keep his failed policy afloat that he’ll even flick the houses off to the Aussies,” he said.
………
Penny Bright
What do folks think about this one?
Especially the suggested remedy to ‘ghost housing’ in Auckland?
————————————————————————-
As the Auckland property market continues to heat up, our readers share their ideas for cooling it down. Peter Johnson says it’s simple math.
The numbers are self-evident – any high school student can work out these questions yet the so-called experts can’t see the basics:
Question 1: If New Zealand has net immigration of 55,000 each year and 80 per cent move to Auckland, assuming we have four people per house how many extra houses are needed each year in Auckland?
Answer 1: 11,000
Question 2: If Auckland needs 11,000 houses per year just for immigration and is only building 7,500, how many houses short is Auckland each year?
Answer 2: 3,500
Question 3: If Auckland has been building 3,500 houses less than demand each year for 10 years, how many houses is Auckland short of?
Answer 3: 35,000
Question 4: Basic economics states that free market pricing is a combination of supply and demand. If supply is low but demand is high, what will happen to the commodity price?
Answer 4: The price will go up
Here’s how we answer these questions in relation to Auckland housing:
Limit immigration: If we do not have the housing we have nowhere for immigrants to live. In effect it is time to hang out the No Vacancy sign until there is a surplus of housing.
Build more houses: This is part of the plan and it should continue until the backlog is dealt with.
Ghost housing: Auckland has the housing stock, it just has low utilisation, which in some ways could be seen as market manipulation. A simple law that makes it illegal to have a house unoccupied for a period of 12 months without a suitable reason should be implemented. To have a situation where houses are being bought for capital gain and taken out of circulation to add heat to the market is ridiculous. Failure to have your house occupied could result in forfeit to the crown for forced sale.
Special legislation, similar to the Christchurch rebuild legislation, to fast-track building in Auckland: We have the skills, experience and personnel for the agency in Christchurch right now. Also, the agency that handled the fast-track of building Christchurch is about to be made redundant.
How can we reduce demand?
Firstly, by reducing immigration, as above.
We can also give New Zealand citizens first rights over residents and over foreign buyers. If you are a New Zealand citizen then you can have multiple ownership rights. If you are a resident then you can only own one house – the house that you live in. If you want to have multiple houses then you need to commit to New Zealand and become a citizen.
Anyone from overseas who wants to buy housing in New Zealand needs to stand in line behind New Zealand citizens and then residents. The house must first be offered to the domestic market and if it does not sell then it can be offered overseas.
If the property does sell overseas for a premium then an overseas purchase levy of 10-20 percent as way of tax/stamp duty must be paid on both purchase and sale. If we are going to sell property offshore to the detriment of New Zealand citizens then there should be some additional benefit to New Zealand.
Overseas interests can only own property for a maximum of 50 years, then the property must be put on the open market to give New Zealand citizens a chance to purchase their land back at market rates.
I see the problem as very simple math. I know there are complexities of foreign exchange flow into New Zealand propping up a poorly performing economy, but the price we are paying is just too high.
This is basic math and economics 101. Trying to sell us on the idea that supply will fix the problem is utter dribble.
———————————————————————
Penny Bright
People don’t immigrate to Auckland Penny – people immigrate to New Zealand. If there is no housing in Auckland, new immigrates will have to live in another city or town. If the Hilton is full try the Holiday Inn – not the park bench.
Also immigrates have been known to bring money into New Zealand and spend said money to build themselves a house(s), which ‘in theory boosts the economy’. Hanging out the ‘No Vacancy’ sign is premature – though your point is received.
Has the Murray McCully – in my view – the ‘Minister of Bribery’s sordid Saudi sheep gate debacle, been the reason why National have not supported
ALL ‘facilitation payments’ being outlawed as BRIBES?
————————————————————————-
The Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Legislation Bill:
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand minority view
The Green Party supports the majority of the Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Legislation Bill in its current form.
The Green Party intends to continue with its support of this bill; it will bring us in line with our obligations under various international treaties and conventions dealing with national and international organised crime and corruption, and it will strengthen our ability to effectively respond to people trafficking and private sector corruption.
However, the Green Party holds the view that this bill is a missed opportunity to address the issue of facilitation payments, which will still be excepted from the foreign bribery offence under section 105C(3) of the Crimes Act 1961–
(3)This section does not apply if—
(a)the act that is alleged to constitute the offence was committed for the sole or primary purpose of ensuring or expediting the performance by a foreign public official of a routine government action; and
(b)the value of the benefit is small.
The Ministry of Justice departmental report refers to these payments as being for things such as “small payments relating to the grant of a permit or licence, the provision of utility services, or loading or unloading cargo.
The Ministry commented that these payments do not yield an “undue advantage”, and that measures in the bill to ensure the recording of these payments mitigate any concerns that the exception may be abused.
However, the select committee heard persuasive submissions on the issue from the Human Rights Commission, Transparency International New Zealand and Michael Macaulay, Director of the Institute for Governance and Policy Studies at Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Government.
These ‘grease’ payments are bribes, no matter their size, and help breed a culture where low-level corruption is permitted and accepted, contrary to international guidance from groups like the Serious Fraud Office, the UNCAC Implementation Review Group, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the OECD.
New Zealand is seen as a leader in public sector ethics and transparency, and we are proud of that legacy.
It is disappointing that when provided an opportunity to take a strong stance on a controversial and unethical practice like facilitation payments – a stance already taken by the United Kingdom and Australia, and allegedly being pursued in China and India – we choose to split hairs about semantics and ‘balance’, leaving the door open for facilitation payments and subtly undermining our international reputation for honesty and transparency.
———————————————————
Absolutely agree with the Greens on this point.
After the sordid Saudi sheep gate debacle – in my view – ALL political parties should support the outlawing of ‘facilitation payments’ as BRIBES – end of story.
Penny Bright
Facilitation payments are fine with me if the desired result is achieved. Money certainly is a motivator. Facilitation payments aren’t a silver bullet though and diffidently could run parallel to bribery. If you have to bribe someone you should ask yourself, “do I really want to be in business with this kind of person/company”. I don’t see the government using facilitation payments as a magic wand… …yet…
mmmmmmm tasty lamb
‘Aotearoa Now’ a Short film by from Ryan Fielding.
https://vimeo.com/122342786
crikey!
Clearly McCully has had a bad week.
1. Found out lying to cabinet about the real reason behind the Saudi Sheep in the desert saga
2. Had to go to the dentist
3. But this tops them all. His performance last night saying he was going to solve the Israeli – Palestinian conflict 1 day into the job. This sounds like he is either trying to take the heat off the Saudi Sheep saga or, is suffering under the heat and has gone completely mad! I would suggest both. If he thinks he can get the UN into accepting his way of thinking on the Palestinian issue when he can’t even get a bilateral relationship sorted.
Maybe a very interesting cabinet conversation on Monday.