And next up… did you see the one about ‘voice risk analysis’ aka lie detectors being used over the phone to work out whether people are lying about their need for council benefits in Cornwall? It’s even too much for a Tory councillor who has resigned over it.
“It is clearly right that Cornwall council takes a strong line against people who deliberately mis-claim tax benefits but in this case I am more concerned about the impact on the vast majority of honest claimants.”…
Private outsourcing company Capita says on its website that VRA is “capable of identifying stress and emotion in a caller’s voice pattern”. The contract will cost the taxpayer about £50,000 but is intended to save many times that amount in preventing false claims, according to Cornwall council which states that research carried out in other areas of the country suggests 4%of single person benefit discounts could be false claims.
Trained assessors, specialist technology for calling 30,000 households? Yeah…right. Sounds like atos spin.
Research carries out in other parts of the country also show VRA, or lie detectors by phone, is not suitable in a ‘benefits environment’. But Cornwall is not letting that wee point stop it.
A year or two ago the WINZ call centre was trialling a system of voice recognition. I think you had a choice to register and then they recorded your voice and so whenever you phoned in after that they knew it was you. Needless to say, my response to that was fuck off, but it makes sense now why they were trialling it. I haven’t come across it for a while though so I’m guessing they dropped it.
It does sound more stupid than usual – especially when you look at the numbers it’s clear the people doing some kind of psychological assessment on the data are call centre operators.
If it’s anything like atos, it’ll be suspension until appeal rather than the other way around.
UK documentary maker and activist Harry Fear will be speaking in Auckland
Where: Lecture Room B28, Auckland University Library Alfred Street
Time: 7pm Thursday 7 February
Harry Fear and veteran Kiwi activist Roger Fowler were on a fact-finding mission in Gaza when the recent Israeli bombing raids took place. They will speak about their experiences.
*Legendary reggae band ‘Unity Pacific’ will be playing
Its called trying to gain a targets trust…this way the spin can be effective, if people realise its all poppy-cock that he speaks, he becomes less effective as a spin doctor. Sadly, I have witnessed some here starting to think Hooton is making sense, this is not good. He never does.
Lanth. We get this kind of response after his every speech. How much value must people continue to place upon rhetoric? (Look at Obama for example!) And so it goes on every time, with the obligatory IF IF IF . . .
4.30pm News with Jeff Bryant Tuesday 18 November 2012
A potential flashpoint is brewing between Labour and the Greens with David Shearer squashing Green plans for quantitative easing if the two go into coalition after the next election.
The Green’s want to drive down the value of the New Zealand dollar by getting the Reserve Bank to print more money which could be used to buy earthquake bonds and rebuild the EQC.
Mr Shearer told Radiolive’s Duncan Garner thats not an option;
“What we want to do is to say the Reserve Bank is in the best position to make those determinations. So what we we would do is give them the tools then let them make the decisions.”
David Shearer says there is a real issue when politicians get new idea’s and try to interfere with the economy.
Perhaps that is what Shearer was referring to when is the speech…..
Well I am committed to this future.
There is simply no other option.
That is why I have asked my colleagues to develop a clear plan to diversify our economy.
A plan we can put in front of New Zealanders, not airy fairy concepts.
All of these areas – jobs, education, housing and building a new economy – are critical to rebuilding our second largest city.
I am committed to rebuilding Christchurch from the grassroots up, not the Beehive down.
That’s why I’ll be talking to Cantabrians about how they see their future.
To ensure their voices are heard.
That’s what we’ll work on in the coming months.
These ideas will make a difference.
These are ideas National simply can’t see.
Airy Fairy ideas (traitor words) – DS confirms his loyalty to the continuation of the neo liberal agenda, he was, is, and will remain and agent of the establishment, its that simple!
“David Shearer says there is a real issue when politicians get new idea’s and try to interfere with the economy.”
That’s odd, considering that a couple of days ago in his State of the Nation speech Shearer said:
“We’ll make changes to monetary policy so that our job-creating businesses aren’t undermined by our exchange rate.”
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“David Shearer says there is a real issue when politicians get new idea’s and try to interfere with the economy.”
That suggests to me that Shearer believes “the economy” is some kind of discrete, independent entity which will somehow run itself perfectly well as long as its left alone – presumably shaped by some “invisible hand”. If he ever gets to be Prime Minister he will, on day one, be faced with “the economy” bequeathed to him by National which, according to him, he won’t ‘interfer with’ by trying any new ideas.
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“David Shearer says there is a real issue when politicians get new idea’s and try to interfere with the economy.”
A couple of days ago in his State of the Nation speech David Shearer said: “We are on the cusp of a new era – when new thinking and leadership is needed to build wealth we can all share in.”
By the sounds of it Labour have caught up with the idea that the RBA should be widened in scope beyond just inflation targets. I.e. you make unemployment and quality of life targets part of the objective, and the RB will do a bit of autonomous QE.
A few years old as an idea (they probably resisted it while in power), but at least they’re only 5 or 10 years out of date – not the 150 that Nact are 🙂
Not sure how much of the idea follows on from the monetary policy + noninterference statements – could just be teafleaf reading on my part.
A potential flashpoint is brewing between Labour and the Greens with David Shearer squashing Green plans for quantitative easing if the two go into coalition after the next election.
The Green’s want to drive down the value of the New Zealand dollar by getting the Reserve Bank to print more money which could be used to buy earthquake bonds and rebuild the EQC.
Mr Shearer told Radiolive’s Duncan Garner thats not an option;
Why are the Greens wasting their political capital on this sort of ephemera, when the future of humanity itself hangs in the balance, threatened by permanent climate change?
“What we want to do is to say the Reserve Bank is in the best position to make those determinations. So what we we would do is give them the tools then let them make the decisions.”
Placing decisions which belong properly to government beyond the reach of a government accountable to the people is undemocratic, and in fact represents the very essence of fascism.
I didn’t hear him this morning, but I noticed on Morning Report last week that Shearer is getting better with his communication. I think he must have been working on it over the summer and with some robust policy developed I think it would be easier for him to give firm answers than waffle to fill the air.
“What we want to do is to say the Reserve Bank is in the best position to make those determinations. So what we we would do is give them the tools then let them make the decisions.”
What David is saying, is that having the RBNZ/OoDM, as private, is the best solution, as thats what his masters are telling him to say. The tools government gets controlled with is Graeme Wheeler, ex World Banker, relaying messages. David will be given no tools to the RBNZ, which is why he has not mentioned them in the speech, he is talking bull shit!
David Shearer says there is a real issue when politicians get new idea’s and try to interfere with the economy.
Here David emphasises that market driven ideology will continue, and that he is owned, and speaking on behalf of *the market* controllers!
David will strickly adhere to the *best practice* frameworks, and there will be no *airy fairy ideas*, (such as what is right/best for NZ), coming from his mouth, or via Labour Party policy!
David Shearer, like John Key, and so many others pretending to be politicians (hence the continued atrocious performances), are TRAITORS!
LOLZ, Hooten, on today’s RadioNZ National Nine to Noon seems to have laughably lost the over-sized plum that has Him at times thinking He speaks with the voice of the Lord of the Manor,
Unfortunately for Hooten the ‘plum’ voice has had Him at times sounding more like a transvestite in training,
Wonder if Hooties had the offending ‘plum’ surgically removed or did the recent ‘pricking’ of that ones over-blown ego here at the Standard result in it’s shriveling…
I am sure that you have considered that for Labour to get into power they will actually need to appeal to the voters in the centre of the political spectrum (assuming a relatively equal number of voters on either side of the centre). Once having one the election they will be able implement nore left wing policies on the basis that their coalition partners are further to the left than they are and as always there will be some negotiation and collaboration in forming the new govt.
If they ignore the centre (which I don’t think they are) they will quite simply lose the election and their policies won’t really matter for another three years……..
You seem to be saying they should campaign on policies they don’t believe in in order to gain power, so that once in power they can implement policies they do believe in, even if it means breaking election promises.
Trevor hosted a media event in his Electorate football ground for his Leader at which a “Hands on” strategy was the theme.
Does Shearer have the right team around him to firstly detail such policies and secondly execute them when in power?
Trevor’s last job was to build a new sports stadium on Auckland’s waterfront. Truly great idea, appealingly executed.
Who in Shearer’s team jumps out of bed in the morning with a passion to undo and never repeat the mistakes of the past 30 years?
Who in Shearer’s team jumps out of bed in the morning with a plan that is relevant to those who don’t want to own a house? Don’t relate to third level education? Don’t see a future in NZ?
KV
Yesterday I found there was so much in Shearer’s speech that offended and appalled me that I was dumbstruck.
Far from tearing it down and nit-picking to find fault, I felt overwhelmed. I’d have to go through line by line and write a bloody dissertation on all the things that were wrong with that speech.
But of course it was the picture that was painted of what and who was and wasn’t important. Maybe outside of the context of the speech as a whole, the line about the “success” of a person being the first one in the family to graduate university, wouldn’t have grated like it did.
I felt like saying that my father has a couple of degrees yet for some reason we’re all pretty proud that my brother was the first member of the generations of my family to be able to build a house, and my sisters, the first to be able to teach young children how to read and write and do sums and feel confident learning to learn, and most of all that our severely disabled sister was able to learn to read against the odds and that for a few years, before all the wonderful Rogernomic reforms, was able to work in the community and earn a wage to pay the mortgage on her own home.
Pity they don’t have degrees. Their work is and was a kind of anti-success, a generational downward-mobility. It is in the subtext of that speech, – winners – yay, losers unmentionable, strive, aspire, compete, be the best and look after number one, (in the most narrow and conventional terms imaginable that is).
Beltway Labour, you’re only any good if you have a university education. Ever wonder why the Beltway can’t connect to ordinary people worth a damn? Seen the attitude in Young Labour as well. When they find out some kid is “just” a tradie or school leaver noses get turned up real quick. Pathetic and elitist.
A few years ago a former Labour candidate (I think the person has now walked from the Party) once approached a (now retired) senior Labour politician asking for advice on… how to go about becoming a candidate. The first question the prospective candidate was asked:
“ Do you have a university degree?” The candidate replied “yes”.
“Oh, that’s OK then” said the senior politician. “You really need a degree to become a Labour candidate nowadays“.
Pathetic and elitist you say. I would add to that… sad and astoundingly stupid!
That’s even more pathetic than you know, because the people I see starting at university come from all sorts of disadvantaged backgrounds.
“Do you have a university degree?” is really code for: “Are you an unthreateningly, comfortably middle class professional of the sort that clogs Public Address? You’ve never been a sex worker, a drug user, in prison, chronically ill, an artist, epileptic, suffering from a disorder, a sole parent, too dark a shade of brown… or actually gained a degree, but one that’s in boring science and not sexy law or commerce? Right?”
I’ve had a parade of students who tick several of those boxes pass before me and gain degrees, and they’re exactly the sort Labour needs (I can think of one in particular… and another… and another… and more) but I can imagine them saying “Yes” to that MP’s question and then seeing him squirm in his seat and vacillate “Weeeeeellll…. that’s good, that’s a good life story… you’re a battler for sure, but, well, your story’s a bit complicated and for all your… well, virtues… there are some people who won’t be able to understand… Well, for example, I wish you’d overcome… given up something less likely to make the wrong sort of headlines… people won’t understand… perhaps if you’d just quit smoking perhaps? Cigarettes! Cigarettes, I mean! Yes, yes, I know what you do – did – is legal now, and you did it to have money to raise your child… but that takes a long time to explain and you can’t do that in a soundbite and some people – not me of course – some people are going to be, um moralistic about it… they’ll call you a… well, I won’t say that word, but can you imagine it? It would be so hard for you to hear it every day. Oh you did? On talk radio, I mean… on TV, or Kiwiblog… And you have a degree too? Hmmm, yes, I have to say, we’ve many high quality candidates, so don’t feel that we think the less of you when we select this recent marketing graduate who’s been working on my staff for… weeks… now. They’re good, they’re really good and put the hard yards into the party…. um, yes… and they look good on television (yes, I know, I’m not so very slim now either – too many Bellamy’s meals, ha ha!)… and that counts when they’re being interviewed in front of a Ponsonby cafe where we think we can turn the vote around… though mind you, they’re serving an apprenticeship still, so we’ll put them in a nice safe seat or a high list position… Anyway, good luck and keep up the good work! You’re an inspiration!”
I’ve had a few professional-type job interviews with middle-class, university-educated academics that have gone pretty much along those lines and ended up with ‘so where would you fit?’ or ‘because you’re a solo-parent I can’t risk that you’ll take time off when the children are sick’.
Funnily enough for more manual jobs don’t care who I am, just whether I could do the job and stay… those employers think with a couple of degrees I’m over-qualified.
Im probably the only one in the world who finds the practise of celebrating the anniversary of geo-political entities (the Provinces) that were abolished in the mid-19th Century completely absurd. I cannot think of any other non-federallised country that has holidays in different parts of the country on different days.
Though the actual abolishment of the provincial anniversary and their replacement with a more relevant national holidays would be unlikely, due the the events that take place on these days. So carry on inhabitants of the former Auckland Province, enjoy your holiday. You might want to take the time to read up on the old Provinces.
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I dont think the changes to the WOF system is going to lead to the downfall of civilisation as the testing and mechanical barons say they will, but they will turn out to be a false economy. The inspections will end up being much more tougher, resulting in bigger financial hits for car owners (rather than costs being spread through the year).
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Captain mumblefuck is already backtracking on KiwiBuild, and the rednecks are pouring vitirol on the greens, forgetting about their generous familiy benefit capitalisation and State Advances loans. Labour should just focus on increasing the state house build, and give assistance to those who wish to buy their state houses (and chop the renewable tenancies — also perhaps extend the IRR to community provider?). This should in itself dampen the housing market.
“but they will turn out to be a false economy. The inspections will end up being much more tougher, resulting in bigger financial hits for car owners (rather than costs being spread through the year).”
A guy made the point this morning that arguable the 6 monthly WOF system had been acting as a crutch, because people only worried about the state of their car on those 2 days each year, instead of paying more attention to it throughout the year. I think this is likely to be true, but we probably won’t see any move back to owner-responsibility for a good 5-7 years I’d guess.
I’m concerned about lack of inspections of cars – how many people know nothing about what they’re meant to check. But what I’m really worried about is the self-regulated inspections of trucks. Reducing regulation in safety critical elements hasn’t worked in other industries and it won’t work in the transport industry either.
Perfect example of a poor policy launch, and dare I suggest typical of current inept back room management.
The big roll out policy, the press, the media attention, good voter vibes, then whoops, what I meant to say was…
I wish Shearer would spend as much time in Auckland as he does in the Hutt Valley. Funny how the three power-brokers in caucus are the MP for Wellington Central and the two MPs for the Hutt Valley – little wonder Shearer is hardly ever in Auckland.
NACTs degrading our society again. Cutting the wof system down. At present new vehicles only need a once a year, then go to six monthly after the first six years. There is talk about cars being built to be safer these days. Well air bags are for when there is an accident, and the whole purpose of wofs is to keep vital parts in good working order lessening accident possibility. That’s what I like for me, and to know that the other vehicles on the road have been vetted and in reasonable condition.
Instead we get deregulation, the Reno style of political decision making. Go fast towards your goal, don’t worry about possible obstacles – sounds like this new idea is just a rerun of the Roger Douglas thinking.
Novopay – Education is apparently the second ‘successful’ service manufactured by clever clogs in Australia for us, the first being for NZ Post which I heard is not a go’er either.
Charter Schools – discussion on radionz this morning with someone from academic circles called John, and principal from a middle school in Wanganui, the fortunate area to receive government monetary assistance to keep a private school viable, didn’t impress me with the need for the current legislation. Academic John pointed out that there is provision for alternative schools in a 1989 act, and that there has been changes made to the current legislation which seems to make it more radical. Alternative schools, under the state system, are needed for some students and there are some presently. Surely just changes to the enabling 1989 act were all that is necessary.
The government is into makework it seems to me. They don’t wish to support building a better future for us but need to appear to do something so they fiddle with things we already have and that broadly are successful. Result conditions further downgraded. What a shower.
So Key is now an expert on road safety and vehicle maintenance.
(Wonder if he has acshully ever looked under the bonnet of a car, let alone changed a wheel).
Surely vehicle testing is self financing.
So this is all about saving costs for the fleet owners.
For the average punter, this great saving over a ten year cycle will be about $40.00 dollars per year (on today’s testing rates).
As for me, my car is fairly new but I shall be continuing with a six monthly check-up thank you Johnny Boy and it will continue to be done independently of my regular service.
…and apparently the AA have said that their membership is unanimously in support of the new system. Not this member and would love to know when they commissioned that survey.
1)”So key is now an expert on road safety and vehicle maintenance”……exactly,.lol, he would have never had to ride in an unroadworthy car in his life. What would he know.
2)I was also baffled at the results of that AA survey, and no, they never asked this member either.
3)It’s beyond me that we would purposely reduce safety checking in cars. Our car is 20 years old so will still be getting a 6 monthly check under the changes to WOF requirements. Even if it fell into the post 2000 age we woulds still be getting it checked every 6 months, certainly not once a year. To leave it up to faith that your not brand new car is road safe in another year is just plain fool hardy. One thought I’m having is around the number of sales reps that are on our roads every day driving huge distances. Unless you work for a large company or a multi national you will be driving an older model car, one that fits into that post 2000 rego cut off point. Your car could be as old as 14 years and will now only require checking once a year. I know of companies who have laid off staff and reorganised their reps territories since the recession. The reps now have to cover much larger areas than previously. This is dangerous for two reasons: they are more fatigued when they are on the road and the wear and tear on the car is increasing. A deteriorating part that could have been picked up in at a 6 month check will now be left a year. Will that part make it the car unsafe for the driver and other road users.?Quite possibly!
4 and finally)betcha Peter Dunne had something do with voting for change. Don’t know if you saw Keith Webb, one of the directors of the MTA on 3 news last night, discussing the flaws of this change. As he’s my mechanic, we’ve had chats about these changes. Last year he took a bald tyre over to Peter Dunne’s office to demonstrate to him the difference between checking a tyre at 6 months and 12 months. The wear would have been picked up at 6 months, but depending on mileage could be at a point where its almost shredding in a further 6 months. Did PD care? No he did not. The only good outcome was that there will be one less person voting for PD in the Ohariu electorate vote next year. – the mechanic told me that he won’t be voting PD again. (Thats great but I hope the rest of the electorate wakes up before then)
So, now there will be more potentially unsound cars in our roads. Thanks National Govt for putting safety first. Not.
logie97
I thought that the AA guy sounded like a free market density. When he said stuff about individual responsibility the hairs on my neck prickled. I thought AA was supposed to be conservative in favour of safety and providing services for motorists and travellers.
He seemed to think that it was an unneeded expense to have these regular checks and it would save AA members money. If anyone didn’t get a service and repair done, well they ought to and make regular checks, or they were irresponsible. It can be easy to overlook stuff, that’s what we have the WOF for and everyone has been expected to have one when appropriate for the age of their car. So we all benefit from the universality with properly serviced cars.
I think the next reorganisation should happen in parliament. The MPs seats should be taken out and sold in the interests of ergonomics etc. It is supposed to be healthier to be standing instead of sitting for long periods. So just leaning shelves in front of each MP would be sufficient and some of the fat cats might start losing weight by just standing and therefore proving they are alive.
It would be wise for us to have a separate transport police force again. I’m going to lose all my respect for police if I have to put up with them doing more petty surveillance on cars and drivers for misdemeanours.
The people police used to be the government body who helped the non law breakers and citizens dealt with them occasionally and relatively happily. The government has turned them into a bunch who are in everybody’s face all the time, sirens and lights flashing multiple times a day and booze road blocks where they have a catch rate of about 5% so 95% stopped are being unnecessarily harrassed. And then they can pick you up for out-dated certificates and fine you. It’s not good to have these tax gatherers at you all the time. In the bible Jesus was the only friendly face to a tax gatherer. They might find that the people divide against them – the rich on one side and the majority on the other.
And then the government is so bloody careless about trying to improve any situation that impacts on ordinary people, they don’t even put the drunken bums through retraining programs. It seems they just like catching people out and punishing, fining them etc. Like in the Simpsons when annoyed by Homer Mr Burns answer is ‘I’ll loose the dogs”. I see that with such a laissez faire government that is likely to become a reality as people become angry and desperate.
I have no problem with the drink driving checks, but the issue I have is the use of traffic duties to boost the individual officers’ activity quotas.
The classic example I saw a few years ago was when a 2-cop car (how many of those are left) pulled someone over for a pretty blatant red light issue. Fair enough.
While one officer was dealing with the other car, his partner pulled over all the cars on a busy street and asked to see D/Ls – just “papers, please”, no fitness checks or anything.
Of course, each of those counted as traffic duty, so their stats were up – but really there was only one actual case of “traffic duty”, the rest were just pointless ID checks.
What problem did Shearer fix yesterday ?
The 1 million non voters were connected to labour?
Those who are moving to greens coming back?
The Caucus re-united?
Talent inspired to transform the country?
No, no.
The Wellington gaggle feel reassured??
Yes, yes
This is what the revolutionary Marxists in Aotearoa this will happen to the Labour Party.
The global capitalist crisis and NZs perilous economic situation has activated a class war inside the Labour Party such as not seen since the late 1980s over Rogernomics. The onset of crisis in 2007 and Labour’s defeat by a right-moving National -ACT-Maori Party Coalition in 2008 and 2011 has thrown the party into an internal crisis. The ‘old guard’ continue to ‘oppose’ the NACTs by competing for the same middle ground, while a ‘new guard’ has emerged dedicated to return Labour to its traditional parliamentary socialism. The scene is set for Labour to split between the ‘right’ and the ‘left’. We examine the significance of this impending split for the development of class struggle in Aotearoa/NZ…
Affordable housing $300,000 or less for everyone under kiwibuild…..as long as you want your house to be an apartment with only two bedrooms…otherwise it will be up to $550,000….was Bill English right when he said Labour were being dishonest with their $300,000 figure…i guess he was…
I can’t remember the ‘mechanical’ ins and outs of it, but the Northern Hemisphere can apparently expect to experience weather systems that ‘sit’ for far longer due to AGW. So heatwaves and droughts and rains last much longer than was previously considered normal.
And anyway, for some reason the weather forecast the other day ( I don’t usually listen in) struck me as odd insofar as it was very short because the same weather was expected over the entire country whereas there is usually quite a variation. And in todays ‘stuff’
Which has got me wondering whether the Southern Hemisphere can expect similar to the Northern Hemisphere and have periods of long ‘sameness’ as weather systems basically slow and stall due to the effects of AGW.
Don’t think so, because there is no massive continent ie euroasia in the South. Plus Antarctica is a continent so not warming nearly as fast as the Arcrtic.
The jet streams are the result of heat energy moving from the torrid equator to the freezing poles. Because the Arctic is warming ( faster than anywhere as predicted by modelling ) there is less differentiation between it and the equator = less heat energy transfer = slower jet stream.
A slower jet stream means slower weather patterns dragged along at lower levels. Plus like a slow moving river the northern jet stream is meandering more, channeling cold air from further north to further south ie snow in North Africa for the first time in decades or more , and vice versa sucking hot air up from further south to the north ie Russian drought worst in hundreds of years.
Is it possible to not like or believe in the leader of a political party but still support the objectives and ethos of a party – its kaupapa – and still vote for them.
For instance, Hone has alienated some with his remarks and some don’t like him personally or they spin it is the Hone Party – yet when Mana’s policies and objectives are looked at, even though Hone is a turn-off for an individual – the plans and policies may be a turn-on. And the other way around – I love the leader but not sure about the policies. I’m interested because of my discussions with mcflock on another thread. And because I want to increase the votes for Mana and the left whether people like Hone or not.
Hi marty mars. I wrote an epic length response to your question. When I clicked on submit comment I lost the site and my reply to you. I’m not going to repeat it all again but instead just abreviate what I said and refer to your example of the Mana Party and its leader Hone Harawira.
Brief reply to your question: It would depend on the individuals liklihood to be influenced by the persona of a party’s leader over the substance of their policy. What is more important to them?
Its not a perfect example but consider how Epsom voters strategically voted JB for their electorate to in order for National to still hold the sway of power. JB wasn’t well regarded as a whole by the voters but they saw him as a vehicle for upholding their own kaupapa. They got what they wanted despite not having much in the way of respect for their elected representative.
My two cents worth: Personally and historically my view of a leader has taken a back seat to the policy, objectives and ethos of the party. The next election will be my 10th as a voter. It will be my first, NOT party voting Labour. This is mainly because their direction isn’t enough to sustain me as a voter. However, this time I can’t deny that the persona of the leader was the triggering factor for my choice – for the many and varied reasons already discussed on The Standard.
I like Hone Harawira. I like the kaupapa and policies of Mana. It is the party that most closely aligns with my social and political view. Despite that my party vote is going to that rising star, The Greens, who in the past I’ve always given my electorate vote. I wish you luck with your efforts to increase their votes. It would be great if they picked up a few extra seats. Heres to a good left win in 2014 – even if it does seem like a distant future.
I don’t see much policy difference between the Greens, Mana, or the Alliance, and Labour aren’t too far behind.
So basically it comes down to nitpicking personalities, policy order, and what their actions say as well as their words.
For me, it’s not so much “not supporting” party A, as much as simply deciding at the toss that Party B of the bunch is better suited to my perspective.
Kathleen Wynne has won the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party and is set to become the province’s first female premier, after a closely fought race with Sandra Pupatello.
Wynne, the 59-year-old MPP for Don Valley West, is a long-time party member who has had several cabinet roles, including minister of transportation and minister of education.
She has vowed to bring back the legislature on Feb. 19, saying Ontarians are not looking for another election.
Wynne, who is openly gay, had earlier asked delegates in an opening speech: “Can a gay woman win?”
read an article in the Dom recently quoting “Race Against The Machine” and that works’ relevance to the rapidly increasing loss globally of “middle class” employment roles due to technological advances (bring it on you Far.side right wing capitalist commentary clowns)
Here’s another one: very skilled and very cheap Chinese and Indian labour taking over software development, routine legal/accounting/accounts work, administration roles, IT technicians etc
Corporations and shareholders which outsource local jobs get to make bigger and bigger profits even as local communities fail.
A relative was on the phone to Telstra/Vodafone needing help. Turns out the call was being taken in Manila! She was pissed off, told them that as a New Zealander she was disappointed about it and would be looking for a company that employed NZers. The Filipino girl on the other end was like “I help you! I help you!”
Yup, a lot of major big systems upgrades and customisations have been done in Indian code shops by oracle, SAP etc for years as its the only way they can take the work from local crowds.
Major utilities and others happily take advantage of this, it’s not like they care about quality anyway, being a monopoly does that.
interesting, i’m sans all two-way communication devices in my whare now (just sneaking on at PL, so can’t link) however, RNZ is very informative if one ignores most of what passes for opinion and concentrates on seasoned,comparitively objective,commentary on local and global issues; also there is “Press Display” at the PL and the dailys’; still not looking like a brighter future, unless one is an investor in the right commodities, and we shall see those see-saw as well this year.
btw :), a friend of mine relayed her experience of watching cs political commentary on the boob-tube and said she could not understand why the broadcasters give the likes of him and Farr-up-his-own the Time of day.(influential? like cholera is influential)
as an aside, just keep dumping chemical toxins on our pastures (and in our children) and everything will just be tickety-boo.
Yeah robotics are advancing rapidly and on the cheap – fully automated factories.
Remember that was the utopia promised by the technocrats and rationalists. Freed from the burden and drudgery of labour we would have time and energy to pursue our interest.
So will we all get to share in the wealth of this technological revolution or will it pan out more like Blade Runner?
Blade Runner (Do androids dream of electric sheep?) was fairly visionary imo.
as an aside, I was aware very early on that those who could ‘insert” into the MSM and it’s variants were baiting me, and muzza, what was with the “betrayal”? finding laudanum?
Whatever, it is encouraging to see examples of articles more challenging to the status quo appearing occasionally in our dailys’, and even some of the rw eunuchs getting a little more interested in their loss of genitalia (but thats’ those rational types for ya, it’s all about self and Interest) although a cynic Idealist might perceive the blonde bombshell, i meant, eggshell, as a political foil to J-A G…
I am thinking more along the lines of Running Man and the Robocop movies.
Far from being mindless action flicks, Robocop 1 and 2 are interesting commentaries on urban decay, privatisation, the malevolent use of technology and human experimentation by corporations, underfunding of police, outsourcing, and so on and so forth.
The Running Man, focuses on the use of reality TV to distract the masses….
Under the present socio-economic paradigm it will be more like Blade Runner (and/or what millsy said). Of course, we don’t have to keep the present socio-economic system.
The reasoning behind what some would see as the surprise sacking from the Slippery lead National Government’s Cabinet of Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson and un-HousingNZ Minister Phill ‘the mouse’ Heatley was escaping me until i listened to a RadioNZ National interview of Slippery the Prime Minister the other day,
Insisting that Heatley and Wilkinson were not given the bums rush out of the Cabinet,(Heatley with barely two hours notice), was not provoked by bad behavior the Prime Minister even gushingly described their contribution as great work which served to further bamboozle me until that is our Prime Minister uttered the words fresh young faces as part of the reasoning behind his demotion of Wilkinson and Heatley and the promotion of Nikki Kaye and Simon Bridges,
Immediately into my mind ‘flashed two simultaneous pictures, one of a group of balding old men gathered round a Cabinet table most having stapled to their various cranium the fur of one or other dead animal, mostly in numerous states of comatose rigidity and only stirring weekly at the sound of Social Development Minister Paula Benefits weekly enumeration of the numbers She has managed to drive off benefits and off-shore via the intensely effective use of Her minions creative use of the ‘new’ rules to deny people their rightful income support, heard amongst this awakening of the gathered Ministers the clashing of false teeth, the snorts as if emanating from a piggery and the odd shouted exhortation to kick the poor,
The other, pictures that flashed into my mind that is, a picture of both the Blond Nikki Kaye and Pretty Boy Simon Bridges being lead into the Cabinet room with signs round their necks which contained in bold blue lettering the words ”eye candy”, at which point transmission was lost as the sound of the sirens from a mass malfunction in at least 20 pace-makers broke my reverie,
We can well imagine Slippery the Prime Minister spending His summer holidays mulling over the problem of trying to energize a bunch of geriatric old codgers, the flotsam left over from National Governments from so long ago that no-one is sure what position they occupied or even if the aging coterie in the Cabinet room isn’t in fact a remnant left behind as the previous Labour Government decamped after their election defeat,
”Eye candy” was the chosen solution for the Prime Minister, some ”candy” for all tastes around the Cabinet table…
Lol, i know, gardening does it to me, first i am pulling weeds,then i am babbling at the plants ”no, no way” and soon after i am on my knees laughing like a loon,
Friggin dangerous places those gardens, the narrative did go on for quite some time about the bits of various dead animals that most of them have taken to stapling onto their various cranial caps, Maurice Williamson (Raccoon), Peter Dunne (Skunk), and, Slippery the Prime Minister( the soft hairs gently plucked from the anal crack of a blind donkey called Brucie),
I abridged it a bit to give my stubby little fingers a rest,(and my laptop which i have a habit of bashing instead of softly pashing), i might have to explore the issue of cranial covering further later on…
Good call. I’ve yet to see what Kate Wilkinson did wrong. She follows the neo-liberal (so hating that word right now) to the letter, and that’s not a compliment btw. If it was Pike River he would have sacked her long ago.
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three. ...
Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blogIn 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
Citizen Science writes – Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
Karl du Fresne writes – There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
David Farrar writes – The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time.A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced ...
You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated. While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
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Watch and weep.
The UK social security “reforms” and their devastating effects on citizens with disabilities.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Video-The-Secret-Governme-by-Mick-Meaney-130125-244.html
Soon to be enacted by a government near you.
And next up… did you see the one about ‘voice risk analysis’ aka lie detectors being used over the phone to work out whether people are lying about their need for council benefits in Cornwall? It’s even too much for a Tory councillor who has resigned over it.
Trained assessors, specialist technology for calling 30,000 households? Yeah…right. Sounds like atos spin.
Research carries out in other parts of the country also show VRA, or lie detectors by phone, is not suitable in a ‘benefits environment’. But Cornwall is not letting that wee point stop it.
A year or two ago the WINZ call centre was trialling a system of voice recognition. I think you had a choice to register and then they recorded your voice and so whenever you phoned in after that they knew it was you. Needless to say, my response to that was fuck off, but it makes sense now why they were trialling it. I haven’t come across it for a while though so I’m guessing they dropped it.
So they’re looking to see if people calling up about a benefit are stressed?
That sounds more stupid that usual.
I wonder – do people who fail the test get audited, or just automatically suspended?
It does sound more stupid than usual – especially when you look at the numbers it’s clear the people doing some kind of psychological assessment on the data are call centre operators.
If it’s anything like atos, it’ll be suspension until appeal rather than the other way around.
which would be why even a tory thinks it’s going a bit far…
‘GAZA REPORT’
UK documentary maker and activist Harry Fear will be speaking in Auckland
Where: Lecture Room B28, Auckland University Library Alfred Street
Time: 7pm Thursday 7 February
Harry Fear and veteran Kiwi activist Roger Fowler were on a fact-finding mission in Gaza when the recent Israeli bombing raids took place. They will speak about their experiences.
*Legendary reggae band ‘Unity Pacific’ will be playing
Hosted by; Auckland University Students for Justice in Palestine’
With: Kia Ora Gaza
Shearer performed better than Key on Morning Report on housing, I thought.
So Matthew did Trevor ask you to say this?
The Right’s love affair with Shearer deepens into commitment.
Its called trying to gain a targets trust…this way the spin can be effective, if people realise its all poppy-cock that he speaks, he becomes less effective as a spin doctor. Sadly, I have witnessed some here starting to think Hooton is making sense, this is not good. He never does.
Yes, good showing by Shearer this morning. IF he can keep it up, Labour might be out of the woods.
Lanth. We get this kind of response after his every speech. How much value must people continue to place upon rhetoric? (Look at Obama for example!) And so it goes on every time, with the obligatory IF IF IF . . .
Radiolive Duncan Garner – David Shearer interview
4.30pm News with Jeff Bryant Tuesday 18 November 2012
___________________________________________________________________________
Perhaps that is what Shearer was referring to when is the speech…..
Airy Fairy ideas (traitor words) – DS confirms his loyalty to the continuation of the neo liberal agenda, he was, is, and will remain and agent of the establishment, its that simple!
“David Shearer says there is a real issue when politicians get new idea’s and try to interfere with the economy.”
That’s odd, considering that a couple of days ago in his State of the Nation speech Shearer said:
“We’ll make changes to monetary policy so that our job-creating businesses aren’t undermined by our exchange rate.”
**************************
“David Shearer says there is a real issue when politicians get new idea’s and try to interfere with the economy.”
That suggests to me that Shearer believes “the economy” is some kind of discrete, independent entity which will somehow run itself perfectly well as long as its left alone – presumably shaped by some “invisible hand”. If he ever gets to be Prime Minister he will, on day one, be faced with “the economy” bequeathed to him by National which, according to him, he won’t ‘interfer with’ by trying any new ideas.
******************************
“David Shearer says there is a real issue when politicians get new idea’s and try to interfere with the economy.”
A couple of days ago in his State of the Nation speech David Shearer said: “We are on the cusp of a new era – when new thinking and leadership is needed to build wealth we can all share in.”
*****************************
Jesus wept.
By the sounds of it Labour have caught up with the idea that the RBA should be widened in scope beyond just inflation targets. I.e. you make unemployment and quality of life targets part of the objective, and the RB will do a bit of autonomous QE.
A few years old as an idea (they probably resisted it while in power), but at least they’re only 5 or 10 years out of date – not the 150 that Nact are 🙂
Not sure how much of the idea follows on from the monetary policy + noninterference statements – could just be teafleaf reading on my part.
Why are the Greens wasting their political capital on this sort of ephemera, when the future of humanity itself hangs in the balance, threatened by permanent climate change?
“What we want to do is to say the Reserve Bank is in the best position to make those determinations. So what we we would do is give them the tools then let them make the decisions.”
Placing decisions which belong properly to government beyond the reach of a government accountable to the people is undemocratic, and in fact represents the very essence of fascism.
I didn’t hear him this morning, but I noticed on Morning Report last week that Shearer is getting better with his communication. I think he must have been working on it over the summer and with some robust policy developed I think it would be easier for him to give firm answers than waffle to fill the air.
He may be getting better but he has gone from being warmed up Shyte to barely adequate.
And giving the odd speech is not enough.
Shearer needs to repair relationships within caucus and the rank and file. Only if he can do that will he show leadership material.
I bet the Nats cannot wait until the first debate. I hope that Labour in selecting Shearer has not selected our own Sarah Palin.
Nah, Sarah Palin was a vacuous bimbo pretending she could do the job.
Shearer most likely can do the job, he just has trouble showing us.
But what exactly is the job that he’s been asked to do, that’s what continues to trouble me.
What David is saying, is that having the RBNZ/OoDM, as private, is the best solution, as thats what his masters are telling him to say. The tools government gets controlled with is Graeme Wheeler, ex World Banker, relaying messages. David will be given no tools to the RBNZ, which is why he has not mentioned them in the speech, he is talking bull shit!
Here David emphasises that market driven ideology will continue, and that he is owned, and speaking on behalf of *the market* controllers!
David will strickly adhere to the *best practice* frameworks, and there will be no *airy fairy ideas*, (such as what is right/best for NZ), coming from his mouth, or via Labour Party policy!
David Shearer, like John Key, and so many others pretending to be politicians (hence the continued atrocious performances), are TRAITORS!
The fogies do not want to be the fall guy. It’s as if the puppet masters (fogies) write the lines and Shearer does not deliver them verbatim.
I’d just like to take the opportunity to wish both Matthew Hooton and Mike Williams all the best for their marriage, they are perfect for one another.
Come back Josie Pagani, there is a spot for you now M. Williams has joined the National Party.
LOLZ, Hooten, on today’s RadioNZ National Nine to Noon seems to have laughably lost the over-sized plum that has Him at times thinking He speaks with the voice of the Lord of the Manor,
Unfortunately for Hooten the ‘plum’ voice has had Him at times sounding more like a transvestite in training,
Wonder if Hooties had the offending ‘plum’ surgically removed or did the recent ‘pricking’ of that ones over-blown ego here at the Standard result in it’s shriveling…
I am sure that you have considered that for Labour to get into power they will actually need to appeal to the voters in the centre of the political spectrum (assuming a relatively equal number of voters on either side of the centre). Once having one the election they will be able implement nore left wing policies on the basis that their coalition partners are further to the left than they are and as always there will be some negotiation and collaboration in forming the new govt.
If they ignore the centre (which I don’t think they are) they will quite simply lose the election and their policies won’t really matter for another three years……..
5%+ from current nonvoters
You seem to be saying they should campaign on policies they don’t believe in in order to gain power, so that once in power they can implement policies they do believe in, even if it means breaking election promises.
Oh look it’s Matthew “No Spin Here” Hooten. Wouldn’t you be more effective with a pseudonym? Ah you already do that. Carry on then.
Matthew “No Spin Here” Hooton
LOL very good Mike!
Yes Matthew, isn’t it great to be paid by both sides to assist towards the same outcome.
Just spin and repeat, easy money Matty eh.
Nonsense Matthew.
Stop confusing the kids here.
Trevor hosted a media event in his Electorate football ground for his Leader at which a “Hands on” strategy was the theme.
Does Shearer have the right team around him to firstly detail such policies and secondly execute them when in power?
Trevor’s last job was to build a new sports stadium on Auckland’s waterfront. Truly great idea, appealingly executed.
Who in Shearer’s team jumps out of bed in the morning with a passion to undo and never repeat the mistakes of the past 30 years?
Who in Shearer’s team jumps out of bed in the morning with a plan that is relevant to those who don’t want to own a house? Don’t relate to third level education? Don’t see a future in NZ?
KV
Yesterday I found there was so much in Shearer’s speech that offended and appalled me that I was dumbstruck.
Far from tearing it down and nit-picking to find fault, I felt overwhelmed. I’d have to go through line by line and write a bloody dissertation on all the things that were wrong with that speech.
But of course it was the picture that was painted of what and who was and wasn’t important. Maybe outside of the context of the speech as a whole, the line about the “success” of a person being the first one in the family to graduate university, wouldn’t have grated like it did.
I felt like saying that my father has a couple of degrees yet for some reason we’re all pretty proud that my brother was the first member of the generations of my family to be able to build a house, and my sisters, the first to be able to teach young children how to read and write and do sums and feel confident learning to learn, and most of all that our severely disabled sister was able to learn to read against the odds and that for a few years, before all the wonderful Rogernomic reforms, was able to work in the community and earn a wage to pay the mortgage on her own home.
Pity they don’t have degrees. Their work is and was a kind of anti-success, a generational downward-mobility. It is in the subtext of that speech, – winners – yay, losers unmentionable, strive, aspire, compete, be the best and look after number one, (in the most narrow and conventional terms imaginable that is).
Beltway Labour, you’re only any good if you have a university education. Ever wonder why the Beltway can’t connect to ordinary people worth a damn? Seen the attitude in Young Labour as well. When they find out some kid is “just” a tradie or school leaver noses get turned up real quick. Pathetic and elitist.
Interesting comment CV…
A few years ago a former Labour candidate (I think the person has now walked from the Party) once approached a (now retired) senior Labour politician asking for advice on… how to go about becoming a candidate. The first question the prospective candidate was asked:
“ Do you have a university degree?” The candidate replied “yes”.
“Oh, that’s OK then” said the senior politician. “You really need a degree to become a Labour candidate nowadays“.
Pathetic and elitist you say. I would add to that… sad and astoundingly stupid!
That’s even more pathetic than you know, because the people I see starting at university come from all sorts of disadvantaged backgrounds.
“Do you have a university degree?” is really code for: “Are you an unthreateningly, comfortably middle class professional of the sort that clogs Public Address? You’ve never been a sex worker, a drug user, in prison, chronically ill, an artist, epileptic, suffering from a disorder, a sole parent, too dark a shade of brown… or actually gained a degree, but one that’s in boring science and not sexy law or commerce? Right?”
I’ve had a parade of students who tick several of those boxes pass before me and gain degrees, and they’re exactly the sort Labour needs (I can think of one in particular… and another… and another… and more) but I can imagine them saying “Yes” to that MP’s question and then seeing him squirm in his seat and vacillate “Weeeeeellll…. that’s good, that’s a good life story… you’re a battler for sure, but, well, your story’s a bit complicated and for all your… well, virtues… there are some people who won’t be able to understand… Well, for example, I wish you’d overcome… given up something less likely to make the wrong sort of headlines… people won’t understand… perhaps if you’d just quit smoking perhaps? Cigarettes! Cigarettes, I mean! Yes, yes, I know what you do – did – is legal now, and you did it to have money to raise your child… but that takes a long time to explain and you can’t do that in a soundbite and some people – not me of course – some people are going to be, um moralistic about it… they’ll call you a… well, I won’t say that word, but can you imagine it? It would be so hard for you to hear it every day. Oh you did? On talk radio, I mean… on TV, or Kiwiblog… And you have a degree too? Hmmm, yes, I have to say, we’ve many high quality candidates, so don’t feel that we think the less of you when we select this recent marketing graduate who’s been working on my staff for… weeks… now. They’re good, they’re really good and put the hard yards into the party…. um, yes… and they look good on television (yes, I know, I’m not so very slim now either – too many Bellamy’s meals, ha ha!)… and that counts when they’re being interviewed in front of a Ponsonby cafe where we think we can turn the vote around… though mind you, they’re serving an apprenticeship still, so we’ll put them in a nice safe seat or a high list position… Anyway, good luck and keep up the good work! You’re an inspiration!”
😀
More ‘know your place’ moments.
I’ve had a few professional-type job interviews with middle-class, university-educated academics that have gone pretty much along those lines and ended up with ‘so where would you fit?’ or ‘because you’re a solo-parent I can’t risk that you’ll take time off when the children are sick’.
Funnily enough for more manual jobs don’t care who I am, just whether I could do the job and stay… those employers think with a couple of degrees I’m over-qualified.
Im probably the only one in the world who finds the practise of celebrating the anniversary of geo-political entities (the Provinces) that were abolished in the mid-19th Century completely absurd. I cannot think of any other non-federallised country that has holidays in different parts of the country on different days.
Though the actual abolishment of the provincial anniversary and their replacement with a more relevant national holidays would be unlikely, due the the events that take place on these days. So carry on inhabitants of the former Auckland Province, enjoy your holiday. You might want to take the time to read up on the old Provinces.
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I dont think the changes to the WOF system is going to lead to the downfall of civilisation as the testing and mechanical barons say they will, but they will turn out to be a false economy. The inspections will end up being much more tougher, resulting in bigger financial hits for car owners (rather than costs being spread through the year).
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Captain mumblefuck is already backtracking on KiwiBuild, and the rednecks are pouring vitirol on the greens, forgetting about their generous familiy benefit capitalisation and State Advances loans. Labour should just focus on increasing the state house build, and give assistance to those who wish to buy their state houses (and chop the renewable tenancies — also perhaps extend the IRR to community provider?). This should in itself dampen the housing market.
“but they will turn out to be a false economy. The inspections will end up being much more tougher, resulting in bigger financial hits for car owners (rather than costs being spread through the year).”
A guy made the point this morning that arguable the 6 monthly WOF system had been acting as a crutch, because people only worried about the state of their car on those 2 days each year, instead of paying more attention to it throughout the year. I think this is likely to be true, but we probably won’t see any move back to owner-responsibility for a good 5-7 years I’d guess.
I’m concerned about lack of inspections of cars – how many people know nothing about what they’re meant to check. But what I’m really worried about is the self-regulated inspections of trucks. Reducing regulation in safety critical elements hasn’t worked in other industries and it won’t work in the transport industry either.
Shearer conceedes KiwiBuild $300K house price is only a national average, does not apply to Auckland
Standalone Auckland houses under KiwiBuild to be $550K. Smaller apartments or terraced accomodation may be $300K in some outlying areas of Auckland.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10861855
Indeed. That was clear in last night’s 3 News report. See my comment on the Good Coverage for Shearer thread.
Perfect example of a poor policy launch, and dare I suggest typical of current inept back room management.
The big roll out policy, the press, the media attention, good voter vibes, then whoops, what I meant to say was…
Really, who would do that?
I wish Shearer would spend as much time in Auckland as he does in the Hutt Valley. Funny how the three power-brokers in caucus are the MP for Wellington Central and the two MPs for the Hutt Valley – little wonder Shearer is hardly ever in Auckland.
NACTs degrading our society again. Cutting the wof system down. At present new vehicles only need a once a year, then go to six monthly after the first six years. There is talk about cars being built to be safer these days. Well air bags are for when there is an accident, and the whole purpose of wofs is to keep vital parts in good working order lessening accident possibility. That’s what I like for me, and to know that the other vehicles on the road have been vetted and in reasonable condition.
Instead we get deregulation, the Reno style of political decision making. Go fast towards your goal, don’t worry about possible obstacles – sounds like this new idea is just a rerun of the Roger Douglas thinking.
Novopay – Education is apparently the second ‘successful’ service manufactured by clever clogs in Australia for us, the first being for NZ Post which I heard is not a go’er either.
Charter Schools – discussion on radionz this morning with someone from academic circles called John, and principal from a middle school in Wanganui, the fortunate area to receive government monetary assistance to keep a private school viable, didn’t impress me with the need for the current legislation. Academic John pointed out that there is provision for alternative schools in a 1989 act, and that there has been changes made to the current legislation which seems to make it more radical. Alternative schools, under the state system, are needed for some students and there are some presently. Surely just changes to the enabling 1989 act were all that is necessary.
The government is into makework it seems to me. They don’t wish to support building a better future for us but need to appear to do something so they fiddle with things we already have and that broadly are successful. Result conditions further downgraded. What a shower.
So Key is now an expert on road safety and vehicle maintenance.
(Wonder if he has acshully ever looked under the bonnet of a car, let alone changed a wheel).
http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/8230081/PM-defends-WOF-changes
Surely vehicle testing is self financing.
So this is all about saving costs for the fleet owners.
For the average punter, this great saving over a ten year cycle will be about $40.00 dollars per year (on today’s testing rates).
As for me, my car is fairly new but I shall be continuing with a six monthly check-up thank you Johnny Boy and it will continue to be done independently of my regular service.
…and apparently the AA have said that their membership is unanimously in support of the new system. Not this member and would love to know when they commissioned that survey.
Hi logie97.
1)”So key is now an expert on road safety and vehicle maintenance”……exactly,.lol, he would have never had to ride in an unroadworthy car in his life. What would he know.
2)I was also baffled at the results of that AA survey, and no, they never asked this member either.
3)It’s beyond me that we would purposely reduce safety checking in cars. Our car is 20 years old so will still be getting a 6 monthly check under the changes to WOF requirements. Even if it fell into the post 2000 age we woulds still be getting it checked every 6 months, certainly not once a year. To leave it up to faith that your not brand new car is road safe in another year is just plain fool hardy. One thought I’m having is around the number of sales reps that are on our roads every day driving huge distances. Unless you work for a large company or a multi national you will be driving an older model car, one that fits into that post 2000 rego cut off point. Your car could be as old as 14 years and will now only require checking once a year. I know of companies who have laid off staff and reorganised their reps territories since the recession. The reps now have to cover much larger areas than previously. This is dangerous for two reasons: they are more fatigued when they are on the road and the wear and tear on the car is increasing. A deteriorating part that could have been picked up in at a 6 month check will now be left a year. Will that part make it the car unsafe for the driver and other road users.?Quite possibly!
4 and finally)betcha Peter Dunne had something do with voting for change. Don’t know if you saw Keith Webb, one of the directors of the MTA on 3 news last night, discussing the flaws of this change. As he’s my mechanic, we’ve had chats about these changes. Last year he took a bald tyre over to Peter Dunne’s office to demonstrate to him the difference between checking a tyre at 6 months and 12 months. The wear would have been picked up at 6 months, but depending on mileage could be at a point where its almost shredding in a further 6 months. Did PD care? No he did not. The only good outcome was that there will be one less person voting for PD in the Ohariu electorate vote next year. – the mechanic told me that he won’t be voting PD again. (Thats great but I hope the rest of the electorate wakes up before then)
So, now there will be more potentially unsound cars in our roads. Thanks National Govt for putting safety first. Not.
logie97
I thought that the AA guy sounded like a free market density. When he said stuff about individual responsibility the hairs on my neck prickled. I thought AA was supposed to be conservative in favour of safety and providing services for motorists and travellers.
He seemed to think that it was an unneeded expense to have these regular checks and it would save AA members money. If anyone didn’t get a service and repair done, well they ought to and make regular checks, or they were irresponsible. It can be easy to overlook stuff, that’s what we have the WOF for and everyone has been expected to have one when appropriate for the age of their car. So we all benefit from the universality with properly serviced cars.
I think the next reorganisation should happen in parliament. The MPs seats should be taken out and sold in the interests of ergonomics etc. It is supposed to be healthier to be standing instead of sitting for long periods. So just leaning shelves in front of each MP would be sufficient and some of the fat cats might start losing weight by just standing and therefore proving they are alive.
“So this is all about saving costs for the fleet owners”
Yes, more corporate welfare.
“For the average punter, this great saving over a ten year cycle will be about $40.00 dollars per year (on today’s testing rates).”
As Clashman suggested yesterday the cost will most likely double for checking of older cars.
Only fleet owners? I asked myself who benefits from these changes and wonder who else.
With the “more roadside checks” by police being touted I’d suggest the Govt. coffers will benefit i.e. more tickets issued.
It would be wise for us to have a separate transport police force again. I’m going to lose all my respect for police if I have to put up with them doing more petty surveillance on cars and drivers for misdemeanours.
The people police used to be the government body who helped the non law breakers and citizens dealt with them occasionally and relatively happily. The government has turned them into a bunch who are in everybody’s face all the time, sirens and lights flashing multiple times a day and booze road blocks where they have a catch rate of about 5% so 95% stopped are being unnecessarily harrassed. And then they can pick you up for out-dated certificates and fine you. It’s not good to have these tax gatherers at you all the time. In the bible Jesus was the only friendly face to a tax gatherer. They might find that the people divide against them – the rich on one side and the majority on the other.
And then the government is so bloody careless about trying to improve any situation that impacts on ordinary people, they don’t even put the drunken bums through retraining programs. It seems they just like catching people out and punishing, fining them etc. Like in the Simpsons when annoyed by Homer Mr Burns answer is ‘I’ll loose the dogs”. I see that with such a laissez faire government that is likely to become a reality as people become angry and desperate.
I have no problem with the drink driving checks, but the issue I have is the use of traffic duties to boost the individual officers’ activity quotas.
The classic example I saw a few years ago was when a 2-cop car (how many of those are left) pulled someone over for a pretty blatant red light issue. Fair enough.
While one officer was dealing with the other car, his partner pulled over all the cars on a busy street and asked to see D/Ls – just “papers, please”, no fitness checks or anything.
Of course, each of those counted as traffic duty, so their stats were up – but really there was only one actual case of “traffic duty”, the rest were just pointless ID checks.
What problem did Shearer fix yesterday ?
The 1 million non voters were connected to labour?
Those who are moving to greens coming back?
The Caucus re-united?
Talent inspired to transform the country?
No, no.
The Wellington gaggle feel reassured??
Yes, yes
“I’m in – for the future” is the future Elizabeth.
This is what the revolutionary Marxists in Aotearoa this will happen to the Labour Party.
The global capitalist crisis and NZs perilous economic situation has activated a class war inside the Labour Party such as not seen since the late 1980s over Rogernomics. The onset of crisis in 2007 and Labour’s defeat by a right-moving National -ACT-Maori Party Coalition in 2008 and 2011 has thrown the party into an internal crisis. The ‘old guard’ continue to ‘oppose’ the NACTs by competing for the same middle ground, while a ‘new guard’ has emerged dedicated to return Labour to its traditional parliamentary socialism. The scene is set for Labour to split between the ‘right’ and the ‘left’. We examine the significance of this impending split for the development of class struggle in Aotearoa/NZ…
http://redrave.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/nz-labour-party-changing-guard.html
Affordable housing $300,000 or less for everyone under kiwibuild…..as long as you want your house to be an apartment with only two bedrooms…otherwise it will be up to $550,000….was Bill English right when he said Labour were being dishonest with their $300,000 figure…i guess he was…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10861855
I can’t remember the ‘mechanical’ ins and outs of it, but the Northern Hemisphere can apparently expect to experience weather systems that ‘sit’ for far longer due to AGW. So heatwaves and droughts and rains last much longer than was previously considered normal.
And anyway, for some reason the weather forecast the other day ( I don’t usually listen in) struck me as odd insofar as it was very short because the same weather was expected over the entire country whereas there is usually quite a variation. And in todays ‘stuff’
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8231629/End-predicted-to-capital-weather
Which has got me wondering whether the Southern Hemisphere can expect similar to the Northern Hemisphere and have periods of long ‘sameness’ as weather systems basically slow and stall due to the effects of AGW.
Don’t think so, because there is no massive continent ie euroasia in the South. Plus Antarctica is a continent so not warming nearly as fast as the Arcrtic.
The jet streams are the result of heat energy moving from the torrid equator to the freezing poles. Because the Arctic is warming ( faster than anywhere as predicted by modelling ) there is less differentiation between it and the equator = less heat energy transfer = slower jet stream.
A slower jet stream means slower weather patterns dragged along at lower levels. Plus like a slow moving river the northern jet stream is meandering more, channeling cold air from further north to further south ie snow in North Africa for the first time in decades or more , and vice versa sucking hot air up from further south to the north ie Russian drought worst in hundreds of years.
Is it possible to not like or believe in the leader of a political party but still support the objectives and ethos of a party – its kaupapa – and still vote for them.
For instance, Hone has alienated some with his remarks and some don’t like him personally or they spin it is the Hone Party – yet when Mana’s policies and objectives are looked at, even though Hone is a turn-off for an individual – the plans and policies may be a turn-on. And the other way around – I love the leader but not sure about the policies. I’m interested because of my discussions with mcflock on another thread. And because I want to increase the votes for Mana and the left whether people like Hone or not.
I’d possibly vote to get Annette Sykes into the House, and Sue Bradford.
Hi marty mars. I wrote an epic length response to your question. When I clicked on submit comment I lost the site and my reply to you. I’m not going to repeat it all again but instead just abreviate what I said and refer to your example of the Mana Party and its leader Hone Harawira.
Brief reply to your question: It would depend on the individuals liklihood to be influenced by the persona of a party’s leader over the substance of their policy. What is more important to them?
Its not a perfect example but consider how Epsom voters strategically voted JB for their electorate to in order for National to still hold the sway of power. JB wasn’t well regarded as a whole by the voters but they saw him as a vehicle for upholding their own kaupapa. They got what they wanted despite not having much in the way of respect for their elected representative.
My two cents worth: Personally and historically my view of a leader has taken a back seat to the policy, objectives and ethos of the party. The next election will be my 10th as a voter. It will be my first, NOT party voting Labour. This is mainly because their direction isn’t enough to sustain me as a voter. However, this time I can’t deny that the persona of the leader was the triggering factor for my choice – for the many and varied reasons already discussed on The Standard.
I like Hone Harawira. I like the kaupapa and policies of Mana. It is the party that most closely aligns with my social and political view. Despite that my party vote is going to that rising star, The Greens, who in the past I’ve always given my electorate vote. I wish you luck with your efforts to increase their votes. It would be great if they picked up a few extra seats. Heres to a good left win in 2014 – even if it does seem like a distant future.
I don’t see much policy difference between the Greens, Mana, or the Alliance, and Labour aren’t too far behind.
So basically it comes down to nitpicking personalities, policy order, and what their actions say as well as their words.
For me, it’s not so much “not supporting” party A, as much as simply deciding at the toss that Party B of the bunch is better suited to my perspective.
Well said!
http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/plenty-of-nothing.html
Yes, she can win.
Kathleen Wynne has won the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party and is set to become the province’s first female premier, after a closely fought race with Sandra Pupatello.
Wynne, the 59-year-old MPP for Don Valley West, is a long-time party member who has had several cabinet roles, including minister of transportation and minister of education.
She has vowed to bring back the legislature on Feb. 19, saying Ontarians are not looking for another election.
Wynne, who is openly gay, had earlier asked delegates in an opening speech: “Can a gay woman win?”
read an article in the Dom recently quoting “Race Against The Machine” and that works’ relevance to the rapidly increasing loss globally of “middle class” employment roles due to technological advances (bring it on you Far.side right wing capitalist commentary clowns)
Here’s another one: very skilled and very cheap Chinese and Indian labour taking over software development, routine legal/accounting/accounts work, administration roles, IT technicians etc
Corporations and shareholders which outsource local jobs get to make bigger and bigger profits even as local communities fail.
http://www.smh.com.au/data-point/get-used-to-it-sending-jobs-overseas-is-the-way-of-the-future-20121009-27bfh.html
A relative was on the phone to Telstra/Vodafone needing help. Turns out the call was being taken in Manila! She was pissed off, told them that as a New Zealander she was disappointed about it and would be looking for a company that employed NZers. The Filipino girl on the other end was like “I help you! I help you!”
lol
Yep they helped/drove me to a kiwi company.
Yup, a lot of major big systems upgrades and customisations have been done in Indian code shops by oracle, SAP etc for years as its the only way they can take the work from local crowds.
Major utilities and others happily take advantage of this, it’s not like they care about quality anyway, being a monopoly does that.
interesting, i’m sans all two-way communication devices in my whare now (just sneaking on at PL, so can’t link) however, RNZ is very informative if one ignores most of what passes for opinion and concentrates on seasoned,comparitively objective,commentary on local and global issues; also there is “Press Display” at the PL and the dailys’; still not looking like a brighter future, unless one is an investor in the right commodities, and we shall see those see-saw as well this year.
btw :), a friend of mine relayed her experience of watching cs political commentary on the boob-tube and said she could not understand why the broadcasters give the likes of him and Farr-up-his-own the Time of day.(influential? like cholera is influential)
as an aside, just keep dumping chemical toxins on our pastures (and in our children) and everything will just be tickety-boo.
-Back In Black
Yeah robotics are advancing rapidly and on the cheap – fully automated factories.
Remember that was the utopia promised by the technocrats and rationalists. Freed from the burden and drudgery of labour we would have time and energy to pursue our interest.
So will we all get to share in the wealth of this technological revolution or will it pan out more like Blade Runner?
Blade Runner (Do androids dream of electric sheep?) was fairly visionary imo.
as an aside, I was aware very early on that those who could ‘insert” into the MSM and it’s variants were baiting me, and muzza, what was with the “betrayal”? finding laudanum?
Whatever, it is encouraging to see examples of articles more challenging to the status quo appearing occasionally in our dailys’, and even some of the rw eunuchs getting a little more interested in their loss of genitalia (but thats’ those rational types for ya, it’s all about self and Interest) although a cynic Idealist might perceive the blonde bombshell, i meant, eggshell, as a political foil to J-A G…
I am thinking more along the lines of Running Man and the Robocop movies.
Far from being mindless action flicks, Robocop 1 and 2 are interesting commentaries on urban decay, privatisation, the malevolent use of technology and human experimentation by corporations, underfunding of police, outsourcing, and so on and so forth.
The Running Man, focuses on the use of reality TV to distract the masses….
Under the present socio-economic paradigm it will be more like Blade Runner (and/or what millsy said). Of course, we don’t have to keep the present socio-economic system.
and / that 😉
The reasoning behind what some would see as the surprise sacking from the Slippery lead National Government’s Cabinet of Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson and un-HousingNZ Minister Phill ‘the mouse’ Heatley was escaping me until i listened to a RadioNZ National interview of Slippery the Prime Minister the other day,
Insisting that Heatley and Wilkinson were not given the bums rush out of the Cabinet,(Heatley with barely two hours notice), was not provoked by bad behavior the Prime Minister even gushingly described their contribution as great work which served to further bamboozle me until that is our Prime Minister uttered the words fresh young faces as part of the reasoning behind his demotion of Wilkinson and Heatley and the promotion of Nikki Kaye and Simon Bridges,
Immediately into my mind ‘flashed two simultaneous pictures, one of a group of balding old men gathered round a Cabinet table most having stapled to their various cranium the fur of one or other dead animal, mostly in numerous states of comatose rigidity and only stirring weekly at the sound of Social Development Minister Paula Benefits weekly enumeration of the numbers She has managed to drive off benefits and off-shore via the intensely effective use of Her minions creative use of the ‘new’ rules to deny people their rightful income support, heard amongst this awakening of the gathered Ministers the clashing of false teeth, the snorts as if emanating from a piggery and the odd shouted exhortation to kick the poor,
The other, pictures that flashed into my mind that is, a picture of both the Blond Nikki Kaye and Pretty Boy Simon Bridges being lead into the Cabinet room with signs round their necks which contained in bold blue lettering the words ”eye candy”, at which point transmission was lost as the sound of the sirens from a mass malfunction in at least 20 pace-makers broke my reverie,
We can well imagine Slippery the Prime Minister spending His summer holidays mulling over the problem of trying to energize a bunch of geriatric old codgers, the flotsam left over from National Governments from so long ago that no-one is sure what position they occupied or even if the aging coterie in the Cabinet room isn’t in fact a remnant left behind as the previous Labour Government decamped after their election defeat,
”Eye candy” was the chosen solution for the Prime Minister, some ”candy” for all tastes around the Cabinet table…
lol
Lol, i know, gardening does it to me, first i am pulling weeds,then i am babbling at the plants ”no, no way” and soon after i am on my knees laughing like a loon,
Friggin dangerous places those gardens, the narrative did go on for quite some time about the bits of various dead animals that most of them have taken to stapling onto their various cranial caps, Maurice Williamson (Raccoon), Peter Dunne (Skunk), and, Slippery the Prime Minister( the soft hairs gently plucked from the anal crack of a blind donkey called Brucie),
I abridged it a bit to give my stubby little fingers a rest,(and my laptop which i have a habit of bashing instead of softly pashing), i might have to explore the issue of cranial covering further later on…
Good call. I’ve yet to see what Kate Wilkinson did wrong. She follows the neo-liberal (so hating that word right now) to the letter, and that’s not a compliment btw. If it was Pike River he would have sacked her long ago.