Open mike 29/09/2015

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 29th, 2015 - 50 comments
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50 comments on “Open mike 29/09/2015 ”

  1. Yoza 1

    No platform for war criminals on campus! Students for Justice in Palestine (Victoria University)

    Vic Uni should not host an event whitewashing Israeli war crimes!
    IDF soldiers are on a speaking tour attempting to justify Israel’s horrific bombing of Gaza in 2014.
    The IDF talk at Victoria University is part of the Israeli government’s propaganda programme to justify war crimes. Victoria University should not be a party to this.
    In July 2014, Israel invaded the Gaza Strip in a military offensive it called ‘Operation Protective Edge’, killing 1,523 civilians including over 500 children. The international community, including New Zealand, condemned the attacks on civilian areas in Gaza. The United Nations stated that the heavy artillery and mortars were not designed for specific military targets. Massive carpet bombing of civilians is a war crime.
    Decades of international diplomacy has failed to curtail Israel’s increasing racism, occupation, violence and expansionism. Palestinian civil society has called for non-violent Disinvestment, Boycott and Sanctions (BDS) to push Israel to comply with international law.
    Victoria University must cut all ties with Israeli whitewashing, starting with this obvious defence of atrocities by the Israeli Defence Force. This is not a free speech issue; IDF soldiers represent the Israeli state. There is no neutral position on providing a platform to justify atrocities.
    The IDF event is planned for Tuesday the 29th of September 2015, Cotton Building (Victoria University) at 8.30 pm.
    SJP are calling for Victoria University to cancel the booking, and will picket the IDF event if it goes ahead.

    • savenz 1.1

      +1 Institutions need to stay clear of well funded propaganda drives. Killing people is wrong. period.

      • tinfoilhat 1.1.1

        No I’m going to have to disagree.

        Universities should not be limiting free speech in any way, isn’t it better to let them speak and then raise questions and challenge their view ?

        • Morrissey 1.1.1.1

          Do you also think Kyle Chapman and his neo-Nazi thugs should be allowed to stage events at Victoria University?

          • tinfoilhat 1.1.1.1.1

            Did you have some trouble reading what I wrote ?

            • Morrissey 1.1.1.1.1.1

              Good man, tinfoilhat! Long as you’re consistent.

              My problem is with those who would ban one and not the other. (Kyle Chapman, by the way, is a benign and humane fellow compared to those who give the orders in the IDF.)

    • Morrissey 1.2

      They ban Chris Brown but they allow IDF terrorists in.

      Who’s making the decisions here? Garth McVicar?

    • Gabby 1.3

      Vic Uni doesn’t compromise with other religions.

  2. ScottGN 2

    In Canada the Conservative government’s blatant ploy to simply wear the electorate down with the country’s longest ever election campaign looks to be succeeding. The NDP are sliding from 1st to 3rd place in most of the most recent polls. The Liberals are up a bit but at the moment it looks like the Tories are tracking to win the most seats (they had an advantage after redistribution) and, perhaps, a weak minority government with about 33% of the vote.

    • Bearded Git 2.1

      @ScottGN Not according to these polls where the NDP/LIB/Green parties are currently forecast to get 209 seats and the Conservatives only 128 seats where 170 are needed to form a majority.

      http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/poll-tracker/2015/index.html

      Have to say my trust of polls has taken a knock since the UK election though.

      • ScottGN 2.1.1

        None of the parties are expected to get a majority of seats in the House of Commons, though the most recent EKOS poll for the Toronto Star suggested the Conservatives might be getting near that with 35% of the vote.
        Canada doesn’t do coalition governments or even C & S agreements like we do, whichever party gets the most seats (and that was always likely to be the Cons in a pretty even 3 way split) is expected to get the nod from the GG to put a throne speech up in the Commons to test confidence. Conventional wisdom says the opposition parties should support the throne speech rather than a risk voter backlash for triggering an early election by voting it down.
        Currently the Cons could be as many as 40-odd seats short of an overall majority which points to a very weak minority government which may not last terribly long.
        It’s still possible either the Liberals or NDP might win the most seats but clearly that’s more difficult since they are effectively splitting the centre left (anti Harper) vote.

        • Bearded Git 2.1.1.1

          Interesting. Is it constitutionally impossible that they form a coalition? Is it simply wishful thinking from the Conservatives?

          • ScottGN 2.1.1.1.1

            Like all the Westminster Systems Bearded Git there’s no constitutional impediment preventing a coalition government. Canadians, however, generally seem to dislike the prospect of one. Also the Conservatives have fed into this by hawking the ‘coalition-of-losers’ theme that Key borrowed from them to trot out every now and again during our election campaign last year.

            • Bearded Git 2.1.1.1.1.1

              Yes but the “c of l” argument doesn’t really work at all where the seats are 128 on one side and 95 and 113 on the other. (it is bollocks anyway)

              Surely in this situation, where the Conservatives are far from a majority and the opposition can form a very strong coalition government this will happen?

              Sorry but I don’t buy your “general dislike of coalition” argument.

    • tc 3.1

      yes exactly as the minister resposnsible has been awol and way out of his pompous lawyer arse depth.

      Nice to see acknowledgment from you as to who’s actually driving some potential change here cos it aint dodgy 2 salary sammy who’s major skill is fleecing the system.

      • Puckish Rogue 3.1.1

        Its funny we don’t hear a peep from Kelvin about this…wonder if its anything to do with them being run by the union

        • McFlock 3.1.1.1

          You really are chronically full of bullshit.

          Your first link is recent, and yes I would be expecting an investigation as to how it occurred.

          Your second link shows exactly what should happen: prisoner misconduct is detected, reported, and the prisoners punished. As opposed to when serco run things.

          Your third link is a bit random, especially as 3M has the contract for installing and monitoring the bracelets.

          Your fourth link occurred barely three weeks after corrections took over management from serco – the public service is efficient, but doesn’t work miracles.

          Your “union” comment is fucking stupid, considering that two of the three worst cases involved privatised security rather than how corrections should be run.

          • Puckish Rogue 3.1.1.1.1

            You know as well I as do that there are plenty more examples of s**t that goes down in prisons

            It doesn’t matter if its corrections run or serco run stuff like this will go down but its only a bad thing if it happens in a serco run prison

            • McFlock 3.1.1.1.1.1

              Again, your moral compass is broken.
              “Bad shit” is, yes, bad. But there’s the occasional-turd-in-the-middle-of-the-lawn bad, and then there’s the someone-emptied-a-septic-truck-on-my-lawn bad.

              Bad shit does happen in most if not all prisons. But, as I pointed out to you above, it’s the role of the prison authorities to identify the bad shit, and discipline the prisoners to try to prevent it happening again. Not to ignore it or be oblivious to it until it ends up on fucking youtube.

              It’s not bad because serco runs the prison. It’s worse because serco is bad at running prisons.

              • Draco T Bastard

                It’s not bad because serco runs the prison. It’s worse because serco is bad at running prisons.

                And then tries to hide the fact that they fucked up so that they get the bonuses anyway and then, when found out, still get to keep the bonuses.

        • tc 3.1.1.2

          We hear even less from the minister responsible….wonder if its anything to do with the govt being run by the hollowmen.

  3. esoteric pineapples 4

    Great new speech from Jeremy Corbyn – so many parallels with New Zealand – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPLs2m3E0p0

    • esoteric pineapples 4.1

      Maybe not quite new – just realised it was before he won the Labour Party election

      • nadis 4.1.1

        Good to see Corbyn got his way on trident. Oh hang on….

        • Puddleglum 4.1.1.1

          Yes, goes to show that the Stalinist, totalitarian radical left dictator-in-waiting that we all knew Corbyn to be has now crushed and purged the democratic processes of his party with an iron fist so that they would fall into line with his position. Oh hang on …

  4. greywarshark 5

    Radionz interview with USA corespondent this morning has a lot of background on USA ways to what he calls gerrymander the system. It explains some of the things that they have done in connection with Tea Party strength. It explains their intransigent approach.
    I will put up audio link when it comes available. It will be enlightening for people who want to learn more, and try to understand how our democracy could be warped like that of the USA.

  5. greywarshark 6

    This would be comforting to us who believe in living in a co-operative community way, and helping each other where possible. Worth a listen.

    1:30 Effective Altruism, Doing Good Better
    William MacAskill, as a Research Fellow at Cambridge University spent five years developing the philosophy of effective altruism, which applies data and scientific reasoning to the normally sentimental world of doing good. During the course of his research he concluded that many ways of making a difference achieve little, but by targeting our efforts on the most effective causes, we each have an enormous power to make the world a better place. In his book, Doing Good Better he introduces the principles underlying effective altruism and sets out a practical guide to increasing your impact through your charity, volunteering, purchases and choice of cause.

  6. Clean_power 7

    This is the person Phil Twyford was defending as “climate change refugee”. Another own-goal by this bungling and less than competent MP.
    https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/-a-dark-underbelly-sex-allegations-made-against-kiribati-climate-change-refugee-q12092

    • joe90 7.1

      Another own-goal by this bungling and less than competent MP.

      Like the own-goal by a bungling and less than competent PM who allowed an alleged child sex offender to remain as chairman of the law and order select committee in Parliament?.

      • greywarshark 7.1.1

        So this Kiribati man could have been guilty of something. It does not change the fact that he and his children can state rightly that they are climate refugees.

        I doubt if this fault-finding Rw power broker has always been clean in word and deed. For goodness sake stick to the point in your thinking clean, your processes are muddy.

  7. Morrissey 8

    Outmanoeuvred and outsmarted by Russia and Iran,
    Obama’s only response is a bumptious display of pique.

    The United States and Britain have been comprehensively humiliated. Their program of sowing chaos and mayhem in Syria is now coming to an end, now that Russia is committing troops to support the government against the Al Qaeda, Al Nusra and ISIS terrorists the U.S. and U.K. have supported for the last four years.

    In the United Nations, at a luncheon hosted by that corpse Ban Ki-moon, Obama hypocritically proposed a toast “to the United Nations.” He clinked glasses with everyone around him, but made a point of grimacing and scowling when interacting with Putin.

    Obama’s ill-advised antics represent the most pathetic attempt at a tough-guy act by a U.S. president since Harry Truman’s risible ambush of Vyacheslav Molotov in 1945.

    http://www.people.com/article/barack-obama-vladimir-putin-toast-frown

    http://www.johndclare.net/cold_war5_effect.htm

  8. Morrissey 9

    Who called National Party MPs “sheep fuckers” in Parliament?
    Nine to Noon, Radio NZ National, Tuesday 29 September 2015

    About 11:55 a.m. …..

    KATHRYN RYAN: …. Now, speaking of taste and decency. This David Cameron story was BIZARRE, wasn’t it!

    GAVIN ELLIS: I’m not going to describe what we’re talking about, beyond saying it involved a pig, and it allegedly happened when he was at university.

    KATHRYN RYAN: [chortling] Trying to beat around the bush and use euphemisms only makes it infinitely worse!

    GAVIN ELLIS: I don’t think there is a euphemism for this. …[He embarks on a lengthy discourse about the way language is used to evade the sordid realities of what people like Conservative prime ministers get up to]….

    KATHRYN RYAN: So where does this leave us with the David Cameron story?

    GAVIN ELLIS: Well, it’s horses for courses, or pigs for courses…. [Another lengthy descant follows]….

    Then, right at the end, the host say something intriguing….

    KATHRYN RYAN: I could tell you of something that happened in parliament a few years ago, when I was political correspondent there. One MP yelled out an accusation at a whole party! I dare not say it because it would bring down a whole heap of trouble on my head!

    Pregnant silence….

    KATHRYN RYAN: Two words. The first one was “sheep”!

    GAVIN ELLIS: [uncertainly] Ho ho!

    So…. who was it that yelled “Sheep fuckers!” at those hapless National Party members? Was it Trevor Mallard? Grant Gillon? David Benson-Pope? Jill Pettis? Winston Peters?

    I think we should be told.

    • greywarshark 9.1

      It would have been sheep shaggers. That’s the correct term of abuse that goes with sheep don’t you know that!

      • Morrissey 9.1.1

        Certainly, “Sheep shaggers” has the power of alliteration to commend it, but I prefer the coarse beauty of “Sheep fuckers”.

    • Gabby 9.2

      Zoe George seems to be completely pointless. Her silly voices are even more annoying than Chris Trotter’s. She has to be pretending to be that shallow and flippant. Sue Guthrie speaks like an infant. She’s even more annoying than Jesse ‘yeah yeah’ Mulligan.

  9. greywarshark 10

    USA POLITICAL MACHINATIONS – http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201772508
    Effective Altruism – http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201772518

    SOUNDS INTERESTING http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201771841
    Propaganda and Public Opinion
    Updated at 4:28 pm on 25 September 2015
    Professor Jason
    Professor Jason Stanley of the Philosophy Department at Yale University talks about the subtle and insidious ways that propaganda presents itself as pragmatism within liberal democracies.

    Jason Stanley is the author of How Propaganda Works.

  10. Morrissey 11

    Just what would it take for Chris Brown
    to be acceptable to the New Zealand government?

    Chris Brown beat up Rihanna. That means he is an insalubrious person. So insalubrious, in fact, that those paragons of virtue, John Key and his henchmen, have banned him from entering New Zealand.

    In order to get in the good books of the NZ government, there are certain actions Chris Brown should have taken….

    He could have ordered the bombing of a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan, enforced brutal sanctions that led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children and supported the grossest human rights abusers in Riyadh, Cairo, Tel Aviv, Amman, Islamabad, Bogotá, Jakarta….

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand–United_States_relations#/media/File:Bill_Clinton_Jenny_Shipley_toast.jpg

  11. greywarshark 12

    Where the hell are you? Visiting friendly Australia? Don’t forget it has poisonous spiders, snakes and politicians. And will give you the song of the laughing jackass as you leave.

    But NZ has good politicians who will stand by NZs at all times?
    NZ Justice Minister Amy Adams said on 17 September 2015 – http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201770979
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/284441/nz-to-challenge-australian-immigration-policy

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201772505
    Trans Tasman Travel Arrangement is not a binding treaty
    9:26 AM. The Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement (TTTA) provides that Australians and New Zealanders can travel to and live and work in one another’s country without restriction. However it is not part of any binding bilateral treaty between New Zealand and Australia. Andrew Smith of Victoria University’s School of Accounting and Commercial Law has looked at the TTTA and the impact of Australia changed the rules for New Zealanders living in Australia.

    Altogether, 184 New Zealanders are being detained.
    Eighty have already been deported since new laws came into force in Australia last year.
    Australian Lawyers Alliance national president Greg Barns said immigration officials could eventually round up many of the 5,000 New Zealanders who have served more than 12 months in Australian jails.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201772506
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/285568/1-in-10-held-in-oz-detention-centres-are-kiwis

    (Actually, the Ozzies are trawling through records to search for NZs who have served one, or more sentences for anything, up to one whole year’s jail served as long as 10 years ago. Done, behaved. But now, out. Pack your bags, leave your family, don’t get told anything. Dumped on an off-shore island.

    Of course under our RW government we had dawn raids that were a ‘bit’ unfair. But we hoped that was all behind us. However Oz can bite like a poisonous snake and they can choose when, and have decided now they have squeezed all the financial advantage from us, they will pick us off over the next years, as other world ‘superior’ forces have done after deciding some group is contemptible.

    Can we be sure that Ozzies will be restrained by their fairness, their innate kindness and intelligence? Brahahahaha.)

  12. Penny Bright 13

    FYI – more info on the TPPA Judicial Review:

    http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/crown-law-defends-grosers-inaction-tpp-oia-request-b-179334?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NBR%2520Heads%2520Up

    “…
    US media reports suggest the US is pushing Canada to open its dairy market to New Zealand and Australian competition, signalling progress on one of the last remaining issues to be negotiated among the 12 nations of the Asia-Pacific.

    That news is alarming US and Canadian dairy farmers but is likely to involve far more limited concessions than New Zealand has pushed for.

    Groser said last week there would not be a “gold-plated deal” on dairy, but a deal had to emerge or New Zealand could not sign. Groser is in the US for climate change talks in New York and had not decided last week whether to attend the Georgia meeting, unless there was a dairy deal to discuss.

    Justice Collins asked Palmer to reflect on his recent decision “about the extent to which courts should give direction”, which Hardy later cited as saying that “to make a declaration, the statement must be fact-specific, efficacious and capable of practical application.”

    “The crux of the argument is that the information that could properly be released and was unlawfully withheld is the anodyne, publicly available material.”

    Palmer argued that the New Zealand government should not be “contracting out” its legal obligations under the OIA by making it subservient to the requirements of a strict confidentiality agreement between the 12 TPP nations.

    Justice Collins observed that such a decision “could be consistent” with the act.

    Palmer also dwelt on the approach being taken by the European Union, which has been willing to allow release of negotiating texts relating to the European-US equivalent of TPP, known as TTIP, and comments by the European Ombudsman suggesting the traditional secrecy surrounding trade negotiations is counter-productive to public trust in such processes.

    The hearing is expected to conclude today and Justice Collins said he would “do my best to get it (a judgement) out as quickly as I can.”

    __________________________________________________________

    Compare the lack of ‘open, transparent and democratically accountable’ central (and local) government, at the highest levels, with the increased infringements of citizens’ lawful rights to privacy and ‘freedom of expression’?

    In whose ‘national interest’ is New Zealand really being run?

    For the benefit of (U$A) and other foreign corporations, or the public majority of New Zealand citizens?

    (HINT: Follow the dollar ….

    NZ Prime Minister John Key IS a shareholder in the Bank of America.
    Pg 29, the 2015 MP’s’ Register of Financial Interests), and a major advocate for the TPPA.

    http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/00CLOOCMPPFinInterests20151/8bb43d9064b110c19c88349a36301a9580cfb3ed

    How is that not a significant ‘conflict of interest’, and why is more FUSS not being made about this, given New Zealand’s ‘perceived’ status as the SECOND ‘least corrupt country in the world’?

    https://www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results

    Who else agrees that it is a serious ‘conflict of interest’ for NZ prime Minister John Key, to be a shareholder in the Bank of America?

    Penny Bright

  13. Wairua 14

    It seems to be a Tony Abbott initiative – Malcom had not been in power long enough to put it through the Australian Commonealth government decision cycle.

    It is part of our zeitgeist as zionists & neo-cons flail around about Russian & Chinese forces in Syria. They have resources, like nukes.

    Aotearoans will be familiar with
    http://off-guardian.org/category/censored-on-cif/h

  14. Penny Bright 16

    Seen this?

    NBR (those ‘wild-eyed radicals’ 😉 – interview Professor Jane Kelsey on TPP legal action:
    _________________________________________________________________________________

    http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/nbr-radio-special-jane-kelsey-tpp-legal-action-nr-179379?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NBR%2520Last%2520Call

    NBR Radio Special: Jane Kelsey on TPP legal action

    NBR RADIO TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2015

    Jane Kelsey

    Auckland law professor Jane Kelsey talks about her TPP legal challenge

    Auckland law professor Jane Kelsey told NBR Radio she is challenging an “unlawful” government decision to deny an official trade document request.

    The High Court in Wellington is hearing an application for a judicial review brought by Professor Kelsey, Consumer New Zealand, Oxfam and the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists.

    The case is in response to the government’s refusal to release the draft negotiation documents of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) despite Professor Kelsey’s request through Official Information Act channels.

    Professor Kelsey claims the decision to withhold the information was unlawful and had “concerning precedents.”

    “The approach that was taken [to deny the request], as well as the considerations that led to the minister to reach that conclusion, is what we’re challenging,” she says.

    The government has defended its decision by saying it is obliged to withhold the documents by a strict confidentiality agreement with the 12 other members of the TPP negotiations.

    “One of my concerns is this response removes accountability from the decision makers. That’s not just an issue for the TPP negotiations but also an issue more broadly.”

    If the review goes ahead, it will “hopefully bring about a shift in government behaviour and mind-set” in regards to future multilateral negotiations, Professor Kelsey says.

    • RedBaronCV 16.1

      What I would like to know is how the government lawyers can say the Govt has signed a strict confidentiality with other TTPA governments when at least some of the taxpayers (corporates) have seen the negotiations.
      And then I suppose the government lawyers are going to say that the secrecy agreement prevents the govt from divulging the names of the parties they have given the TTPA secrets to already. And down the rabbit hole we go .

      At this point there is a recursive argument- lets hope the judge can see it

  15. Penny Bright 17

    Meanwhile – in Europe – pressure against the TransAtlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) grows ……

    http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/09/28/will-ttip-get-terminated-negotiations-falter-europe-balks? utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork

    Monday, September 28, 2015
    by Common Dream

    Will TTIP Get Terminated? Negotiations Falter as Europe Balks

    As EU-US trade talks flounder, France doesn’t rule out ‘an outright termination of negotiations’

    by Deirdre Fulton, staff writer

    Almost 3 million people across Europe have signed a petition calling on the European Commission to scrap the agreement.

    While public opposition to the TransAtlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)—the massive proposed “trade” deal between the European Union and the United States—has grown steadily since negotiations started two years ago, new signs suggest that official government backing is also faltering across Europe.

    In an interview with French regional newspaper Sud Ouest published Monday, Junior Trade Minister Matthias Fekl said TTIP negotiations were favoring American interests and “either weren’t advancing or were progressing in the wrong direction.”

    “If nothing changes, it will show that there isn’t the will to achieve mutually beneficial negotiations,” he said, before adding: “France is considering all options including an outright termination of negotiations.”

    Meanwhile, a group of more than 55 UK members of parliament (MPs) has signed onto a motion expressing major concerns about the mammoth trade pact, which civil society groups have dubbed a corporate giveaway. Caroline Lucas, the Green Party MP, put forward the Commons motion, and it has now been signed by every member of the Scottish National Party group at Westminster, as well as the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and his Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell.

    Politico’s Paul Ames wrote of the “cooling ardor on both sides of the Atlantic” earlier this month, saying that since talks began in July 2013, the trade deal “has lost some of its shine.”

    “Concern over the impact of TTIP has united disparate groups,” he wrote, “from French farmers to German constitutional lawyers and politicians on the left and right.”

    Almost 3 million people across Europe have signed a petition calling on the Commission to scrap the agreement.

    Last week, the Oxford-based group ‘We Own It,’ which deals with national issues surrounding public services, held a demonstration against the proposed TTIP, warning that it could lead to private businesses being too heavily involved in public services.

    Cat Hobbs, an organizer with the group, told the Oxford Mail: “The idea is that it would open up new markets to private companies and the reality here is that it’s going to open up public services to private companies. Multi-national corporations’ rights will become more important than ours.”

    ……..

  16. Penny Bright 18

    NZ Prime Minister John Key backs up his golfing buddy USA President Barack Obama over Syria.

    No surprises there …. (Radio NZ 29 September 2015)
    ————————————————————————
    The Prime Minister says the immediate removal of the Assad regime is no longer a necessary starting point for achieving peace in Syria.

    Prime Minister John Key

    Speaking from New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly, John Key said he supported comments made by US President Barack Obama.

    “If you listen very carefully to what President Obama said today, he said that there was essentially a sort of multi-staged way of carrying out changes in Syria,” said Mr Key.

    “And it was very much along the lines that both elements of concern in Syria would need to change over time, but not necessarily as a starting point.

    That’s really where New Zealand is at.”

  17. Muttonbird 19

    The Kermadec marine sanctuary announcement was as blatant a “look at me moment” from Key as you could get.

    Disgraceful.

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    1 hour ago
  • The Folly Of Impermanence.
    You talking about me?  The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
    4 hours ago
  • A crisis of ambition
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 hours ago
  • Have 308 people in the Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development Team spent over $100m on a 60-p...
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 hours ago
  • 'This bill is dangerous for the environment and our democracy'
    Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 hours ago
  • The Bank of our Tamariki and Mokopuna.
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    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 hours ago
  • The worth of it all
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    9 hours ago
  • What is the Hardest Sport in the World?
    Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
    11 hours ago
  • What is the Most Expensive Sport?
    The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
    11 hours ago
  • Pickleball On the Cusp of Olympic Glory
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    11 hours ago
  • The Origin and Evolution of Soccer Unveiling the Genius Behind the World’s Most Popular Sport
    Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
    11 hours ago
  • How Much to Tint Car Windows A Comprehensive Guide
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    12 hours ago
  • Why Does My Car Smell Like Gas? A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing and Fixing the Issue
    The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
    12 hours ago
  • How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
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    12 hours ago
  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
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    12 hours ago
  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
    Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
    12 hours ago
  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
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    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    18 hours ago
  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
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    20 hours ago
  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
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    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    21 hours ago
  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
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    PunditBy Brian Easton
    22 hours ago
  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    23 hours ago
  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    1 day ago
  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats why they introduced the Recently Deleted folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Heres how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on Edit. Select Show Recently Deleted. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose Recover to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    2 days ago
  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
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  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
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  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    2 days ago
  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
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  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
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    2 days ago
  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
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    2 days ago
  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
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    2 days ago
  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
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    2 days ago
  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
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    2 days ago
  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
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    2 days ago
  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
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    2 days ago
  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
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    2 days ago
  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago
  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    2 days ago
  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    2 days ago
  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    3 days ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
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    3 days ago
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    5 days ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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    5 days ago
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  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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    6 days ago
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    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
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  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
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