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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Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
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 ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...
The Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...
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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.
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.