The Chauvel valedictory speech was a wonderful thing. And at the end of it I had this thought, the guy is so talented and has only been here for a short time. Why does he have to go?
He nailed it when he said this:
“… it is unproductive to keep trying to locate and exclude the supposed enemy within.
Instead, in order to avoid history repeating, it is time for an honest, open, and overdue assessment of why the 2011 campaign produced Labour’s worst ever electoral result. Those responsible for it should make dignified exits
To put it another way, in Gough Whitlam’s immortal words, the party must have both its wings to fly.”
At the end of the speech Mallard stormed out of Parliament without even applauding Chauvel’s speech.
He then tweeted this:
“My decision to seek Hutt South nomination just reinforced”.
Talk about an extreme use of belligerent incompetent use of social media.
There is something wrong with Labour when it loses Chauvel, demotes Cunliffe and Dalziel and refuses to promote Wall. Mallard is clearly part of the problem. He was the campaign manager for the most unsuccessful Labour campaign in over 80 years and has never been held to account.
Mallard is too much of a liability his tweet r.e. Standing in Hutt South was typical foot in mouth behavior, he is such a turn off to voters. If Shearer believes Malard is the heavy hitter that Labour can ill afford to loose well then he is delusional. Shearer needs to start writing ‘thank you for your services letters.’ Clean out deadwood & recruit new talent NOW!
A crisp salute to that Colonial..the Scottish blood in me shudders to think the strong hold Dunedin electorate seats are slipping away care of Curran. Jim K sort your patch out down there & roll her out!
Absolutely spot on. If the people pulling the strings dont make changes soon then Labour may never recover. Mallard and Goff at least need to go. I suspect the main problem may be that Mallard and Goff are heavily involved in pulling the strings.
If the people pulling the strings dont make changes soon then Labour may never recover.
I’m not overly concerned by that. In fact, I think one of the best things that could happen is that Labour becomes a minor party as they’re too close to the present system and won’t change it.
Twitter is great for telling plonkers like that off, sure he most probably won’t listen, that’s obvious to see. But some staffer may take it onboard. What a tool.
+ 1 imo mallard is thick which was quite obvious from a long way out – remember when he said he was indigenous because he lived in Wainuiomata lol – sad and useless and desperately trying to be relevant.
“There is something wrong with Labour when it loses Chauvel, demotes Cunliffe and Dalziel and refuses to promote Wall. Mallard is clearly part of the problem. He was the campaign manager for the most unsuccessful Labour campaign in over 80 years and has never been held to account.
And he is in the middle of current problems.
He has to go.”
All true. But equally important is that the Labour Party needs to put processes in place that allow the party to hold MPs accountable.
Toxic Trevor has performed poorly in Hutt South. If Mallard continues the teen of the past three elections it will be a marginal Labour seat in terms of Party Vote.
He shares poor performance with his neighbours Annette, Grant and Hipkins.
And with Clark not around and no-one else with the guts, there’s seemingly no-one in the party willing or able to tell Mallard to stfu, start thinking and stop being a douche.
Mallard shares alot with many Labour MP’s/candidates, they think they’re so important/relevant/liked and always have smart answers when facts and results show they’ve lost the electorate.
Clark knew what she was doing when she walked having kept bovver boy under a tight reign for years because without some portfolios to have him twiddling his thumbs over this is the kind of behaviour he can be relied on for, the nat’s best friend is a loose opposition MP, step right up trev.
I remain positive it can be turned around (you have to really) but not with the clowns who architected the worst result in 30 years after going up against a lying, corrupt regime with enough dirt, dodgy deals and democratic destruction to end it at term 1.
they don’t hold slipperys gov’t accountable because they don’t know what that is.
If National can sell ’em then they can be bought back. That should now be the message.
Buyers of the shares should be told, loud and clear, that the shares will be taken back at cost plus costs.
The assets do not belong to a bunch of MPs to sell.
Alas Paul that call has only come from Winston, One would think with 80% of Kiwi’s opposed to our assets sales Shearer has a clear mandate to make the call. I won’t hold my breath!
Less than Act but, then, they also got a hell of a lot more than Act got at their first election. This would tend to indicate a possible high level of support and it’s probably in those that didn’t vote last time.
More to the point, I quite like that the party is still around as a sort of “ideal world” conscience for left wing parties in parliament that face decisions of compromise. It’s why I still vote for it occasionally (I might even still be a member) – Alliance policies have a funny way of turning up later as policies of the parliamentary parties.
I don’t care who is the prime minister, or which party is in government, as long as they stay roughly on course for reducing inequality and working for the many, not the few.
More to the point, I quite like that the party is still around as a sort of “ideal world” conscience for left wing parties in parliament that face decisions of compromise.
Personally, I’d prefer if they were actually in parliament and possibly part of the next government. That way we’d know that their values and principals are supported by NZers.
If there’s any chance Shearer and Labour promise this, there’s an accompanying 100% chance of a flip-flop and a further 100% chance that Labour would then sell the remaining 51% of power companies, all of Air NZ and begin ripping up Great Barrier Island in search of coal.
Anyone who is waiting for the established systems to change, needs to re-think their position.
Only the people can go into bat for the injustice which is dominating the country, and its people, sadly in the *me me me* world, its unlikely this will happen.
Should people not stand up for eachother, we are all on the block, just at differing periods of the timeline.
The court has indicated that in relation to Treaty settlements regarding water there are other ways to provide redress. Surely one of those would be to increase fees for licenses to use water . . . That would relate to the right that is being lost; and could increase over time in line with the value of that resource.
For any government to say to investors who purchase shares in a government sell off that they will lose money is somehow not likely to engender confidence in that government subsequently, but the possibility of increased company costs for a known issue is something that any prudent investor would need to take into consideration.
Another possibility is to require all sales of shares in energy companies to be sold to new Zealand residents. Again is the likelihood of such a restriction is known now it may affect the price the price achieved for taxpayers now, but would be a known risk that would be allowed for by prudent investors.
I hope that a Labour / Green government never gets involved in confiscation of property because of a political disagreement, but normal operations of government do need to be allowed for by potential purchasers . . .
Lolz that’s a funny one, need something to have a smile about amidst all the Labour Party carnage on display today,
Lucky me i walked away after that greatly applauded former leader ‘Helen’ told the poorest of the poor to ‘eat s**t’ when dishing out a previous bag of lollies,
It is obvious that the ‘right wing’ of the Labour Party is still in the ascendency for the foreseeable future so rather than continue the wah wah wah those crying a river over this should consider supporting a political party to the left of the current Labour one…
“It is obvious that the ‘right wing’ of the Labour Party is still in the ascendency for the foreseeable future so rather than continue the wah wah wah those crying a river over this should consider supporting a political party to the left of the current Labour one…”
Or just vote Green and continue to put the boot in to caucus knobbers for fun.
LOLZ, yeah but the energy would be better spent on spitting at National, i aint happy one little bit with Labour and am even a bit disappointed with the Green Party which i am a member of for the cynical way that i see both Party’s having ‘used’ public opposition to asset sales and for the lackluster support of both Party’s for the ‘living wage’ campaign,
(1), Both Labour and the Green Party’s could have and in my opinion should have had an alternative policy being shouted at National across the house every day of every week over the sale of the States assets,
The simple policy should be that the ‘Cullen Super Fund’ will be restarted under a Labour/Green Government and that all the shares of the sold assets will be bought and invested within that fund AND that taxation for those who have purchased the shares MIGHT have to rise to enable this to happen,
What tho have we got from our main Opposition Party’s, simply an oppose,oppose,oppose weak at the knees wringing of the hands insipid ‘but our petition for a referendum has the numbers’,
(2), ‘The living wage’, what insipid support that has so far received from both Labour and the Green Party’s, both seem to be operating on the basis of never let an opportunity to advance the cause of the working poor wake you up from your sleep or drag you away from the mirrors in search of your personal vanity,
The unveiling of the ‘living wage campaign’ was a golden opportunity for both Labour and the Green party’s to unveil an election policy of raising the minimum wage by $1.50 an hour every year while they are in office,
Such a policy showing a clear difference between the Opposition and National along with the Treasury advice that raising the minimum wage does not lead to job losses could and should have been used every day of every week to beat upon this National Government in the Parliament, such a policy is a clear vote winner with anyone concerned with low wage structures in this country and would extend further than those subject to such abysmal wage structures,
What have we got from both Opposition Party’s??? the Zen silence in two areas of concern that are just begging the Opposition to fill with some clear policy….
The simple policy should be that the ‘Cullen Super Fund’ will be restarted under a Labour/Green…
Hate to break it to you but the Cullen Fund isn’t a viable policy. The economic paradigm that we have doesn’t work and so neither does the Cullen Fund.
Vote Green on the List, vote Labour in the constituiency. This is a double whammy, since should Labour start getting overhang…. …I mean what was the point of Clark burning the rope with Maori but to create the Maori party and a over hang of 2 seats. Its bleedingly obvious that was what ACT was for, that was what the new Conservative party is for. So why the frak is any unionist voting Labour on the List???? Someone needs to remind the left that stupid loses elections. Vote Green Duh.
How can a person “lose” their bond because of liquidation? I though all bonds must be lodged at the bond centre place run by the Housing ministry, and if they aren’t then the landlord faces a fine.
Also, surely the 90 day notice is retaliatory because it “dared” to take the landlord to the tribunal? There’s a clear provision in the RTA that prohibits retaliation.
Is there anyone in Invercargill who can help this family?
How can a person “lose” their bond because of liquidation? I though all bonds must be lodged at the bond centre place run by the Housing ministry, and if they aren’t then the landlord faces a fine.
Yep, that’s as I understand it but ask a lawyer. It may be different for a “professional” agency.
Am pretty sure it’s the dame for everyone. The agency is merely a representative of the landlord. xtasy will know for sure, but I’m also pretty sure, too. Hey, xtasy!! What’s the story?!!
If the landlord doesn’t lodge the bond its fraud. Now the current practice is where one side of the party has received goods and service, i.e. beneficiaries have been given money to eat, to see a doctor, to obtain housing, thus assuaging Government duty to provide basic welfare provision to all, when the beneficiary commits fraud they must not only pay back the fraudulent amount but the entire benefit for the period of the fraud. So Landlords who don’t deposit the bond are liable for to repay all the rent for the period of the fraud. Oh, wait, sorry, we live in NZ where there’s one law for government and another for citizens.
Governments, councils, and other public institutions held undeveloped land are naturally insured by their sheer size from the loss of land, and so recoup 100% of the cost. But private holders of land who just brought from council, undeveloped land for consider more than the cost of undeveloped land (as its now easily connected to the road, water, waste, electricity networks) and can now only recoup 50% (an arbitrary amount Brownlee just made up because in his mind its ‘fair’). Oh, wait, that’s okay, we live in NZ where there’s one law for government and another for citizens. I don’t remember anywhere where a citizen can declare what’s fair and it being held over government.
Proportionality another evil National party hates.
What gives? Some land is in the red zone and can be built on but the cost of supplying (fixing the services, water, gas, electricity) means the land is rezoned by edict and brought out at 50% of its pre-quake value. So land loses it value because of access to developed nature of the section, but Brownlee says the land is not developed???? so but for the fact that land is now declared and rezoned due to access to utilities the land is now worth 50%…
So buyers brought land, in housing developments, due to the fact that the land has been developed for the purpose, and government won’t pay 100% because its nots developed, and
other land that is quite able of being built on but can’t be because the cost of developing the land is now exorbitant and so sections rezoned red are undeveloped land.
No still don’t get why sections aren’t getting the full 100% of their premium pre-quake price.
Ah the ‘ownership’ model, bet they all wish now that they had of strong-armed the Governments of the past into supplying EVERYBODY with a home at 25% of household income as rent,
Wait till the next tranche of the Financial collapse of Capitalism kicks in, then you will really hear the middle classes going ouch…
Yes supposedly the ‘bond’ is lodged with Tenancy Services, it then becomes a question of does an insolvency allow the ‘liquidator’ access to this money,
My view is that it shouldn’t as the bond money is only the ‘landlords’ money after application is made to the Tenancy Tribunal by the ‘Landlord’,
i think you will find that as the story unfolds that it is likely that the ‘tenant’ paid 4 weeks rent in advance along with the bond when He rented the house,
This is another case where the ‘little people’ having little knowledge of the law are discriminated against by those who do have a full working knowledge of the laws provisions,
Unfortunately it would be the onus on the tenant who has to ‘prove’ that the 90 days notice is in fact retaliation, the Landlord in this case only need contend that because of the liquidation the bank is to sell the house and wants vacant possession of the property,
Here again we have the glaring evidence of the deregulated economy favoring the haves against the have not’s, tenants are left in all these disputes to fight their own battles with little or no knowledge of the law which is exacerbated when tenants have English only as a second language,
The Tenancy Tribunal should be given the powers and the personal to investigate and prosecute ALL alleged breaches of the law whether alleged to have been committed by the landlord or the tenant….
The legal problem the tenant has is that he paid the bond to the previous Landlord/owner who may not have lodged this bond with Tenancy Services as required by the law and has since become insolvent,
The liquidator has then presumably taken over ‘ownership’ of the property and thus cannot really be held responsible in law for the previous actions of the previous owner…
Yeah, so can a person check that their landlord has the bond. So that people will now go and do so say threes month in. And landlords start going to jail for fraud.
If your landlord posts your bond onwards to the Bond Centre as they should, you will in due course receive a letter and bond number if you don’t get either it’s time to start asking questions.
Landlords absolutely hate leaving money with the government. I had one who didn’t charge a bond, just so the government wouldn’t have his money. I suspect it also helps them claim that rents they receive are less than what they actually get. As far as I know, what this agency has done is totally illegal, but there are far more landlords sitting in courts and tribunals than there are tenants. Funnily enough, this is another activity undertaken by the moneyed class that is never seen as bludging.
“However, just hours after the tribunal decision to say the family could stay, a 90 day notice to terminate the tenancy was put in their letterbox from First National. The family decided not to fight.”
How “bizarre” indeed.
Bonds are held by the Tenancy Office or whatever it is called. So when a landlord goes bust for whatever reason, that should not affect a bond paid in good faith by a tenancy agreement party, i.e. this family as tenants.
When the tenancy is taken over by a new landlord, the bond should still be held by the same office. If a bond should have been “claimed” by any landlord, the tenant would have to be notified of this.
That is unless there are peculiar reasons unknown to me, where bonds can be claimed by creditors of a broke landlord, but it does not make sense.
Yet a 90 day notice may of course be seen as “retaliatory”, but a landlord can always give a 90 day notice, without having to state any reasons. It is the standard notice period to terminante any residential tenancy.
I have had something like that happen to me, where a neighbour intentionally caused problems, provoked me, and when exposed to unreasonable noise for well over an hour in a totally uninsulated flat, my “problem” was starting to take issue and have a verbal exchange with said “neighbour” (from hell). The landlord, another typical “investor” one, did not want any issues and simply gave me notice, because the neighbour’s landlord was one my landlord did not dare to take on.
There is heaps of such shit going on, and NZ could learn from tenancy laws that are common in Central European countries, offering much better protection to tenants.
But then again, I dare not to dream here, as ignorance and mean-spiritness seem to rule so much of NZ affairs in many areas, including tenancies and housing.
It says a deficit of $67million is mostly attributed to an extra $60m of building repair costs and $20m of library depreciation. That adds up to $80million. Mostly?
Then it says this;
“However, ignoring earthquake recovery costs and the library adjustment, the deficit would have been $6.6m…..”
And here was me thinking 80 was more than 67, which would leave a surplus of $13million. This is from a University?
It’s also worth noting that depreciation is a non-cash book entry that doesn’t require any immediate funding.
A lot of the building repair costs would be recovered through insurance which would also be in the profit and loss (that is the only explanation I can come up with).
Saying that I did read that article earlier and thought it was terribly written – it was obviously someone who doesn’t understand accounts and was just throwing down every number they were told.
The impression I got was the deficit was due to the cost of strengthening buildings to new earthquake standards rather than repairing damage, as you say repairs are covered by insurance so there shouldn’t be any extra costs there.
It’s debatable whether you’d put that in the books as an expense or capital expenditure, I’d think it would be more improvements than repairs & maintenance but the beancounters could probably put it down as either. If Uni has the money, which they say they do, I don’t really see why the Govt should fund it when the equity will increase with the higher building valuations.. or lower future depreciation.
It certainly needs more information than what’s been given in that article.
“Yet a 90 day notice may of course be seen as “retaliatory”, but a landlord can always give a 90 day notice, without having to state any reasons. It is the standard notice period to terminante any residential tenancy.”
Yes, that’s right, the 90 day notice can be issued without any reason and basically reflects the fact that the landlord owns the property. I’ve got no problem with that. But even if it can be shown that the issuing of the 90 day notice was retaliatory then my guess is that the tenant still has an action against the landlord. The difference, though, would simply be in the remedy available. For example, if a 90 day was issued and it was found to be retaliatory and the landlord wasn’t prepared to relent and let the tenant stay then the Tribunal couldn’t order the tenancy to continue, but it could order some other remedy, most likely damages.
Hi 1prent, I don’t seem to be able to edit comments. The edit box appears and states Comment Loaded Successfully, however this is not the case and the edit box is blank. Also, The Jackal feed is not appearing while Auckland Transport Blog and Frankly Speaking are appearing twice… I would appreciate these glitches being fixed at your earliest convenience.
Yep, and no. What I said was that I would expend time then. Did, couldn’t find the problem, now allocated to either next weekend or holidays between then and now.
My guess as to what will happen with the shares is this. There will be incentives for kiwis to buy and hold for a period of time. This will mean quite a lot of kiwis will hold shares either directly or through their Kiwisaver accounts. If Labour then say they will Nationalise I suspect it will be as popular as raising the pension age was and CGT. You have be out maneuvered again.
It’s probably been said but I’d like say I am very pleased that Tame Iti has been released from prison. I agree with Tame that he is a political prisoner and I hope his conviction and sentence are overturned by the Supreme Court. I agree with Hone that Tame has increased his mana and I think that mana shows through in his statements, such as
He held no resentment about being in jail nine months, saying he enjoyed his time there and was able to work and be creative with his art.
Iti said he was inspired by reading a book about former South African leader Nelson Mandela and wants to write one on the history of political prisoners in New Zealand.
Also good news also that fellow political prisoner Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara has also been granted parole and will leave prison on Monday.
At least Jane Clifton noticed the travesty of yesterday’s Question time as reported at Stuff: He asked him once, he asked him twice, he asked him three times – but in a strange re- imagining of the biblical parable in Parliament yesterday, it was Speaker David Carter who cried uncle when Green Russel Norman could not get the cock to crow.
The rooster in question, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce, was happy to crow about how clever the Government was to have saved The Hobbit trilogy, but was cheerfully determined not to say whether Hollywood executives had pressured the Government to change labour laws for the films.
Mr Carter let Dr Norman ask the same question three times, and agreed Mr Joyce had not answered it, but argued there was no point spending further time on it. The public would note the refusal to answer, and judge accordingly.
But where are the other watchdogs? Political Journalists? Having cups of tea with the PM no doubt. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/8362005/Avoid-answering-three-times-and-you-are-home-free
I commented on this in yesterday’s open mike. I’m glad Jane Clifton noticed, but otherwise it’s proof positive that the mainstream political media is either asleep at the switch or isn’t interested in biting the hand that is scratching their backs. “The public will judge,” righto.
another “McNeill Survey” spelling trouble http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/news/spelling-trouble-in-our-classes/1772019/
in writing 32% performing below national standards
for excellent composition Marx there is clearly a Deb utante; Awarded ‘a’
V, for dry, ‘a’ M, for memery, and an H for hart: NO ExpectationS Brian,
read The Deposition of Father McGreevy (comparable to One Hundred Years of Solitude).
On the RMA reform proposals (when A meets A), wonder what Greg’s thoughts are; “sacrifice environment to development”? (duely relaced with couple of polished Gudgeon pins).
“heard the people who live on the ceiling scream and fight most scarily
hearing that noise the first ever feeling saving coupons from packets of tea”
In a “letter to the Dominion editor” a correspondent reminded that in contrast to NK, the US have carried out 1054 nuclear tests physically, official count, with a continuing program of sub-critical tests.
They signed themselves, Chairman, NZDPRK Society; wonders never cease. 😉
Re-engraving history leads into The Handmaids’ Tale. 🙂
Pretty good advice there about Spelling from Brigid: University of Canterbury senior education lecturer Brigid McNeill said teachers typically used a memory-based strategy – spelling tests with pre-taught words – rather than concentrate on developing skills which would help children spell all words correctly.
Teachers feel pressed to use lists of words and testing that list because that’s what parents expect. But it has almost no effect on poor spellers except to put them off for life. They say a teacher that expects 25 words in a learning list must be better than one who expects 10. Go figure.
reading your reply leads to sadness concerning both Brothers, and brothers, and “brothers”; since Primary, been engaging with folk who had their reading, writing, spelling and general Comprehension neglected; (as a child, i patiently tutored my brothers from time to time after school, mandatory really; Interestingly, in context, a brother who really struggled became a Manager with an admirable ability to write presentations / power points, yet, then, he had a generous father, genetically Transference) on that subject, it is always helpful to bone up on Defense Mechanisms; healthy in moderation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_mechanisms
(Highway 61 Revisted, from Pole to Pole).
“Neo-Liberalism has taken the place of left wing radicalism. Career politicians see the use of platitudes and spin as a means to disguise who they really represent. When all the politicians are singing from the same hymn sheet, it is not difficult to understand that the majority of people will repeat like parrots what they are told, only to be confused by the none reality of events which they then find themselves in, lower incomes, lower standard of living and yet rising cost of living.
This is the cost of losing the social wage (welfare state and public services) but people can’t evaluate the loss because there is no-one articulating what it all means to them.”
Long term consequences of poverty on kids and the (now historical) use of social welfare to mitigate it seem to escape most of the commentators on there and none are even bothering to think about the basic fucking question should ask. Such as type of crime and the length of time since it occurred, same with the bad credit + the circumstances it occurred in. Instead, it’s “zomg! theyz gots bad credit!!11!” and plain old bs about “responsibility” without any the basic knowledge to understand the issues poverty creates, let alone any bloody empathy.
Nor is there any recognition that this is part of the problem the loss of state housing in New Zealand has created, where the vulnerable now end up sleeping in their cars, in campgrounds and at shelters provided by charities. If they’re lucky. Or worse yet, wanabe slumlords, though in CHCH’s case those arse hats are busy fleecing the middle class and rebuild workers high rents for what are often frankly crap heaps that pre-quake were cheap just to entice people into being foolish enough to rent.
as Pat Magill laid 😉 it out succinctly, “Land of The Long White Retribution” (yes, threaten a peoples’ illusory impression of themselves with a mirror and they’ll have ya’ sown up legally in no time, regardless of the eventual cost that reflects back.)
Financial and demographic strife will strain or tear Japan’s social fabric…nationalism on the increase…central banks are starting to distrust each other…hyperinflation will wipe out the middle class while the poor stay poor and the rich stay wealthy.
was reading that Abe may break their earlier “demilitarization treaty /s” and go Nuclear
(sadly a lotta tools do not read widely enough, not a Whole Lotta Love)
“Today’s New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows a surge in support for Prime Minister John Key’s National (47.5%, up 3.5%) now with its biggest lead over the main Opposition Labour Party (30.5%, down 4%) since July 2012. Support for third party the Greens has also dropped to 12.5% (down 1%).
34.5 to 30.5 reinforces a 31.5 support level?
Well, your annual average is okay, but it wouldn’t be much different (i.e. decimal place variation in the average) if this poll result were 36 or 40%.
A) last six month average
(to mid-sept): Labour 32.1, National 44.8
B) previous six month average
midfeb2012-midsept2012 average: Labour 30.3, National 46.2
C) Election november 2011: Labour 27.5%, National 47.3%.
C[i])election to midfeb2012 average: Labour 29.1%, National 46.45%
Ok, C[i] is finicky because RM stopped polling until jan, but I figured it was more fair than going solely by the 2012 election, given we’re talking period trends.
at a couple of percent every six months, with 18 months to go til the election, that’s +6% change for labour on 38%.
Greens seem to be holding, so 12%: that’s 50% without mana or nz1.
National losing at 1% every six months, that’s -3% change, that’s National on 41%.
Does this mean labour can sleepwalk to victory? Nope.
Does it mean Shearer is perfect? Nope.
Does it mean a Left defeat is certain? Fuck no. Cautious optimism is on the table.
Seriously, if Labour want to make a contest of it, they would only need announce tomorrow an election policy of raising the minimum wage by $1.50 an hour for every year they are next in Government,
They, (Labour), have a Treasury report which directly states that raising the minimum wage will not lead to job losses so with such a policy they could not only beat Slippery’s Government every day of every week in the House, rubbing their face into a policy that the Tory’s just cannot compete on,
Hell with such a policy Labour might even attract quite enough of the ‘did not vote crowd’ to vote for them and save themselves the embarrassment of having to dream up even more election bribes to offer the middle classes in the game of ping pong being played at the moment where Labour try and wrestle a couple of % of the middle classes vote off of Slippery’s crew…
Yeah go on Mac give us a ‘roll your sleeves up’ quote while your at it, lolz Labour can’t bribe the middle class with anything much because the shop is outta lollies now and will be for the next election as well,
What the f**k are Labour going to fight the 2014 election with ‘a larger amount of borrowing’ perhaps, Slippery will make a fool out of Shearer in the television debates if Labour try that,
It’s going to be one hell of a long wait for Shearer to put some meat on the bones of His ‘i’m all for the kiwi battler’ bullshit and if He don’t he can probably guaranty Labour another 3 on the wrong side of the House,
Lolz i like your theory of the trickle down election gains but i think Slippery’s idea of holding onto the middle classes with the spending splash off of the asset sales is going to trump anything that Labour can offer that cohort of voters…
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Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
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 ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
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Well last night settled things for me.
Mallard has to go.
The Chauvel valedictory speech was a wonderful thing. And at the end of it I had this thought, the guy is so talented and has only been here for a short time. Why does he have to go?
He nailed it when he said this:
“… it is unproductive to keep trying to locate and exclude the supposed enemy within.
Instead, in order to avoid history repeating, it is time for an honest, open, and overdue assessment of why the 2011 campaign produced Labour’s worst ever electoral result. Those responsible for it should make dignified exits
To put it another way, in Gough Whitlam’s immortal words, the party must have both its wings to fly.”
At the end of the speech Mallard stormed out of Parliament without even applauding Chauvel’s speech.
He then tweeted this:
“My decision to seek Hutt South nomination just reinforced”.
Talk about an extreme use of belligerent incompetent use of social media.
There is something wrong with Labour when it loses Chauvel, demotes Cunliffe and Dalziel and refuses to promote Wall. Mallard is clearly part of the problem. He was the campaign manager for the most unsuccessful Labour campaign in over 80 years and has never been held to account.
And he is in the middle of current problems.
He has to go.
+1 Paddy. Mallard is a disgrace.
Mallard is too much of a liability his tweet r.e. Standing in Hutt South was typical foot in mouth behavior, he is such a turn off to voters. If Shearer believes Malard is the heavy hitter that Labour can ill afford to loose well then he is delusional. Shearer needs to start writing ‘thank you for your services letters.’ Clean out deadwood & recruit new talent NOW!
In that case, I suspect that Clare Curran has taught Trevor Mallard everything that she knows about Twitter.
A crisp salute to that Colonial..the Scottish blood in me shudders to think the strong hold Dunedin electorate seats are slipping away care of Curran. Jim K sort your patch out down there & roll her out!
I guess it is somehow fitting with the Open Government ethos to constantly display one’s arrogance publicly.
Absolutely spot on. If the people pulling the strings dont make changes soon then Labour may never recover. Mallard and Goff at least need to go. I suspect the main problem may be that Mallard and Goff are heavily involved in pulling the strings.
I’m not overly concerned by that. In fact, I think one of the best things that could happen is that Labour becomes a minor party as they’re too close to the present system and won’t change it.
Twitter is great for telling plonkers like that off, sure he most probably won’t listen, that’s obvious to see. But some staffer may take it onboard. What a tool.
+ 1 imo mallard is thick which was quite obvious from a long way out – remember when he said he was indigenous because he lived in Wainuiomata lol – sad and useless and desperately trying to be relevant.
“There is something wrong with Labour when it loses Chauvel, demotes Cunliffe and Dalziel and refuses to promote Wall. Mallard is clearly part of the problem. He was the campaign manager for the most unsuccessful Labour campaign in over 80 years and has never been held to account.
And he is in the middle of current problems.
He has to go.”
All true. But equally important is that the Labour Party needs to put processes in place that allow the party to hold MPs accountable.
Toxic Trevor has performed poorly in Hutt South. If Mallard continues the teen of the past three elections it will be a marginal Labour seat in terms of Party Vote.
He shares poor performance with his neighbours Annette, Grant and Hipkins.
infantility (or should that be infant aside)
+1
And with Clark not around and no-one else with the guts, there’s seemingly no-one in the party willing or able to tell Mallard to stfu, start thinking and stop being a douche.
Mallard shares alot with many Labour MP’s/candidates, they think they’re so important/relevant/liked and always have smart answers when facts and results show they’ve lost the electorate.
Clark knew what she was doing when she walked having kept bovver boy under a tight reign for years because without some portfolios to have him twiddling his thumbs over this is the kind of behaviour he can be relied on for, the nat’s best friend is a loose opposition MP, step right up trev.
I remain positive it can be turned around (you have to really) but not with the clowns who architected the worst result in 30 years after going up against a lying, corrupt regime with enough dirt, dodgy deals and democratic destruction to end it at term 1.
they don’t hold slipperys gov’t accountable because they don’t know what that is.
If National can sell ’em then they can be bought back. That should now be the message.
Buyers of the shares should be told, loud and clear, that the shares will be taken back at cost plus costs.
The assets do not belong to a bunch of MPs to sell.
Buyer beware
“We will renationalise and you will lose your money.”
+1
Alas Paul that call has only come from Winston, One would think with 80% of Kiwi’s opposed to our assets sales Shearer has a clear mandate to make the call. I won’t hold my breath!
It’s also come from The Alliance.
The Alliance?!?!?! FFS, are they still going?
Remind me again, what did they get in the latest political poll?
Less than Act but, then, they also got a hell of a lot more than Act got at their first election. This would tend to indicate a possible high level of support and it’s probably in those that didn’t vote last time.
More to the point, I quite like that the party is still around as a sort of “ideal world” conscience for left wing parties in parliament that face decisions of compromise. It’s why I still vote for it occasionally (I might even still be a member) – Alliance policies have a funny way of turning up later as policies of the parliamentary parties.
I don’t care who is the prime minister, or which party is in government, as long as they stay roughly on course for reducing inequality and working for the many, not the few.
Personally, I’d prefer if they were actually in parliament and possibly part of the next government. That way we’d know that their values and principals are supported by NZers.
If there’s any chance Shearer and Labour promise this, there’s an accompanying 100% chance of a flip-flop and a further 100% chance that Labour would then sell the remaining 51% of power companies, all of Air NZ and begin ripping up Great Barrier Island in search of coal.
There is not even a 0% liklihood of that happening!
Anyone willing to go into bat for them, then?
Hi Mary,
Anyone who is waiting for the established systems to change, needs to re-think their position.
Only the people can go into bat for the injustice which is dominating the country, and its people, sadly in the *me me me* world, its unlikely this will happen.
Should people not stand up for eachother, we are all on the block, just at differing periods of the timeline.
Yes, I agree, even if my comment was meant to be a response to millsy at 10.11!!
The court has indicated that in relation to Treaty settlements regarding water there are other ways to provide redress. Surely one of those would be to increase fees for licenses to use water . . . That would relate to the right that is being lost; and could increase over time in line with the value of that resource.
For any government to say to investors who purchase shares in a government sell off that they will lose money is somehow not likely to engender confidence in that government subsequently, but the possibility of increased company costs for a known issue is something that any prudent investor would need to take into consideration.
Another possibility is to require all sales of shares in energy companies to be sold to new Zealand residents. Again is the likelihood of such a restriction is known now it may affect the price the price achieved for taxpayers now, but would be a known risk that would be allowed for by prudent investors.
I hope that a Labour / Green government never gets involved in confiscation of property because of a political disagreement, but normal operations of government do need to be allowed for by potential purchasers . . .
.
Interesting ad in today’s Situations Vacant.
Lolz that’s a funny one, need something to have a smile about amidst all the Labour Party carnage on display today,
Lucky me i walked away after that greatly applauded former leader ‘Helen’ told the poorest of the poor to ‘eat s**t’ when dishing out a previous bag of lollies,
It is obvious that the ‘right wing’ of the Labour Party is still in the ascendency for the foreseeable future so rather than continue the wah wah wah those crying a river over this should consider supporting a political party to the left of the current Labour one…
Ladies and Gentlemen, place your bets.
“It is obvious that the ‘right wing’ of the Labour Party is still in the ascendency for the foreseeable future so rather than continue the wah wah wah those crying a river over this should consider supporting a political party to the left of the current Labour one…”
Or just vote Green and continue to put the boot in to caucus knobbers for fun.
LOLZ, yeah but the energy would be better spent on spitting at National, i aint happy one little bit with Labour and am even a bit disappointed with the Green Party which i am a member of for the cynical way that i see both Party’s having ‘used’ public opposition to asset sales and for the lackluster support of both Party’s for the ‘living wage’ campaign,
(1), Both Labour and the Green Party’s could have and in my opinion should have had an alternative policy being shouted at National across the house every day of every week over the sale of the States assets,
The simple policy should be that the ‘Cullen Super Fund’ will be restarted under a Labour/Green Government and that all the shares of the sold assets will be bought and invested within that fund AND that taxation for those who have purchased the shares MIGHT have to rise to enable this to happen,
What tho have we got from our main Opposition Party’s, simply an oppose,oppose,oppose weak at the knees wringing of the hands insipid ‘but our petition for a referendum has the numbers’,
(2), ‘The living wage’, what insipid support that has so far received from both Labour and the Green Party’s, both seem to be operating on the basis of never let an opportunity to advance the cause of the working poor wake you up from your sleep or drag you away from the mirrors in search of your personal vanity,
The unveiling of the ‘living wage campaign’ was a golden opportunity for both Labour and the Green party’s to unveil an election policy of raising the minimum wage by $1.50 an hour every year while they are in office,
Such a policy showing a clear difference between the Opposition and National along with the Treasury advice that raising the minimum wage does not lead to job losses could and should have been used every day of every week to beat upon this National Government in the Parliament, such a policy is a clear vote winner with anyone concerned with low wage structures in this country and would extend further than those subject to such abysmal wage structures,
What have we got from both Opposition Party’s??? the Zen silence in two areas of concern that are just begging the Opposition to fill with some clear policy….
“LOLZ, yeah but the energy would be better spent on spitting at National”
Multi tasking is your friend 😉
“and am even a bit disappointed with the Green Party which i am a member of”
Not a member, but me too.
L+G both need a bit of a wake the fuck up shake. You’re losing.
Fight or fuck off out of the way isn’t too extreme, given the polling.
Hate to break it to you but the Cullen Fund isn’t a viable policy. The economic paradigm that we have doesn’t work and so neither does the Cullen Fund.
Vote Green on the List, vote Labour in the constituiency. This is a double whammy, since should Labour start getting overhang…. …I mean what was the point of Clark burning the rope with Maori but to create the Maori party and a over hang of 2 seats. Its bleedingly obvious that was what ACT was for, that was what the new Conservative party is for. So why the frak is any unionist voting Labour on the List???? Someone needs to remind the left that stupid loses elections. Vote Green Duh.
This is worrying:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8361189/Reprieve-for-family-after-urgent-hearing
How can a person “lose” their bond because of liquidation? I though all bonds must be lodged at the bond centre place run by the Housing ministry, and if they aren’t then the landlord faces a fine.
Also, surely the 90 day notice is retaliatory because it “dared” to take the landlord to the tribunal? There’s a clear provision in the RTA that prohibits retaliation.
Is there anyone in Invercargill who can help this family?
Of course it is retaliatory.
Sadly, this sort of thing happens all the time.
That’s right, so is there anyone in Invercargill who’s prepared to go into bat for these people?
Yep, that’s as I understand it but ask a lawyer. It may be different for a “professional” agency.
Am pretty sure it’s the dame for everyone. The agency is merely a representative of the landlord. xtasy will know for sure, but I’m also pretty sure, too. Hey, xtasy!! What’s the story?!!
If the landlord doesn’t lodge the bond its fraud. Now the current practice is where one side of the party has received goods and service, i.e. beneficiaries have been given money to eat, to see a doctor, to obtain housing, thus assuaging Government duty to provide basic welfare provision to all, when the beneficiary commits fraud they must not only pay back the fraudulent amount but the entire benefit for the period of the fraud. So Landlords who don’t deposit the bond are liable for to repay all the rent for the period of the fraud. Oh, wait, sorry, we live in NZ where there’s one law for government and another for citizens.
Governments, councils, and other public institutions held undeveloped land are naturally insured by their sheer size from the loss of land, and so recoup 100% of the cost. But private holders of land who just brought from council, undeveloped land for consider more than the cost of undeveloped land (as its now easily connected to the road, water, waste, electricity networks) and can now only recoup 50% (an arbitrary amount Brownlee just made up because in his mind its ‘fair’). Oh, wait, that’s okay, we live in NZ where there’s one law for government and another for citizens. I don’t remember anywhere where a citizen can declare what’s fair and it being held over government.
Proportionality another evil National party hates.
What gives? Some land is in the red zone and can be built on but the cost of supplying (fixing the services, water, gas, electricity) means the land is rezoned by edict and brought out at 50% of its pre-quake value. So land loses it value because of access to developed nature of the section, but Brownlee says the land is not developed???? so but for the fact that land is now declared and rezoned due to access to utilities the land is now worth 50%…
So buyers brought land, in housing developments, due to the fact that the land has been developed for the purpose, and government won’t pay 100% because its nots developed, and
other land that is quite able of being built on but can’t be because the cost of developing the land is now exorbitant and so sections rezoned red are undeveloped land.
No still don’t get why sections aren’t getting the full 100% of their premium pre-quake price.
ol’ Bob the Gilder
I don’t think you can insure a section, only when building has began and I think that rates still have to be paid.
Someone else may know the full answer.
Ah the ‘ownership’ model, bet they all wish now that they had of strong-armed the Governments of the past into supplying EVERYBODY with a home at 25% of household income as rent,
Wait till the next tranche of the Financial collapse of Capitalism kicks in, then you will really hear the middle classes going ouch…
Yes supposedly the ‘bond’ is lodged with Tenancy Services, it then becomes a question of does an insolvency allow the ‘liquidator’ access to this money,
My view is that it shouldn’t as the bond money is only the ‘landlords’ money after application is made to the Tenancy Tribunal by the ‘Landlord’,
i think you will find that as the story unfolds that it is likely that the ‘tenant’ paid 4 weeks rent in advance along with the bond when He rented the house,
This is another case where the ‘little people’ having little knowledge of the law are discriminated against by those who do have a full working knowledge of the laws provisions,
Unfortunately it would be the onus on the tenant who has to ‘prove’ that the 90 days notice is in fact retaliation, the Landlord in this case only need contend that because of the liquidation the bank is to sell the house and wants vacant possession of the property,
Here again we have the glaring evidence of the deregulated economy favoring the haves against the have not’s, tenants are left in all these disputes to fight their own battles with little or no knowledge of the law which is exacerbated when tenants have English only as a second language,
The Tenancy Tribunal should be given the powers and the personal to investigate and prosecute ALL alleged breaches of the law whether alleged to have been committed by the landlord or the tenant….
The legal problem the tenant has is that he paid the bond to the previous Landlord/owner who may not have lodged this bond with Tenancy Services as required by the law and has since become insolvent,
The liquidator has then presumably taken over ‘ownership’ of the property and thus cannot really be held responsible in law for the previous actions of the previous owner…
Yeah, so can a person check that their landlord has the bond. So that people will now go and do so say threes month in. And landlords start going to jail for fraud.
If your landlord posts your bond onwards to the Bond Centre as they should, you will in due course receive a letter and bond number if you don’t get either it’s time to start asking questions.
Landlords absolutely hate leaving money with the government. I had one who didn’t charge a bond, just so the government wouldn’t have his money. I suspect it also helps them claim that rents they receive are less than what they actually get. As far as I know, what this agency has done is totally illegal, but there are far more landlords sitting in courts and tribunals than there are tenants. Funnily enough, this is another activity undertaken by the moneyed class that is never seen as bludging.
small business syndrome.
Mary –
“However, just hours after the tribunal decision to say the family could stay, a 90 day notice to terminate the tenancy was put in their letterbox from First National. The family decided not to fight.”
How “bizarre” indeed.
Bonds are held by the Tenancy Office or whatever it is called. So when a landlord goes bust for whatever reason, that should not affect a bond paid in good faith by a tenancy agreement party, i.e. this family as tenants.
When the tenancy is taken over by a new landlord, the bond should still be held by the same office. If a bond should have been “claimed” by any landlord, the tenant would have to be notified of this.
That is unless there are peculiar reasons unknown to me, where bonds can be claimed by creditors of a broke landlord, but it does not make sense.
Yet a 90 day notice may of course be seen as “retaliatory”, but a landlord can always give a 90 day notice, without having to state any reasons. It is the standard notice period to terminante any residential tenancy.
I have had something like that happen to me, where a neighbour intentionally caused problems, provoked me, and when exposed to unreasonable noise for well over an hour in a totally uninsulated flat, my “problem” was starting to take issue and have a verbal exchange with said “neighbour” (from hell). The landlord, another typical “investor” one, did not want any issues and simply gave me notice, because the neighbour’s landlord was one my landlord did not dare to take on.
There is heaps of such shit going on, and NZ could learn from tenancy laws that are common in Central European countries, offering much better protection to tenants.
But then again, I dare not to dream here, as ignorance and mean-spiritness seem to rule so much of NZ affairs in many areas, including tenancies and housing.
What’s happened to maths ability in this country? This nonsense about Uni of Canty was in the ‘paper;
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8361705/University-needs-certainty-Labour-says
It says a deficit of $67million is mostly attributed to an extra $60m of building repair costs and $20m of library depreciation. That adds up to $80million. Mostly?
Then it says this;
“However, ignoring earthquake recovery costs and the library adjustment, the deficit would have been $6.6m…..”
And here was me thinking 80 was more than 67, which would leave a surplus of $13million. This is from a University?
It’s also worth noting that depreciation is a non-cash book entry that doesn’t require any immediate funding.
A lot of the building repair costs would be recovered through insurance which would also be in the profit and loss (that is the only explanation I can come up with).
Saying that I did read that article earlier and thought it was terribly written – it was obviously someone who doesn’t understand accounts and was just throwing down every number they were told.
The impression I got was the deficit was due to the cost of strengthening buildings to new earthquake standards rather than repairing damage, as you say repairs are covered by insurance so there shouldn’t be any extra costs there.
It’s debatable whether you’d put that in the books as an expense or capital expenditure, I’d think it would be more improvements than repairs & maintenance but the beancounters could probably put it down as either. If Uni has the money, which they say they do, I don’t really see why the Govt should fund it when the equity will increase with the higher building valuations.. or lower future depreciation.
It certainly needs more information than what’s been given in that article.
“Yet a 90 day notice may of course be seen as “retaliatory”, but a landlord can always give a 90 day notice, without having to state any reasons. It is the standard notice period to terminante any residential tenancy.”
Yes, that’s right, the 90 day notice can be issued without any reason and basically reflects the fact that the landlord owns the property. I’ve got no problem with that. But even if it can be shown that the issuing of the 90 day notice was retaliatory then my guess is that the tenant still has an action against the landlord. The difference, though, would simply be in the remedy available. For example, if a 90 day was issued and it was found to be retaliatory and the landlord wasn’t prepared to relent and let the tenant stay then the Tribunal couldn’t order the tenancy to continue, but it could order some other remedy, most likely damages.
Hi 1prent, I don’t seem to be able to edit comments. The edit box appears and states Comment Loaded Successfully, however this is not the case and the edit box is blank. Also, The Jackal feed is not appearing while Auckland Transport Blog and Frankly Speaking are appearing twice… I would appreciate these glitches being fixed at your earliest convenience.
Edit box is a known problem that he hasn’t had time to fix yet.
I suggest emailing him about the feed issue if you want to guarantee he sees it.
I’ve already emailed 1prent and was informed that the problem would be resolved last weekend.
It hasn’t.
Yep, and no. What I said was that I would expend time then. Did, couldn’t find the problem, now allocated to either next weekend or holidays between then and now.
My guess as to what will happen with the shares is this. There will be incentives for kiwis to buy and hold for a period of time. This will mean quite a lot of kiwis will hold shares either directly or through their Kiwisaver accounts. If Labour then say they will Nationalise I suspect it will be as popular as raising the pension age was and CGT. You have be out maneuvered again.
People wanna take risks with their monies, they will have been told, so be it.
The Daily Blog. Tumeke and very, very welcome.
It’s probably been said but I’d like say I am very pleased that Tame Iti has been released from prison. I agree with Tame that he is a political prisoner and I hope his conviction and sentence are overturned by the Supreme Court. I agree with Hone that Tame has increased his mana and I think that mana shows through in his statements, such as
Also good news also that fellow political prisoner Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara has also been granted parole and will leave prison on Monday.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/129165/released-iti-says-he%27s-a-political-prisoner
http://www.mars2earth.blogspot.co.nz/2013/02/they-cant-break-us.html
Mandela, he aint….
At least Jane Clifton noticed the travesty of yesterday’s Question time as reported at Stuff:
He asked him once, he asked him twice, he asked him three times – but in a strange re- imagining of the biblical parable in Parliament yesterday, it was Speaker David Carter who cried uncle when Green Russel Norman could not get the cock to crow.
The rooster in question, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce, was happy to crow about how clever the Government was to have saved The Hobbit trilogy, but was cheerfully determined not to say whether Hollywood executives had pressured the Government to change labour laws for the films.
Mr Carter let Dr Norman ask the same question three times, and agreed Mr Joyce had not answered it, but argued there was no point spending further time on it. The public would note the refusal to answer, and judge accordingly.
But where are the other watchdogs? Political Journalists? Having cups of tea with the PM no doubt.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/8362005/Avoid-answering-three-times-and-you-are-home-free
I commented on this in yesterday’s open mike. I’m glad Jane Clifton noticed, but otherwise it’s proof positive that the mainstream political media is either asleep at the switch or isn’t interested in biting the hand that is scratching their backs. “The public will judge,” righto.
another “McNeill Survey” spelling trouble
http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/news/spelling-trouble-in-our-classes/1772019/
in writing 32% performing below national standards
for excellent composition Marx there is clearly a Deb utante; Awarded ‘a’
V, for dry, ‘a’ M, for memery, and an H for hart: NO ExpectationS Brian,
read The Deposition of Father McGreevy (comparable to One Hundred Years of Solitude).
On the RMA reform proposals (when A meets A), wonder what Greg’s thoughts are; “sacrifice environment to development”? (duely relaced with couple of polished Gudgeon pins).
“heard the people who live on the ceiling scream and fight most scarily
hearing that noise the first ever feeling saving coupons from packets of tea”
In a “letter to the Dominion editor” a correspondent reminded that in contrast to NK, the US have carried out 1054 nuclear tests physically, official count, with a continuing program of sub-critical tests.
They signed themselves, Chairman, NZDPRK Society; wonders never cease. 😉
Re-engraving history leads into The Handmaids’ Tale. 🙂
Pretty good advice there about Spelling from Brigid:
University of Canterbury senior education lecturer Brigid McNeill said teachers typically used a memory-based strategy – spelling tests with pre-taught words – rather than concentrate on developing skills which would help children spell all words correctly.
Teachers feel pressed to use lists of words and testing that list because that’s what parents expect. But it has almost no effect on poor spellers except to put them off for life. They say a teacher that expects 25 words in a learning list must be better than one who expects 10. Go figure.
reading your reply leads to sadness concerning both Brothers, and brothers, and “brothers”; since Primary, been engaging with folk who had their reading, writing, spelling and general Comprehension neglected; (as a child, i patiently tutored my brothers from time to time after school, mandatory really; Interestingly, in context, a brother who really struggled became a Manager with an admirable ability to write presentations / power points, yet, then, he had a generous father, genetically Transference) on that subject, it is always helpful to bone up on Defense Mechanisms; healthy in moderation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_mechanisms
(Highway 61 Revisted, from Pole to Pole).
Get a fix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY9b6jgbNyc
Viva La Vida
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvgZkm1xWPE
Violet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IakDItZ7f7Q
Charlie!
STP (memory Fades To Grey. Not!)
I was drawn to the following comment article in the Guardian on-line
“Italy’s left loses the popularity contest again
However grotesquely, Berlusconi and Grillo succeeded in this election where the left always fails – to mobilise the masses”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/feb/27/italy-left-loses-popularity-contest
And struck by the following posted response:
“Neo-Liberalism has taken the place of left wing radicalism. Career politicians see the use of platitudes and spin as a means to disguise who they really represent. When all the politicians are singing from the same hymn sheet, it is not difficult to understand that the majority of people will repeat like parrots what they are told, only to be confused by the none reality of events which they then find themselves in, lower incomes, lower standard of living and yet rising cost of living.
This is the cost of losing the social wage (welfare state and public services) but people can’t evaluate the loss because there is no-one articulating what it all means to them.”
I recommend the article.
see Both Sides Now
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8361477/Low-income-people-have-nowhere-to-go
That comment thread…
T_T
Long term consequences of poverty on kids and the (now historical) use of social welfare to mitigate it seem to escape most of the commentators on there and none are even bothering to think about the basic fucking question should ask. Such as type of crime and the length of time since it occurred, same with the bad credit + the circumstances it occurred in. Instead, it’s “zomg! theyz gots bad credit!!11!” and plain old bs about “responsibility” without any the basic knowledge to understand the issues poverty creates, let alone any bloody empathy.
Nor is there any recognition that this is part of the problem the loss of state housing in New Zealand has created, where the vulnerable now end up sleeping in their cars, in campgrounds and at shelters provided by charities. If they’re lucky. Or worse yet, wanabe slumlords, though in CHCH’s case those arse hats are busy fleecing the middle class and rebuild workers high rents for what are often frankly crap heaps that pre-quake were cheap just to entice people into being foolish enough to rent.
as Pat Magill laid 😉 it out succinctly, “Land of The Long White Retribution” (yes, threaten a peoples’ illusory impression of themselves with a mirror and they’ll have ya’ sown up legally in no time, regardless of the eventual cost that reflects back.)
Kyle Bass hits another one out of the park
Financial and demographic strife will strain or tear Japan’s social fabric…nationalism on the increase…central banks are starting to distrust each other…hyperinflation will wipe out the middle class while the poor stay poor and the rich stay wealthy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDs_vnyzmWU
was reading that Abe may break their earlier “demilitarization treaty /s” and go Nuclear
(sadly a lotta tools do not read widely enough, not a Whole Lotta Love)
.
honour the treaty
then improve it
Sh*ttin’ where we eat
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10868363
in them Red Bands
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10868352
better than Horse meat
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/the-most-brutal-upsetting-thing-ive-ever-seen-18yearold-woman-obsessed-with-necrophilia-accused-of-having-threeway-sex-on-top-of-corpses-of-men-the-group-allegedly-murdered-8513472.html
and they’re off
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=569351
patriots
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Backchannels/2013/0226/Is-a-third-Palestinian-intifada-coming?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+feeds%2Fworld+%28Christian+Science+Monitor+|+World%29
in their millions
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/britain-based-charity-oxfam-says-syrias-humanitarian-crisis-spinning-out-of-control/2013/02/27/1053ba82-80f0-11e2-a671-0307392de8de_story.html.
Roundup
69 (whose on top and whose flaying)
I posted this on wrong Open Mike. I am so not good at blogging!
Awesome speech by Mr David Cunliffe about generations and fairness. I hope Trevor watches it. Real Labour.
http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/17360
Heard on the news : Nathan Guy advises that the government is conscious…
“Today’s New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows a surge in support for Prime Minister John Key’s National (47.5%, up 3.5%) now with its biggest lead over the main Opposition Labour Party (30.5%, down 4%) since July 2012. Support for third party the Greens has also dropped to 12.5% (down 1%).
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1302/S00311/roy-morgan-poll-national-with-huge-lead-over-labour.htm
cue more navel-gazing over a 2% swing
reinforces the true mean at ~31.5%
34.5 to 30.5 reinforces a 31.5 support level?
Well, your annual average is okay, but it wouldn’t be much different (i.e. decimal place variation in the average) if this poll result were 36 or 40%.
A) last six month average
(to mid-sept): Labour 32.1, National 44.8
B) previous six month average
midfeb2012-midsept2012 average: Labour 30.3, National 46.2
C) Election november 2011: Labour 27.5%, National 47.3%.
C[i])election to midfeb2012 average: Labour 29.1%, National 46.45%
Ok, C[i] is finicky because RM stopped polling until jan, but I figured it was more fair than going solely by the 2012 election, given we’re talking period trends.
at a couple of percent every six months, with 18 months to go til the election, that’s +6% change for labour on 38%.
Greens seem to be holding, so 12%: that’s 50% without mana or nz1.
National losing at 1% every six months, that’s -3% change, that’s National on 41%.
Does this mean labour can sleepwalk to victory? Nope.
Does it mean Shearer is perfect? Nope.
Does it mean a Left defeat is certain? Fuck no. Cautious optimism is on the table.
Seriously, if Labour want to make a contest of it, they would only need announce tomorrow an election policy of raising the minimum wage by $1.50 an hour for every year they are next in Government,
They, (Labour), have a Treasury report which directly states that raising the minimum wage will not lead to job losses so with such a policy they could not only beat Slippery’s Government every day of every week in the House, rubbing their face into a policy that the Tory’s just cannot compete on,
Hell with such a policy Labour might even attract quite enough of the ‘did not vote crowd’ to vote for them and save themselves the embarrassment of having to dream up even more election bribes to offer the middle classes in the game of ping pong being played at the moment where Labour try and wrestle a couple of % of the middle classes vote off of Slippery’s crew…
I don’t believe in magic bullets, either in the form of policies or people.
Hard work in the hope of gradual improvement, or even to merely tread water if the tide of society is agin you: that I believe in.
Forget the magic bullets, I’d settle for not turning up to a gunfight with a blunt butter knife.
Well, sometimes all you need is an empty cup and to hold your nerve.
Nice clip. And I have no problem with who’s holding the empty cup in this scenario.
Yeah go on Mac give us a ‘roll your sleeves up’ quote while your at it, lolz Labour can’t bribe the middle class with anything much because the shop is outta lollies now and will be for the next election as well,
What the f**k are Labour going to fight the 2014 election with ‘a larger amount of borrowing’ perhaps, Slippery will make a fool out of Shearer in the television debates if Labour try that,
It’s going to be one hell of a long wait for Shearer to put some meat on the bones of His ‘i’m all for the kiwi battler’ bullshit and if He don’t he can probably guaranty Labour another 3 on the wrong side of the House,
Lolz i like your theory of the trickle down election gains but i think Slippery’s idea of holding onto the middle classes with the spending splash off of the asset sales is going to trump anything that Labour can offer that cohort of voters…
Asset sales are barely going to dent the deficit. And spending splash would happen anyway. And asset sales will piss off voters, too.