Open mike 27/08/2015

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 27th, 2015 - 151 comments
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openmikeOpen mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

151 comments on “Open mike 27/08/2015 ”

  1. Paul 1

    My observation about the dire condition of our mainstream media in New Zealand looks not at how it uses distraction to dumb down citizens and turn them into ‘consumers’ ; rather it looks at its bias to the corporate industrial complex and its lackeys and puppets in New Zealand, the National Party.
    Last year the Herald got involved in Dirty Politcs by smearing and undermining David Cunliffe’s leadership close enough to the election to assist another victory for the National Party.
    The sponsors of the Herald, the real estate, insurance and finance industries clearly want more blood from its puppet paper. There has now been a sustained attack on Little by the Herald as it seeks to promote Jacinda Ardern. With a media like this, we only have a shadow of democracy In this country.

    • For me the herald is a tool, and stuff too – they put out their lines/articles and they are designed to elicit a response from readers – I want to know what they are trying to get me to think/do/believe – so that I can use a discriminating eye and mind and interpret their agenda. And then do what I want based on my beliefs and values.

      the msm is persuasive and pervading and they do support the agendas – as organs of culture they show how delusional we are, how idiotic we are, how unprepared and head in the sand we are. The deeper those delusions go, the more along the road we are towards the inevitable conclusion. I don’t want or believe the msm will change – we need canaries, we need strident protectors of the ‘progress’ religion and fervent advocates of whichever ‘middle’ party is in power, we need them so we have something to contrast to, so we can do the opposite, believe the opposite and act opposite. So fuck the herald – I use them.

      • Charles 1.1.1

        I want to know what they are trying to get me to think/do/believe – so that I can use a discriminating eye and mind and interpret their agenda. And then do what I want based on my beliefs and values.

        Or make the job easier and faster by doing whatever you want and not read/watch it at all. From here, the World as portrayed by even a 30 second news headlines ad on TV, or the front page at a supermarket entrance, it’s like, “Where the fuck are these people coming from?”. Wherever it is, it can’t be good for their health – mental or otherwise.

        I recommend a site like metapicture, which has all the slightly muted values and prejudices of the perspective that everyone loves to repeat in the news, but interspersed by about 50% vaguely amusing rubbish – or try the weather forecast. As Simon and Garfunkel once said, “I get all the news I need on the weather report…”

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGDt2skie84

        • marty mars 1.1.1.1

          thanks charles – I quite like my way, honed from years of experience to a keen edge capable of slicing and dicing quite delicately and mindfully.

    • The lost sheep 1.2

      With a media like this, we only have a shadow of democracy In this country.

      As you are back yet again on this topic Paul, perhaps you’d like to continue the discussion yesterday on how you would fix it?

      To remind you where we were at, here’s where we paused…

      “The setting up of a genuine national TV broadcaster with several channels.”
      How would you control the content of such channels?

      Support for local grassroots media.
      Any grassroots media, or grassroots media that had to meet some form of Govt. approval?

      Regulations with teeth about impartiality
      ‘Regulations’ is a big word. What would be the central details of such regulation?

      • Ad 1.2.1

        We are the alternative.
        As is Whaleoil, Kiwiblog, and Scoop.

        Stand up. We’re taking over the world, one click at a time.

      • McFlock 1.2.2

        So, just to recap, you’re not happy with paul just pointing out that NZ media are blatantly biased in favour of tories. You want paul to design an entire media system from the mechanisms of providing support to grassroots media all the way up to writing the details of content regulations. And you call those demands a “discussion”.

        yeah, fuck off.

    • Jenny Kirk 1.3

      Agree with you 100%, Paul. And I, too, have been wondering re the promotion of Jacinda Ardern – a very sneaky move to use her to undermine Andrew Little.

      • Ad 1.3.1

        Jacinda actively courts light media.
        And it’s what Labour desperately needs.

        Politics, otherwise, is “Entertainment With Ugly People”. Both visually and spiritually.

        National understands and accepts the power of televisual presence, and gain huge advantage in the MSM because of it. They remain better at it.

        We may like to think we are pure and only deal in policy thoughts like monks of old.
        Best of luck with that.

        Meantime, Labour sure as hell needs Jacinta.

        • Morrissey 1.3.1.1

          Our right wing friend “Ad” has, unwittingly, managed to say something that has some truth to it….

          Politics, otherwise, is “Entertainment With Ugly People”.

          That rather dull quip was made by someone in Hollywood in the early 1990s, and has been repeated ad nauseam by people like “Ad” ever since. Of course, as we see with the lionization of loud-mouthed vacuums like Donald Trump, the media are more than happy to concentrate on nonsense instead of anything substantial, which is not entertaining.

          So, yes, politics is indeed entertainment with ugly people—-morally ugly.

          There’s a flipside of course: so much of Hollywood seems to be politics for stupid people, as anyone will testify who has witnessed the embarrassing and unedifying spectacle of numbskulls like Neil Patrick Harris, Jared Leto, Kevin Costner, Kevin Spacey, Michael Douglas, John Malkovich and (most pathetic of all) Clint Eastwood trying to comment about things they know nothing about.

          • Ad 1.3.1.1.1

            Trump may not be entertaining to you.

            But he is on course to win the Republican nomination.
            Precisely because he is quotable, and entertaining.

            They even flock to his moral ugliness.

            Read those US polls and weep all you like.
            Trump has all the momentum, all the media oxygen, and he has huge popular support.

            He will win the Republican nomination for Presidency.

            • les 1.3.1.1.1.1

              have you quickly discraded your logic?…’The point of the Opposition is to show the public that their answers are better than the alternative, more credible, and more effective.’

              ‘But he is on course to win the Republican nomination.
              Precisely because he is quotable, and entertaining.’…………………….so which is more important…..policy or charisma….you seem very inconsistent or confused or both!

              • Ad

                Policy is what you do when you don’t have charisma.
                Thanks for playing.

                • les

                  so policy is of no consequence…Nat strategy…’team Key’…are you with me!

                • Draco T Bastard

                  So, I take it you’ll be voting for National because you’re too shallow to actually think about policy.

                  • Ad

                    I’ve written a post on this today.

                    • Tracey

                      except in that post you propose policy as an asnwer, which contradicts many other things wyou say (in your comments at other times) about people like Adern and the need to fight fire with fire, popularity with popularity, do what it takes to win, which often precludes policy? That is certainly how 2007/2008 went, attack Clark, attack Labour, smile, says stuff which doesn’t mean much, and very little (or no policy).

                      All the things that people like BM say don’t work. And therein lies a message but I don’t know what the answer/counter is. Wish i did.

            • Morrissey 1.3.1.1.1.2

              Trump may not be entertaining to you.

              Oh, I can see he’s entertaining. But it’s like professional wrestling—there’s not a lot of substance there, and anyone with a brain soon gets bored and loses interest. It’s obvious to everyone that Trump is a souffle, a flake, a giant inflated bag of foul wind. Yes, he got 24 million people to tune in to watch him insult Mexicans and women, in between speeches by a dozen of America’s dullest men. And yes, he gets more people to his highly publicized appearances than Jeb Bush or Mario Rubio.

              But far, far more people are turning out to watch the most popular politician in the United States—Bernie Sanders.

              He will win the Republican nomination for Presidency.

              That’s what we’re all counting on.

              • Ad

                So far it’s obvious to just a few in the media, and a few on the left.

                The people adore him.

                • Morrissey

                  The people adore him.

                  Now I’m going to be charitable here and assume that you are not actually one of the small group of imbeciles that actually adore the most well funded joke candidate in history.

                  Donald Trump is not a new phenomenon. Joke candidates have a long history. New Zealand had a “Mickey Mouse” candidate in 1972, and there was a full ticket of McGillicuddy Serious Party candidates twenty years on from that. All of these people were more coherent and entertaining than Trump.

                  Britain had Screaming Lord Sutch and his Official Monster Raving Loony Party, of course. Screaming Lord Sutch was a far brighter and more compelling candidate than any of these Republican candidates, leave alone the joke candidate who continues to distract everyone.

                  So, as I say, we’re assuming that you are one of the many people that are smart enough to realise Trump has nothing and offers nothing, but are determined to believe that millions of people are stupid enough to vote for him.

                  Well, okay, a lot of people voted for that sinister robot Mitt Romney last time—-but compared to Donald Trump, Romney is the most brilliant orator on the planet and a philosopher of the highest order.

                  But then, compared to Donald Trump, so is anybody.

              • nadis

                Trump wont win the Republican nomination, and Sanders won’t win the Democrat nomination – hes currently polling 20pts behind Clinton, before the gloves come off and the money needs raising. No matter how popular they are, they won’t be allowed to win by party interests, because in a presidential election, both of them are un-electable. The republicans have always had the problem that the sort of candidate who can win the primary could never win the wider election. Sanders is the democrat version of that problem.

                And in recent campaigns I can’t remember the last front runner at this point who ended up winning their party’s nomination.

                Trump is a joke – un-electable because he will piss off way to many demographics. Sanders is not a joke, but in the US environment the only major state he might carry is California. Forget all the other key battlegrounds in the electoral college – Florida, Michigan, NY, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Georgia. As soon as the Republicans start attacking him with ads, he is gone. Secretly the Dems are hoping Trump does win the nomination, as the Republicans are hoping Sanders wins for the democrats. The US presidential election clearly works against polarising candidates as most states are winner takes all, i.e., a 1 vote majority within California delivers the candidate 10% of the electoral college.

                • Tracey

                  The republicans were hoping to appeal to the “minorites”, through Jeb Bush, but Trump is pissing many off in that regard. BUT FOX News is not (from what I can see) a Trump fan and that will hurt him in the long run

                • Morrissey

                  I’m pleased to see that you acknowledge Sanders is NOT a joke candidate.

                  However, that acknowledgement comes after you have erroneously compared him to Trump.

                  Let’s get this straight: Sanders is serious, whereas Trump and the whole sorry Republican Party is nothing more than a crazy insurgency movement, dedicated to ruining America’s democracy.

                  I find it remarkable that you insist Sanders is “un-electable”. He’s surely no more unelectable than Barack Obama was, running as a black candidate in a profoundly racist country.

                  • my prediction is that trump will win the presidency – society throws up these types in its last days/years – and they’ll build that stupid wall too…

            • mary_a 1.3.1.1.1.3

              @ Ad – Your reference to Trump.”He will win the Republican nomination for Presidency.”

              That should make it easy for a Democrat win then.

        • Tracey 1.3.1.2

          So, policy is secondary if you want to win the Treasury seats, right?

      • James 1.3.2

        The Jacinda thing I believe was more that there was a change in her as preferred PM (as per the caption on the graphic, and the subtitle).

        Its hard to make a headline about National being so far ahead of Labour, as that seems to be the ‘same old, same old’.

        If Labour had of jumped in the polls – then that would have been the push.

        Anything else is tinfoil hat material.

        • Sabine 1.3.2.1

          Who actually answered that ” jacinda preferred as Pm” Poll?

          I have not seen the poll, but would like to know who was polled? Regular Voters? Age Group of Voters? Gender of Voters, and Party Preferrence of Voters.

          i actually think nothing of Jacinda as I have no idea who she is, what she likes, etc etc etc.
          And for what its worth, i have never voted for a pretty face, male or female. I want my PM’s to be sound of mind and heart, I have no interest in their pretty faces and good bodies…these things fade with time.

          • aidan 1.3.2.1.1

            used to watch Jacinda face of against the ghastly Bridges on morning t.v. was frustrating to see her counter his idiocy and bluster with calm and reasoned debate, often being talked over by bridges, imitating his idol Key, and the “interviewr” despite having all the facts and sound reasoning, how demorilising to be against pitted against the gnat-like ignorance of bridges and in the eyes of msm to be comparable to him.

    • Hami Shearlie 1.4

      The Nats were terrified of David Cunliffe – he was a real threat to them – Michelle Boag likes Andrew Little – obviously she thinks he’s no threat – the ABC crowd should have worked out that if the Nats were so keen to get rid of Cunliffe, that it was because he was a big threat to them, but the selfishness of the ABC crowd is breathtaking – they are all about securing their positions for the future and the public of NZ don’t seem to even rate a thought! The ABC don’t seem to care if they are in opposition, they still are on big money, still get their overseas trips each year etc – their petty jealousy of David Cunliffe robbed NZ of a government who cared about the average Joe and Joe-ess! Bryan Gould is right on the money in his latest Herald article – Jeremy Corbyn said in a recent interview that the Blairite approach in the Labour Party in the UK meant that there was no real difference between them and the Tories – no stark choice for voters – same here I think.

      • Matthew Hooton 1.4.1

        Yes, maybe it is time to Bring Back Cunliffe? The “BBC faction” has a nice ring to it too.

  2. Tracey 2

    Note to Gosman; Seymour got everything he wanted from the changes to the opening hours for the world cup, so definitely a win for him and those who supported the move. You picked him as the winner when this first broke. And here he is. The BIG winner though, is Bruce Robertson on behalf of his members. he provided a masterclass in effective lobbying and use of a MP or Junior Minister.

    Interesting that national went from only wanting AB games and playoffs to agreeing to everything.

    “Key has earlier said the government could take up the bill on its own if it failed.

    On Wednesday morning he went further, telling TV3’s Paul Henry show he had spoken with Justice Minister Amy Adams about putting it on the order paper, which would mean only majority rather than unanimous support would be needed.

    It was not a simple fix as different bars have different opening hours.

    “In principle one option would be to say … for every All Blacks game for the quarters, semis, the finals, maybe the playoffs for third and fourth – all of those we have blanket coverage.”

    However, the case was not as strong for covering games not involving the All Blacks, Mr Key said.

    He believed where there was strong support for other teams, such as a number of South Africans living on the North Shore, bars would have already applied for a special licence to open outside normal hours.” 12 August 2015 NZ Herald

    • Lindsey 2.1

      Interesting to see if the legislation about bar opening hours for RWC also changed the opening hours specified in many of the bars’ Resource Consents. If it just did Licensing hours, there may be trouble ahead. Some Plans allow for restricted numbers of exemptions, but those are limited.

  3. Paul 3

    I read this article by Steve Keen, which I found very interesting. The excerpt I found fascinating was this.
    ‘This is the mechanism behind the empirical datum that the ex-banker and philanthropist Richard Vague identified in his book The Next Economic Disaster: Why It’s Coming and How to Avoid It. Richard looked at all economic crises across the globe over the last one and a half centuries, and found that every one of them occurred when the private debt to GDP ratio exceeded 1.5 times GDP, and when the ratio had risen by 17% or more over a 5 year period.

    China fits that profile in spades, as I pointed out in the last two columns. It’s surely under-reported private debt to GDP ratio rose from about 100% of GDP in 2008 to over 180% by the start of 2015, which is a rise of 80% over 8 years.’

    New Zealand’s ratio of private debt to GDP is 147%

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevekeen/2015/08/26/why-china-had-to-crash-part-1/
    http://www.rbnz.govt.nz/statistics/key_graphs/household_debt/

    • Ad 3.1

      Interesting article.

      Would be great to see Mr Keen run his graphs on New Zealand.

    • Draco T Bastard 3.2

      Engineers should find this argument easy to understand and informative, but tedious to read because the logic is so obvious. Economists are probably going to find it almost impossible to comprehend, clearly wrong, and they will probably be enraged by it.

      LOL 😈

  4. Paul 4

    I read this article by Steve Keen, which I found very interesting. The excerpt I found fascinating was this.
    ‘This is the mechanism behind the empirical datum that the ex-banker and philanthropist Richard Vague identified in his book The Next Economic Disaster: Why It’s Coming and How to Avoid It. Richard looked at all economic crises across the globe over the last one and a half centuries, and found that every one of them occurred when the private debt to GDP ratio exceeded 1.5 times GDP, and when the ratio had risen by 17% or more over a 5 year period.

    China fits that profile in spades, as I pointed out in the last two columns. It’s surely under-reported private debt to GDP ratio rose from about 100% of GDP in 2008 to over 180% by the start of 2015, which is a rise of 80% over 8 years.’

    New Zealand’s ratio of private debt to GDP is 147%

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevekeen/2015/08/26/why-china-had-to-crash-part-1/
    http://www.rbnz.govt.nz/statistics/key_graphs/household_debt/

    • greywarshark 4.1

      @paul
      You state NZ ratio of private debt to GDP is 147%. But isn’t this private debt ratio to household disposable income not GDP? Or are they the same thing exactly?

      Treasury states: In the 20 years to 2011, total housing and consumer loan debt increased around six-fold in dollar terms. As a ratio of household disposable income, the percentage at June 2011 of 147% is about two and a half times that of 58% at March 1991.

      This looks bad for us – going from 58% indebtedness level to household disposable income in 1991 to 147% in 2011. That means debt beyond the total plus half again of all disposable income. Unsustainable spending using debt, and a rising trend on the graph.

      This is from google heading on GDP and household or private debt:: [New] Zealand – the increase in household debt ratios continued … increasing from 130 to 180 percent of GDP between 2000 …
      The PDF it comes from is a 13 page Reserve Bank bulletin which seems informative and understandable but I haven’t time to read it myself having more mundane personal management issues. I put the link for those interested and hopefully I’ll catch up later.
      http://www.rbnz.govt.nz/research_and_publications/reserve_bank_bulletin/2014/2014oct77_4.pdf

      (We need to understand this so we know what Blinglish is blurting about or not as the case may be. And yek probably hasn’t read it, as it is not his job. Prancing ponies just have to look good, go through their paces and pull the tails of the pony in front as a crowd-amuser!)

      Useful mages on Google – go to: nz private debt to GDP ratio

      This is a good read: A very good extensive article written June 2015 by Brian Gaynor Investment Columnist for the NZ Herald traverses NZ debt overseas and comparative with other countries, including comment on domestic household etc etc. well. Very cogently written and even I can understand it if I concentrate.
      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11468289
      He writes:
      Debt is a complex issue and it is difficult to say with certainty whether a country or its Government has too much or too little debt. However, there are two important points that should be taken into account when considering this issue:

      • All sources of debt, including government and household, should be considered. For example Japan has a very high level of government debt and a low level of household borrowings whereas New Zealand is the other way around.

      • The ability to fund debt onshore is important. The Japanese Government is able to raise a high proportion of its borrowings from domestic investors whereas the New Zealand Government sources the majority of its debt from overseas investors.

      New Zealand’s net external debt position has improved in recent years because a number of investment funds, particularly the NZ Super Fund, have boosted the country’s gross external lending figures.

      • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1

        The ability to fund debt onshore is important. The Japanese Government is able to raise a high proportion of its borrowings from domestic investors whereas the New Zealand Government sources the majority of its debt from overseas investors.

        In which Gaynor gets it wrong. A government doesn’t, and shouldn’t, borrow at all as it can always fund its spending by creating money.

  5. les 5

    suggestions for question time…
    The right hon Andrew Little to the P.M….’can the P.M tell parliament when ,after 7 years in govt ,will his administration stop the puerile response of blaming Labour for all its own deficiencies and failures’?

    • b waghorn 5.1

      My thought on that is labour should mock key mercilessly about living in the past every time he does it, and tell him a good government is looking to the future.

    • Ad 5.2

      If I were Key I would respond:
      “When we’ve finished cleaning up their mess.”
      A pretty easy serve.

      Labour will defend harder from those charges when it starts looking to the future of their alternative government.
      Alter the discourse to the future.

      • Tracey 5.2.1

        How would you respond to Key?

        • Ad 5.2.1.1

          By forming a plan that is better and more convincing than theirs, winning the public, and winning the election. Not by wasting my breath in the House.

          I’ve written a post about what it could look like.

          • Draco T Bastard 5.2.1.1.1

            By forming a plan that is better and more convincing than theirs, winning the public, and winning the election.

            By that you mean having prettier people.

          • Barbara 5.2.1.1.2

            Ad – everytime Labour comes up with visionary ideas and voices them out loud National just steal their ideas off them so Labour are vulnerable to them. National are parasites who suck off other people and are deficient in creating visionary ideas – they just sell everything including the kitchen sink.

            • whateva next? 5.2.1.1.2.1

              hence National demanding policy details around election time, so they can offer a diluted (by taking from tax payer somewhere else) version at the 11th hour to fill the vacuum that is there governance

            • The Chairman 5.2.1.1.2.2

              Labour playing the centre gives National far more scope to adopt policy, Barbara.

      • b waghorn 5.2.2

        Labour need to stop being scared of what the nats might do. They need a couple of sound bites a month to keep chipping away at key.

        • greywarshark 5.2.2.1

          @bwaghorn
          I agree. Let National be challenged, and have more coming. Labour would be doing their job as Opposition and keeping the government somewhere close to the line and getting some action for the citizens if National choose to do something.
          Labour can then say good on them for trying, but we will watch them because they are dodgy.

          But stand up and have positive ideas, and say something positive about NZs. Say we, Labour, know that there is enterprise simmering away and not being encouraged. Say that National have not allowed ordinary NZs to shine, they are too busy making us a low wage, no wage economy.

          More apprenticeships, training wages still low but with a job promised immediately for a year on finishing so as to get into the work force. Have good employers taking on new entrants into working, for a set time. Monitor how things pan out for all. That would be a start, positives as well as valid criticisms of National. Perhaps a bit more contemptuous and humorous like Winnie.

        • McFlock 5.2.2.2

          actually I think Labour are doing pretty well already.
          It hasn’t quite translated to the polls yet, but they really seem to be working together – it seems that the worst apples have either left or been brought into line.

          It’s been a solid year for them so far. Something to build on.

  6. whateva next? 6

    Smith trying suggest Green Party are just boring for questioning the bill turning the World Cup into one big Piss up??
    I wonder what Liver function Tests on National Party would say about that? They certainly act/appear as though they regularly enjoy more than a tipple.
    Nothing wrong with communal areas being made available to watch the games in the morning, BUT FFS WHY NOT SERVE COFFEE (and breakfast)???????

    • Tracey 6.1

      seymour talking about freedoms taken from people without justification. However extended licences exist for this. since may 2013 when the rugby schedule was announced any pub could apply. but they waited til the last minute to get it for free. now the police… ambulance services and healthcare will need to deal with any fallout. councils wont have the fees to offset increased costs… and street cleaning. If seymour cared about freedom for rugby people he would have added free to air for AB Matches.

      the Greens or Labour should try an urgent debate on that freedom…. shine a light on this being less about freedom than money.

    • James 6.2

      And a lot of bars will be serving coffee and breakfast.

      I know its a shock – but most people prefer not to go to work drunk.

      I will prob watch some games with mates in the bar (more fun than just being at home), but the thought of a beer first thing in the morning – ugh.

      • BM 6.2.1

        I’d say most of the whiny wowsers haven’t been into a bar since the 1980’s.

        People don’t go to a bar and get shit-faced any more and they haven’t done that for a long time.

        • Stephen 6.2.1.1

          So, never spoken to an emergency nurse, doctor or paramedic then?

          • BM 6.2.1.1.1

            People drinking on the streets, not in bars.
            Massive fines, if drunk people found on premises, if you’re even the remotest bit rowdy, the bouncer is chucking you out the door.

            Real zero tolerance to intoxicated people in licensed premises.

            • Tracey 6.2.1.1.1.1

              booze doesn’t vomit, people do. Right BM?

            • adam 6.2.1.1.1.2

              You argument does not preclude that the person did not get drunk in said bar.

              You understand how alcohol works on the physiological level right?

              • BM

                People don’t tend to get drunk in bars anymore.

                For a start drinks are so expensive and the bouncers watch every one like hawks.

                Most preload before they go out or they drink on the street or they get pissed at parties.

                The booze barns of yesteryear no longer exist.

            • McFlock 6.2.1.1.1.3

              What. A. Load. Of. Shit.

              Now here’s what really happens in pubs outside of planet key: Pub fills punters with as much piss as possible.

              Kicks punter out when liquor starts to kick in: not the pub’s problem.

              Drunk person found on premises: victim of pre-loading before coming into bar. Very sorry we’ll try harder/security has been upgraded/staff member no longer works here.

              Yes, every so often a pub goes way overboard, consistently, so that the cops get annoyed and go out of their way to send half a dozen through the worst offending bar with the local inspector and log each infraction found. But that is not routine, that’s somebody deciding to teach someone a lesson.

      • whateva next? 6.2.2

        exactly, so why spend time and +++media coverage ad nauseum shouting from the roof tops that people can now chose to get pissed all day and night….if they wish to, so what? is it really worth all the attention in parliament/media?? and anyone calling me a party pooper needs to get a real life instead of being a National fart catcher

    • RedBaronCV 6.3

      Should have put a line in the bill making the government dry – why are the taxpayers buying their booze for them? And that would have been an interesting debate.

  7. Wairua 7

    Are countries legally required to protect their citizens from climate change?

    A Dutch court recently ruled that greenhouse gas reduction is a state obligation.

    The government, the court said, must ensure that Dutch emissions in 2020 will be at least 25 percent lower than those in 1990 — the amount the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report says is needed from industrialized countries if the world is to not exceed 2 °C (3.6 °F) warming and avoid the worst consequences of climate change. Dutch political leaders had been planning to cut emissions by up to 17 percent within the next five years.

    http://ensia.com/features/are-countries-legally-required-to-protect-their-citizens-from-climate-change/

    • nadis 7.1

      Stupid law. Why not do it properly and make the Dutch reponsible too for all the CO2 wafting in from Eastern Europe? Actually, they could take responsibility for some of our cows too.

  8. Tautoko Mangō Mata 8

    “Keyless Ignition Used in Millions of Cars a Deadly Safety Defect: Lawsuit

    Ten of the world’s biggest automakers were sued on Wednesday by U.S. consumers who claim the manufacturers concealed the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning in more than 5 million vehicles equipped with keyless ignitions, leading to 13 deaths.

    According to the complaint filed in Los Angeles federal court, carbon monoxide is emitted when drivers leave their vehicles running after taking their electronic key fobs with them, under the mistaken belief that the engines will shut off.”
    ….
    The defendants are BMW, including Mini; Daimler’s Mercedes Benz; Fiat Chrysler; Ford; General Motors; and Honda, including Acura; Hyundai, including Kia; Nissan, including Infiniti; Toyota, including Lexus; and Volkswagen, including Bentley.

    “It claimed that the 10 automakers have long known about the risks of keyless ignitions, which have been available in the United States since at least 2003, yet deceived drivers by marketing their vehicles as safe.
    http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/keyless-ignition-used-millions-cars-deadly-safety-defect-lawsuit-n416511

  9. Penny Bright 9

    Am currently in the wilds of Wellington.

    Found out something rather fascinating at the Wellington Court of Appeal hearing yesterday – where the long-suffering, decent New Zealanders who are members of the Mangawhai Residents and Ratepayers Association have been trying to get the (former) Kaipara District Council held accountable to the ‘rule of law’.

    The Government-appointed Commissioners, who now are responsible for the ‘governing’ of the Kaipara District Council, have proceedings filed in the Wellington High Court, against an ‘officer of Parliament’ – the Auditor-General.

    These proceedings are CIV – 2014 – 485 – 11542

    Kaipara District Council v Controller and Auditor-General.

    That is the only information, to date, that I have been able obtain about these proceedings.

    Wouldn’t it be cheaper, and arguably more effective, for the Kaipara Commissioners to petition Parliament for an inquiry into the role of the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) regarding their role in this debacle?

    Or – if the Kaipara Commissioners want to get some form of financial compensation / damages out of the OAG – is the Court the only, or best place to go?

    Perhaps one of the positive outcomes from this appallingly sorry saga would be the establishment of a genuinely Independent Commission Against Corruption?

    Interesting that it was the same MP responsible for presenting the democratically disgraceful Kaipara District Council Rates Validation Act, who was the Chair of the Law and Order Select Committee, which knocked back the petition of Grace Haden, calling for an Independent Commission Against Corruption?

    Who was that MP?

    The former National MP for Northland – Mike Sabine.

    Penny Bright

    • weston 9.1

      and just to remind the readers not that they probably give a damn all the major parties voted for that validation bill including labour and the greens with the sole exceptions of nzfirst and i think the maori party which is a substantial part of the reason large numbers of mangawhai people supported winston in the recent northland by election

  10. William 10

    The short list of flag designs has been reduced to 39.

    From https://www.govt.nz/browse/engaging-with-government/the-nz-flag-your-chance-to-decide/gallery/

    “Please note that the ‘Modern Hundertwasser’ design has been removed from the long list following a copyright claim by the Hundertwasser Non-Profit Foundation.”

    Oh dear. The process crumbles further .

    I don’t recall seeing this news anywhere, apologies if I’m late to the party.

    • Morrissey 10.1

      sinecure n. cushy number, gravy train, soft option, soft job, money for jam or old rope a lucrative sinecure with a massive government vanity project

      Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

    • Ad 10.2

      Hundterwasser Trust crumbled, you mean.
      When the moist left retreat, they really run.

    • nadis 10.3

      does anyone have a link to the hundertwasser flag?

      • William 10.3.1

        The original Hundertwasser is here

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koru_Flag

        it is also included on the govt website as one of the thousands that weren’t chosen.

        The Modern Hundertwasser that has been removed didn’t have the black vertical stripe at the left, the centre of the koru was more bold (it didn’t have so many turns) and the transition of the green from the bottom edge was more gradual.

  11. Morrissey 11

    An open letter from the Flag Con Panel

    “I’m saddened at one level that there seems to be quite a bit of reluctance to engage in the conversation.”—HANA O’REGAN, Flag Con Committee

    “The hope is to encourage public involvement in the process ahead of the vote, but hardly anyone turned up.”—JULIET SPEEDY, TV3 News

    E ngā suckers.

    Kia ora for the 10,292 designs you’ve suggested—even if half of them were from the same sad, obsessed, talent-free individual. Each of these (some quirkier than others!) was viewed by every Panel member—which gives the lie to the nasty allegations swirling around that this Panel is nothing but a sinecure for a bunch of nobodies who lacked the integrity to say no to putting their undistinguished names to a farcical vanity project for a frivolous and contemptible Prime Minister. We were, moreover, not impressed with the large number of “satirical” designs, such as the now infamous “laser Kiwi”, which were obviously intended to belittle this very serious process and to waste the Panel’s valuable time.

    In reviewing flag designs, first and foremost, we were guided by what an average attendance of four Kiwis at each meeting, some of them unfortunately “homeless” people who had turned up for the complementary tea and biscuits, told us when they shared what is special to them about New Zealand. A special thank you must be paid here to the tireless, albeit reluctant, local National Party branches throughout the country!

    The message was clear: you don’t really care. Many people wrote in saying: “Keep the Flag, change the Prime Minister”, but the Panel did not find that helpful. Others claimed that this panel was a collection of hand-picked dullards with the aesthetic sense of a kick in the head, the cultural knowledge of a concrete post and the historic appreciation of a goldfish. Again, we did not appreciate this kind of feedback or find it helpful.

    In finalising the long list we invited a number of cultural (including tikanga), vexillology (the study of flags), art and design experts to talk to us. These experts really impressed the Flag Consideration Panel, as can be seen by their comments: “That was really interesting” (Sir Brian Lochore, ONZ, KNZM, OBE); “Wow, just wow” (Beatrice Faumuina, ONZM); “That was so cool” (Julie Christie, ONZM), “Really interesting” (Stephen Jones) and “Piss off! How DARE you impugn my integrity? I —WE, goddammit, WE have all worked HARD! Just FUCK off!” (Kate De Goldi, Deputy Chair)

    We encourage you to make sure you are enrolled to vote so that you can take part in this nationally significant process. We certainly hope you show more enthusiasm than you did when you failed to come to our heavily advertised consultation meetings.

    Ngā mihi nui kia suckers.

    Regards,

    Flag Consideration Panel:

    Prof John Burrows (Chair), ONZM, QC
    Nicky Bell
    Peter Chin, CNZM
    Julie Christie, ONZM
    Rod Drury
    Kate De Goldi (Deputy Chair)
    Beatrice Faumuina, ONZM
    Lt Gen (Rtd) Rhys Jones, CNZM
    Stephen Jones
    Sir Brian Lochore, ONZ, KNZM, OBE
    Malcolm Mulholland
    Hana O’Regan.

    https://www.govt.nz/browse/engaging-with-government/the-nz-flag-your-chance-to-decide/open-letter/

    http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/low-turnout-for-first-public-flag-change-meeting-2015051716#axzz3jxQrsRgM

    • Weepus beard 11.1

      Enjoyed that thanks Morrissey.

      I have been wondering lately about a way to sabotage the first referendum . It would take a huge social media campaign for all people loyal to the New Zealand flag to vote for a rank outsider in the first referendum but nothing is impossible.

      • James 11.1.1

        “I have been wondering lately about a way to sabotage the first referendum”

        Yes, God forbid that people who want a change have the opportunity to do so.

        So much easier to try and sabotage something that you dont agree with.

        • Weepus beard 11.1.1.1

          James, it’s perfectly reasonable and legitimate to vote strategically in such cases. The current government has taught us that repeatedly when directing Epsom voters to vote for the ACT candidate of the day.

          I’m sure you’ll agree that the fairer way to run this popularity contest would have been to have the one referendum with the New Zealand flag included.

          This process has been engineered to provide maximum exposure and momentum to a marketing logo and it’s time for those loyal to the flag of New Zealand to fight at the earliest opportunity.

          What do you expect those loyal to New Zealand to do? Not vote in the first referendum? Much better for us to vote for a logo design which will have the least chance of success against the New Zealand flag.

          That is a sensible voting strategy, plain and simple.

          People who are disloyal to the flag have the opportunity to vote too, nobody is stopping them.

        • Morrissey 11.1.1.2

          Your comments never fail to amaze me. You don’t seem to quite get the point of anything that anyone posts here. Why don’t you give Leighton Smith a ring? He’s more your level.

        • Tracey 11.1.1.3

          Interestingly the Nats won’t support Sue Moroney’s earlier BIll on parental leave, which Seymour supports, but will draft their own bill giving the same thing. It’s almost like it’s a game they play to make sure they get credit for someone else’s ideas and work. Is that what you mean by sabotage?

        • Draco T Bastard 11.1.1.4

          Yes, God forbid that people who want a change have the opportunity to do so.

          So, you agree with Labour and a whole lot of us that the first referendum should be asking if we should actually change the flag?

      • Sabine 11.1.2

        this does not need sabotage.

        1. referendum, those who want to vote should vote for the design they prefer
        those that want to keep the Flag, should abstain, and not vote.

        2. referendum, those who want to change the flag should vote Yes
        those who don’t want to change the Flag should vote No.

        Or as P.Winston, (the NZfirstler that everyone is so afraid of) says, put a big fat KOF on it Keep Our Flag, but that would most likely invalidate the vote, and I would venture such a vote will not be counted.
        AS there will be no option in the First Referedum such as :Keep current design!! I personally will abstain for the first vote and only Vote in the second referendum.

        Simple as that.

        No sabotage, but a fair and democratic process……Most likely we will end up with a Trademarketet Design, that will costs million of dollars to change on every uniform, piece of stationary, and other assorted gimmicks, but hey, the PM and his sidekick the most Honorable and Honest Bill English, aka Mr. 19% have all the money they need to pay for that stuff, and most likely they will make a buck or two for themselves after all thats what they do. The only ones paying for these shenanigans is us……but hey….Dear Leader wants a new Flag, and his groupies, enablers and voters will happily see their tax dollars spend on a Kitchen Towel.

        • Weepus beard 11.1.2.1

          I’m not prepared to throw in the towel just yet.

          My idea is simply to take the fight to John Key and his supporters before their logo gets traction.

          God knows there’s been precious little of that lately.

          • Sabine 11.1.2.1.1

            Not throwing in any towels, but it is clear that this will come to vote, no matter what.
            And I can only imagine the ‘outrage’ if no one actually participates in the first referendum.

            Really, think of it. The first referendum is to get people involved, here choose your design, …..now defend it in the next referendum.

            If people are actually not participating (lets say only 10 – 15 % would actually vote) How much of a ManDate would our dear Leader have to continue?

            Also, what is it with National Government that they want to change the Flag, last time it was under Jenny Shipley….really what is it?

            • Weepus beard 11.1.2.1.1.1

              Sabine, it will come to campaign before vote.

              I believe we haven’t seen the true size of the marketing campaign Key will throw at this once the first referendum is over and his cheap, poorly designed logo has been chosen to go up against the New Zealand flag.

              They will throw everything at this because there’s much more at stake now than the flag. A loss for Key here would damage him personally. Having consulted Crosby-Textor, they will begin to attack the very heart of demographic of those loyal to the New Zealand flag.

              The disloyal changers will not care one bit if the turnout is 10-15% at the first referendum. The fewer the better for them I imagine, to ensure that an ill-informed choice is made.

              • freedom

                ” and his cheap, poorly designed logo has been chosen to go up against the New Zealand flag”

                No-one ever asks the PM why his preferred design is an existing commercial product with legal copyright. The media, and the flag-change supporters, never mention how the Kyle Lockwood designs are an existing commercial product currently under copyright. A copyright that is co-incidentally scheduled to expire in [late?] 2015 .

                A question for the legal minds out there:
                As the Lockwood designs are under a legal copyright should they not have the copyright logo visible beside them when images of them are published,? When in included in the long list for example?

                • Draco T Bastard

                  A copyright that is co-incidentally scheduled to expire in [late?] 2015 .

                  Copyright doesn’t expire until after the death of the author plus 50 years (which would be extended to 70 under TPPA).

                  • freedom

                    This is a screenshot of the Silverfernflag website as of 4pm today.
                    http://imgur.com/JMRXznU

                    I have highlighted the relevant information that suggests the copyright expires this year and also the information that shows how the stated copyright requirements are not being met with the publicity and promotion of the relevant designs.

                    If I am incorrect in my understanding of the information as it is presented then I am, as always, happy to be corrected.

                    • Draco T Bastard

                      Yeah, I knew what you were talking about. That’s a shorthand way to say the stuff on the site is copyrighted and that you need to get permission to copy it. It has nothing to do with when the copyright expires.

                    • freedom

                      It is precisely because of the normal copyright protocol that I wonder why the obvious questions surrounding copyrighted images being included in the flag referendum process have not been addressed.

                      If , as Draco suggests, the copyright is not expiring in 2015 then we are left to wonder what the plan is if any of the Lockwood designs are selected as the new flag.

                      His designs are an existing commercial product that has been on the market for a decade.

                      If a copyrighted design of his is chosen:
                      Is he just going to sign over any rights to lost future earnings ?
                      Is he going to get offered compensation for the lost earnings?

                      Is a single journalist ever going to raise the issue with the PM? or anyone for that matter?

    • rod 11.2

      How much are they being paid by the taxpayers for being on the Panel.

      • Morrissey 11.2.1

        MEMO

        FROM: Julie Christie, ONZM

        TO: rod

        MESSAGE: MIND YOUR OWN FUCKING BUSINESS YOU FUCKING OIK. WHAT DOES IT MATTER HOW MUCH I GET? YOU THINK YOU COULD DO AS GOOD A JOB DO YOU? YOU FUCKING OIK.

      • b waghorn 11.2.2

        http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11413938
        $640 a day not bad for being given a job with no real target

        • Morrissey 11.2.2.1

          The target was to eat all the taxpayer-funded food on offer.

          $640 a day, plus unlimited free tea and all the biscuits you can eat, since hardly anybody turned up to consume them. I understand that Beatrice Faumuina, ONZM, Lt Gen (Rtd) Rhys Jones, CNZM and Malcolm Mulholland really tucked in to the goodies on offer.

  12. Morrissey 13

    John Key visits a hospital, asks some penetrating questions

    Actually, it’s his ideological soulmate George Osborne, but it could be Key, or Jonathan Coleman….
    http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/msg/1440612776.html

    • greywarshark 13.1

      Just thinking about a politician visiting a hospital and being penetrating.
      Brings to mind a Filipino phantom surgeon who cuts into the patient’s body with his hand and pulls out all the useless entrails. That idea might have come from the children’s board game where they play at being a doctor!

      Idea! The Filipino practice would solve our unmet health needs problem. So National – seeming like smart action, while really being a hoax and a farce.

    • Draco T Bastard 13.2

      Yep, that’d be about right for all National and other conservative MPs.

  13. greywarshark 14

    CYF report commented on by Children’s Commissioner who is doing a sterling job. How long will he last?
    The Children’s Commissioner’s first annual report has strongly criticised Child, Youth and Family for what it calls a dump and run culture of neglect
    Good RadioNZ report. Must make sure that ditto question doesn’t apply to them, or him for that matter.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/282515/kids-probably-no-better-off-in-state-care

    Commissioner Russell Wills commenting on paucity of data! Hah!
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201768177

    And Anne Tolley Social Development Minister, who seems to be agreeing with the criticism. Along the lines that government is no good at this. Ditto with housing?
    Slide out and leave it to the no- tenderer mercies of private profit makers or fundamentalist capitalist charities? Next step I’ll bet.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201768178

    • Deadsmurf 14.1

      I think we can expect a lot more of the narrative that government is not very good at delivering social services and there will be better outcomes from the private sector delivering services.

      This government has a lot further that they will want to go down this path and the end game will be terrible outcomes for the most vulnerable in our society.

      Ministers’ love this as they have less accountability and they can achieve their aims at arms length.

  14. Tautoko Mangō Mata 15

    The latest from NASA on sea level rise with videos

    http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-science-zeros-in-on-ocean-rise-how-much-how-soon

  15. grumpystilskin 16

    Crikey, read this latest column from Dita de Boni in the herald:
    I’m a bit lost for words on the brazen attack, it’s about bloody time and surprising. I can’t help but wonder what was edited out?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11503338

    • Tracey 16.1

      The way she wrote “thank you for reading” made me wonder if it is her last.

      • adam 16.1.1

        It’s her last. I always liked her, did not always agree with her, but always liked her.

        It is a worrying trend for the herald. There was a time when the business section of the paper did not lie, or spin. It was one of the few sections in the paper that knew it’s place, and had to talk directly to it’s target market honestly and forthrightly.

        In the last few years that part of the herald has died, forget right wing bias, forget the cost of print, etc. This is what has killed the herald. Not sure who made this editorial change, but it has been fun to watch, spin and lies being added to the business pages, to bring it in line with the rest of the newspaper.

        No wonder sales had fallen away. Even it’s support base, can not trust it.

    • Ovid 16.2

      It’s her valediction. It was announced a few weeks ago that she was being made redundant. I guess you no longer have to hold your tongue when you’ve got nothing to lose.

      That said, I’m somewhat optimistic for the Herald. Their new editor, Murray Kirkness, was a good editor of the Otago Daily Times and led the campaign to keep neurological surgery services at Dunedin Hospital. The editorial line at the ODT has been reasonably critical of the government in recent years.

    • Kevin 16.3

      “People have asked me over the years why my columns have become more strident in tone; more “biased against” the Government. The answer’s that the examples of contempt for the public, hypocrisy, and flat-out bulls***tery have become too overwhelming to ignore.”

      Says it all really.

    • Tracey 17.1

      The brits and UK are getting a lot of information compared to us. For some reason that Mapp and Groser can’t or won’t explain, secrecy of negotiating positions doesn’t matter over there…

  16. Kriss X 18

    John Key is a Jew banker. As such his loyalty is to other bankers, Jews and the rich. And yeah… he is a Jew.

    http://www.timesofisrael.com/new-zealand-jewish-pm-wins-third-term/

    [lprent: Hi, I see that you (or your clone) have stopped sending me those incoherent bigoted rants as junk emails. I’d strongly suggest that if you want to raise your paranoid fantasies on this site that you do so in Open Mike (like all of the other nuts do) where they don’t divert from posts on other topics. And you’d better reread the policy again.

    Otherwise I lock you off the site again, except harder and more nastily. Learn to live within this sites rules or live without writing here. This is your warning.

    Moving this thread to Open Mike as offtopic. ]

    • Ad 18.1

      LPRENT CAN WE WATCH THIS SHIT PLEASE

      [lprent: I do, every time he turns up under any name. ]

      • Kriss X 18.1.1

        What “shit” is that ?

      • Kriss X 18.1.2

        “and more nastily”

        I have no idea what you are on about. I have never sent you anything and do not even know who you are. I have never been locked out. Why the hypersensitivity and hysteria ?

        I must say I am surprised at your reaction. Clearly you don’t like the loyalties of John Key being questioned, or is it that you side with the rich, bankers etc ? Hard to fathom, have I missed something ?

        Or MAYBE you don’t like me mentioning he is a Jew ?. Perhaps you should send your angry rant to the Times of Israel. Hint: Don’t for get to use trigger words like “anti-semite” and Holocaust™. The Times of Israel love being called names, being a conservative Hebrew news service and all.

        Good luck with your endeavors to fight free speech. Should come in handy next time the chosen ones drop a shell on a school.

        • McFlock 18.1.2.1

          “free speech” does not include forcing others to publish your hate.

          • Kriss X 18.1.2.1.1

            What “hate” ? Explain you accusation or withdraw it.

            My comments about Key are pretty mild compared with others on this site. I even voted for him !

            His loyalties ARE in question and I am left to wonder where they lay.

            • McFlock 18.1.2.1.1.1

              You can make no demands of me.
              If you genuinely do not know why your comments are rightfully offensive, I doubt I am skilled enough as a teacher to explain it to you.

              You’re more suited to the Daily Mail comments section.

              • Kriss X

                So no answer then.

                Amusing that a person who is so sensitive about bankers, Key and the rich etc being held to account, chooses to hang out at the Standard !

                • McFlock

                  I’m sensitive about none of those things.

                  People who recycle racist caricatures and are too cowardly to admit their bigotry, on the other hand…

                  • Kriss X

                    Again you make accusations with zero evidence and with no supporting argument. You can not even say why?

                    I voted for Key. I won’t again, but I did. The Jew is not a race, it is a religious cult.

                    People like you have blood on your hands. You refuse to speak out about any wrong done by Jews. Syria, Libya, Iraq are all human rights disasters because of the zionists lobby and Jews using America to destroy Muslim countries. And don’t even mention Palestine. You are a vile bigot and nothing more. They are not gods chosen and they are owed no special consideration.

                    John Key has the – right of return – [sic] to Israel. He is a Jew. It is quite proper to question the mans loyalties given his back ground and associations.

            • greywarshark 18.1.2.1.1.2

              KrissCross
              You seem to like stirring. You’ll do that and then say oh I am such an innocent free-speecher, if anyone takes offence that’s their choice. You seem to be sensitive enough about yourself.

              It’s too easy to start a fight about contentious issues. We generally try to think how such issues can be made less so. It’s a good place to learn what others think, to discuss that, and do some thinking around your favourite subjects, if you are up to that.

              • Kriss X

                If I mentioned JK was a Baptist would you have written that ?

                Was the Times of Israel “stirring” ?

                • McFlock

                  “Baptist banker” doesn’t quite have the same pedigree as what you actually wrote, and you’d have to be a moron to not know that.

                  • Kriss X

                    1. Key is a banker.

                    2. According to the TIMES OF ISRAEL he is a Jew.

                    Would you prefer we tell lies ?

                    Jewish bankers do indeed have much to answer for. We should not be shy about addressing the issues. Your own intense burning hatred of free speech and honesty aside.

                    Just the mere mentions of the chosen master race and the place goes nuts. Even the moderator waded in and told a pack of lies in some sort of attempt to discredit me. Saying all sorts of things happened in the past that never did, accusing me of sending him messages and so on ! Hilarious.

                  • northshoredoc

                    @McFlock – wouldn’t surprise me if it was that loon Bluehorshoe posting under another account, can I suggest DNFTT ?

                    • McFlock

                      possibly, although BH is more into boasting about their intellect (against all available evidence).

                      This one just seems to enjoy being a bigot and then pleading ignorance to an absurd degree.

                      Meh. At least the sewer won’t be able to argue that this fucker turned up and their statements were accepted, but yeah – kris klan just likes the funny looks he gets for being racist. Done.

                    • Kriss X

                      Ah yes because only one person could possibly be critical of the chosen ones and they MUST be crazy eh ?

                      How about a shot at the issue instead of the messenger bigot ?

                  • Kriss X

                    Mr Flock, is the Times of Israel racist and full of hate for mentioning John Key is a Jew ?

                    Come on at least attempt one question. I will even let you call me an anti-semite so you can feel nice and [more] smug. 🙂

                    http://www.timesofisrael.com/new-zealand-jewish-pm-wins-third-term/

      • Kriss X 18.1.3

        Ad, Still waiting for that answer. Are you struggling with it ?

        What seems to be the issue ?

      • Realblue 18.1.4

        Perhaps anti Semite posts should be removed. It’s pretty offensive.

    • Chooky 18.2

      he also comes from a state house in Christchurch provided for him and his family by the generosity of New Zealand taxpayers and the New Zealand social welfare system

      ….as Andrew Little so eloquently reminded parliament and all New Zealanders yesterday

      …this needs to be repeated again and again

      GO ANDREW LITTLE !

    • Kriss X 18.3

      I have no idea what you are on about. I have never sent you anything and do not even know who you are.

      I must say I am surprised at your reaction. Clearly you don’t like the loyalties of John Key being questioned, or is it that you side with the rich, bankers etc ? Hard to fathom, have I missed something ?

      Or MAYBE you don’t like me mentioning he is a Jew ?. Perhaps you should send your angry rant to the Times of Israel. Hint: Don’t for get to use trigger words like “anti-semite” and Holocaust™

      Good luck with your endeavors to fight free speech. Should come in handy next time the chosen ones drop a shell on a school.

      • Stuart Munro 18.3.1

        You don’t understand – the problem with Hitler and Stalin and Mao and Pol Pot is not who they were but what they did. They did bad things.

        The problem with John Key is that he is a liar, a thief and an abuser of the limited authority he temporarily bears.

        His religion is not at issue, though his race, as a subnormal hyper-intelligent shapeshifting reptilian alien only one step ahead of the tacky luggage industry is certainly vexed. We need not resolve this however – he does bad things. This is ample reason to be done with him.

    • adam 18.4

      Do yourself a favour and do a dna test on your self – you may just be surprised by the results. Kriss X.

      That said, anyone who brings up Jewish conspiracy is off the reservation. Because the reality is most conspiracy’s are exposed within in a few years, none longer than 30. So to think there is some grand conspiracy spanning over a century, shows you don’t know anything about the nature of conspiracy’s. People naturally gossip, brag or feel cheated – then talk. That is ultimately why conspiracy’s fail and/or are exposed.

  17. Penny Bright 19

    Just found out about this – spreading the word …..

    Tomorrow – Friday 28 August 2015 – is your last opportunity to:

    “Give feedback on the Open Government Partnership

    …..

    New Zealand is part of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), a group of countries working to make government more open, accountable and responsive to citizens.

    The NZ government has created a 2 year Action Plan showing how it’s going to promote open and transparent government in New Zealand.

    They’re asking for feedback on the Action Plan, to find out if New Zealanders think that the government’s meeting the OGP goals.

    The consultation closes on 28 August 2015.

    Between now and the end of August 2015, anyone in New Zealand can provide feedback on New Zealand’s Action Plan. You can provide feedback on any, or all, of the Action Plan commitments, or provide more general feedback on the OGP.

    Give general feedback on the OGP and New Zealand’s Action Plan
    Provide feedback on:

    the Government’s Better Public Services (BPS) Results programme
    BPS Result 10

    the Government ICT Strategy and Action Plan to 2017

    ICT Strategy Action Area 4

    the 2013 TINZ National Integrity System Assessment Report

    the Kia Tūtahi Relationship Accord

    The government will use your feedback to create a self-assessment report for the OGP.

    OGP member countries must report on their progress regularly. New Zealand’s self-assessment report will be published after 30 September 2015, with another report due in June 2016.

    The report will show:

    what the government has done to meet the grand challenges and principles of OGP,
    progress so far,

    feedback from New Zealanders on the initiatives, and

    what the next steps are.

    If you’d like more information about the Open Government Partnership or the Action Plan, contact NZOGP_ActionPlan@ssc.govt.nz.
    ———————————————————————-

    Penny Bright

  18. millsy 20

    There are plenty of reasons to not like/hate John Key.

    Being a Jew is not one of them.

    • Kriss X 20.1

      No one has suggested otherwise. Nice grab for the moral high ground though.

      • Morrissey 20.1.1

        Fool, isn’t there an ACT party meeting or a Sensible Sentencing Trust klaven that you should be at?

        Hurry away now!

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    Bryce Edwards writes –  It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 hours ago
  • Promiscuous Empathy: Chris Trotter Replies To His Critics.
    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 ...
    2 hours ago
  • Don’t run your business like a criminal enterprise
    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 hours ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    3 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    8 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    8 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    8 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    9 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    10 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    12 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    24 hours ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 day ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
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