Defense, like lor’in’orda is a National party shibboleth. And they have failed to deliver. Worse they are planning to shrink it further.
Couple of quick questions…
* is the world in 2011 any safer than before, can we afford to let our gaurd down and be at the mercy of whoever decides to rip off our fisheries, threaten trade routes, attack our strategic partners and interests?
* is it right that we are allowing the private sector to take over key defense roles as opposed to keepig all military related activities independent? Will the corporations and mercenaries end up being the front line as has happened in Iraq with the US military?
The silence on this issue from the left is deafening.
The privatisation of the defence forces is disquieting for a host of reasons. So is Labour’s acquiescence. They have stated they are happy with basic concept of ‘civilianization’.
Vto, the McGillicuddies have been practicising with flour bombs since the 1970s, and furthermore have always been ‘civilianized’ – they also offered the cheapest defence policy. Clearly someone in the National Party has been reading their manifestos…
Putting on my right wing hat, I’d be very pissed off with that. Saving a couple dozen $K on civilianising a few hundred defence force personal’s positions sounds like very lefty government ideals gone mad…
But in this case case, this is the Nats + crew doing the cutting. Personally I think it’s better for our fighting forces to also have capable soldiers defending themselves and building infrastructure is just as important as the frontlines.
Saving a couple dozen $K on civilianising a few hundred defence force personal’s positions sounds like very lefty government ideals gone mad…
You clearly don’t know Left from Right very much. Firing Defence Force personal has nothing to do with Left ideals of community, socialism or direct employment. Quite the opposite.
The last 20 years is educational about defence. During the 1990s, despite how much the RWNJs seem to have a fetish for guns, National ran down the defence forces. Over the 2000s the Left leaning government began to built them up and now we have a National led government, again against their apparent desire to get in to wars and be a credible force, cutting them to the bare bones. This time though it also comes with guaranteed, no risk profits for their rich mates.
Defence is a core government service that also strategic information that you don’t want others to know, ergo, you should never contract any of it out.
I’m just saying, if it was Labour and co doing the cutting the right wingers would be crying blue murder and treason etc. I’m just trying to illustrate the hypocrisy.
I’m never going to marry you, quit the hints, your too limp and unimportant for my liking, you have no true courage, your not manly enough for me, you are sly, sloppy and second-rate and you ALWAYS take the easy way out- cheating, and lying.
You call yourself a wolf; please you are more like a sewer rat.
Bored, the National “Once Were Farmers”, “Once Were Conservatives”, “Once Were Small Businessmen” Party is now just a barely disguised and barely held back implementation group for economic neoliberals and corporate interests.
Anything which can degrade the nations sovereign strength and let them cut even more taxes for the rich boys is welcome by this bunch.
I was just saying to someone yesterday (echoing remarks by DTB), that we should have the local ability to make AK 101’s (or AK 103’s), ammunition and high explosives for our armed forces here in NZ. Relying on fragile Steyrs and imported parts from across the world is stupid in a time of peak oil and supply chain fragilities.
New Zealand needs to build up its local military, home and coastal defence capabilities, not strip it back.
I thought it was sad how that guy that developed lightweight diesel powered helicopter drones (24hr flight time) was bought out and jailed for hiding his Intellectual Property.
Shame our government didn’t capitalise on that kind of technology, could have really helped to give us kiwi-underdogs the edge.
No doubt it was illegal to withold the IP if that was part of the deal, I’m just pointing out that there was some serious potential in the product and tech which could have helped us, and it’s potential was ignored and wasted by our government. Simply yet another tech opportunity wasted and lost AFAIC.
“The silence on this issue from the left is deafening.”
Of for Flying Spaghetti Monster’s sakes – the government is making hundreds redundant throughout the civil sector on an almost daily basis!! It’s frickin’ hard to keep up with the next batch of sackings.
How about the Right taking Personal Responsibility in this matter? It’s right wing/National supporters who voted in this government – you guys deal with it. Why the feck do you expect the left to continually address policies that this government implements, and then some rightwingers happen to take exception to???
The Right claim ‘Personal Responsibility’ as one of their most basic tenets.
I see precious little of any National supporter taking personal responsibility for their government’s behaviour, thus far.
And a third question… how on earth did a trade trip turn into one that increased defence ties with India, including a defence advisor being located there at the same time as jobs are being lost in the military here? I’ve not seen any news about this pact (outside of the Stuff news item ). Nothing here about how, what, where this relationship will operate. It all seems a bit strange to me.
So first the government changed employment law to accommodate Warner Bros.
Then it bowed to Auckland Casino.
And most lately scraped to the insurance companies to protect them from public outrage over cover for Christchurch customers.
Last night on Campbell live the spokeperson for AMI excused insurance companies not doing the morally right thing on the grounds that it would cost money.
So only repairs get paid for on houses in red zones. And then the houses get demolished. The government pays GV, ie insurance companies get off the hook. Which means (among other anomalies) that uninsured Christchurch residents who will receive nothing from either the government nor insurance companies are going to be making a financial contribution to those who were insured…or more accurately, subsidising the insurance companies along with every other tax payer in NZ.
If the government hadn’t essentially bailed the insurance industry, public opinion may well have forced the insurance industry to ‘come to the party’ and either pay replacement value for badly damaged homes regardless of where rebuilding was located or pay for repairs of an order that would avoid land remediation (deep piles sunk to bed rock etc).
I made a comment last week to the effect that the government should compulsorily purchase land to the west of the city and that that land should be treated (for insurance purposes etc) as though it was the original land in the east.
But then, that would have put people’s needs first, cost us all a lot less money and placed insurance companies balance sheets second in the scheme of things.
What is this lot in government doing?
Hmm, not good.
Power in their hands
is not being used with integrity,
fairness and for overall benefit of the many.
How this lot is going about with overseas trade
can give rise to some foreboding.
With a sleight of their hands,
New Zealand’s free trade with other countries
can end up with us being handed over as free gift.
When the AMI chap was asked if the Replacement Insurance issue had been discussed when negotiating with Government, he looked uncomfortable and said that there had been discussions about many aspects, or words to that effect. It suggests that Mr Brownlie knew well what was about to happen but that presumably could not get in the way of Mr Key’s “good” news could it.
(At least the AMI chap fronted.)
I’m amazed to hear that its going to take as long as 6-8 weeks before households start receiving their offer letters from the Government’s deal. Everything is moving so sloooooowwwwly.
Its like its all being improvised on the spot and things which have been announced haven’t actually been thought through or back office systems actually set up to support them (you know, all those useless unproductive bureaucrats).
Christchurch is going to lose National the election. Chickens and roosts haven’t quite hit home time yet though.
It’s really like choosing one pig out of the same crowded shit filled sty. That’s what they call free choice I guess. Sorry I know that’s not much help.
The Government would not want publicity about, and comparisons drawn, regarding the dangers of ACC being privatised and run entirely according to the insurance model (and it’s not far from operating in that mode now). This is exactly what they do. Move heaven and earth to avoid paying out on large and/or longterm liabilities.
Most people’s impression of the reliablility of their insurer (or ACC) comes from their experiences with their less serious and costly claims. Most people never experience dealing with an insurer in the case of catastrophe and hence the dirty tricks they will employ to cheat claimants.
It’s how they make their owners all those glorious profits.
Question. If I had replacement insurance and my house went on fire but was deemed repairable, then insurance would pay repairs. But what if gales three days later were sufficient to knock over the remaining weakened structure? Surely full replacement kicks in.
So what’s the difference between a government mandated bulldozer knocking over weakened structures and a strong wind, second fire or an after shock?
I’m astounded that government is aiding and abetting insurance companies to shirk their responsibilities. No I’m not. I’m sickened and angry.
Again. They could/should have purchased land to the west and passed a law mandating the transfer of insurance policies from land lot ‘a’ to land lot ‘b’. Compulsory purchases are used for roading projects. Why not in the case of housing ‘half’ a city? Surely cheaper than paying GV on eastern properties?
For those who wished to stay on in the east, insurance companies should have been made to pay for effective repairs….including deep piles etc. Where infrastructure was not going to be repaired and replaced, then council insurance payouts should have put towards the installation of quake resistant septic tanks and water tanks.
The trouble is the overseas reinsurers (who are faceless) are the ones saying to NZ insurance companies that they only have to repair unless a total right off; condition of reinsurance. A lot of money is being made off shore by little NZ.
Anyone considered the numerous TV (and internet ads) suggesting we change power companies?
Presumably the government is paying for these, but why? Aren’t we supposed to be looking for savings?
I did the whole powerswitch.org.nz thing a few years back, and following the ads decided to revisit – guess what, the results were the same.
Am I being paranoid in thinking there may be some ulterior motive, fiddling the inflation figures, downscaling the business of certain power companies?
I work in the electric power industry (for a meter reading company) and I tell you the one thing that keeps power prices up is the extensive ticket clipping and duplication throughout the industry. Everything is split up and contracted and subcontracted to point where people don’t know which company does what tasks in what area, and it is quite common for a work order to pass through 2 or 3 different companies before it even gets to someone that does it.
Yeah I went and had a look and wow I can save 150 a year for that I probably have to screw around signing odd bits of paper for direct debit permissions and all the other bull shit. But i’ll stick with who I am with. Because I dont want to have to hassle around every week, or when ever, just to save 3 bucks a week. and they have done nothing to warrant me changing anyway, and their call center is in NZ.
The same company came out as the cheapest – maybe lots of people didn’t know about this, but in a climate where ‘mum and dad investors’ might be interested in buy state assets it seems a strange coincidence for a govt to go messing with peoples power choices.
This line is bs “Cathy Odgers is expected to address one of Act’s weaknesses, its appeal to women and especially to young women.”
What was Heather Roy, an old male? Say what you want about Heather, she’s been pretty effective in her areas and she’s not unappealing to women…at least the women I know across a range of political beliefs seem to rate her. Hard to see how ‘Kate’ will be more appealing…
Yeah thats NACT spin. You don’t replace a known MP who has good name recognition and broad appeal (well, for an ACT MP anyways) with someone known only in highly politicised circles. Unless you have to.
WIMP-WALLOPING: Williams and Ralston vs. Pagani, 28.6.11
The Huddle, NewstalkZB, Tuesday 28 June 2011, 5.40 p.m.
Today’s Huddle is: Larry Williams, Bill Ralston, John Pagani.
This programme is nothing less than a travesty of broadcasting. It’s never any good, but nevertheless it’s quite interesting as an example of how voices of the right (actually, the extreme right) capture and dominate a discussion unless they are forthrightly challenged or resisted. It ostensibly aims to pit a right winger against a left winger to comment on issues in the news. Of course, it’s always two against one, as host Larry Williams is rabidly and bitterly right wing, and candidly pro-government in all his views. Williams habitually interrupts and scoffs at the liberal guest, and lets the right winger talk all over the left winger and butt in at will.
The right wingers are the usual suspects: Bill Ralston, his ghastly wife Janet Wilson, the superficially jolly but deeply racist and reactionary Jock Anderson, David Farrar, Michele Boag, Ellen Read. Until his death on September 22nd last year, perhaps the most obnoxious wimp-walloper of all was the notoriously rude and intolerant Graeme Hunt (RIP). But all of these people have the same modus operandi—none of them ever concedes a point, and they are encouraged and supported unconditionally by Williams.
Sadly, on “The Huddle”, as on so many other radio programmes, the appointed “left” voice is usually a patsy, playing pretty much the same role as the Washington Generals to the Harlem Globetrotters. Three of the regular patsies are Matt Nippert, John Pagani and Tim Watkin. It’s not that Nippert, Pagani or Watkin are incapable; every one of them is far more intelligent and better informed than any of the people named above, but they all lack one indispensable quality: courage. None of them ever challenges his opponents forthrightly. They are polite and good-humored to a fault; they make good strong points and then let Williams or the other guest snort in derision and make a disparaging, dismissive comment.
Anyway, let’s see how they walloped the wimp on Tuesday 28 June…
LARRY WILLIAMS: All right, first issue is Alisdair Thompson. What’s gonna happen to him? Why is it taking so long?
JOHN PAGANI: He’s got the lawyers in to plead his case. This is rank hypocrisy, because he is totally opposed to workers having the right to use lawyers in employment disputes.
WILLIAMS: [impatiently] Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Bill, what do you think?
BILL RALSTON: We’re seeing this lynch mob come out as they did for Paul Holmes and Paul Henry! It’s a liberal left lynch mob!
WILLIAMS: Yeah!
PAGANI: I take a bit of issue with the lynch-mob comment. He made those comments and—
RALSTON: [brusquely] Oh come on, John! The guy was set up by the liberal left lynch mob!
WILLIAMS: Mmmmm. Yeah!
RALSTON: The guy had no media skills! It was a liberal lynch mob!
WILLIAMS: Mmmmm, yeah. You’re right. Back in a minute, it’s 15 to 6.
——-ADVERTISEMENTS——-
WILLIAMS: We’re back with The Huddle. Issue number two: Vote For Change. Bob Harvey’s changed his mind on MMP, Bill!
RALSTON: It’s a discussion we need to have!
PAGANI: They don’t do themselves much favor, this anti-MMP mob. It’s a very secretive organization, it’s closed and non-democratic. There’s an excellent analysis of them on Tim Watkin’s Pundit site toda—
RALSTON: Arrrrggghh! Watkin’s a left-winger, and his views are biased! He has no credibility!
WILLIAMS: Yeah. All right, issue number three: Ian Wishart’s book about the Kahui twins.
RALSTON: I have no time for Ian Wishart. He’s not an investigative journalist.
—————————-
I remember a neighbour telling me in 1996 that Ralston was a “good left-wing man”, and even back then, I told her to look closer… the rot set in when he left his wife for Janet, then he turned against solo mothers (such as his ex-wife) with a vengeance. Then he extended that to all beneficiaries…
So, Ralston really is the Right-Wing Tosser I always thought him to be !
Like most reasonably discerning people, I make a habit of avoiding Commercial Radio if I can. But back in the early 90s, I’d occassionally listen to Ralston on 2ZB. Richard Griffin was a frequent guest on the programme. Both appeared at the time to have a basic default-setting of banal National Party apologetics.
Over recent years, I’ve only come across Ralston via his dreary, turgid weekly column in the Listener (pure filler material). Good to have my initial instincts all those years ago confirmed. Presumably his “ghastly wife” 🙂 🙂 🙂 Janet Wilson is also a Nactie ? Can’t say I could ever discern her personal politics from her TV current affairs days, but I have to admit her personality always irritated me a little (always preferred ‘Black Janet’ to “White Janet’).
That the authorities had no plan to deal with the aftermath of an earthquake disaster striking one of New Zealand’s main cities. Bloody useless. The bureacrats should be sued. Or at least placed in the stocks for public ridicule and tomato throwing.
Will be tough to execute your suggestion.
NZ has been kissing goodbye to bureaucrats. From being capped to being zapped.
They are not frontline but backroom operators – remember this government making a song and dance about efficiencies and other rhetorical claptrap?
Do you think it’s right for the far left to [deleted]
[lprent: *sigh* If you want to use something like that – then link to it and explain its relevance. Otherwise I just consider it to be diversion trolling. Next time I see you do it, you’ll get an educative holiday. ]
[lprent: Moved to OpenMike as it appears to be a different topic to that of the post it was on. ]
Be keen to see Cactus Kate ‘honestly’ defend her perfect candidacy, especially to Brash’s Exclusive Brethen mates, when she openly boasts to…
– extra marital relations with men(tick)
– weakness for hot male groupies (tick)
– has made a career out of assisting others give less money to governments to waste (tick)
– admitted recreational drug use (tick)
– likes champagne (tick)
– random bouts of tourettes (tick)
– a late night partying record equal to Winston Peters (tick).
– honest about all of the above (tick)
Use your brain lprent. Zetetic says that the comments of one act person are indicative of the misogyny of the far right. If that is true then the comments of bomber towards cactus are indicative of the misogyny and hate of the far left. Bomber’s stupid comment comparing Cactus to Graham Capill are in that vein. But you won’t find it in a link to bomber’s site because bomber deleted it, there are still comments that refer to it. Bomber also tweeted it. You can see screenshots of it here http://asianinvasion2006.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-quotes-of-day-bomber-in-gutter.html
So what’s the relevance lprent? If it is good enough to say that the stupid comments of one indicate the hatred of the right, then it’s equally valid to say that the stupid comments of one on the left indicate the hatred of the left.
[lprent: Then as I said – do the simple thing and link to it explaining why you think it is significant. Then readers can go, look and make up their own mind.
Otherwise what we see is just you spinning your own interpolation on whatever it is without relating it to the post (which you tried to do this time – but didn’t address the post at all). Your interpretations are notably quite suspect (to be precise they look like diversion trolling).
I have bumped this to OpenMike as it appears to be severely off topic
BTW: If I have to say the same thing again I’ll reduce my workload. ]
Do you think someone who admittedly swears like a trooper, uses illegal drugs, parties hard with male groupies and sleeps with other peoples husbands who she’s probably helped dodge taxes and boasts about it online is a good candidate for ACT.
…and really, blowing shit up off throwaway lines from twitter. Is that all she’s got ?
I think the comments made by Act’s Peter McCaffrey on the Act Party website trying to justify Cameron Browne’s “get raped” insult is indicative of the far right’s misogyny.
“The rot and decay at the heart of the global financial system is deepening and extending. This is the conclusion to emerge from the annual report of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) released on Sunday.
The BIS, sometimes referred to as the central bankers’ bank, was one of the few institutions that pointed to the dangerous imbalances in the global financial system that led to the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008. Three years on its annual report gives clear indications that another financial crisis is in the making.”
When the arch-capitalist bankers of the world get this twitchy, though, we can be assured they are planning their next move, whatever that may be (and its not just recommending reducing government debt and spending etc. etc.).
ACT on Campus Auckland vice-president Cameron Wayne Browne recently told somebody to “get raped.” Apparently he was having a heated debate on Facebook when he made the unacceptable comment. Being that rape is not acceptable under any circumstances, using such a chauvinistic remark is disgusting! The use of such derogatory language shows a lack of debating skill, not to mention a level of stupidity as thick as a short plank…
A few reflections, after returning from a visit to relatives in Sydney: firstly, you run into kiwis whichever way you turn; working, eating kebabs at the market, celebrating their birthdays at the pub, etc. Secondly, despite the political dialogue, which I shall get to shortly, an ordinary level of wellbeing is still pretty widespread, and not a reason for self-congratulation – being able to pay your bills, solve your problems and go out with your mates on Friday night is the default rather than the aspiration.
Political statements and current affairs shows are eerie in that the are virtually identical to those in NZ, but peppered with local examples. For instance, Joe Hockey promises tax cuts for “struggling Aussies” to be paid for by cutting down on the “bloated public service,” whose numbers were allegedly inflated by Julia Gillard. Instead of a boxer getting the sickness benefit for tennis elbow while training for a match, we were treated to a woman organising cat shows, carrying cages about while getting the sickness pension for a bad back. These are just two examples, but the overall tone was enough to turn you into a conspiracy theorist. It is as if the pollies and the MSM everywhere have silicone chips planted in their heads, so as to generate utterances formulated by an evil alien for world-wide distribution. It was very odd seeing Hockey saying identical sentences to those of Key or English, with a facial expression suggestive of actual thought. On the positive side, their ABC media watch is hard-hitting and really does call the media out for lying etc.
Looking at the NZ news from there; such as the plans to abolish public housing and reintroduce youth rates, I felt deeply puzzled by the apparent national indifference to the poor and low -paid, especially since there seems to be no positive plan beyond these plans, and I came to think that there are elements in NZ that actually want the poor to bugger off, or to somehow disappear from view. Another relative, waiting to pick me up from the airport, got into conversation with a woman who was also waiting for someone. “My husband left me with six kids,” she said, “Some people blame me for having them, but you just have to get on with it don’t you. It doesn’t make much difference financially whether I work or not, it’s still a struggle either way. I feel frightened every day.”
I/S brings our attention to a couple of things that’s happened lately. The first is this:
So, John Key goes to India seeking progress on a free-trade agreement, and comes back with closer defence ties. Its completely out of the blue, and quite alarming.
It appears that we’ve also signed up to some sort of the defensive pact with India as well as an FTA.
Another day, another 600 job losses – 300 from the NZDF (who will apparently be able to reapply for their old jobs, though with reduced pay and conditions – something which would be unlawful for any other employer), and 300 at a meat works in Waipukurau. This is what happens when you leave the market to “sort itself out”. This is what happens when the government sits on its hands and does nothing: ruined lives, insecurity, and misery.
Unbeflippinglievable! I have just heard on 3News, that the Warehouse and Paper Plus are “banning” Macsyna King’s forthcoming book. Where do they get off doing that? The 3 News reporter said that between them they have 195 “stores” (sic) and so that amounts to censorship, not that I would ever buy a book at the Whorehouse…
Normally, I don’t read books by Ian Wishart, (my blood pressure can’t take it), but I want to read this one, even if only to see what the woman has to say for herself. But have we become even more like the USA where this kind of thing would (from what I see) fine?
Actually, Vicky, there would be an even more compelling case for people to boycott Paper Plus until it gets rid of its “book reviewer” Kerre Woodham, and the Warehouse for its deleterious effects on local shops wherever it goes (not to mention its shoddy merchandise and the bored, overworked staff).
Kerre Woodham is their reviewer? Oh no…. I hadn’t known. Yet another reason, then.
The Facebook page shows a “mob mentality”, which my sister (!) who’s in favour of the boycott openly accused me of showing when I opposed the boycott! Insane…
It’s called free choice. The bookstores have the right to decide not to stock whatever they want. Where do you get off feeling that you can tell them that they MUST stock such-and-such book?
Anyway, the book will be sold through other vendors, so you will be quite able to read it.
The bookstores have the right to decide not to stock whatever they want.
And I have a right to boycott those “stores” (sic) and call for others to do so, as Gary McCormick reportedly is doing…
As the former Publishers Association head said on the radio this morning, it sets a very dangerous precedent. No book on a ‘controversial’ subject would be safe. I think most of it is a bunch of illiterate talkback listeners but some of it is simply an anti-Wishart campaign.
They’ve bombed TradeMe, and 87% against 13% on the poll, have got TradeMe refusing to sell it. So, what other vendors are those then?
I have absolutely no time for Wishart, but placing restrictions on books like this is a bit too uncomfortably like regimes and groups that ban, bowdlerize and burn books.
I have absolutely no time for Wishart, but placing restrictions on books like this is a bit too uncomfortably like regimes and groups that ban, bowdlerize and burn books.
According to NewstalkZB’s own website Bruce Russell “likes to bring his sense of humour to his overnight talk show, but the serious issues are also tackled.” It also claims that Russell “is widely read, and can talk with people on just about any subject they raise…” http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/featdetailnew.asp?recnumber=2&menu=3&menuitem=2
Well, let’s have a look how Russell performed last night from eight till midnight. Let’s check out that vaunted “sense of humour”, see how he tackles a very serious issue, and how his “wide reading” elevates the tone of his show….
28.6.11 NewstalkZB, 8:00 to 12 midnight
CALLER GEOFF: That lady who said Maori kids should be taken out of their homes and put into a Pakeha family was ridiculous.
BRUCE RUSSELL: It was a generalization.
CALLER: It wasn’t a generalization, it was downright backward.
RUSSELL: I don’t know why you’re upset and aggressive! The statistics show that 54 per cent of bashed kids are Maori!
Later another woman tells Russell that it’s not as simple as he says and his statistics are bogus. Such namby-pamby liberal claptrap infuriates this widely read host…
RUSSELL: See, I don’t agree with that disadvantage thing! Hopelessness is not a reason to bash your kids! Pacific Islanders don’t bash their kids. Why do I have to be careful with statistics?
MALE CALLER: It’s due to savagery, animal instinct. These people have just come out of cannibalism. It’s still in their gene pool. Samoans are a very bad violent race as well.
FEMALE CALLER: They’re violent, and they won’t work! They have loads of money! They’re lazy!
RUSSELL: Well they are just enjoying life on the dole. No responsibility. I honestly don’t believe that because your land was taken off you, that you bash your kids. See Hone Harawira is a good example. The rhetoric and the racism that comes from that joker is appalling!
CALLER: It’s these flaming left liberals, Bruce! And why the hell are the police showing bloody cultural sensitivity to Maori?
RUSSELL: I’ve got quite a few e-mails here, all about the topic under discussion tonight. The first one reads: “Culture schmulture.” Thank you Jackie. “Why do we pay these dropouts to have children?” That was another Jackie. “It’s the warrior gene”, says Richie. Hello, Diane.
CALLER DIANE: I live next door to a Maori and he is so embarrassed. He wishes he was a Fijian! What’s the pronunciation these days, Maori or Marry?
RUSSELL: I’m afraid I’m still very condemning of the sort of lifestyle of people like Macsyna King. You come to the conclusion that some people should not be allowed to have children.
MALE CALLER: They have all this Treaty money, Bruce! But they spend it all on drink and weed!
RUSSELL: You would think they would be a very wealthy society and wouldn’t need to lay around on the benefit.
Im getting really sick of these redneck brownshirt douchebags/douchettes.
One thing wrong, there, Millsy. These people are bigots, not rednecks. Bruce Russell has done about as much work in the hot sun as he has “read widely”.
Please don’t confuse rednecks (i.e., working men) with moronic bigots.
All you need to know about the country’s commander-in-chief … headlines taken from Newstalk ZB:
1) 29/06/2011 13:56:01 No Kiwis caught in attack in Kabul – PM
2) 29/06/2011 17:46:00 Two SAS soldiers have been injured during a firefight with insurgents in Afghanistan today
That’s right. The Prime Minister knew diddly squat about what was going on in Kabul, and what NZ troops were doing, but that didn’t stop him pretending he did.
So, let’s ask again – who’s better informed on Afghanistan and the SAS? John Stephenson or John Key? A reporter who goes there and investigates, or a puppety-parrot?
I know. Between him and Murray Mc’Present’ it’s the worst foreign affairs team in living memory. I wonder how much input Mfat had into this ‘closer defence relationship’ with India surprise!!
this journo on the ground seems to be on the kabul story too BTW:
John Key recently sent out a personally addressed letter entitled Budget 2011 – Back to surplus sooner, better services for families. It was sent to people who are not National Party members or registered with National in any way and was mainly targeted at pensioners. There are two ways National might have attained the addresses that they sent their unsolicited letter to: 1. The Work and Income database. 2. The electoral role.
Yeah, could be something like that. But it’s definitely worth asking the question and it’ll be interesting to see the official response to the complaint Jackal has made to the Privacy Commissioner.
At last, we can see security camera footage of IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn gauchely propositioning a maid at the Sofitel Hotel, New York City on May 14, 2011.
Not happy with inferring that government could cure all sick beneficiaries within two years, when Bennett exclaimed the sickness benefit was on meant to be temporary, as if all illnesses last only two years. Bennett has gone further, her Ministry now believes forcing people into work will cure them, with the miracle that her department does not need to consider the nature of the illness, the unsuitable of the work. Work will set them free. Adequate work is a social right of all citizens, does not mean government can ignore the rest of the civil rights of citizens, their capacity, their needs, and force via threats to seek more than adequate work, inappropriate work, or be dismissed as a new class of untouchable marginalize and deprived. Has serfdom arrived under National? Surely not? Well you could move to Australia so ignore the role of government to run the economy fairly for all, hardly a choice.
What a mess this country is in .One of the worlds worst ongoing disasters and did the PM go to the UN for help? not that Ive heard .When all the available engineering brains in the country can work out what needs to be done with ChCh and create a blue print for future may be the Govt can get their bearings instead of this unqualified crap that they see as being the way forward .They have put the people of ChCh at the mercy of the insurance industry who clearly dont have the funds to finance all their obligations . AMI stadium is living proof a statement to that particular company .
Then we have our disintegrating democracy ,the same bunch of right wing fascists once again trying to rid the country of any true representation of the vote in our general elections.Hammering the masses out of their rights to any power in their govt .This govt should be put on a boat and feed to the sharks
Michael Bassett writes – I’m not sure that it’s much comfort to anyone to know that the post-Covid surge in violent crimes, gang activity, ram raids, random shootings, thuggery and stabbings is occurring in other countries as well as New Zealand. These days, wagging school, out-of-control welfare and ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – Cast your mind back to mid-December. A new Prime Minister had just been sworn in, the new Government started its 100-day programme, and Christmas was only days away.Amid all the haste, a report landed that would have deserved our attention.I am talking about the ...
TL;DR: An unseasonally early icy blast at the same time as some long-overdue maintenance almost caused Aotearoa-NZ’s electricity system to black out this week. That’s because a quadropoly of gentailers1 have prioritised paying dividends from their rising profits and adding debt over investing in 1.5 GigaWatts of new wind farms ...
Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveReporting on defence spending late last year, RNZ said the coalition government will have to make some tough calls this term to help the force address staff shortages and ageing infrastructure. “These are huge, huge amounts of government spending. It’s a significant proportion of the government’s ...
Peter Dunne writes – I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos Chris Trotter writes – TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction? Gary Judd writes – Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result?As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and ...
Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
Almost all of the Wellington City Council’s recommended zoning changes to allow many more apartments and townhouses in its inner-suburbs have been approved.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guest on geopolitics, ...
Open access notablesA Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future:Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
Alwyn Poole writes – After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
Eric Crampton writes – A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
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 ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
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. ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
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. ...
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Asia Pacific Report Barangay New Zealand’s Rene Molina has interviewed the country’s first Filipino Green MP Francisco Hernandez who was sworn into Parliament yesterday as the party’s latest member. This is the first interview with Hernandez who replaces former Green Party co-leader James Shaw after his retirement from politics to ...
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The body positivity movement started with women confronting the unrealistic expectations and unrepresentative portrayals of them in media and advertising. Men weren’t part of it … their bodies hadn’t been sexualised to the same extremes and they didn’t really need it. But now that’s changed. And in a warped sort ...
The New Zealand comedy legend takes us through her life in television, including the time she hugged Elton John and the unshakeable legacy of a girl named Lyn. In 1981, Ginette McDonald stood on the stage of Auckland’s St James Theatre and directly addressed Queen Elizabeth II. It was a ...
An essay by Lily Duval from the just-released anthology Otherhood: Essays on being childless, childfree and child adjacent.I was 22 when my friend Alice gave birth in the living room of our pokey Addington flat. She laboured in the blow-up pool for hours. Garish fish swam along the inflated ...
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Jaimie Baird’s new book Here Today Gone Tomorrow is a record of four decades of graffiti and street art in Wellington, told through more than 1,200 photographs. He spoke with Joel MacManus about what inspired the book. How did you first get interested in photographing street art? I remember ...
Editor Madeleine Chapman looks back at a busy week where food of all political leanings dominated. Sometimes you’re just going about your week thinking you’ve got a good handle on what might be coming as far as news topics and then someone (usually a politician) says something so ridiculous that ...
In a week of cold rain and frost, the climate in courtroom four upstairs at the Invercargill courthouse was simmering with restrained indignation. At times it felt like the famous Mexican standoff scene from Reservoir Dogs, or, as someone watching the proceedings described it, there was so much throwing of ...
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In Melbourne’s hardscrabble western suburbs where AFL – Aussie rules football – is a state religion, Callum Donaldson has been quietly grafting away, four months into an odyssey that he hopes will take him to another promised land: the NRL. It was a solid 2023 for the softly spoken 20-year-old ...
Pacific Media Watch Television New Zealand Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to investigative journalism and Pacific communities in a ceremony at Government House, reports 1News. She has been the Pacific correspondent for 1News since 2002, breaking many ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Tuesday’s budget will respond to the deepening public agitation over Australia’s housing shortages by pouring new money into crisis accommodation for women and children, social housing and infrastructure. A specially-convened national cabinet late Friday ticked ...
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Aldora Itunu is back in the Black Ferns squad after a three-year absence. The last of her 24 internationals was an underwhelming loss to France (7-29) in Castres to conclude the disastrous 2021 Northern Tour. The powerhouse prop won a Rugby World Cup in 2017 and thought she was done. ...
The fight to control major transport policy and projects in Auckland has burst into the open again, with councillors rejecting Mayor Wayne Brown’s latest attempt to steer things more under his influence. Councillors from the left and right broke ranks on the mayor’s bid to control Auckland Transport more directly ...
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By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Authorities in the small town of Boulouparis have commemorated Armistice Day on May 8 with a new memorial honouring New Zealand soldiers who were stationed in New Caledonia during World War II. The ceremony took place in the township on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior lecturer, international migration and refugee law, University of Technology Sydney The High Court unanimously ruled today that the Australian government can keep asylum seekers in immigration detention indefinitely in cases where they do not “voluntarily” cooperate with their own ...
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Failing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...
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Defense, like lor’in’orda is a National party shibboleth. And they have failed to deliver. Worse they are planning to shrink it further.
Couple of quick questions…
* is the world in 2011 any safer than before, can we afford to let our gaurd down and be at the mercy of whoever decides to rip off our fisheries, threaten trade routes, attack our strategic partners and interests?
* is it right that we are allowing the private sector to take over key defense roles as opposed to keepig all military related activities independent? Will the corporations and mercenaries end up being the front line as has happened in Iraq with the US military?
The silence on this issue from the left is deafening.
The privatisation of the defence forces is disquieting for a host of reasons. So is Labour’s acquiescence. They have stated they are happy with basic concept of ‘civilianization’.
Didn’t the left experiment successfully with flour bombs in 1981?
Vto, the McGillicuddies have been practicising with flour bombs since the 1970s, and furthermore have always been ‘civilianized’ – they also offered the cheapest defence policy. Clearly someone in the National Party has been reading their manifestos…
Labour has not abandoned their support for much of the Neo-Liberal paradigm.
Makes you wonder how serious they are about being a credible alternative to national.
Putting on my right wing hat, I’d be very pissed off with that. Saving a couple dozen $K on civilianising a few hundred defence force personal’s positions sounds like very lefty government ideals gone mad…
But in this case case, this is the Nats + crew doing the cutting. Personally I think it’s better for our fighting forces to also have capable soldiers defending themselves and building infrastructure is just as important as the frontlines.
You clearly don’t know Left from Right very much. Firing Defence Force personal has nothing to do with Left ideals of community, socialism or direct employment. Quite the opposite.
The last 20 years is educational about defence. During the 1990s, despite how much the RWNJs seem to have a fetish for guns, National ran down the defence forces. Over the 2000s the Left leaning government began to built them up and now we have a National led government, again against their apparent desire to get in to wars and be a credible force, cutting them to the bare bones. This time though it also comes with guaranteed, no risk profits for their rich mates.
Defence is a core government service that also strategic information that you don’t want others to know, ergo, you should never contract any of it out.
I’m just saying, if it was Labour and co doing the cutting the right wingers would be crying blue murder and treason etc. I’m just trying to illustrate the hypocrisy.
I’m never going to marry you, quit the hints, your too limp and unimportant for my liking, you have no true courage, your not manly enough for me, you are sly, sloppy and second-rate and you ALWAYS take the easy way out- cheating, and lying.
You call yourself a wolf; please you are more like a sewer rat.
Bored, the National “Once Were Farmers”, “Once Were Conservatives”, “Once Were Small Businessmen” Party is now just a barely disguised and barely held back implementation group for economic neoliberals and corporate interests.
Anything which can degrade the nations sovereign strength and let them cut even more taxes for the rich boys is welcome by this bunch.
I was just saying to someone yesterday (echoing remarks by DTB), that we should have the local ability to make AK 101’s (or AK 103’s), ammunition and high explosives for our armed forces here in NZ. Relying on fragile Steyrs and imported parts from across the world is stupid in a time of peak oil and supply chain fragilities.
New Zealand needs to build up its local military, home and coastal defence capabilities, not strip it back.
I thought it was sad how that guy that developed lightweight diesel powered helicopter drones (24hr flight time) was bought out and jailed for hiding his Intellectual Property.
Shame our government didn’t capitalise on that kind of technology, could have really helped to give us kiwi-underdogs the edge.
Kiwi underdog? Dya mean the former National Party MP who lied to the receivers of his failed business about a significant asset he was hiding?
Get it right, the scumbag sold the IP with the business. Him trying to hide it was effectively theft.
No doubt it was illegal to withold the IP if that was part of the deal, I’m just pointing out that there was some serious potential in the product and tech which could have helped us, and it’s potential was ignored and wasted by our government. Simply yet another tech opportunity wasted and lost AFAIC.
“The silence on this issue from the left is deafening.”
Of for Flying Spaghetti Monster’s sakes – the government is making hundreds redundant throughout the civil sector on an almost daily basis!! It’s frickin’ hard to keep up with the next batch of sackings.
How about the Right taking Personal Responsibility in this matter? It’s right wing/National supporters who voted in this government – you guys deal with it. Why the feck do you expect the left to continually address policies that this government implements, and then some rightwingers happen to take exception to???
The Right claim ‘Personal Responsibility’ as one of their most basic tenets.
I see precious little of any National supporter taking personal responsibility for their government’s behaviour, thus far.
The silence from the left has been deafening for far too long.
The Real Left, not a vague imitation pretend left 😈
And a third question… how on earth did a trade trip turn into one that increased defence ties with India, including a defence advisor being located there at the same time as jobs are being lost in the military here? I’ve not seen any news about this pact (outside of the Stuff news item ). Nothing here about how, what, where this relationship will operate. It all seems a bit strange to me.
So first the government changed employment law to accommodate Warner Bros.
Then it bowed to Auckland Casino.
And most lately scraped to the insurance companies to protect them from public outrage over cover for Christchurch customers.
Last night on Campbell live the spokeperson for AMI excused insurance companies not doing the morally right thing on the grounds that it would cost money.
So only repairs get paid for on houses in red zones. And then the houses get demolished. The government pays GV, ie insurance companies get off the hook. Which means (among other anomalies) that uninsured Christchurch residents who will receive nothing from either the government nor insurance companies are going to be making a financial contribution to those who were insured…or more accurately, subsidising the insurance companies along with every other tax payer in NZ.
If the government hadn’t essentially bailed the insurance industry, public opinion may well have forced the insurance industry to ‘come to the party’ and either pay replacement value for badly damaged homes regardless of where rebuilding was located or pay for repairs of an order that would avoid land remediation (deep piles sunk to bed rock etc).
I made a comment last week to the effect that the government should compulsorily purchase land to the west of the city and that that land should be treated (for insurance purposes etc) as though it was the original land in the east.
But then, that would have put people’s needs first, cost us all a lot less money and placed insurance companies balance sheets second in the scheme of things.
And even after being bailed out by the Government, insurance companies are not going to cover Christchurch City Council assets any more.
What are you fraking doing, National.
What is this lot in government doing?
Hmm, not good.
Power in their hands
is not being used with integrity,
fairness and for overall benefit of the many.
How this lot is going about with overseas trade
can give rise to some foreboding.
With a sleight of their hands,
New Zealand’s free trade with other countries
can end up with us being handed over as free gift.
Protecting the profits of Big Business. It’s what they do.
When the AMI chap was asked if the Replacement Insurance issue had been discussed when negotiating with Government, he looked uncomfortable and said that there had been discussions about many aspects, or words to that effect. It suggests that Mr Brownlie knew well what was about to happen but that presumably could not get in the way of Mr Key’s “good” news could it.
(At least the AMI chap fronted.)
I’m amazed to hear that its going to take as long as 6-8 weeks before households start receiving their offer letters from the Government’s deal. Everything is moving so sloooooowwwwly.
Its like its all being improvised on the spot and things which have been announced haven’t actually been thought through or back office systems actually set up to support them (you know, all those useless unproductive bureaucrats).
Christchurch is going to lose National the election. Chickens and roosts haven’t quite hit home time yet though.
I was staying loyal to AMI, now I am wavering… any recommendations
It’s really like choosing one pig out of the same crowded shit filled sty. That’s what they call free choice I guess. Sorry I know that’s not much help.
AA – according to my sources most likely to pay out in the event of disaster.
Do you know who provides the insurance to AA?
No idea
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/4981220/More-disaster-insuring-a-home-up-50pc
Looks like Australian finance giant Suncorp (who also owns Vero)
Well now, that’s interesting CV because Vero was an insurance company I was told had been instructed to ‘drag their heels’ on payouts to ChCh victims.
The Government would not want publicity about, and comparisons drawn, regarding the dangers of ACC being privatised and run entirely according to the insurance model (and it’s not far from operating in that mode now). This is exactly what they do. Move heaven and earth to avoid paying out on large and/or longterm liabilities.
Most people’s impression of the reliablility of their insurer (or ACC) comes from their experiences with their less serious and costly claims. Most people never experience dealing with an insurer in the case of catastrophe and hence the dirty tricks they will employ to cheat claimants.
It’s how they make their owners all those glorious profits.
Question. If I had replacement insurance and my house went on fire but was deemed repairable, then insurance would pay repairs. But what if gales three days later were sufficient to knock over the remaining weakened structure? Surely full replacement kicks in.
So what’s the difference between a government mandated bulldozer knocking over weakened structures and a strong wind, second fire or an after shock?
I’m astounded that government is aiding and abetting insurance companies to shirk their responsibilities. No I’m not. I’m sickened and angry.
Again. They could/should have purchased land to the west and passed a law mandating the transfer of insurance policies from land lot ‘a’ to land lot ‘b’. Compulsory purchases are used for roading projects. Why not in the case of housing ‘half’ a city? Surely cheaper than paying GV on eastern properties?
For those who wished to stay on in the east, insurance companies should have been made to pay for effective repairs….including deep piles etc. Where infrastructure was not going to be repaired and replaced, then council insurance payouts should have put towards the installation of quake resistant septic tanks and water tanks.
The trouble is the overseas reinsurers (who are faceless) are the ones saying to NZ insurance companies that they only have to repair unless a total right off; condition of reinsurance. A lot of money is being made off shore by little NZ.
from not by
Anyone considered the numerous TV (and internet ads) suggesting we change power companies?
Presumably the government is paying for these, but why? Aren’t we supposed to be looking for savings?
I did the whole powerswitch.org.nz thing a few years back, and following the ads decided to revisit – guess what, the results were the same.
Am I being paranoid in thinking there may be some ulterior motive, fiddling the inflation figures, downscaling the business of certain power companies?
What do you mean that “the results were the same?”
I work in the electric power industry (for a meter reading company) and I tell you the one thing that keeps power prices up is the extensive ticket clipping and duplication throughout the industry. Everything is split up and contracted and subcontracted to point where people don’t know which company does what tasks in what area, and it is quite common for a work order to pass through 2 or 3 different companies before it even gets to someone that does it.
Yeah I went and had a look and wow I can save 150 a year for that I probably have to screw around signing odd bits of paper for direct debit permissions and all the other bull shit. But i’ll stick with who I am with. Because I dont want to have to hassle around every week, or when ever, just to save 3 bucks a week. and they have done nothing to warrant me changing anyway, and their call center is in NZ.
The same company came out as the cheapest – maybe lots of people didn’t know about this, but in a climate where ‘mum and dad investors’ might be interested in buy state assets it seems a strange coincidence for a govt to go messing with peoples power choices.
Cactus Kate on the ACT list?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10734367
This line is bs “Cathy Odgers is expected to address one of Act’s weaknesses, its appeal to women and especially to young women.”
What was Heather Roy, an old male? Say what you want about Heather, she’s been pretty effective in her areas and she’s not unappealing to women…at least the women I know across a range of political beliefs seem to rate her. Hard to see how ‘Kate’ will be more appealing…
Yeah thats NACT spin. You don’t replace a known MP who has good name recognition and broad appeal (well, for an ACT MP anyways) with someone known only in highly politicised circles. Unless you have to.
WIMP-WALLOPING: Williams and Ralston vs. Pagani, 28.6.11
The Huddle, NewstalkZB, Tuesday 28 June 2011, 5.40 p.m.
Today’s Huddle is: Larry Williams, Bill Ralston, John Pagani.
This programme is nothing less than a travesty of broadcasting. It’s never any good, but nevertheless it’s quite interesting as an example of how voices of the right (actually, the extreme right) capture and dominate a discussion unless they are forthrightly challenged or resisted. It ostensibly aims to pit a right winger against a left winger to comment on issues in the news. Of course, it’s always two against one, as host Larry Williams is rabidly and bitterly right wing, and candidly pro-government in all his views. Williams habitually interrupts and scoffs at the liberal guest, and lets the right winger talk all over the left winger and butt in at will.
The right wingers are the usual suspects: Bill Ralston, his ghastly wife Janet Wilson, the superficially jolly but deeply racist and reactionary Jock Anderson, David Farrar, Michele Boag, Ellen Read. Until his death on September 22nd last year, perhaps the most obnoxious wimp-walloper of all was the notoriously rude and intolerant Graeme Hunt (RIP). But all of these people have the same modus operandi—none of them ever concedes a point, and they are encouraged and supported unconditionally by Williams.
Sadly, on “The Huddle”, as on so many other radio programmes, the appointed “left” voice is usually a patsy, playing pretty much the same role as the Washington Generals to the Harlem Globetrotters. Three of the regular patsies are Matt Nippert, John Pagani and Tim Watkin. It’s not that Nippert, Pagani or Watkin are incapable; every one of them is far more intelligent and better informed than any of the people named above, but they all lack one indispensable quality: courage. None of them ever challenges his opponents forthrightly. They are polite and good-humored to a fault; they make good strong points and then let Williams or the other guest snort in derision and make a disparaging, dismissive comment.
Anyway, let’s see how they walloped the wimp on Tuesday 28 June…
LARRY WILLIAMS: All right, first issue is Alisdair Thompson. What’s gonna happen to him? Why is it taking so long?
JOHN PAGANI: He’s got the lawyers in to plead his case. This is rank hypocrisy, because he is totally opposed to workers having the right to use lawyers in employment disputes.
WILLIAMS: [impatiently] Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Bill, what do you think?
BILL RALSTON: We’re seeing this lynch mob come out as they did for Paul Holmes and Paul Henry! It’s a liberal left lynch mob!
WILLIAMS: Yeah!
PAGANI: I take a bit of issue with the lynch-mob comment. He made those comments and—
RALSTON: [brusquely] Oh come on, John! The guy was set up by the liberal left lynch mob!
WILLIAMS: Mmmmm. Yeah!
RALSTON: The guy had no media skills! It was a liberal lynch mob!
WILLIAMS: Mmmmm, yeah. You’re right. Back in a minute, it’s 15 to 6.
——-ADVERTISEMENTS——-
WILLIAMS: We’re back with The Huddle. Issue number two: Vote For Change. Bob Harvey’s changed his mind on MMP, Bill!
RALSTON: It’s a discussion we need to have!
PAGANI: They don’t do themselves much favor, this anti-MMP mob. It’s a very secretive organization, it’s closed and non-democratic. There’s an excellent analysis of them on Tim Watkin’s Pundit site toda—
RALSTON: Arrrrggghh! Watkin’s a left-winger, and his views are biased! He has no credibility!
WILLIAMS: Yeah. All right, issue number three: Ian Wishart’s book about the Kahui twins.
RALSTON: I have no time for Ian Wishart. He’s not an investigative journalist.
—————————-
Was that transcript for real, or a pisstake?
Which one would you hope for? 🙂
I’m in dread to think…
If real, Bill Ralston has turned into a very strange man.
I remember a neighbour telling me in 1996 that Ralston was a “good left-wing man”, and even back then, I told her to look closer… the rot set in when he left his wife for Janet, then he turned against solo mothers (such as his ex-wife) with a vengeance. Then he extended that to all beneficiaries…
It’s for real. I did not make up a single thing.
So, Ralston really is the Right-Wing Tosser I always thought him to be !
Like most reasonably discerning people, I make a habit of avoiding Commercial Radio if I can. But back in the early 90s, I’d occassionally listen to Ralston on 2ZB. Richard Griffin was a frequent guest on the programme. Both appeared at the time to have a basic default-setting of banal National Party apologetics.
Over recent years, I’ve only come across Ralston via his dreary, turgid weekly column in the Listener (pure filler material). Good to have my initial instincts all those years ago confirmed. Presumably his “ghastly wife” 🙂 🙂 🙂 Janet Wilson is also a Nactie ? Can’t say I could ever discern her personal politics from her TV current affairs days, but I have to admit her personality always irritated me a little (always preferred ‘Black Janet’ to “White Janet’).
Unexpected Earthquake Observation #120;
That the authorities had no plan to deal with the aftermath of an earthquake disaster striking one of New Zealand’s main cities. Bloody useless. The bureacrats should be sued. Or at least placed in the stocks for public ridicule and tomato throwing.
Will be tough to execute your suggestion.
NZ has been kissing goodbye to bureaucrats. From being capped to being zapped.
They are not frontline but backroom operators – remember this government making a song and dance about efficiencies and other rhetorical claptrap?
Do you think it’s right for the far left to [deleted]
[lprent: *sigh* If you want to use something like that – then link to it and explain its relevance. Otherwise I just consider it to be diversion trolling. Next time I see you do it, you’ll get an educative holiday. ]
[lprent: Moved to OpenMike as it appears to be a different topic to that of the post it was on. ]
Be keen to see Cactus Kate ‘honestly’ defend her perfect candidacy, especially to Brash’s Exclusive Brethen mates, when she openly boasts to…
– extra marital relations with men(tick)
– weakness for hot male groupies (tick)
– has made a career out of assisting others give less money to governments to waste (tick)
– admitted recreational drug use (tick)
– likes champagne (tick)
– random bouts of tourettes (tick)
– a late night partying record equal to Winston Peters (tick).
– honest about all of the above (tick)
Yes the perfect candidate.
http://asianinvasion2006.blogspot.com/2011/04/act-sequel.html#282247340283307413
…and then to see Brash defend her candidacy to the electorate.
Jeez Polly, excitable little lass methinks. Sounds like shes selling, but is anybody buying? Suspect not…….
Use your brain lprent. Zetetic says that the comments of one act person are indicative of the misogyny of the far right. If that is true then the comments of bomber towards cactus are indicative of the misogyny and hate of the far left. Bomber’s stupid comment comparing Cactus to Graham Capill are in that vein. But you won’t find it in a link to bomber’s site because bomber deleted it, there are still comments that refer to it. Bomber also tweeted it. You can see screenshots of it here http://asianinvasion2006.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-quotes-of-day-bomber-in-gutter.html
So what’s the relevance lprent? If it is good enough to say that the stupid comments of one indicate the hatred of the right, then it’s equally valid to say that the stupid comments of one on the left indicate the hatred of the left.
[lprent: Then as I said – do the simple thing and link to it explaining why you think it is significant. Then readers can go, look and make up their own mind.
Otherwise what we see is just you spinning your own interpolation on whatever it is without relating it to the post (which you tried to do this time – but didn’t address the post at all). Your interpretations are notably quite suspect (to be precise they look like diversion trolling).
I have bumped this to OpenMike as it appears to be severely off topic
BTW: If I have to say the same thing again I’ll reduce my workload. ]
Forget Bomber and his off kilter comparisons…
Do you think someone who admittedly swears like a trooper, uses illegal drugs, parties hard with male groupies and sleeps with other peoples husbands who she’s probably helped dodge taxes and boasts about it online is a good candidate for ACT.
…and really, blowing shit up off throwaway lines from twitter. Is that all she’s got ?
PFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTT…
Amoral and self interested. Perfect ACT material.
Aha. New age of Feminism!
I think the comments made by Act’s Peter McCaffrey on the Act Party website trying to justify Cameron Browne’s “get raped” insult is indicative of the far right’s misogyny.
An “educative holiday” at one of those nice socialist re-education camps
Warnings from the central bankers’ bank
“The rot and decay at the heart of the global financial system is deepening and extending. This is the conclusion to emerge from the annual report of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) released on Sunday.
The BIS, sometimes referred to as the central bankers’ bank, was one of the few institutions that pointed to the dangerous imbalances in the global financial system that led to the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008. Three years on its annual report gives clear indications that another financial crisis is in the making.”
Except this is not a crisis of finance. Its a crisis of the broader capitalist system of which the financial sector is but one part of.
When the arch-capitalist bankers of the world get this twitchy, though, we can be assured they are planning their next move, whatever that may be (and its not just recommending reducing government debt and spending etc. etc.).
Asshole of the Week Award – Cameron Browne
ACT on Campus Auckland vice-president Cameron Wayne Browne recently told somebody to “get raped.” Apparently he was having a heated debate on Facebook when he made the unacceptable comment. Being that rape is not acceptable under any circumstances, using such a chauvinistic remark is disgusting! The use of such derogatory language shows a lack of debating skill, not to mention a level of stupidity as thick as a short plank…
A few reflections, after returning from a visit to relatives in Sydney: firstly, you run into kiwis whichever way you turn; working, eating kebabs at the market, celebrating their birthdays at the pub, etc. Secondly, despite the political dialogue, which I shall get to shortly, an ordinary level of wellbeing is still pretty widespread, and not a reason for self-congratulation – being able to pay your bills, solve your problems and go out with your mates on Friday night is the default rather than the aspiration.
Political statements and current affairs shows are eerie in that the are virtually identical to those in NZ, but peppered with local examples. For instance, Joe Hockey promises tax cuts for “struggling Aussies” to be paid for by cutting down on the “bloated public service,” whose numbers were allegedly inflated by Julia Gillard. Instead of a boxer getting the sickness benefit for tennis elbow while training for a match, we were treated to a woman organising cat shows, carrying cages about while getting the sickness pension for a bad back. These are just two examples, but the overall tone was enough to turn you into a conspiracy theorist. It is as if the pollies and the MSM everywhere have silicone chips planted in their heads, so as to generate utterances formulated by an evil alien for world-wide distribution. It was very odd seeing Hockey saying identical sentences to those of Key or English, with a facial expression suggestive of actual thought. On the positive side, their ABC media watch is hard-hitting and really does call the media out for lying etc.
Looking at the NZ news from there; such as the plans to abolish public housing and reintroduce youth rates, I felt deeply puzzled by the apparent national indifference to the poor and low -paid, especially since there seems to be no positive plan beyond these plans, and I came to think that there are elements in NZ that actually want the poor to bugger off, or to somehow disappear from view. Another relative, waiting to pick me up from the airport, got into conversation with a woman who was also waiting for someone. “My husband left me with six kids,” she said, “Some people blame me for having them, but you just have to get on with it don’t you. It doesn’t make much difference financially whether I work or not, it’s still a struggle either way. I feel frightened every day.”
I/S brings our attention to a couple of things that’s happened lately. The first is this:
It appears that we’ve also signed up to some sort of the defensive pact with India as well as an FTA.
The other is a bit more blasé but goes towards John Key’s promise to lower wages:
Unbeflippinglievable! I have just heard on 3News, that the Warehouse and Paper Plus are “banning” Macsyna King’s forthcoming book. Where do they get off doing that? The 3 News reporter said that between them they have 195 “stores” (sic) and so that amounts to censorship, not that I would ever buy a book at the Whorehouse…
Normally, I don’t read books by Ian Wishart, (my blood pressure can’t take it), but I want to read this one, even if only to see what the woman has to say for herself. But have we become even more like the USA where this kind of thing would (from what I see) fine?
Actually, Vicky, there would be an even more compelling case for people to boycott Paper Plus until it gets rid of its “book reviewer” Kerre Woodham, and the Warehouse for its deleterious effects on local shops wherever it goes (not to mention its shoddy merchandise and the bored, overworked staff).
Kerre Woodham is their reviewer? Oh no…. I hadn’t known. Yet another reason, then.
The Facebook page shows a “mob mentality”, which my sister (!) who’s in favour of the boycott openly accused me of showing when I opposed the boycott! Insane…
It’s called free choice. The bookstores have the right to decide not to stock whatever they want. Where do you get off feeling that you can tell them that they MUST stock such-and-such book?
Anyway, the book will be sold through other vendors, so you will be quite able to read it.
I agree.
But what I really want to know is: Will the book be sold by other vendors in which The Warehouse or Paper Plus have an interest?
Cos this boycott is gonna drum up some pretty awesome publicity for whoever does retail the book, eh?
Which would make the whole thing seem a wee bit cynical IMHO…
And I have a right to boycott those “stores” (sic) and call for others to do so, as Gary McCormick reportedly is doing…
As the former Publishers Association head said on the radio this morning, it sets a very dangerous precedent. No book on a ‘controversial’ subject would be safe. I think most of it is a bunch of illiterate talkback listeners but some of it is simply an anti-Wishart campaign.
They’ve bombed TradeMe, and 87% against 13% on the poll, have got TradeMe refusing to sell it. So, what other vendors are those then?
Is this the new “counter-intuitive” marketing ploy to increase publicity for a book?
I have absolutely no time for Wishart, but placing restrictions on books like this is a bit too uncomfortably like regimes and groups that ban, bowdlerize and burn books.
That’s exactly the issue! It’s well scary…
I wonder if they will boycott the David Bain book that Joe Karam is writing?
The people who need to read the book are forensic psychiatrists and the police team investigating the death of Chris and Cru.
NewstalkZB Personalities
No. 1: BRUCE RUSSELL
According to NewstalkZB’s own website Bruce Russell “likes to bring his sense of humour to his overnight talk show, but the serious issues are also tackled.” It also claims that Russell “is widely read, and can talk with people on just about any subject they raise…”
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/featdetailnew.asp?recnumber=2&menu=3&menuitem=2
Well, let’s have a look how Russell performed last night from eight till midnight. Let’s check out that vaunted “sense of humour”, see how he tackles a very serious issue, and how his “wide reading” elevates the tone of his show….
28.6.11 NewstalkZB, 8:00 to 12 midnight
CALLER GEOFF: That lady who said Maori kids should be taken out of their homes and put into a Pakeha family was ridiculous.
BRUCE RUSSELL: It was a generalization.
CALLER: It wasn’t a generalization, it was downright backward.
RUSSELL: I don’t know why you’re upset and aggressive! The statistics show that 54 per cent of bashed kids are Maori!
Later another woman tells Russell that it’s not as simple as he says and his statistics are bogus. Such namby-pamby liberal claptrap infuriates this widely read host…
RUSSELL: See, I don’t agree with that disadvantage thing! Hopelessness is not a reason to bash your kids! Pacific Islanders don’t bash their kids. Why do I have to be careful with statistics?
MALE CALLER: It’s due to savagery, animal instinct. These people have just come out of cannibalism. It’s still in their gene pool. Samoans are a very bad violent race as well.
FEMALE CALLER: They’re violent, and they won’t work! They have loads of money! They’re lazy!
RUSSELL: Well they are just enjoying life on the dole. No responsibility. I honestly don’t believe that because your land was taken off you, that you bash your kids. See Hone Harawira is a good example. The rhetoric and the racism that comes from that joker is appalling!
CALLER: It’s these flaming left liberals, Bruce! And why the hell are the police showing bloody cultural sensitivity to Maori?
RUSSELL: I’ve got quite a few e-mails here, all about the topic under discussion tonight. The first one reads: “Culture schmulture.” Thank you Jackie. “Why do we pay these dropouts to have children?” That was another Jackie. “It’s the warrior gene”, says Richie. Hello, Diane.
CALLER DIANE: I live next door to a Maori and he is so embarrassed. He wishes he was a Fijian! What’s the pronunciation these days, Maori or Marry?
RUSSELL: I’m afraid I’m still very condemning of the sort of lifestyle of people like Macsyna King. You come to the conclusion that some people should not be allowed to have children.
MALE CALLER: They have all this Treaty money, Bruce! But they spend it all on drink and weed!
RUSSELL: You would think they would be a very wealthy society and wouldn’t need to lay around on the benefit.
et cetera, ad absurdum, ad nauseam…
Why don’t just go and dress up in white and burn a fucking cross at the local domain.
Im getting really sick of these redneck brownshirt douchebags/douchettes.
Im getting really sick of these redneck brownshirt douchebags/douchettes.
One thing wrong, there, Millsy. These people are bigots, not rednecks. Bruce Russell has done about as much work in the hot sun as he has “read widely”.
Please don’t confuse rednecks (i.e., working men) with moronic bigots.
Studies in leadership, chapter one.
All you need to know about the country’s commander-in-chief … headlines taken from Newstalk ZB:
1) 29/06/2011 13:56:01
No Kiwis caught in attack in Kabul – PM
2) 29/06/2011 17:46:00
Two SAS soldiers have been injured during a firefight with insurgents in Afghanistan today
That’s right. The Prime Minister knew diddly squat about what was going on in Kabul, and what NZ troops were doing, but that didn’t stop him pretending he did.
So, let’s ask again – who’s better informed on Afghanistan and the SAS? John Stephenson or John Key? A reporter who goes there and investigates, or a puppety-parrot?
I know. Between him and Murray Mc’Present’ it’s the worst foreign affairs team in living memory. I wonder how much input Mfat had into this ‘closer defence relationship’ with India surprise!!
this journo on the ground seems to be on the kabul story too BTW:
https://twitter.com/#!/jeromestarkey
National in Breach of Privacy Law
John Key recently sent out a personally addressed letter entitled Budget 2011 – Back to surplus sooner, better services for families. It was sent to people who are not National Party members or registered with National in any way and was mainly targeted at pensioners. There are two ways National might have attained the addresses that they sent their unsolicited letter to: 1. The Work and Income database. 2. The electoral role.
They could have used the occupation section of the electoral role and sent it to all those who described themselves as being ‘retired’.
Or retarded, as only an idiot would believe those leaflets
Yeah, could be something like that. But it’s definitely worth asking the question and it’ll be interesting to see the official response to the complaint Jackal has made to the Privacy Commissioner.
‘roll’ btw.
Thanks VoR. Note to self. Don’t blog after a hard day.
From today’s Herald – John Armstrong
Couldn’t have put it better
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10735152
STRAUSS-KAHN IN ACTION
WORLD EXCLUSIVE!!
At last, we can see security camera footage of IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn gauchely propositioning a maid at the Sofitel Hotel, New York City on May 14, 2011.
Just click on the following….
http://www.doctormacro.com/Images/Karloff,%20Boris/Annex/Annex%20-%20Karloff,%20Boris%20(Bride%20of%20Frankenstein,%20The)_05.jpg
Not happy with inferring that government could cure all sick beneficiaries within two years, when Bennett exclaimed the sickness benefit was on meant to be temporary, as if all illnesses last only two years. Bennett has gone further, her Ministry now believes forcing people into work will cure them, with the miracle that her department does not need to consider the nature of the illness, the unsuitable of the work. Work will set them free. Adequate work is a social right of all citizens, does not mean government can ignore the rest of the civil rights of citizens, their capacity, their needs, and force via threats to seek more than adequate work, inappropriate work, or be dismissed as a new class of untouchable marginalize and deprived. Has serfdom arrived under National? Surely not? Well you could move to Australia so ignore the role of government to run the economy fairly for all, hardly a choice.
What a mess this country is in .One of the worlds worst ongoing disasters and did the PM go to the UN for help? not that Ive heard .When all the available engineering brains in the country can work out what needs to be done with ChCh and create a blue print for future may be the Govt can get their bearings instead of this unqualified crap that they see as being the way forward .They have put the people of ChCh at the mercy of the insurance industry who clearly dont have the funds to finance all their obligations . AMI stadium is living proof a statement to that particular company .
Then we have our disintegrating democracy ,the same bunch of right wing fascists once again trying to rid the country of any true representation of the vote in our general elections.Hammering the masses out of their rights to any power in their govt .This govt should be put on a boat and feed to the sharks