Quite a turn-around to several months ago; but will wait to see whether it continues. Changing spots etc.
I normally don’t read Holmes, but having read the others, decided to do so today expecting a defence of Key etc and was surprised at his article (although virtually no mention of Key).
Police officers told the Government’s spies in February that surveillance of Kim Dotcom may have been illegal.
But after its legal department reviewed the case, the Government Communications Security Bureau concluded their actions were legitimate.
….
Inquiries by The Dominion Post have revealed police first raised the problem with GCSB agents at a meeting on February 16. Mr Key said this week GCSB became aware of the law-breaking about a fortnight ago.
Officially a debrief on Operation Debut, which had culminated in a raid on Dotcom’s mansion on January 20, it is understood the February meeting was a “back-slapping” exercise, with a Power Point presentation.
The potential problem and the subsequent legal review was not disclosed to Mr Key, who was unaware of the GCSB’s involvement in the high-profile case until last week.
…
I had a Tui moment when reading the last sentence quoted above.
Evidently, the Prime Minister’s “control” of this organisation is not in any way equivalent to the “control” a pilot has over an aircraft. Or an adult their car.
When police believe someone has broken the law, what is their usual practice?
If this shiny brand new narrative is correct, the GCSB’s legal department decided the surveillance wasn’t illegal. Did they talk to the Director about it? Did they tell the cops?
Sir Geoffrey Palmer says GCSB should have told its political master of Dotcom mission right from the start
Former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer says he is astonished John Key was not told about the foreign intelligence agency’s involvement in the Dotcom case much earlier.
…
Sir Geoffrey said Mr Key should have been told from the start.
“I would have thought if the GCSB was using its sophisticated surveillance methods in a situation like this, it would be prudent to tell the minister. I don’t understand that at all.
“In my experience with them, they were meticulous in consulting ministers when they needed, and should have.”
And further down in the same article
Mr Key also defended the police over another legal misstep in the case – the search warrants that Chief High Court Judge Helen Winkelmann found were illegal.
The Prime Minister said describing that as a bungle by police was “a bit harsh” because it was a matter of differing legal interpretation.
Bold is mine – is Key now questioning Winkelmann’s ruling? Dangerous ground for a member of the Executive (a PM) to query/comment on a Judicial ruling, IMO.
The history of some recent PMs is they seemed to enjoy the ruling class inner circleâs attention and inclusion in âcloak and daggerâ briefings. Key may just, and only just, have done enough backside covering to wriggle out of this one.
But many more kiwis will now greet ShonKeyâs utterances with a âTuiâ response. The Blinglish certificate will probably rev up the succession plans of the other National factions too.
Key will question and cast doubt upon anything that doesn’t suit his narrative. We saw that in the British interview about just how dirty NZ really is and I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen both him and other NACT ministers use the same or similar language elsewhere.
And he gave away the secrets of his past,
And said I’ve lost control again,
And a voice that told him when and where to act,
Key said I’ve lost control again.
And he turned around and took me by the hand and said,
I’ve lost control again.
And how I’ll never know just why or understand,
Key said I’ve lost control again.
And he screamed out kicking on his side and said,
I’ve lost control again.
And seized up on the floor, I thought he’d die.
Key said I’ve lost control.
He’s lost control again.
Key’s lost control.
He’s lost control again.
Key’s lost control.
Well I had to phone a friend to state my case,
And say he’s lost control again.
And he showed up all the errors and mistakes,
And said I’ve lost control again.
But he expressed himself in many different ways,
Until he lost control again.
And walked upon the edge of no escape,
And laughed I’ve lost control.
He’s lost control again.
Key’s lost control.
Key’s lost control again.
-my most sincere apologies to Ian Curtis and the lads
The thing that struck me was that the spies GOT Bill to sign the certificate while Key was away.
I got the distinct feeling of butt covering and don’t tell the ‘boss”.
Can anyone explain how they could be confused about the immigration law?
The other interesting fact is the spies got a legal opinion, so this was all a ‘simple mistake’ as implied by Key.
The GCSB is likely to have very direct and independent access to Immigration databases and the exact immigration/citizenship status of individuals in this country.
They will have this because they will not want to tip off normal police and immigration channels every time they do a background on a target or are interested in surveilling a suspect, and because in some cases time is of the essence and you don’t want to be constrained by an outside bureaucracy turning their wheels.
Well I guess the real question is ….
“Who instigated the investigation and why?”
Those cats where trying to do a job, the real mistake was John Key using it to grandstand.
He shouldn’t have told them to investigate a NZ resident in the first place.
Furthermore those good men are the ones most likely to stand there and take it on the chin, that is what they do.
Think about it …
“Would Dotcom have discussed residency with those politicians?”
And would that be blanked out of certain documents perhaps?
“Inquiries by The Dominion Post have revealed police first raised the problem with GCSB agents at a meeting on February 16. Mr Key said this week GCSB became aware of the law-breaking about a fortnight ago.”
âJohn Key and Hekia Parata are continuing the ongoing fiasco that is the Canterbury schools plan. Yesterday John Key assured Cantabrians that changes will be made to the closure plans, yet today Hekia Parata sent letters to schools formally commencing the process to close or merge them.
âSchools have been given until 7 December to provide feedback on proposals for closures and mergers, the first two weeks of that time will be school holidays and for senior students, exams will dominate the rest of the school year.
âJohn Key is out there trying to tell Cantabrians that the consultation process is a genuine one, yet his Minister of forging ahead with the legal process to implement decisions that appear to have already been made.
Hipkins is doing a great job, he totally owned Parata in The House the other day. And I reckon of all the issues gifted to the Opposition in the last little while it’s Hekia’s train wreck stewardship of the Education Portfolio that could do most to undermine Key’s re-election chances in 2014.
Netanyahu should be in prison he’s a phsycopathic terrororist who is the leader of a country.
He’s no different from Assad in Syria if all he can talk about is WAR, freakin moron.
Imagine if that CRAZY Fuckwit had yellowcake on his piece of dirt.
Nothing should be done until an Iranian nuke goes off over Tel Aviv. And then we can wring our hands a bit to make it look like we “care” but say it was Israel’s fault anyway because they didnt let themselves be pushed into the sea by the arabs whenever they have been attacked in the past. And America supported them. And everybody supported by the US must be “bad” by definition.
And it’s not like Ahmadinejad has actually promised he will destroy Israel. Oh wait….
Destroy the Zionist regime not Israel
It’s separatism they (Iran) have a problem with.
They’d never instigate anything, they are civilised.
Israel is trying, but doesn’t have a Historical precedent to work with, hence Zionists.
In the name of peace means something to both parties, but where from here?
They worry that the local populus will hold fear in their hearts if they aren’t percieved as strong.
Neither side truly wants war, yet their words deny that fact.
It’s almost “classical” in it’s current form, they need to play chess for it somehow.
A formal “Togetherness” day maybe, or a great minds share a panel/expand some thought TV show, or a sporting challenge that can bring the two peoples closer in their hearts perhaps.
In late March 2011, as the Arab Spring was spreading, CNN sent a four-person crew to Bahrain to produce a one-hour documentary on the use of internet technologies and social media by democracy activists in the region. Featuring on-air investigative correspondent Amber Lyon, the CNN team had a very eventful eight-day stay in that small, US-backed kingdom.
It is CNN International that is, by far, the most-watched English-speaking news outlet in the Middle East. By refusing to broadcast “iRevolution”, the network’s executives ensured it was never seen on television by Bahrainis or anyone else in the region.
Yeah, thats the stuff, don’t hassle the dictatorships that you “support”
The Tea-leaf Paradox is by a number of commentators described as Einsteins best paper here it describes the inverse response by an action (stirring ) for the migration of the tea-leafs to the centre and bottom of the teacup ( by frictional dissipation )
The tea leaf paradox describes a phenomenon where tea leaves in a cup of tea migrate to the center and bottom of the cup after being stirred rather than being forced to the edges of the cup, as would be expected from a spiral centrifugal force.
As they cannot override the Laws of Physics,the change is coming or as someone suggested (a quote I cant find) John you cant stop spring by cutting down the flowers.
I watched the entire The Nation for the first time. A very interesting program with succinct telling commentary from Geof Palmer, Colin James, and David Shearer. Worth watching but why the hell isn’t this in Prime time?
Geof Palmer said of the GCSB that they inform the PM of significant actions and especially any that would likely become contentious. (Me: Was Key informed during those 15 briefing meetings this year? Can Key deny being informed? Yes because the GCSB cannot possibly publicly refute his assertion.)
The interviewers with Mr Shearer asked searching questions and I think David gave as good as he got. David came across as thoughtful rather than glib. A good platform.
“Sir Geoffrey Palmer says GCSB should have told its political master of Dotcom mission right from the start.
Former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer says he is astonished John Key was not told about the foreign intelligence agency’s involvement in the Dotcom case much earlier……..
…In my experience with them, they were meticulous in consulting ministers when they needed, and should have.”
I’m sure they were trying to help as well, it was an obvious thing, many would have seen it’s downfall coming.
It was announced by John Key himself on the Herald, that he was in charge.
L8r he called for more involvement, and all of a sudden Dotcom happened.
The chain of events is fairly obvious, he was covering his buttocks, but wanted Dotcom investigated.
Just a Cowboy with power when it comes down to it.
I thought this was a good piece for TV3 where the issues can be more broadly discussed,as posed trying to overfit the issues to a 90″ sound bite.
Shearer framed or outlined the issues relatively well,and did not rise to the logical fallacy of the “markets” are pricing the $ correctly. ( and which is a faith based entity )
DS correctly identified that there needs to be a mixed model ( both fiscal and monetary) to correct the asymmetry that prevails in the economy at present.
No he didn’t. It doesn’t look like they have decided their policies yet. Must be still running focus groups.
Also Rachel let him off a few times when he wouldn’t answer the question that was asked. I couldn’t tell whether he didn’t know the answers, didn’t want to give the answers or had been told that he wasn’t allowed to talk about anything that wasn’t on his prepared script. But she will get her invitation to the xmas bbq for sure.
At times like this the privy council is surely missed.
The only way that Key can now get caught in the headlights is for someone from the GCSB to whistleblow that Key knew more e.g. was informed about GCSB spying on Dotcom since February 2012.
Someone from the police could whistleblow as well. Marshall only has a three year appointment and once again he is being asked to investigate strong connections to Key which can prove that Key is involved.
When it comes to checks and balances I would have more faith in the Privy Council (if available) that the Supreme Court. The Bain case was not tested in the Supreme Court so the outcome is unknown.
The police have no respect for Cheif Justice Elias’s authority. It is nearly five years since Patrick O’ Brien wrote to her about commiting multiple perjury and NOTHING substantial has occurred and probably will not.
The appearance of “The Media” with Russel Brown on TV3 was pretty good too. National Standards. Mr Keith Ng has previously criticised Fairfax and the Herald for their publication of National Standards and this was a chance for Mr Ng to explain why the data is so dodgy, or ropey as the PM calls it. Unfortunately he was shouted down by Hartevelt and simultaneously by the man from the Herald. Wonder why they did not want Mr Ng to explain why it is a farce?
Watch it if you can.
The following was on NRT yesterday. I wonder if someone at The Standard could do a regular, or semi-regular round up of these issues like r0b does with Poverty Watch. Maybe Democracy Watch (dot.com, CERA, ECAN, Bennett/prviacy etc)? So much is being done by NACT, and with such spin, that too many NZers don’t realise we are losing rights all over the place.
(sorry for the bold, can’t get TS formatting to work properly)
The Ombudsman’s Office released its annual report [PDF] yesterday, which strongly criticisedthe government for its attitude to the law:
The Ombudsman’s Office has warned of “highly dangerous” moves by the Government to keep information secret by drafting laws to avoid the Official Information Act.
Chief Ombudsman Dame Beverley Wakem says she is concerned at the increasing number of officials in government agencies who fail to understand the constitutional importance of the legislation.
She pointed to several “reprehensible” attempts in the past year by officials to disallow Official Information Act requests for drafts of legislation, in particular on partial state asset sales, charter schools and changes to mining permits.
“I think it’s the beginning of something that’s highly dangerous,” she told the Herald.
This is extremely strong language for an Ombudsman, and it suggests that the problem is serious. After thirty years of growing transparency, the government is trying to roll back the Act – and officials are taking their lead. Its not something we should let them get away with.Â
@ Capân Hookâ14
Hey, he is not âRed Lenâ, if he was he could appeal to residents and ratepayers with the left pro worker arguments some have made at the Standard and elsewhere and try and force them all to resign. But technically he canât and more importantly he wonât because âLenslideâ has been substantially captured by business. Plus he is eating a regular helping of Wellington s**t sandwiches in the vain hope his transport vision may sneak through if he plays nice.
Doesnât work, the right wing fleas play for keeps unlike misguided social democrats.
But he cant do that. He still needs more money for his plans and he has put the rates up as much as he can for the monent. He wants to leave a “legacy” for future generations saying Len was here.
Kim Hill quoting Al Gore on preparing for environmental and economical change “What do we do to prevent people going direct from denial to despair”. What a telling slogan.
This interview from Radionz is stuff for all those likely to be alive in about 15 years – I will be on my way out but could die happier knowing that a large group of intelligent, thoughtful, pragmatic and practical people had formed a definite bloc to see that we transitioned into the new aware simpler no-growth community with local core and focus and well-informed about the rest of the world.
On Radionz this morning listen audio in about an hour
11:05 Richard Heinberg
Richard Heinberg is a Senior Fellow of the Post Carbon Institute, and is widely regarded as one of the worldâs most effective communicators of the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels. He is the author of ten books, most recently The End of Growth: Adapting to Our New Economic Reality (New Society, ISBN: 9780865716957). He is visiting New Zealand for presentations in Auckland (30 September, University of Auckland Business School), Hamilton (1 October, Hamilton City Council Lounge) and Tauranga (1 October, Baycourt Exhibition Hall).
No one should quote Al Gore when citing anything to do with the environment Prism, (Kim Hill is not all that clued up, and easily “star struck”, and actually does not understand simple concepts), the man has no credibility, and no interest other than furthuring an agenda many want to believe either does not exist, or includes them!
Yeah it all sounds great at face value, you gotta save all those poor people, but really thats not happening is it or it would have by now, and the funds which are lent by nations, borrowed from the same “institutions” who manage and control the UN,, and its NGO offshoots, its a dirty little loop, which people like to pretend does not exist. Borrow to “save the less off”. from , run yourself into debt, then we can use our “global banking arms” to come bail you out, but we will take your resources, and your sovereignty as well.
When the nations who are supposed to give funds to the less off, are disintegrating themselves onto basket cases, one has to question the altruistic sincerity of the UN, IMF, WB, WTO, UNESCO etc
Hey but “we” will BS people into thinking that we can tax the billionaires, even though “we” are the billionaires, and our wealth is untouchable, because, well “we say it is”, and we make the rules up, and its all “off-shore” and/or in the ground. But we will let the people think we are going after the uber rich on their behalf, when actually we are going after “the people”, and their countries too!
muzza – Don’t put me off your comment by dissing a good point because you think the person who made it was flawed. Al Gore has apparently got under the skin of some people like scabies. But that remark I quoted stands on its own as being what all people of good will would wish. Stop being so doctrinaire.
There’s too much time put into mocking and dissing by some commenters. More time should go into finding things that can be agreed with, and then questioning how they could be implemented querying the validity of the rest. I have a rant now and then myself but it isn’t a useful exercise except for me. When someone attempts to think about a problem we shouldn’t be too quick in jumping on their ideas and muddying them. There is wasted time in scorning their attempts to reach some reasoned opinion that would improve the situation.
muzza â Donât put me off your comment by dissing a good point because you think the person who made it was flawed. Al Gore has apparently got under the skin of some people like scabies. But that remark I quoted stands on its own as being what all people of good will would wish. Stop being so doctrinaire.
Prism, it was not personal, so don’t idly threaten to take it in that direction!
The quote while fine at face value, is carried and delivered from a platform which exudes nothing but bad energy, and comes from a place of overwhelming negativity. Why do you think people are turned off by it, en masse! Once that issue is reversed, and the platform, altruistic, honest and with integrity, watch people engage voluntarily, en masse. Only then will the outcomes that you and I would both like to see, become free from the shrouded lies, delivered by forked tongues!
Thereâs too much time put into mocking and dissing by some commenter’s. More time should go into finding things that can be agreed with, and then questioning how they could be implemented querying the validity of the rest. I have a rant now and then myself but it isnât a useful exercise except for me. When someone attempts to think about a problem we shouldnât be too quick in jumping on their ideas and muddying them. There is wasted time in scorning their attempts to reach some reasoned opinion that would improve the situation.
You read my posts, so you will know that I have offered many suggestions on various topics, which I imagine scare the shit out of most people, probably because they realise that the suggestions, along with the repeated messages about them needing to get of their arses and engage if they want actual change, is the only real answer!
Wasted time but more importantly, energy, is people not comprehending the playing field they are currently stuck on, and so the self important yet over cranially challenged like Kim Hill, who continue to use the corrupted vehicles like Al Gore, is to be ignorant to the core of the reasons why people are “turned off like scabies”.
The solutions lie inside ourselves, and will NEVER be delivered with positive outcomes for humanity through mediums we accept as our “options”, by those peddled to us as “saviours”
Prism, it was not personal, so donât idly threaten to take it in that direction!
Why so aggressive when someone makes a point? You seem to care about society’s direction but are quick to find fault with others that differ from you so you come across as self-righeous and arrogant. I think it casts a shadow on your work.
And I’ll say no more on this. Pointless arguments over style are a waste of time, and trivialise the import of the blog.
Why so aggressive when someone makes a point? You seem to care about societyâs direction but are quick to find fault with others that differ from you so you come across as self-righeous and arrogant. I think it casts a shadow on your work.
Prism – You ask a question, then make more personal accusations, followed by saying you want no more to do with it., a classic hit and run….
Not quite sure who you are finding disagreement with though, I was certainly not disagreeing with you. If my explanations were not to your liking, fair enough. Remember that reading digital text is flawed with all kinds of assumptions Prism,. Your interpretation of my comments are not how they were intended, such as it is when there is not visual or audible signals involved!
And Iâll say no more on this. Pointless arguments over style area waste of time, and trivialise the import of the blog
While this is an excellent blog, I agree, I would not consider it to be as important as many on here want to believe it is. Those same people have the collective capabilities to make it incredibly important IMO, but that has not happened yet!
Should TS become an important catalyst in “real life”, then it will require signifigantly more physical action from those who want to believe that sitting back and typing on a blog will result in meaningful change. Should that physical involvement not eventuate, then IMO those same people are actually contributing more to the downfall than they want to admit, or understand!
No hard feelings intended, or taken Prism – I respect your comments
I think the new French President has just (today) announced a plan to tax at 75% the Super-rich French folk. Pretty brave as the very rich have very clever people to design the process to avoid paying tax altogether.
But if it works imagine if taxing the very rich became the norm around the world! NZ? Yeah right!
I haven’t seen that anywhere. However the super-rich tax rate of 75% is only expected to affect two thousand people anyway. I’m not sure why France is even bothering. Their new tax rate of 45% affecting those earning over Euro 150K pa is the one which is going to raise a lot of money.
Hollande has also warned that households will have to come up with an extra âŹ10bn to help bring down the country’s public deficit. ….
As well as the new 75% tax, a 45% band is to be introduced on incomes over âŹ150,000 a year (up from 41%) and households will be limited to a maximum âŹ10,000 savings on tax reduction schemes (down from âŹ18,000).
France is also looking to beef up its “wealth tax”, imposed on households with assets worth more than âŹ1.3m including their main home. The threshold for inheritance tax has already been lowered from âŹ150,000 to âŹ100,000, a move expected to raise around âŹ2.5bn by 2014, and there are moves afoot to raise the rate of capital gains tax.
Even low earners will pay more income tax after the household allowance (the same as the personal allowance, only applied to families not individuals) is reduced from âŹ2,336 to âŹ2,000 a year.
In the NZ case you do not have to increase the tax so as in France,you can change the asymmetry in the tax system ,such as property.
As most property purchases under 10 mil do not require OIO approval, non residents are competing with NZ’s for property ownership, the bigger bank ac will win.
What useful benefit for NZ a non resident provides for owning residential property here it is difficult to ascertain. the Non resident has a benefit in a nontaxable capital gain ,which it is difficult to obtain in most jurisdictions. I hardly see this as a”productive investment”
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 25 (Reuters) – The United Nations must immediately provide protection to areas liberated by rebels in Syria, French President Francois Hollande said on Tuesday, adding that President Bashar al-Assad’s government has no future on the international stage.
In his first speech to the U.N. General Assembly, Hollande also warned Iran that France would not tolerate Tehran continuing to flaunt its international obligations and threatening the stability of the region.
“The Syrian regime … has no future among us,” Hollande said. “Without any delay, I call upon the United Nations to provide immediately to the Syrian people all the support it asks of us and to protect liberated zones.”
So I’m going with , Hollande is heading down the expected path, vis a vis, the comments above to the UN. The chance of his 75% tax coming to a meaningful outcome for “average France”, more or less zero!
Education Minister Hekia Parata has vowed that national standards reporting will get “better and better” after schools’ data was published on an Education Ministry website.
We are addressing the concern that national standards data shouldn’t be considered on its own, so on our site it makes that caveat.”
Reasons to be cheerful No94:
Â
A pompous right wing racist on a vanity blog has just referred to me as The Standard’s taniwha. The clueless git thinks that’s an insult, ho ho!
đ PG? He does seem to be taking this whole banned thing rather badly. And I’d noticed that he seems to dislike you almost as much as he whines about me. Quite interesting obsessional pattern.
You notice that he never ever looks at his own behavior. Just doesn’t consider that other people have the right to judge him would be my guess. Or he is incapable of sufficient imagination to see himself as others see him
D4j is pretty unique. The only other person with such an ability to get banned from all blogs was Robinsod. Although redbaiter gets there sometimes as well.
I think you are right about his reading the site. On his good days d4j displays both self awareness and the consequent self humor along with the traits that make him socially noxious. PG is somewhat deficient in both. He’ll never understand being stirred.
Could indeed… I will have to muse on that. There are logistics/fairness issues about having a post authored by someone who is banned from commenting on comments to his post.
Been busy, how long is PG’s ban for? The sites so much better for it as he was like junk mail….volumous and irrelevant.
I thought the tolerance shown speaks volumes for TS as an oasis of free speech amongst so much low brow talk back centric crap that passes for journalism these days.
We tolerate a lot in terms of opinion. But the people who work with content and tech on the site run it. Suggestions are welcome and they do get discussed around the email backend. But repeated backseat driving of telling us what the site should be for and how we shold run it is unwelcome, ineffectual, and simply stupidly ignorant. Having to repeat the warnings about it wastes time – something we are always short on. That is why it is in the policy as a self-martyrdom.
Trying to dress it up the way PG did to attempt to bypass the wording of the policy just irritates me because it is really really dumb. I only look at intentions and his were pretty plain to anyone who’d watched people playing politics in decades in a party, not to mention innumerable businesses.
Damn. Another good theory dead. I didn’t think it did. Adding it to the fix list. I have a fix for the almost everything to do wih pagination except the links in the comments box on the left. Problem is that page numbers in links are not permalinks.
After we started getting posts with 200+ comments, the server loads started getting pretty high. So I paged them at 35 toplevel comments per page. Now I have a permanent link issue on fast running posts.
It is a problem that has shown up over the last year when the numbers of comments abruptly jumped pre and post election. Had to paginate the comments to stop trashing on the server.
I have done some work on it and fed some fixes back. But I’ve been constrained for time by release dates at work for taking time off. Need about 4 days to solve it in all cases. The pagination is a display implementation issue – it shouldn’t be showing on links at all.
But the hooks and filters have to be coded carefully in the plugins.
I remember those posts. That was the woman who died after the power got cut off and her medial equipment failed with it. That was horrible, and having an arsehole like Camerson gloating on it would have made it worse.
Cameron is rather known for considering that there would be two standards of justice and fairness. One for him and his mates, and the other for the plebs. For some reason he never seems to think anyone else has feeling apart from people like himself.Â
Bit of a primadonna aristocrat brat verging on sociopath in his thinking. Â Personally I lean to the latter interpretation.
Why am I having trouble with TS using Chrome? Getting this message when trying to move from one post to the next.
This webpage has a redirect loop
The webpage at http://thestandard.org.nz/why-the-left-still-needs-feminism/ has resulted in too many redirects. Clearing your cookies for this site or allowing third-party cookies may fix the problem. If not, it is possibly a server configuration issue and not a problem with your computer.
Have to keep clearing my browsing data to get anywhere.
Works ok in IE.
[lprent: There is nothing on the page. Just tried here on iOS and Linux with chrome. Suggest a uninstall and reinstall of chrome. ]
Do not forget that there will be a “Day of Action” against the proposed welfare reforms and further marginalisation and disempowerment of benefit dependent people on 05 October 2012.
Activities like pickets are planned in various centres.
Those living in Auckland may inform themselves about this, but a main one appears to be planned to take place in Henderson at midday next Friday.
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Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealandâs biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealandâs biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
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Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
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This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own governmentâs fiscal policies raised issues of substance. âToday in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media â sure enough â have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willisâ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra â that the Budget âwill deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing.  Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Itâs becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-MÄori andâŠ. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you donât like and donât ...
Don Brash writes –Â As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that countryâs mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isnât already pretty well-off? Itâs as if protecting landlordsâ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of Nationalâs ...
 Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, itâs that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxonâs ...
Robert MacCulloch writes –Â The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this yearâs Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran OâSullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm â a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon â note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinsonâs analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana â or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. Itâs a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealandâs highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes –Â Â Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – âIt is often said that behind every great man is a great womanâ. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their âLadies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxonâ. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Petersâ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes â If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshubâs closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague â whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak â has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
The Coalition Governmentâs plan to âget Auckland movingâ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities sheâs meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Governmentâs archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the Americaâs Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it wonât stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Memberâs Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labourâs change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand Firstâs State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared âco-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te PÄti MÄori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. âIâm calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to âtake back our countryâ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jonesâ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Governmentâs fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Governmentâs miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesnât act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. âIt was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. âThe Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.  âThis travel will focus on a range of New Zealandâs traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,â Mr Peters says.  Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. âRoad safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. âOur relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliamentâs order paper. âThe Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,â Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams wonât be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. âThe coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. âDam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. âI have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. âThe Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023â24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the governmentâs finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Governmentâs Budget objectives. âThe coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                        âThe Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.  âThese changes are long overdue â the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealandâs growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Ministerâs Prizes for Space today. âNew Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealandâs concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. Â Â âThe Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Educationâs School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. âThere is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. âToday I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of Peopleâs Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. âThe use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,â Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. âWeâre sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealandâs ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. Â Â âI am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. âI have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commissionâs online consultation portal.â Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. âComprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. âI would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. âThis is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women donât ...
Good morning, itâs great to be here.  First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Governmentâs ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Governmentâs commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools MÄori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. âThe Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, Iâm proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of todayâs address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and Iâm sorry I canât be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the WhangÄrei site where the facility will be constructed. âNorthland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata MÄori 20 years ago, says MÄori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisationâs 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but letâs be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time â but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who havenât accessed support to come forward and engage with the councilâs recovery office. It ...
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Contrary to the Associate Minister of Educationâs claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
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The Taxpayersâ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the Peopleâs Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
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The Governmentâs announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is âshamefulâ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
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Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israelâs war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Governmentâs decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for âDead in Bedâ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
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Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
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I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Heraâs help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. Iâm 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
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Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldnât give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this yearâs budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayersâ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Departmentâs Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayersâ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the countryâs top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
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Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina â Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellingtonâs Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservationâs biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the planâs treatment of Auckland passed through the councilâs transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealandâs Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was âimproperâ ...
Samuel L Jackson’s expletive-laden election ad. I wonder if NZ would benefit from such an approach next election..
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2012/sep/28/samuel-l-jackson-obama-video
Clever.
Truthful!
Well the message is clear…..
yeah Samuel L Jackson is as blind as the rest of them
fun ad though!
Indeed, another mind controlled hollywood puppet doing what he is paid to do….
Influencing the minds of the weak!
All lined up! Well I never!
Key needs to tighten up political oversight Fran O’Sullivan
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10837235
One more episode of official incompetence Paul Holmes
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10837238
Fortune’s favourite comes unstuck John Armstrong
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10837232
Dotcom Diary: A story of Keystone’s Cops Paul Thomas
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10837269
Quite a turn-around to several months ago; but will wait to see whether it continues. Changing spots etc.
I normally don’t read Holmes, but having read the others, decided to do so today expecting a defence of Key etc and was surprised at his article (although virtually no mention of Key).
Ditto deuto re Holmes đ
Hmmm the ship could well be sinking.
Bow wow Curtow…..who a good media lackey then.
Bow wow Curtow…..who’s a good media lackey then.
And the mud gets murkier – do we now have one agency bagging another – thereby deflecting from Key.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7745445/Police-had-queried-if-spying-was-illegal
Police officers told the Government’s spies in February that surveillance of Kim Dotcom may have been illegal.
But after its legal department reviewed the case, the Government Communications Security Bureau concluded their actions were legitimate.
….
Inquiries by The Dominion Post have revealed police first raised the problem with GCSB agents at a meeting on February 16. Mr Key said this week GCSB became aware of the law-breaking about a fortnight ago.
Officially a debrief on Operation Debut, which had culminated in a raid on Dotcom’s mansion on January 20, it is understood the February meeting was a “back-slapping” exercise, with a Power Point presentation.
The potential problem and the subsequent legal review was not disclosed to Mr Key, who was unaware of the GCSB’s involvement in the high-profile case until last week.
…
I had a Tui moment when reading the last sentence quoted above.
And good on the Greens for keeping the heat on the police. Looks like the police are covering their a*ses.
Evidently, the Prime Minister’s “control” of this organisation is not in any way equivalent to the “control” a pilot has over an aircraft. Or an adult their car.
When police believe someone has broken the law, what is their usual practice?
If this shiny brand new narrative is correct, the GCSB’s legal department decided the surveillance wasn’t illegal. Did they talk to the Director about it? Did they tell the cops?
In what sense is Key in “control”?
And Sir Geoffrey Palmer’s take on the GCSB fiasco – headed “Former PM aghast Key left out of spy loop”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10837316
Sir Geoffrey Palmer says GCSB should have told its political master of Dotcom mission right from the start
Former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer says he is astonished John Key was not told about the foreign intelligence agency’s involvement in the Dotcom case much earlier.
…
Sir Geoffrey said Mr Key should have been told from the start.
“I would have thought if the GCSB was using its sophisticated surveillance methods in a situation like this, it would be prudent to tell the minister. I don’t understand that at all.
“In my experience with them, they were meticulous in consulting ministers when they needed, and should have.”
And further down in the same article
Mr Key also defended the police over another legal misstep in the case – the search warrants that Chief High Court Judge Helen Winkelmann found were illegal.
The Prime Minister said describing that as a bungle by police was “a bit harsh” because it was a matter of differing legal interpretation.
Bold is mine – is Key now questioning Winkelmann’s ruling? Dangerous ground for a member of the Executive (a PM) to query/comment on a Judicial ruling, IMO.
The history of some recent PMs is they seemed to enjoy the ruling class inner circleâs attention and inclusion in âcloak and daggerâ briefings. Key may just, and only just, have done enough backside covering to wriggle out of this one.
But many more kiwis will now greet ShonKeyâs utterances with a âTuiâ response. The Blinglish certificate will probably rev up the succession plans of the other National factions too.
Palmer is on the nation this morning to discuss the GCSB
Key will question and cast doubt upon anything that doesn’t suit his narrative. We saw that in the British interview about just how dirty NZ really is and I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen both him and other NACT ministers use the same or similar language elsewhere.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVc29bYIvCM
Confusion in his eyes that says it all.
Key’s lost control.
And he’s clinging to the nearest passer by,
Key’s lost control.
And he gave away the secrets of his past,
And said I’ve lost control again,
And a voice that told him when and where to act,
Key said I’ve lost control again.
And he turned around and took me by the hand and said,
I’ve lost control again.
And how I’ll never know just why or understand,
Key said I’ve lost control again.
And he screamed out kicking on his side and said,
I’ve lost control again.
And seized up on the floor, I thought he’d die.
Key said I’ve lost control.
He’s lost control again.
Key’s lost control.
He’s lost control again.
Key’s lost control.
Well I had to phone a friend to state my case,
And say he’s lost control again.
And he showed up all the errors and mistakes,
And said I’ve lost control again.
But he expressed himself in many different ways,
Until he lost control again.
And walked upon the edge of no escape,
And laughed I’ve lost control.
He’s lost control again.
Key’s lost control.
Key’s lost control again.
-my most sincere apologies to Ian Curtis and the lads
Freedom……..brilliant, brilliant, brilliant !
A thousand scourges upon the hypocrite dissembler, the gutless thing to whom power, however taken and maintained, is all.
“Responsibility……..higher standards” – a sick joke !
Excellent. “..they walked in line…they walked in line..they walked in line…”
Another ” Atrocity Exhibition”
The thing that struck me was that the spies GOT Bill to sign the certificate while Key was away.
I got the distinct feeling of butt covering and don’t tell the ‘boss”.
Can anyone explain how they could be confused about the immigration law?
The other interesting fact is the spies got a legal opinion, so this was all a ‘simple mistake’ as implied by Key.
It was all very deliberate.
The GCSB is likely to have very direct and independent access to Immigration databases and the exact immigration/citizenship status of individuals in this country.
They will have this because they will not want to tip off normal police and immigration channels every time they do a background on a target or are interested in surveilling a suspect, and because in some cases time is of the essence and you don’t want to be constrained by an outside bureaucracy turning their wheels.
Not likely bud, in fact probably never, it’d be “Official Channels” only, which means a “Documented” request and answer.
Well I guess the real question is ….
“Who instigated the investigation and why?”
Those cats where trying to do a job, the real mistake was John Key using it to grandstand.
He shouldn’t have told them to investigate a NZ resident in the first place.
Furthermore those good men are the ones most likely to stand there and take it on the chin, that is what they do.
Think about it …
“Would Dotcom have discussed residency with those politicians?”
And would that be blanked out of certain documents perhaps?
Ha! The police bite back.
“Inquiries by The Dominion Post have revealed police first raised the problem with GCSB agents at a meeting on February 16. Mr Key said this week GCSB became aware of the law-breaking about a fortnight ago.”
Please explain.
“16 February or 17 September. Some people will have a different version of events and who cares anyway,” John Key is programmed to say.
It’ll be …
“can we change the subject?, it’s bad for my angina”
… next.
Chris Hipkins: doing a very good job on relentlessly rattling Parata’s cage:
http://www.labour.org.nz/news/key-and-parata-at-odds-over-schools
Hipkins is doing a great job, he totally owned Parata in The House the other day. And I reckon of all the issues gifted to the Opposition in the last little while it’s Hekia’s train wreck stewardship of the Education Portfolio that could do most to undermine Key’s re-election chances in 2014.
Netanyahu thinks we should bomb Iran and here is why
Netanyahu should be in prison he’s a phsycopathic terrororist who is the leader of a country.
He’s no different from Assad in Syria if all he can talk about is WAR, freakin moron.
Imagine if that CRAZY Fuckwit had yellowcake on his piece of dirt.
He does. Estimates range from 150 to 400 nuclear bombs in fact.
And they are not signatories to any arms control or non-proliferation treaties.
NO
Irans’ position may have merit.
http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/541975_288332704606769_482142621_n.jpg
there are so many out there to choose from đ
Nothing should be done until an Iranian nuke goes off over Tel Aviv. And then we can wring our hands a bit to make it look like we “care” but say it was Israel’s fault anyway because they didnt let themselves be pushed into the sea by the arabs whenever they have been attacked in the past. And America supported them. And everybody supported by the US must be “bad” by definition.
And it’s not like Ahmadinejad has actually promised he will destroy Israel. Oh wait….
Destroy the Zionist regime not Israel
It’s separatism they (Iran) have a problem with.
They’d never instigate anything, they are civilised.
Israel is trying, but doesn’t have a Historical precedent to work with, hence Zionists.
In the name of peace means something to both parties, but where from here?
They worry that the local populus will hold fear in their hearts if they aren’t percieved as strong.
Neither side truly wants war, yet their words deny that fact.
It’s almost “classical” in it’s current form, they need to play chess for it somehow.
A formal “Togetherness” day maybe, or a great minds share a panel/expand some thought TV show, or a sporting challenge that can bring the two peoples closer in their hearts perhaps.
Please remember it is Israel who has the unregistered nukes. And, only one country in the world has used nukes on a civilian population.
Absolutely, Bloody Well said M8! đ
Keeping them honest is paramount.
What a surprise, an ignoramus stating things that have been disproved.
So, no, neither Ahmadinejad nor Iran has said that they will attack Israel.
Exactly, they are trying to open civilised dialog
They are stating a popular opinion that separatism is not the answer.
Ma dai! I had assumed that by now, everyone knew about the false translation of Ahmadinejad’s words….
Why didn’t CNN’s international arm air its own documentary on Bahrain’s Arab Spring repression?
Yeah, thats the stuff, don’t hassle the dictatorships that you “support”
EXODUS-Tradesmen and Tradeswomen Diaspora
ol’ FOX aye, Blown Away (man ends own life on film, on screen)
speaking of screen,
FreeView- Taxpayers Fund 15M of Opiates
maybe they could school ol’ Heckya Piranha down at King Salmon?
The Tea-leaf Paradox is by a number of commentators described as Einsteins best paper here it describes the inverse response by an action (stirring ) for the migration of the tea-leafs to the centre and bottom of the teacup ( by frictional dissipation )
The tea leaf paradox describes a phenomenon where tea leaves in a cup of tea migrate to the center and bottom of the cup after being stirred rather than being forced to the edges of the cup, as would be expected from a spiral centrifugal force.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_leaf_paradox
Or as Einstein suggested .
Hence in the case depicted in Fig. 2 the erosion is necessarily stronger on the right side than on the left.
http://people.ucalgary.ca/~kmuldrew/river.html
As they cannot override the Laws of Physics,the change is coming or as someone suggested (a quote I cant find) John you cant stop spring by cutting down the flowers.
đ
A very good article on Stuff Nation written by a reader. It has a prominent headline on the page so hopefully will get a fair bit of exposure.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff-nation/7741651/Less-beneficiary-bashing-more-compassion-needed
The Nation-
Colin James-devolved style of P.Mship not helpful with LESS CAPABLE ministers
-international press-“just the facts make us look like Hillbillies” pa..
Shearer-started well, plateaued, then a small climb (nice tie)
to the Fair(not)fax dogs-foreign investment is ALREADY POLITICISED, fools
Martha Nussbaum in “Poetic Justice”on why Judges should read novels.
Pray God us keep
From Single vision and Newton’s sleep!-William Blake
God lives where we let Him in.-Rabbi Menahem Mendel of Kotzk
I watched the entire The Nation for the first time. A very interesting program with succinct telling commentary from Geof Palmer, Colin James, and David Shearer. Worth watching but why the hell isn’t this in Prime time?
Geof Palmer said of the GCSB that they inform the PM of significant actions and especially any that would likely become contentious. (Me: Was Key informed during those 15 briefing meetings this year? Can Key deny being informed? Yes because the GCSB cannot possibly publicly refute his assertion.)
The interviewers with Mr Shearer asked searching questions and I think David gave as good as he got. David came across as thoughtful rather than glib. A good platform.
Just noticed in the Herald:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10837316
I’m sure they were trying to help as well, it was an obvious thing, many would have seen it’s downfall coming.
It was announced by John Key himself on the Herald, that he was in charge.
L8r he called for more involvement, and all of a sudden Dotcom happened.
The chain of events is fairly obvious, he was covering his buttocks, but wanted Dotcom investigated.
Just a Cowboy with power when it comes down to it.
I thought this was a good piece for TV3 where the issues can be more broadly discussed,as posed trying to overfit the issues to a 90″ sound bite.
Shearer framed or outlined the issues relatively well,and did not rise to the logical fallacy of the “markets” are pricing the $ correctly. ( and which is a faith based entity )
DS correctly identified that there needs to be a mixed model ( both fiscal and monetary) to correct the asymmetry that prevails in the economy at present.
Well bloody said, it needs to be “Governed”
Did DS give anything away as to Labour Party policies, or the direction in which he is willing to take the party?
No he didn’t. It doesn’t look like they have decided their policies yet. Must be still running focus groups.
Also Rachel let him off a few times when he wouldn’t answer the question that was asked. I couldn’t tell whether he didn’t know the answers, didn’t want to give the answers or had been told that he wasn’t allowed to talk about anything that wasn’t on his prepared script. But she will get her invitation to the xmas bbq for sure.
At times like this the privy council is surely missed.
The only way that Key can now get caught in the headlights is for someone from the GCSB to whistleblow that Key knew more e.g. was informed about GCSB spying on Dotcom since February 2012.
Someone from the police could whistleblow as well. Marshall only has a three year appointment and once again he is being asked to investigate strong connections to Key which can prove that Key is involved.
WTF has the Privy Council got to do with that?
So you have complete faith in the NZ judicial system.
Its been pretty damn fine this year. Not perfect. But better than the US or British judiciary by far.
More faith than in the Privy Council and why shouldn’t I? NZers are just as capable as the British.
“NZers are just as capable as the British”
Were it not for the Privy Council, Bain would not have had his convictions quashed.
Really? So you know what the Supreme Court would have ruled if it had gone there instead?
Wow, a real live Nostradamus.
When it comes to checks and balances I would have more faith in the Privy Council (if available) that the Supreme Court. The Bain case was not tested in the Supreme Court so the outcome is unknown.
The police have no respect for Cheif Justice Elias’s authority. It is nearly five years since Patrick O’ Brien wrote to her about commiting multiple perjury and NOTHING substantial has occurred and probably will not.
The appearance of “The Media” with Russel Brown on TV3 was pretty good too. National Standards. Mr Keith Ng has previously criticised Fairfax and the Herald for their publication of National Standards and this was a chance for Mr Ng to explain why the data is so dodgy, or ropey as the PM calls it. Unfortunately he was shouted down by Hartevelt and simultaneously by the man from the Herald. Wonder why they did not want Mr Ng to explain why it is a farce?
Watch it if you can.
The following was on NRT yesterday. I wonder if someone at The Standard could do a regular, or semi-regular round up of these issues like r0b does with Poverty Watch. Maybe Democracy Watch (dot.com, CERA, ECAN, Bennett/prviacy etc)? So much is being done by NACT, and with such spin, that too many NZers don’t realise we are losing rights all over the place.
(sorry for the bold, can’t get TS formatting to work properly)
The Ombudsman’s Office released its annual report [PDF] yesterday, which strongly criticisedthe government for its attitude to the law:
This is extremely strong language for an Ombudsman, and it suggests that the problem is serious. After thirty years of growing transparency, the government is trying to roll back the Act – and officials are taking their lead. Its not something we should let them get away with.Â
Â
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/international-right-to-know-day.htmlÂ
So true, it’s not a system without checks and balances, they’re not even businessmen by these actions.
they never were businessmen.
just a collection of inheritors and grabbers out for anything they can get.
and has Len Brown fired the POAL managment yet?
T đ
Hey try this ….
“Hey LEN BROWN Have you sacked the mangement of POAL yet M8!”
I had to add the yet, damn ur repetitive M8!
Repetitive and stupid. Brown can’t sack the board, it’s not within his powers. But Captain Hook knows that and is just trolling.
Public assets outside of the reach of democracy.
@ Capân Hookâ14
Hey, he is not âRed Lenâ, if he was he could appeal to residents and ratepayers with the left pro worker arguments some have made at the Standard and elsewhere and try and force them all to resign. But technically he canât and more importantly he wonât because âLenslideâ has been substantially captured by business. Plus he is eating a regular helping of Wellington s**t sandwiches in the vain hope his transport vision may sneak through if he plays nice.
Doesnât work, the right wing fleas play for keeps unlike misguided social democrats.
Can Len sack the board? Did rortney and shonkey give allow him that ability….
Can Len sack the board? Did rortney and shonkey allow him that ability….
But he cant do that. He still needs more money for his plans and he has put the rates up as much as he can for the monent. He wants to leave a “legacy” for future generations saying Len was here.
Kim Hill quoting Al Gore on preparing for environmental and economical change “What do we do to prevent people going direct from denial to despair”. What a telling slogan.
This interview from Radionz is stuff for all those likely to be alive in about 15 years – I will be on my way out but could die happier knowing that a large group of intelligent, thoughtful, pragmatic and practical people had formed a definite bloc to see that we transitioned into the new aware simpler no-growth community with local core and focus and well-informed about the rest of the world.
On Radionz this morning listen audio in about an hour
11:05 Richard Heinberg
Richard Heinberg is a Senior Fellow of the Post Carbon Institute, and is widely regarded as one of the worldâs most effective communicators of the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels. He is the author of ten books, most recently The End of Growth: Adapting to Our New Economic Reality (New Society, ISBN: 9780865716957). He is visiting New Zealand for presentations in Auckland (30 September, University of Auckland Business School), Hamilton (1 October, Hamilton City Council Lounge) and Tauranga (1 October, Baycourt Exhibition Hall).
Audio here
No one should quote Al Gore when citing anything to do with the environment Prism, (Kim Hill is not all that clued up, and easily “star struck”, and actually does not understand simple concepts), the man has no credibility, and no interest other than furthuring an agenda many want to believe either does not exist, or includes them!
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/09/27/as-un-opens-its-general-assembly-session-it-is-already-thinking-up-new-global/
Yeah it all sounds great at face value, you gotta save all those poor people, but really thats not happening is it or it would have by now, and the funds which are lent by nations, borrowed from the same “institutions” who manage and control the UN,, and its NGO offshoots, its a dirty little loop, which people like to pretend does not exist. Borrow to “save the less off”. from , run yourself into debt, then we can use our “global banking arms” to come bail you out, but we will take your resources, and your sovereignty as well.
When the nations who are supposed to give funds to the less off, are disintegrating themselves onto basket cases, one has to question the altruistic sincerity of the UN, IMF, WB, WTO, UNESCO etc
Hey but “we” will BS people into thinking that we can tax the billionaires, even though “we” are the billionaires, and our wealth is untouchable, because, well “we say it is”, and we make the rules up, and its all “off-shore” and/or in the ground. But we will let the people think we are going after the uber rich on their behalf, when actually we are going after “the people”, and their countries too!
Carry on!
muzza – Don’t put me off your comment by dissing a good point because you think the person who made it was flawed. Al Gore has apparently got under the skin of some people like scabies. But that remark I quoted stands on its own as being what all people of good will would wish. Stop being so doctrinaire.
There’s too much time put into mocking and dissing by some commenters. More time should go into finding things that can be agreed with, and then questioning how they could be implemented querying the validity of the rest. I have a rant now and then myself but it isn’t a useful exercise except for me. When someone attempts to think about a problem we shouldn’t be too quick in jumping on their ideas and muddying them. There is wasted time in scorning their attempts to reach some reasoned opinion that would improve the situation.
đ
Having a listen now.Â
Prism, it was not personal, so don’t idly threaten to take it in that direction!
The quote while fine at face value, is carried and delivered from a platform which exudes nothing but bad energy, and comes from a place of overwhelming negativity. Why do you think people are turned off by it, en masse! Once that issue is reversed, and the platform, altruistic, honest and with integrity, watch people engage voluntarily, en masse. Only then will the outcomes that you and I would both like to see, become free from the shrouded lies, delivered by forked tongues!
You read my posts, so you will know that I have offered many suggestions on various topics, which I imagine scare the shit out of most people, probably because they realise that the suggestions, along with the repeated messages about them needing to get of their arses and engage if they want actual change, is the only real answer!
Wasted time but more importantly, energy, is people not comprehending the playing field they are currently stuck on, and so the self important yet over cranially challenged like Kim Hill, who continue to use the corrupted vehicles like Al Gore, is to be ignorant to the core of the reasons why people are “turned off like scabies”.
The solutions lie inside ourselves, and will NEVER be delivered with positive outcomes for humanity through mediums we accept as our “options”, by those peddled to us as “saviours”
muzza
Why so aggressive when someone makes a point? You seem to care about society’s direction but are quick to find fault with others that differ from you so you come across as self-righeous and arrogant. I think it casts a shadow on your work.
And I’ll say no more on this. Pointless arguments over style are a waste of time, and trivialise the import of the blog.
Prism – You ask a question, then make more personal accusations, followed by saying you want no more to do with it., a classic hit and run….
Not quite sure who you are finding disagreement with though, I was certainly not disagreeing with you. If my explanations were not to your liking, fair enough. Remember that reading digital text is flawed with all kinds of assumptions Prism,. Your interpretation of my comments are not how they were intended, such as it is when there is not visual or audible signals involved!
While this is an excellent blog, I agree, I would not consider it to be as important as many on here want to believe it is. Those same people have the collective capabilities to make it incredibly important IMO, but that has not happened yet!
Should TS become an important catalyst in “real life”, then it will require signifigantly more physical action from those who want to believe that sitting back and typing on a blog will result in meaningful change. Should that physical involvement not eventuate, then IMO those same people are actually contributing more to the downfall than they want to admit, or understand!
No hard feelings intended, or taken Prism – I respect your comments
ok muzza đ
I think the new French President has just (today) announced a plan to tax at 75% the Super-rich French folk. Pretty brave as the very rich have very clever people to design the process to avoid paying tax altogether.
But if it works imagine if taxing the very rich became the norm around the world! NZ? Yeah right!
I read somewhere that he watered it down…
I haven’t seen that anywhere. However the super-rich tax rate of 75% is only expected to affect two thousand people anyway. I’m not sure why France is even bothering. Their new tax rate of 45% affecting those earning over Euro 150K pa is the one which is going to raise a lot of money.
I heard that on a news report on National Radio (?) this morning. They were talking about billions of Euros. Will try and find it.
hmm …..
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/sep/28/eurozone-crisis-france-budget-spain-banks#block-50657792c0e3eab0be4929c8
New tax rises worth âŹ10bn for “wealthy households”…and âŹ10bn on big businesses
âą âŹ4bn will be raised by cutting corporate tax relief on interest payments
âą âŹ2bn will be raised from French households through a new tax on share dividends
âą A marginal tax rate will be created, at 45%, tipped to raise âŹ320m
âą A new ‘exceptional’ 75% tax rate for highest incomes, tipped to raise âŹ210m
âą Lowering the threshold for France’s wealth tax, tipped to raise âŹ1bn
and
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/14/france-supertax-patriotism-brain-drain?INTCMP=SRCH
Hollande has also warned that households will have to come up with an extra âŹ10bn to help bring down the country’s public deficit. ….
As well as the new 75% tax, a 45% band is to be introduced on incomes over âŹ150,000 a year (up from 41%) and households will be limited to a maximum âŹ10,000 savings on tax reduction schemes (down from âŹ18,000).
France is also looking to beef up its “wealth tax”, imposed on households with assets worth more than âŹ1.3m including their main home. The threshold for inheritance tax has already been lowered from âŹ150,000 to âŹ100,000, a move expected to raise around âŹ2.5bn by 2014, and there are moves afoot to raise the rate of capital gains tax.
Even low earners will pay more income tax after the household allowance (the same as the personal allowance, only applied to families not individuals) is reduced from âŹ2,336 to âŹ2,000 a year.
Good stuff Jim. I had just caught the edge of it on the radio but thanks for the full report.
Good stuff Jim…
Won’t make much of a dent in the Fench debt though, which is heading towards about 2tn euros.
Then again , most taxes only go to service the interest payable, which must be reaching the critial stages by now!
In the NZ case you do not have to increase the tax so as in France,you can change the asymmetry in the tax system ,such as property.
As most property purchases under 10 mil do not require OIO approval, non residents are competing with NZ’s for property ownership, the bigger bank ac will win.
What useful benefit for NZ a non resident provides for owning residential property here it is difficult to ascertain. the Non resident has a benefit in a nontaxable capital gain ,which it is difficult to obtain in most jurisdictions. I hardly see this as a”productive investment”
Tax tourists we do not need.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/25/un-assembly-hollande-idUSL5E8KP9Z220120925
So I’m going with , Hollande is heading down the expected path, vis a vis, the comments above to the UN. The chance of his 75% tax coming to a meaningful outcome for “average France”, more or less zero!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/schools/7745922/Reports-will-get-better
Education Minister Hekia Parata has vowed that national standards reporting will get “better and better” after schools’ data was published on an Education Ministry website.
We are addressing the concern that national standards data shouldn’t be considered on its own, so on our site it makes that caveat.”
HOW is the data going to get better and better.
NO moderation!!!
Who would fly in an aeroplane with a pilot who refuses read his/her instruments and ignores instructions from the air traffic controllers?
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/national-and-due-diligence.html
Reasons to be cheerful No94:
Â
A pompous right wing racist on a vanity blog has just referred to me as The Standard’s taniwha. The clueless git thinks that’s an insult, ho ho!
đ PG? He does seem to be taking this whole banned thing rather badly. And I’d noticed that he seems to dislike you almost as much as he whines about me. Quite interesting obsessional pattern.
You notice that he never ever looks at his own behavior. Just doesn’t consider that other people have the right to judge him would be my guess. Or he is incapable of sufficient imagination to see himself as others see him
That’s the one, LP. Knickers very much in a twist about how awful the Standard is, but obviously lurking here 24/7 anyway.
lol
  Â
That blog practically has tumbeweed.Â
maybe let him do a guest post – might be fun đ
I’d rather have dad4j; anyone that can get a life ban from Kiwiblog for a comment made on another blog has got to be way more interesting than Pete.
Edit: see Quartz, below, for more.
D4j is pretty unique. The only other person with such an ability to get banned from all blogs was Robinsod. Although redbaiter gets there sometimes as well.
Saw this in links this morning.
http://yournz.org/2012/09/30/the-standard
I think you are right about his reading the site. On his good days d4j displays both self awareness and the consequent self humor along with the traits that make him socially noxious. PG is somewhat deficient in both. He’ll never understand being stirred.
Could indeed… I will have to muse on that. There are logistics/fairness issues about having a post authored by someone who is banned from commenting on comments to his post.
lol – indeed
Been busy, how long is PG’s ban for? The sites so much better for it as he was like junk mail….volumous and irrelevant.
I thought the tolerance shown speaks volumes for TS as an oasis of free speech amongst so much low brow talk back centric crap that passes for journalism these days.
Permanent. http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-13082012/#comment-506586
We tolerate a lot in terms of opinion. But the people who work with content and tech on the site run it. Suggestions are welcome and they do get discussed around the email backend. But repeated backseat driving of telling us what the site should be for and how we shold run it is unwelcome, ineffectual, and simply stupidly ignorant. Having to repeat the warnings about it wastes time – something we are always short on. That is why it is in the policy as a self-martyrdom.
Trying to dress it up the way PG did to attempt to bypass the wording of the policy just irritates me because it is really really dumb. I only look at intentions and his were pretty plain to anyone who’d watched people playing politics in decades in a party, not to mention innumerable businesses.
Link Needs a Page Number?
Yep, it’s here.
Onya, Thanks M8!
Wow he got wound up didn’t he?.
Sounds like “Spoken Words” he was living by at the time, trying to steer “Lefties” away I’d guess.
Damn. Another good theory dead. I didn’t think it did. Adding it to the fix list. I have a fix for the almost everything to do wih pagination except the links in the comments box on the left. Problem is that page numbers in links are not permalinks.
After we started getting posts with 200+ comments, the server loads started getting pretty high. So I paged them at 35 toplevel comments per page. Now I have a permanent link issue on fast running posts.
DtB linked it above.
Bummer, could break all the links after time đ
There is a close off of comments on posts after 30 days.
But if they grow fast enough? and you do have links in other places.
Only mention it cause I’ve noticed it before.
It is a problem that has shown up over the last year when the numbers of comments abruptly jumped pre and post election. Had to paginate the comments to stop trashing on the server.
I have done some work on it and fed some fixes back. But I’ve been constrained for time by release dates at work for taking time off. Need about 4 days to solve it in all cases. The pagination is a display implementation issue – it shouldn’t be showing on links at all.
But the hooks and filters have to be coded carefully in the plugins.
Yer having a laugh, right?
Reasons to be cheerful No94:
Private Eye allusion noted.
Yep, I’m partial to a bit of public shoolboy style sniggering. And Ian Dury, too.
public shoolboy [sic] style sniggering
Yes, spotted that, but the edit function let me down.
Cameron Slater and his rightwing friends have lost it after dad4justice made an off-colour comment on Cameron’s post about his mum dying.
And yet only a few years ago Cameron wrote post after post mocking the death of Folole Muliaga and her sons’ sorrow.
I remember those posts. That was the woman who died after the power got cut off and her medial equipment failed with it. That was horrible, and having an arsehole like Camerson gloating on it would have made it worse.
Cameron is rather known for considering that there would be two standards of justice and fairness. One for him and his mates, and the other for the plebs. For some reason he never seems to think anyone else has feeling apart from people like himself.Â
Bit of a primadonna aristocrat brat verging on sociopath in his thinking. Â Personally I lean to the latter interpretation.
Why am I having trouble with TS using Chrome? Getting this message when trying to move from one post to the next.
This webpage has a redirect loop
The webpage at http://thestandard.org.nz/why-the-left-still-needs-feminism/ has resulted in too many redirects. Clearing your cookies for this site or allowing third-party cookies may fix the problem. If not, it is possibly a server configuration issue and not a problem with your computer.
Have to keep clearing my browsing data to get anywhere.
Works ok in IE.
[lprent: There is nothing on the page. Just tried here on iOS and Linux with chrome. Suggest a uninstall and reinstall of chrome. ]
Re install might work, it did for Ffox
Did an uninstall and reinstall. Still no luck. Only happens when browsing TS. This is the error message.
Error 310 (net::ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS): There were too many redirects.
Do not forget that there will be a “Day of Action” against the proposed welfare reforms and further marginalisation and disempowerment of benefit dependent people on 05 October 2012.
Activities like pickets are planned in various centres.
Those living in Auckland may inform themselves about this, but a main one appears to be planned to take place in Henderson at midday next Friday.
See this alternative blogsite for some info:
http://waitemataunite.blogspot.co.nz/