It is now common practice to smash up wages and workers’ rights by initiating bankruptcy proceedings. The best known case is the American auto giant General Motors, which laid off 30,000 workers, slashed wages in half for new-hires, and cut retiree benefits. If the German government gets its way, this procedure will be applied to entire countries.
According to a report in the news magazine Der Spiegel, the chancellery in Berlin has drawn up a six-point plan for far-reaching “structural reforms” in Greece and other highly indebted European Union countries. The plan includes the sale of state enterprises, the gutting of employment protection rights, the promotion of a low-wage labor sector, the removal of constraints on businesses, and the establishment of special economic zones and privatization agencies modeled on the German Treuhand.
German government spokesman Steffen Seibert has not confirmed the plan, but neither has he denied it.
The new director of Business Roundtable et al called Innovate NZ? is Oliver someone from Germany who doesn’t believe that left and right wing have any basis any more but basically free and non-free markets. An excellent choice for his position by the sounds of him. Interviewed this a.m. by Kathryn Ryan.
“The merger comes at a time when other business lobby groups are also merging or closing, most notably the recent folding of the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development into Business New Zealand, the closure this week of the Greenhouse Policy Coalition, and the creation of a new Financial Services Council from several smaller bodies”
“The new think tank has been named The New Zealand Initiative. It will build on the legacies of its two founding organisations and will focus on raising debate on public policy and contributing bold, rigorously-researched ideas to achieve a more prosperous future for New Zealand’
–Done a slap up job before they merged in achieving a more prosperous NZ…shuffle around, consolidate, confuse, dominate!
— SO even the lobby groups are now merging…We are well andf truly heading down the wrong path here…
How to take over institutions, companies, whole countries 101: Play the long game, and ensure that you have foothold across all industry, and public life…only those from certain backgrounds, educations, families etc will fill roles which control and determine direction…revolving door policy between public and private entities to ensure “strong” ties to legislature. Take it slow, most people will never notice. Repeat cycle until full control is gained, and if people start to suspect, use media arm to change tact to support opposition to elections victory. Ensure another 3-6 year period to further decay society, and remove wealth from country..Repeat as often as required to maintain the illusion of democracy!
Herr Hartwich will no doubt be writing the Welfare, Education and Justice policies for Aotearoa now. Independent in the name is about as meaningless as it is in the name of the IPCA.
And where did he learn all this befuddled thinking?
“He started his career as a Research Assistant to Lord Matthew Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay in the UK House of Lords in 2004. From January 2005 to October 2008, he worked for the British think tank Policy Exchange, first as a Research Fellow and then as Chief Economist.[2]
At Policy Exchange, Hartwich co-authored several reports on housing and planning policy with Alan W. Evans. Their report Unaffordable Housing – Fables and Myths won Prospect Magazine’s prize for Publication of the Year at the British Think Tank Awards in 2005.[3]
Some of Hartwich’s policy proposals, such as the establishment of the Office for Budget Responsibility and reforms to strengthen community involvement in town planning, were taken up by the UK government under Prime Minister David Cameron.[4]”
“Hartwich is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society, the Economic Society of Australia, the Foreign Correspondents’ Association, and the German journalistic network Die Achse des Guten.” (The axle of good)
If he would have stuck to the German model he would have to advocate for a lot more social cohesion.
As a rank and file delegate to last weekends Labour Party Regional Conference, I was pleasantly surprised at the level of enthusiasm and good vibes among the delegates.
The Labour Party team from Wellington have done a bloody good job on the Party Review and this was really appreciated by the delegates from my LEC and others around me.
The Region finally has a Strategic Plan and a team that looks capable of pulling it off! There is a Candidates’ and Activists’ School underway and there is real enthusiasm for the campaigns we are being asked to get involved in around the Asset Sales and the Living Wage.
The Regional Council elected over 20 activists to its executive which is pretty good given the Regional Council is sort of irrelevant to most LECs. The new chair also looks like injecting some serious enthusiasm.
I have been to a few of these in the past and they have had none of the enthusiasm and drive this one had.
Finally, David Shearer. A couple of our other delegates were pretty critical of him before his speech but he nailed it. He comes across as a genuine guy who has done some really tough, freaky stuff in his other life.
In summary, a really good Conference with drive, direction and leadership.
Labour Electorate Committee. Its the representatives of the Labour Party branches in an area who oversee the election campaign in their electorate. They work closely with the MP, find volunteers to help etc.
Right David Shearer you sound as if you are prepared for our freaky little NZ and economic and social world problems, so sock us with your capabilities.
Normally a package deal for a conference wouldn’t raise any eyebrows but this Govts dealings with SkyCity are beginning to look a bit suspect, there’s too much of it.
Joyce is too repulsive as a person to be leader…you can’t mix those policies with a face like that. It could have been done 25+ years ago, not now.
He’ll continue to pull the strings, which is ironic, since his eyebrows look like they belong on a muppet. Nat’s need someone a bit more palatable
Palatable? Do you mean cheesy like Jokey Hen? Or lightly grilled like Brownlee? Or with soft, sweet outers but hard centres like most of NACT women MPS?
No such thing as palatable Nat,fatty they are all a sleazy untrustworthy lot.
My bet for their next leader is Groser,a silent rather creepy covert activist,
I would not wish turn my back on him. However I do agree that, like him, Maori language should be compulsory at primary school.
“Maybe The Paula Bennett”
“Interesting how JK tends to put promising women into portfolios where they instigate unpopular austerity policies.”
True…Nat’s have a special place for women. This should be exposed. They soften the blow.
We might laugh, but for many voters Bennett is difficult to dislike…that’s her reason for existing.
C’mon Paula Bennett has graduated from the school of Confident Speech, done well in the Think and Talk on her Feet bracket and can hold her Notes about how bad welfare is against the combined voices of a Heavenly Choir.
Who saw a TV program last night where police could not prosecute a male for “under age sex” because the girl, 14 yrs old would not give evidence. She was a willing partner.
Who thinks that they are a mature adult and they know it all. SO DO NOT QUESTION ME.
Who thinks that they just about know it all, but they can not imagine what else there is to learn.
Who thinks that they are an adventurer on the journey of life. It would be booring if there was nothing to learn.
Who thinks that they do not have to accept responsibility for their actions. SELF SATISFACTION is the key.
Who has got the courage to make a comitment for life. It affects them and so many others.
With so many enthusiastic amateurs on the street, how do the professionals make a living?
You can not expect quality if you buy shop soiled goods.
Sex is a beautiful and unique experience. For so many people it is the CONSUMATION of marriage.
(def:- Of the highest perfection or completeness.) Because it is some times associated with the conception of life, yours and mine, it used to be priviledged to married couples. This situation was never perfect but it was something to aim for. A goal to set. Men and women had respect for each other and one way of showing it was by not demanding self-satisfaction.
How many of my critics have had the courage to make a “promise for life” where both parties will be faithful.
I am not saying that I have been perfect, but it is a goal to aim for.
” Because it is some times associated with the conception of life, yours and mine, it used to be priviledged to married couples.”
Not universally though, and not for all of human history. Many cultures have had different values around marriage and children than the the model you espouse (presumably the Christian one originating in Europe in the past thousand years), and been successful with it. Besides, the only reason we’ve had lifelong monogamy as the only respectable choice until reasonably recently is because it’s been enforced by the church and then by the state. As soon as women achieve emancipation, they mostly make a variety of choices (some of those are lifelong commitments). What does that tell you? Oh, right, it tells *you* that many women are dirty whores.
My parents have been married for over 50 years. I think that’s great, and anyone that wants to do that should be supported. It’s stupid to think that that is what everyone should have, or even want though, not least because humans just don’t act like that given a choice.
Men and women had respect for each other and one way of showing it was by not demanding self-satisfaction.
Men and women can have respect for each other without your authoritarian BS. In fact, marriage is a minority position in world cultures for raising children. Usually marriage is about inheritance and mens control over women and has nothing to do with love or the raising of children. Can’t find the link now but monogamous marriage is actually a minority position across cultures.
Don’t worry, the view of John72 is never linked to any other people.
He is amusing…I like the way his attempt to be the ‘Dalai Lama of The Standard’ is constricted by his inner-Brian Tamaki.
None of none of my critics have addressed my question,”… who has had the courage to make a commitment for life…”?
They all think that they “know it all”
I Corinthians 13:11 ;- When I was a child I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things.
John72, I am delighted that you have your faith. I hope it gives you comfort and support. I don’t think that you have chosen the most appropriate forum for pushing your point, however. That said, you have a perfect right to both hold and expound your views, just don’t be surprised when others, some of whom may be of the same faith, disagree with your particular expression of belief.
I also don’t have a problem with your faith or you valuing marriage. I do have a problem with your implications that other forms or relationship are morally deficient.
“None of none of my critics have addressed my question,”… who has had the courage to make a commitment for life…”?”
Lots of people have done this. Many not out of courage, but out of necessity or because it was the only thing on offer. What’s your point?
There are also people who have made other kinds of commitments for life, with courage. What’s your point?
Sometimes resorting to the authority of the bible by plucking out some apparently apposite wisdom is a very unsatisfactory reply to a query or comments.
prism, the bible quotation shows that the thought is not new, just expressed so clearly. Do not be overwhelemed by the bible. So many of the thoughts and parables are still relevant 2000 years later even if you do not believe. A program on TV One this evening made the observation that, physically, the human brain is growing till about 20 years of age. I am sure that emotionally, most of us are maturing for another 50 years. I remember thinking, “50 years ago” that I knew it all. 50 Years ago I wrote some very personal letters to a young lady. They were returned when her interests changed and I was deeply embarrassed to see how much I had matured in 18 months. I hope that some of the contributors to The Standard will not embarrass themselves. Only two people read my letters.
(Quote Graham Greene ) :- ” Morality comes with sad wisdom of age. When the sense of curiosity has withered.”
One thought but, as always, not the complete answer.
So because many people in this pseudonymous forum choose not to share some aspects of their life, you assume that they are not married and are probably young?
Isn’t sex great. You can enjoy it, bash it, judge it, manipulate it. And concentrate on it as The Important Thing in the world and not get half as excited over war and bayonetting babies or anybody and violence and poverty and starvation blah blah. The world’s terrible events and actions continue on, but concentrate on being judgmental about sex why don’t you.
It must be the right way for humans to think as there are whole mass religions based on the idea that sex is all the evil there is, and they must stamp it out.
It must be the right way for humans to think as there are whole mass religions based on the idea that sex is all the evil there is, and they must stamp it out.
What religions would that be then? Your comment shows woeful prejudice and ignorance.
Oddly enough, woeful prejudice and ignorance is what I associate with most organised religions. The maintenance of the religious bureaucracy requires its adherents have blind faith in whatever doctrine is being peddled and it helps to engender prejudice against ‘lesser’ religions to shore up belief in the ‘true’ religion.
I read the article and I must say that the young woman going out and enjoying safe and responsible sex didn’t worry me. The fact that the MSM didn’t hold the parents to account for the horrific way they treated their daughter did. I note that you don’t seem to have anything to say to their virtually imprisoning and spying on the daughter either.
People are ready for sex when they decide and that’s not something that a law can change. We should be on guard against undue influence and coercion but that comes down to rape and if we supported our people fully in their own decisions then we would actually know when that happened as the people raped would be willing to tell us.
Oh, BTW, this young woman sounds as if she’s definitely quality, got the chutzpah to take life in both hands and live it.
How would you know? The reason for the statuatory rape law, as opposed to one that says, okay have sex unless it’s not ok, is because it’s hard to tell what’s ok and what’s not (and we are really pretty bad around the whole consent thing anyway even as adults). You think there aren’t women who ‘consented’ to sex at a young age and were damaged by that experience?
I’m also curious as to what you think the age of consent should be.
The reason for the statuatory rape law, as opposed to one that says, okay have sex unless it’s not ok, is because it’s hard to tell what’s ok and what’s not.
The statutory rape law is because men were going around raping young girls and then saying that they consented. This is where actually believing and supporting peoples decisions help. There’s a reason why rapes don’t get reported and, IMO, its the vilifying and shaming that John72 shows that’s the main reason. We shame woman for having sex and that is completely fucked up.
(and we are really pretty bad around the whole consent thing anyway even as adults)
Yep, that’s because we, as a culture, go round hiding sex behind innuendo and sly glances rather than being open about it.
I’m also curious as to what you think the age of consent should be.
Should there be an age of consent? If the children are well taught, respected and supported by the community then they would know when they’re ready and won’t give in to peer pressure or coercion.
You think there aren’t women who ‘consented’ to sex at a young age and were damaged by that experience?
There was a story a few years ago about a woman who’d had sex with a young boy and he showed changes in personality so, no, I don’t.
Ae, Draco, I agree with most of that. Problem is, we don’t live in a world where children are taught, respected and supported. And even if we did, still not all children would have the skills or knowledge to make good choices about sex. The age that people can do that will always vary, and so the community needs to take some responsibility.
The other problem is that such a high number of 14 year old girls have already been sexually abused, and have not been well supported in dealing with that. I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect all of them to be able to make safe decisions where they’ve already been socialised into patterns of behaviour that damage them.
“We shame woman for having sex and that is completely fucked up.”
Yep. And I liked the little bit I saw of what the woman in the article said. Sex positive works for me too. Doesn’t mean the world is safe though.
I see Bert Potter has been mentioned. A pretty good example or the problem
If the 14 year old is fine with it then I’m supportive of their decision.
I remember being 14, and thinking I knew much more than I actually did. The fact is, she’s still legally below the age of consent, and that should be that…
The reason we have statuatory rape laws is to prevent predatory adults coercing people who are no longer children but not yet adults into sex. This doesn’t mean that all sex between a 20 year old and a 14 year old is wrong or abusive (although that age gap makes me uncomfortable).
I haven’t watched the video, but I read the TVNZ page, and the thing that strikes me is that the situation is very complex. I don’t think anyone could make a judgement about that situation based on the information available. I agree with Draco that the woman does seem like she has some sense. But that doesn’t mean the situation was ok when she was 14. When I see reports of multiple 20 yr old men having sex with multiple 14 year old girls, I want someone with some clues to be looking at that closely.
You’d also have to wonder why the 14 year old was running away from home at that age.
I don’t agree that all 14 year old girls are ok to make decisions about sex on their own.
The situation sounds pretty stink all around, but I still think that having sex with a 14yo when you’re 20 or older is just wrong.
I mean, it’s all good to say that it’s one of the rare occasions where all parties concerned gave 100% informed consent and it was all fine, but even in that case…
the males had sex with a 14 year old girl
When one party is that young and there’s an age gap of 6 years or more, that’s getting well into Bert Potter / Gary Glitter territory. It’s just fucked up.
Yeah, she now seems to have a strong sense of self, a university education and to probably have had more difficulty with her family than dealing with that part of her life, but…
the males had sex with a 14 year old girl
It’s not a John72 “soiled goods” line, I’m not lamenting the decline in marriage or pretending that fornication didn’t exist before 1963, I’m just pointing out that
Exactly. Since when was a 14 year-old defined as a consenting adult? And an adult (or 2) having sex with a 14 year-old is exploitative, and that’s the mildest term I can think of.
So it’s been since 1896 that a 14 year-old has been defined as a consenting adult. Good answer, since 1896 males have not been legally allowed to exploit 14 year-olds girls for sex.
to heck with the legality of the situation. Can we just establish whether you think fucking people barely in their teens is an acceptable or normal practise for grown males?
McFlock DTB Is pointing out the reality of the situation that affects young people and age of first sexual experience. I think early NZ had no age limit.
Is it a question of it being “normal” or of it being unhealthy? I certainly don’t consider it unhealthy. Normal is another question that seems to be a cultural value.
And, while were just asking, why the ageism and sexism that you’re showing?
Except in our cultures we have many examples of where it is unhealthy: Bert Potter and co, Pitcairn Island, child pornography and prostitution.
I think it is possible for a 14 yr old girl and a 20 yr old man to have a genuine connection including sex that doesn’t involve manipulation or abuse or power over. But I don’t think that is common, and we have far to many examples of where it IS unhealthy, to consider your argument as anything other than abstract.
Sexism? The case involved mature males and a young female. My criticism stands regardless of gender.
Ageism? Damned straight: there are power imbalances between aduts and children in society, and adolescents and children have cognitive performance issues compared with adults. This makes me question, as a general rule, the ability of children to enter into a sexual relationship with adults as equal partners in the relationship.
But both of those points are irrelevant.
The dudes fucked a kid.
Am I culturally biased against adults screwing kids or young adolescents? I should fucking hope so.
I couldn’t quite figure it out. Did he just call the 14 year old girl a whore who can no longer have meaningful relationships because she is dirty for the rest of her life? Did he just imply that sex workers are dirty and can’t offer any quality service. Or did he mean that men can’t buy decent wives if women have been soiling themselves by running round fucking already?
I guess that is the case. But what do you expect from a bible bashing bigot.
He didn’t say any of the above, you simply chose to interpret his words the way you want to.
Sex workers are dirty*, and further more as the experience of Leah Stephens and Jayne Furlong show, they can never be anything else! The media won’t let them. (I remember reading an article by Leah Stephens’ mother, in which she talked about how much it upset her to have the word ‘prostitute’ appended to her murdered daughter’s name as if it was part of it.)
* But they don’t have to always be dirty, unless they want to be, which I seriously doubt. It’s just a whole lot harder to ever be anything else, since it’s all been legalised – I think that every time I see a job advert on TradeMe for a ‘massage girl’. (I was very naive once even though I was 28 years old, and I asked my neighbour who was a ‘massage girl’ at the time, if there were any jobs going where she worked. Then she told me what massage girls actually do! 😀 )
Sounds like she might have more brains than John72.
Although I’m gobsmacked the guys weren’t charged, but then that’s not uncommon “policing”. Don’t do a thing unless a cast-iron case is handed to you by other people who gathered the evidence, which you then refer on and call it a clearance. The difference between “investigators” and sinecure-holders who are just treading water.
While discussing Pike River on Radionz this morning, the speaker referred to services working in dangerous circumstances like firemen, police not being prepared to take risks to carry out their duties effectively. Which I agree is happening in NZ. Remember police staying outside a dairy where a man had been shot while a man was dying inside. The memories of Aramoana may have imprinted into the police heads so that they are so cautious they can’t fulfil their role of protection and assistance to the public and see it as car chasers, drug baggers and protest busters.
At Pike River there was absolute refusal by police to consider an entry and penetration of the mine, even if there were gas checks and with safety precautions. While they were not prepared to do this, they also barred others from being involved in exploratory trials. But experienced miners could have formed opinions about the feasibility if information was gathered and shared, and those with family down there would have tried if feasible.
The police were not the appropriate authority in this situation. Search and rescue was the main task, not treating the area as a crime scene with bodies as evidence of possible law breaking of safety procedures. The police response is to assume sole authority and bar the public from consultation, involvement and support for their desired initiatives. An inclusive and consultative approach, still under police authority, would be a better way to manage crises.
grumpy I don’t know that there was no danger in the dairy, but did the police attempt a maneouvre to find out? I think they stood by for 15-20 mins and the dairy owner died as a result of the burglar’s shot. It didn’t feel right to me.
Ain’t just NZ. A guy fell into a duck pond in the UK and was floating face down. Firemen stood at the pond side and did nothing because it was against regulations to enter water over 3 foot deep. Judge eventually concluded that the drowned guy could possibly have been saved if action had been taken…ie resuscitated. A photo emerged of a fireman recovering the body…after all due safety considerations and measures had been fully implemented of course! He was wading in chest deep water.
Woman fell down a disused mine shaft. Firemen were about to lower themselves down to get her out. (She had broken bones and was suffering from exposure. Someone had already been lowered with blankets and come back up). Head honcho arrives on the scene and orders everyone to stand down until all safety considerations had been worked through and corresponding measures put in place. She died because that process took several hours.
I don’t know what it is that makes adherance to a rule or regulation more important than a life. I don’t know where such a culture of safety came from or why it is tolerated, but hey. The moral of the story would be that if you get in shit you better hope it’s just a passer by who will be your potential rescuer, I guess.
It is hardly surprising that initiative in people is reducing as the ever-expanding bubble of government intervention in lives grows. Responsibility is being removed from individuals and given to ‘authorities’.
vto I personally don’t like the idea of responsibility being largely left to individuals to manage how they can. I think that authorities and government should work WITH people for the best result for the individual need and the social ‘fabric’. Not over people or ignore some people but put our collective taxes to provide help that people have difficulty providing on their own.
Was just off idly speculating and, well…members of the police force are probably of a personality type that doesn’t question authority. So if rules and regulations are an expression of authority and are disseminated by a person in a higher position of authority, then a paralysis of initiative would be ‘on the cards’, no?
But it goes beyond police officers or others in positions that rely on a certain codification (if that’s the correct expression for written rules, regulations and procedures ) of authority.
I think there’s a pervasive mentality whereby people simply won’t question authority whether that be the boss, the teacher or whoever. And as for defying authority, well that’s ‘unthinkable’ for most (maybe).
Is it unreasonable to suggest that in the past a rescue team comprised of miners might have simply responded to police ‘forbidding’ mine entry with a “Bite me” attitude and proceeded anyway? This paralysis of independent action in the face of authority; this apparent inability to question or defy it seems to have become somewhat pervasive in society. Why?
When and how did we become so well trained?
Government and various authorities have been around for a long, long time and have probably always acted in a basically conservative fashion, ie relied on ‘rules and regulations’. I don’t think anything much has changed there. But our relationship to them has. We defer and comply far more readily than we once did. And not just to overt commands issued from a person. But to a 1001 ‘indicators’ that invisibly or subtly extend authority…signs telling us we ‘can’t’ enter though this door because it’s for exiting only…lines on floors that no-one stands beyond even when, in given situations, there’s no reason not to. And so on and so on. Culminating in us learning to do what we are told to do.
Messrs prism and Bill, in the past government was much smaller. Tiny in fact. No social welfare, no public education system, not even any income tax and few other taxes. Certainly no health & safety legislation.
Today government is collosal in comparison.
As I said above, I think you will find the answer to your questions inside that fact. Today people have less responsibility for much of their lives, less accountability, less need to provide for themselves, less empathy for their fellow manwoman. All because those things are provided today by the state – so they don’t need to. And now it has become embedded. Something up? Look to government. Something threatening? Ask the appropriate authority. That ladder looks wobbly? Look up the health & safety booklet. Everything is prescribed.
The answer to this issue is simple, which is rare.
vto
Are you from USA? That’s what they or large numbers in some states, believe. They aren’t very impressive as examples of 21st century people.
The pioneers in NZ had it tough, had to look to themselves and the class system was strong. Little Lil and the lamp in Katherine Mansfield’s story The Doll’s House really displays how unhappy being independent of help and dependent on the whims of charity felt to the poor.
Trouble there are fashions in opinion and behaviour. Overconcern for personal comfort, high salaries and corporate good public relations is in fashion at the moment rather than a commitment to duty and service to the public. Which is what prompted the comment.
Ok, maybe we are talking about different things. You seem to be talking about the poor and how a community looks after them. I was responding to the issue of firemen not going into 3ft deep water to save a drowning man, policemen not going into a dairy to save a shot man, and police refusing to enter Pike – and the reasons behind this change in culture around initiative. My point excluded any class distinctions.
I disagree. In order to have the wealth and prosperity we need stabilization measures. Obviously they don’t need to be government driven, but just are because of the clueless right who just don’t want to give up control unless its total, or the clueless left who don’t want to give up control if when its empowering to the people.
But its naive the extreme to believe that without welfare, for individuals and corporations, that much of society as exists today, that we benefit from would actually exist. In fact we’d have to invent welfare and redistribution to get the mass society we have now.
Just because we have massive pollution social, fiscal, environmental, does not mean we should sack government, which would result in short life spans, little exotic or mass pollution, or fiscal global banking crisis. we shoudl sack government when we have a better approach to those tasks. i.e. Simplistically demand government non-existance is banal, venal and retarded.
The internet provides the means to reorganize the human world in entirely new ways, but requires local-ism, a local right to food, housing, education and healthcare, out of the purview of centralized states or corporations.
I don’t know what it is that makes adherance to a rule or regulation more important than a life.
When an action could endanger more lives. Of course, what we’re seeing here is the process of safety taken to extremes.
I don’t know where such a culture of safety came from or why it is tolerated, but hey.
Because if proper process isn’t followed and death occurs due to those actions then the people who took action will be up in court and vilified by the MSM.
Which is not necessarily a bad thing overall (it’s much better than the other extreme), but there should probably be a tweaking of legislation to explicitly give a “competent samaritan” immunity – something about not being liable for H&S actions if you are reasonably experienced to estimate risks in that situation, impose that risk only on yourself or other volunteers (in the case of collaborative efforts) and can reasonably expect to lessen the risk to life of another person.
John 15:13 No greater love has a man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend.
After the second Christchurch EQ, when the rescue helicopter was working for hours around the city, it was being operated outside it’s normal operating limits to save lives. The crew got away with it and rescued many people. If they had made a mistake, people who were not there would have crucified them for breaking some rule.
“I don’t know where such a culture of safety came from or why it is tolerated, but hey.”
In NZ the watershed moment is Cave Creek. That’s the point where kiwi ingenuity/# 8 wire mentality failed abysmally. Because that happened under the responsibility of a Minister of the Crown, it’s made government employees very very cautious since.
Likewise the bridge that collapsed on private land killing a beekeeper. The bridge had been built by the army when the land was under previous ownership. The owners at the time have spent years in court subsequently. This has made private land owners very very cautious since.
Leaky building syndrome is the other pertinent one. In that case it’s the local body govt that is paranoid.
What had changed in NZ society to allow those things to happen?
btw, I’m not sure the problem is a culture of safety. I think it’s a culture of denial. It’s the idea that we can control everything and avoid all risk. This makes us blind to risk assessment that is actually useful on the ground.
We see it in the way children are often raised now too. Trying to control all risk has replaced teaching kids their own risk assessment skills.
Having to make changes to and effectively re-write the budget before the inks even dry is gross incompetence that only a National government could display…
They probably don’t think the details are important as long as we’re all moving in the (very) right direction. I tend to see it as a mixture of incompetence and absolute arrogance.
Thinking upon the words of John72 above, the tide of history has turned against that great institution, the traditional Christian church. For me it was starkly symbolised when the response of the Anglican diocese to a smashed ChristChurch Cathedral was to build a colourful cardboard box and call that a house of worship! It seems that solidity, dignity, tradition, conservatism, have been shaken and not withstood the turmoil of global events.
The great empires of Europe – gone. The mighty totalitarian states – disintegrated. The ancient religious institutions – decayed and irrelevant. The supremacy of finance and oil based economics – collapsing under their own weight of greed and power lust.
Freedom of thought, sexuality, and worship were always attacked by the forces of fear and doubt.
John72, the Creator gave us free will, a mind, body and life, not to live like a slave but to flourish.
Some observations of no real import but….
Has anyone notice that while Mr Joyce is replying to questions in the house in his usual condescending tone, he never looks anyone on the eye. What sort of personal insecurity is going on there?
Perhaps that’s why he pretends that he has a brain the size of a planet and eveybody else is a fool. Compensation for having a small….
I understand why English doesn’t look at the opposition but always looks up to the gallery – it’s the shame he feels about his problem with premature projections.
Tremaine and Bridges are keen little brown-nosers and eagerly nod their heads like bobble-head lap-dogs. Bridges especially makes a duck face, adopts a furrowed brow and nods.
The Speaker habitually responds to opposition points of order by telling the person who raised it why they are wrong – even if it is he that is wrong.
Is it me or are Winston’s questions incomprehensible?
So I get that Cameron wants his own billionaire’s retreat and that we are naive enough to be selling anything that’s not nailed down at the moment, but am I the only one that thinks 11,000,000m2 of land and a medium sized lake is a bit – ah – esurient?
Or putting it another way, if each of the US’s 30,000 ‘Ultra-HNWIs’ decided to buy a modest Cameron sized slice of the country, that would be the entire land area of NZ.
***
In February, The Dominion Post revealed he had applied for residency under Immigration NZ’s Investment Plus category – reserved for those investing more than $10m. As such, the 57-year-old director must now spend at least 44 days in New Zealand each year in the final two years of a three- year investment period.
***
Who comes up with that stuff? $10m + 44 days??
I live in a part of the country where it’s normal to have farms above 1000ha in size, so for me it’s not the size that’s the issue. I would want to know what joining those farms does to the local community, including what will happen if Cameron wants to sell. Also, what does it mean in terms of management of the land – does it increase sustainability or decrease it?
And he shouldn’t be allowed to buy the land until he lives here, and demonstrates that he actually wants to be a NZer (as opposed to just wanting to live here because the US is so crap now).
Point taken regarding NZ station sizes, particularly in the South Island – the Shania Twain estate purchases were in the region of 25,000ha, so 1000ha is comparatively small (comparative being the operative word).
But is Cameron’s land-grab really anything to do with ‘farming’ ? Why buy the adjacent lake plus 313 ha of covenanted bush? When looked at in totality, it’s more akin to building an estate or fiefdom.
Regarding sustainability, in a strict ecological sense the most sustainable option would indeed be to sell all of NZ’s farms to Ultra-HNWIs who could then retire the land from dairy production and instead use them as personal playground, but is ‘Investment Plus’ a sustainable strategy as a country?
Have to admit, if I had Cameron’s money I’d be buying up land to prevent it being converted to dairy. I’d probably let it grow gorse too, and then regenerate to native bush. I’m sure that would go down well.
I think CV’s point is good, but I’m still waiting for the work to be done on how much land NZ needs to feed itself. As opposed to how much land we need in agriculture to export our millennia of fertility to China etc.
I was of course meaning ecological sustainability not economic.
I’ve come to the conclusion that to own land you should be a citizen and spend 80% of your time in the country. That way you’re connected to the community.
Just flicked over to Kiwiblog to see if there was any substance to the Jones resignation story referred to here on the Standard (there isn’t). Couldn’t help but notice that the Curia ‘average’ poll of polls hasn’t been updated for 5 weeks. How curious. Could it be because Farrar can’t bring himself to publish the bad news that NZ is no longer BFF with Mr Australia?
…which is precisely the point: to let big communities take over and rule smaller ones against their will. Whatever you want to call this, it isn’t democracy.
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
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 – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – 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. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s 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 ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s 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 ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
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 ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
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 wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ 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 country’s 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 – 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 Wellington’s 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 Conservation’s 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 plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
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As a young gymnast, Aimee Didierjean was always conscious of making sure her underwear wasn’t showing on the competition floor. A peek of a bra strap, or briefs if a leotard rode up, would cost a gymnast points in her routines. “When I was growing and going through puberty, it ...
Jubi/West Papua Daily Repeated cases of Indonesian military (TNI) soldiers torturing civilians in Papua have been evident, as seen in the viral video depicting the torture of civilians in the Puncak Regency allegedly done by soldiers of Raider 300/Brajawijaya Infantry Battalion. There is a pressing need for stringent law enforcement ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In 2023, Anthony Albanese was shooting for the moon, his eyes on the Voice referendum. On one view, he looked like the idealist reflecting his left-wing roots. In 2024, we’re seeing a pragmatic, determined, ...
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Germany’s six-point plan for sweatshop Europe
Sounds pretty close to NACT policy for Aotearoa.
“Sounds pretty close to NACT policy for Aotearoa.”
And a carbon copy blue-print of what they did to East Germany following reunification.
The new director of Business Roundtable et al called Innovate NZ? is Oliver someone from Germany who doesn’t believe that left and right wing have any basis any more but basically free and non-free markets. An excellent choice for his position by the sounds of him. Interviewed this a.m. by Kathryn Ryan.
Leading the new organisation will be German-born economist Oliver Hartwich, currently a research fellow at the Australian Centre for Independent Studies, a Roundtable-equivalent organisation that at one stage had operations in New Zealand.
“The merger comes at a time when other business lobby groups are also merging or closing, most notably the recent folding of the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development into Business New Zealand, the closure this week of the Greenhouse Policy Coalition, and the creation of a new Financial Services Council from several smaller bodies”
“The new think tank has been named The New Zealand Initiative. It will build on the legacies of its two founding organisations and will focus on raising debate on public policy and contributing bold, rigorously-researched ideas to achieve a more prosperous future for New Zealand’
–Done a slap up job before they merged in achieving a more prosperous NZ…shuffle around, consolidate, confuse, dominate!
— SO even the lobby groups are now merging…We are well andf truly heading down the wrong path here…
How to take over institutions, companies, whole countries 101: Play the long game, and ensure that you have foothold across all industry, and public life…only those from certain backgrounds, educations, families etc will fill roles which control and determine direction…revolving door policy between public and private entities to ensure “strong” ties to legislature. Take it slow, most people will never notice. Repeat cycle until full control is gained, and if people start to suspect, use media arm to change tact to support opposition to elections victory. Ensure another 3-6 year period to further decay society, and remove wealth from country..Repeat as often as required to maintain the illusion of democracy!
Herr Hartwich will no doubt be writing the Welfare, Education and Justice policies for Aotearoa now. Independent in the name is about as meaningless as it is in the name of the IPCA.
And where did he learn all this befuddled thinking?
“He started his career as a Research Assistant to Lord Matthew Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay in the UK House of Lords in 2004. From January 2005 to October 2008, he worked for the British think tank Policy Exchange, first as a Research Fellow and then as Chief Economist.[2]
At Policy Exchange, Hartwich co-authored several reports on housing and planning policy with Alan W. Evans. Their report Unaffordable Housing – Fables and Myths won Prospect Magazine’s prize for Publication of the Year at the British Think Tank Awards in 2005.[3]
Some of Hartwich’s policy proposals, such as the establishment of the Office for Budget Responsibility and reforms to strengthen community involvement in town planning, were taken up by the UK government under Prime Minister David Cameron.[4]”
“Hartwich is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society, the Economic Society of Australia, the Foreign Correspondents’ Association, and the German journalistic network Die Achse des Guten.” (The axle of good)
If he would have stuck to the German model he would have to advocate for a lot more social cohesion.
Ironically it is Germany that was the birthplace of the welfare state.
A delegates view
As a rank and file delegate to last weekends Labour Party Regional Conference, I was pleasantly surprised at the level of enthusiasm and good vibes among the delegates.
The Labour Party team from Wellington have done a bloody good job on the Party Review and this was really appreciated by the delegates from my LEC and others around me.
The Region finally has a Strategic Plan and a team that looks capable of pulling it off! There is a Candidates’ and Activists’ School underway and there is real enthusiasm for the campaigns we are being asked to get involved in around the Asset Sales and the Living Wage.
The Regional Council elected over 20 activists to its executive which is pretty good given the Regional Council is sort of irrelevant to most LECs. The new chair also looks like injecting some serious enthusiasm.
I have been to a few of these in the past and they have had none of the enthusiasm and drive this one had.
Finally, David Shearer. A couple of our other delegates were pretty critical of him before his speech but he nailed it. He comes across as a genuine guy who has done some really tough, freaky stuff in his other life.
In summary, a really good Conference with drive, direction and leadership.
LEC means??
I am not understanding this LEC
🙂 Thank you
Labour Electorate Committee. Its the representatives of the Labour Party branches in an area who oversee the election campaign in their electorate. They work closely with the MP, find volunteers to help etc.
Thank you TRP
Now i understand allot better 🙂
Google was not help in the instance 🙂
Right David Shearer you sound as if you are prepared for our freaky little NZ and economic and social world problems, so sock us with your capabilities.
Is SkyCity the only business this Govt knows, here they are cropping up yet again and benefiting from the taxpayers largesse;
“Immigration NZ staff meet costs taxpayers $191k”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10809713
Normally a package deal for a conference wouldn’t raise any eyebrows but this Govts dealings with SkyCity are beginning to look a bit suspect, there’s too much of it.
Didn’t take Hekia long to rise to the level of her incompetence.
Who does that leave as the next Nat leader? Just Collins (lol) and Joyce, isn’t it?
Talk about the shallow end of the talent pool.
“and Joyce, isn’t it?”
Joyce is too repulsive as a person to be leader…you can’t mix those policies with a face like that. It could have been done 25+ years ago, not now.
He’ll continue to pull the strings, which is ironic, since his eyebrows look like they belong on a muppet. Nat’s need someone a bit more palatable
I understand this point well 🙂
He looks very umm mean
But the muppets are very funny
He is not
Maybe The Paula Bennett 😛
Palatable? Do you mean cheesy like Jokey Hen? Or lightly grilled like Brownlee? Or with soft, sweet outers but hard centres like most of NACT women MPS?
Which NACT woman MP has anything sweet about her?
No such thing as palatable Nat,fatty they are all a sleazy untrustworthy lot.
My bet for their next leader is Groser,a silent rather creepy covert activist,
I would not wish turn my back on him. However I do agree that, like him, Maori language should be compulsory at primary school.
You know, having being heavily exposed to the Maori language from New Entrant to 4th form, I thought it already was…
Interesting how JK tends to put promising women into portfolios where they instigate unpopular austerity policies.
“Maybe The Paula Bennett”
“Interesting how JK tends to put promising women into portfolios where they instigate unpopular austerity policies.”
True…Nat’s have a special place for women. This should be exposed. They soften the blow.
We might laugh, but for many voters Bennett is difficult to dislike…that’s her reason for existing.
C’mon Paula Bennett has graduated from the school of Confident Speech, done well in the Think and Talk on her Feet bracket and can hold her Notes about how bad welfare is against the combined voices of a Heavenly Choir.
That’s been going on for years, and not just under National.
Since before Shipley as welfare minister.
Oh yes, the Nats did that in the 90s too…
Who saw a TV program last night where police could not prosecute a male for “under age sex” because the girl, 14 yrs old would not give evidence. She was a willing partner.
Who thinks that they are a mature adult and they know it all. SO DO NOT QUESTION ME.
Who thinks that they just about know it all, but they can not imagine what else there is to learn.
Who thinks that they are an adventurer on the journey of life. It would be booring if there was nothing to learn.
Who thinks that they do not have to accept responsibility for their actions. SELF SATISFACTION is the key.
Who has got the courage to make a comitment for life. It affects them and so many others.
With so many enthusiastic amateurs on the street, how do the professionals make a living?
You can not expect quality if you buy shop soiled goods.
If the 72 means your age John then tone it down. You are giving the rest of us a bad rap.
The truth hurts.
Sex is a beautiful and unique experience. For so many people it is the CONSUMATION of marriage.
(def:- Of the highest perfection or completeness.) Because it is some times associated with the conception of life, yours and mine, it used to be priviledged to married couples. This situation was never perfect but it was something to aim for. A goal to set. Men and women had respect for each other and one way of showing it was by not demanding self-satisfaction.
How many of my critics have had the courage to make a “promise for life” where both parties will be faithful.
I am not saying that I have been perfect, but it is a goal to aim for.
Funnily enough, I always thought that promising life-partnership was the consummation of a relationship.
” Because it is some times associated with the conception of life, yours and mine, it used to be priviledged to married couples.”
Not universally though, and not for all of human history. Many cultures have had different values around marriage and children than the the model you espouse (presumably the Christian one originating in Europe in the past thousand years), and been successful with it. Besides, the only reason we’ve had lifelong monogamy as the only respectable choice until reasonably recently is because it’s been enforced by the church and then by the state. As soon as women achieve emancipation, they mostly make a variety of choices (some of those are lifelong commitments). What does that tell you? Oh, right, it tells *you* that many women are dirty whores.
My parents have been married for over 50 years. I think that’s great, and anyone that wants to do that should be supported. It’s stupid to think that that is what everyone should have, or even want though, not least because humans just don’t act like that given a choice.
Weka, that is an unwarranted assumption on your part, you don’t know that he thinks that…
Yes we do, he said quite explicitly.
Beautiful but not unique.
Men and women can have respect for each other without your authoritarian BS. In fact, marriage is a minority position in world cultures for raising children. Usually marriage is about inheritance and mens control over women and has nothing to do with love or the raising of children. Can’t find the link now but monogamous marriage is actually a minority position across cultures.
Me also! Agreed John 72… 😀
Don’t worry, the view of John72 is never linked to any other people.
He is amusing…I like the way his attempt to be the ‘Dalai Lama of The Standard’ is constricted by his inner-Brian Tamaki.
Lol. That’s very funny fatty.
None of none of my critics have addressed my question,”… who has had the courage to make a commitment for life…”?
They all think that they “know it all”
I Corinthians 13:11 ;- When I was a child I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things.
John72, I am delighted that you have your faith. I hope it gives you comfort and support. I don’t think that you have chosen the most appropriate forum for pushing your point, however. That said, you have a perfect right to both hold and expound your views, just don’t be surprised when others, some of whom may be of the same faith, disagree with your particular expression of belief.
I also don’t have a problem with your faith or you valuing marriage. I do have a problem with your implications that other forms or relationship are morally deficient.
“None of none of my critics have addressed my question,”… who has had the courage to make a commitment for life…”?”
Lots of people have done this. Many not out of courage, but out of necessity or because it was the only thing on offer. What’s your point?
There are also people who have made other kinds of commitments for life, with courage. What’s your point?
Sometimes resorting to the authority of the bible by plucking out some apparently apposite wisdom is a very unsatisfactory reply to a query or comments.
prism, the bible quotation shows that the thought is not new, just expressed so clearly. Do not be overwhelemed by the bible. So many of the thoughts and parables are still relevant 2000 years later even if you do not believe. A program on TV One this evening made the observation that, physically, the human brain is growing till about 20 years of age. I am sure that emotionally, most of us are maturing for another 50 years. I remember thinking, “50 years ago” that I knew it all. 50 Years ago I wrote some very personal letters to a young lady. They were returned when her interests changed and I was deeply embarrassed to see how much I had matured in 18 months. I hope that some of the contributors to The Standard will not embarrass themselves. Only two people read my letters.
(Quote Graham Greene ) :- ” Morality comes with sad wisdom of age. When the sense of curiosity has withered.”
One thought but, as always, not the complete answer.
So because many people in this pseudonymous forum choose not to share some aspects of their life, you assume that they are not married and are probably young?
Isn’t sex great. You can enjoy it, bash it, judge it, manipulate it. And concentrate on it as The Important Thing in the world and not get half as excited over war and bayonetting babies or anybody and violence and poverty and starvation blah blah. The world’s terrible events and actions continue on, but concentrate on being judgmental about sex why don’t you.
It must be the right way for humans to think as there are whole mass religions based on the idea that sex is all the evil there is, and they must stamp it out.
What religions would that be then? Your comment shows woeful prejudice and ignorance.
Oddly enough, woeful prejudice and ignorance is what I associate with most organised religions. The maintenance of the religious bureaucracy requires its adherents have blind faith in whatever doctrine is being peddled and it helps to engender prejudice against ‘lesser’ religions to shore up belief in the ‘true’ religion.
I read the article and I must say that the young woman going out and enjoying safe and responsible sex didn’t worry me. The fact that the MSM didn’t hold the parents to account for the horrific way they treated their daughter did. I note that you don’t seem to have anything to say to their virtually imprisoning and spying on the daughter either.
People are ready for sex when they decide and that’s not something that a law can change. We should be on guard against undue influence and coercion but that comes down to rape and if we supported our people fully in their own decisions then we would actually know when that happened as the people raped would be willing to tell us.
Oh, BTW, this young woman sounds as if she’s definitely quality, got the chutzpah to take life in both hands and live it.
So you think it’s OK for 20 year olds to have sex with a 14 year old ?
If the 14 year old is fine with it then I’m supportive of their decision.
How would you know? The reason for the statuatory rape law, as opposed to one that says, okay have sex unless it’s not ok, is because it’s hard to tell what’s ok and what’s not (and we are really pretty bad around the whole consent thing anyway even as adults). You think there aren’t women who ‘consented’ to sex at a young age and were damaged by that experience?
I’m also curious as to what you think the age of consent should be.
How about we ask?
The statutory rape law is because men were going around raping young girls and then saying that they consented. This is where actually believing and supporting peoples decisions help. There’s a reason why rapes don’t get reported and, IMO, its the vilifying and shaming that John72 shows that’s the main reason. We shame woman for having sex and that is completely fucked up.
Yep, that’s because we, as a culture, go round hiding sex behind innuendo and sly glances rather than being open about it.
Should there be an age of consent? If the children are well taught, respected and supported by the community then they would know when they’re ready and won’t give in to peer pressure or coercion.
There was a story a few years ago about a woman who’d had sex with a young boy and he showed changes in personality so, no, I don’t.
Ae, Draco, I agree with most of that. Problem is, we don’t live in a world where children are taught, respected and supported. And even if we did, still not all children would have the skills or knowledge to make good choices about sex. The age that people can do that will always vary, and so the community needs to take some responsibility.
The other problem is that such a high number of 14 year old girls have already been sexually abused, and have not been well supported in dealing with that. I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect all of them to be able to make safe decisions where they’ve already been socialised into patterns of behaviour that damage them.
“We shame woman for having sex and that is completely fucked up.”
Yep. And I liked the little bit I saw of what the woman in the article said. Sex positive works for me too. Doesn’t mean the world is safe though.
I see Bert Potter has been mentioned. A pretty good example or the problem
I remember being 14, and thinking I knew much more than I actually did. The fact is, she’s still legally below the age of consent, and that should be that…
14 year old me was pretty keen on the concept. Shame there were no takers.
The reason we have statuatory rape laws is to prevent predatory adults coercing people who are no longer children but not yet adults into sex. This doesn’t mean that all sex between a 20 year old and a 14 year old is wrong or abusive (although that age gap makes me uncomfortable).
I haven’t watched the video, but I read the TVNZ page, and the thing that strikes me is that the situation is very complex. I don’t think anyone could make a judgement about that situation based on the information available. I agree with Draco that the woman does seem like she has some sense. But that doesn’t mean the situation was ok when she was 14. When I see reports of multiple 20 yr old men having sex with multiple 14 year old girls, I want someone with some clues to be looking at that closely.
You’d also have to wonder why the 14 year old was running away from home at that age.
I don’t agree that all 14 year old girls are ok to make decisions about sex on their own.
The situation sounds pretty stink all around, but I still think that having sex with a 14yo when you’re 20 or older is just wrong.
I mean, it’s all good to say that it’s one of the rare occasions where all parties concerned gave 100% informed consent and it was all fine, but even in that case…
the males had sex with a 14 year old girl
When one party is that young and there’s an age gap of 6 years or more, that’s getting well into Bert Potter / Gary Glitter territory. It’s just fucked up.
Yeah, she now seems to have a strong sense of self, a university education and to probably have had more difficulty with her family than dealing with that part of her life, but…
the males had sex with a 14 year old girl
It’s not a John72 “soiled goods” line, I’m not lamenting the decline in marriage or pretending that fornication didn’t exist before 1963, I’m just pointing out that
the males had sex with a 14 year old girl
That’s the issue I have with the story.
Exactly. Since when was a 14 year-old defined as a consenting adult? And an adult (or 2) having sex with a 14 year-old is exploitative, and that’s the mildest term I can think of.
Oh, since about forever. 16 is actually a fairly modern change (1896 in NZ).
So it’s been since 1896 that a 14 year-old has been defined as a consenting adult. Good answer, since 1896 males have not been legally allowed to exploit 14 year-olds girls for sex.
Draco,
to heck with the legality of the situation. Can we just establish whether you think fucking people barely in their teens is an acceptable or normal practise for grown males?
Just asking.
McFlock DTB Is pointing out the reality of the situation that affects young people and age of first sexual experience. I think early NZ had no age limit.
The age of the first sexual experience isn’t a problem – kids have been shagging each other for millenia.
It’s the age of the sexual partner I have an issue with. What sort of adult even considers having sex with someone that age?
Is it a question of it being “normal” or of it being unhealthy? I certainly don’t consider it unhealthy. Normal is another question that seems to be a cultural value.
And, while were just asking, why the ageism and sexism that you’re showing?
Except in our cultures we have many examples of where it is unhealthy: Bert Potter and co, Pitcairn Island, child pornography and prostitution.
I think it is possible for a 14 yr old girl and a 20 yr old man to have a genuine connection including sex that doesn’t involve manipulation or abuse or power over. But I don’t think that is common, and we have far to many examples of where it IS unhealthy, to consider your argument as anything other than abstract.
Sexism? The case involved mature males and a young female. My criticism stands regardless of gender.
Ageism? Damned straight: there are power imbalances between aduts and children in society, and adolescents and children have cognitive performance issues compared with adults. This makes me question, as a general rule, the ability of children to enter into a sexual relationship with adults as equal partners in the relationship.
But both of those points are irrelevant.
The dudes fucked a kid.
Am I culturally biased against adults screwing kids or young adolescents? I should fucking hope so.
There were way more issues in that family than the daughter having sex with older men.
Thousands of parents manage their way through that without getting slapped with a divorce from their kid.
You can not expect quality if you buy shop soiled goods
Offensive. And very telling…
You remind me of the Eagle on the muppets.
I couldn’t quite figure it out. Did he just call the 14 year old girl a whore who can no longer have meaningful relationships because she is dirty for the rest of her life? Did he just imply that sex workers are dirty and can’t offer any quality service. Or did he mean that men can’t buy decent wives if women have been soiling themselves by running round fucking already?
I guess that is the case. But what do you expect from a bible bashing bigot.
He didn’t say any of the above, you simply chose to interpret his words the way you want to.
Sex workers are dirty*, and further more as the experience of Leah Stephens and Jayne Furlong show, they can never be anything else! The media won’t let them. (I remember reading an article by Leah Stephens’ mother, in which she talked about how much it upset her to have the word ‘prostitute’ appended to her murdered daughter’s name as if it was part of it.)
* But they don’t have to always be dirty, unless they want to be, which I seriously doubt. It’s just a whole lot harder to ever be anything else, since it’s all been legalised – I think that every time I see a job advert on TradeMe for a ‘massage girl’. (I was very naive once even though I was 28 years old, and I asked my neighbour who was a ‘massage girl’ at the time, if there were any jobs going where she worked. Then she told me what massage girls actually do! 😀 )
All the above weka.
Sounds like she might have more brains than John72.
Although I’m gobsmacked the guys weren’t charged, but then that’s not uncommon “policing”. Don’t do a thing unless a cast-iron case is handed to you by other people who gathered the evidence, which you then refer on and call it a clearance. The difference between “investigators” and sinecure-holders who are just treading water.
I wonder if this is how “honour killings” are justified by family members.
While discussing Pike River on Radionz this morning, the speaker referred to services working in dangerous circumstances like firemen, police not being prepared to take risks to carry out their duties effectively. Which I agree is happening in NZ. Remember police staying outside a dairy where a man had been shot while a man was dying inside. The memories of Aramoana may have imprinted into the police heads so that they are so cautious they can’t fulfil their role of protection and assistance to the public and see it as car chasers, drug baggers and protest busters.
At Pike River there was absolute refusal by police to consider an entry and penetration of the mine, even if there were gas checks and with safety precautions. While they were not prepared to do this, they also barred others from being involved in exploratory trials. But experienced miners could have formed opinions about the feasibility if information was gathered and shared, and those with family down there would have tried if feasible.
The police were not the appropriate authority in this situation. Search and rescue was the main task, not treating the area as a crime scene with bodies as evidence of possible law breaking of safety procedures. The police response is to assume sole authority and bar the public from consultation, involvement and support for their desired initiatives. An inclusive and consultative approach, still under police authority, would be a better way to manage crises.
Sad but true. See also the actions of police in the Christchurch earthquake, which led to the deaths of some victims.
Who will ever forget the cowardice they showed with the dairy owner being allowed to bleed to death, even though they knew there was no danger……………
grumpy I don’t know that there was no danger in the dairy, but did the police attempt a maneouvre to find out? I think they stood by for 15-20 mins and the dairy owner died as a result of the burglar’s shot. It didn’t feel right to me.
Ain’t just NZ. A guy fell into a duck pond in the UK and was floating face down. Firemen stood at the pond side and did nothing because it was against regulations to enter water over 3 foot deep. Judge eventually concluded that the drowned guy could possibly have been saved if action had been taken…ie resuscitated. A photo emerged of a fireman recovering the body…after all due safety considerations and measures had been fully implemented of course! He was wading in chest deep water.
Woman fell down a disused mine shaft. Firemen were about to lower themselves down to get her out. (She had broken bones and was suffering from exposure. Someone had already been lowered with blankets and come back up). Head honcho arrives on the scene and orders everyone to stand down until all safety considerations had been worked through and corresponding measures put in place. She died because that process took several hours.
I don’t know what it is that makes adherance to a rule or regulation more important than a life. I don’t know where such a culture of safety came from or why it is tolerated, but hey. The moral of the story would be that if you get in shit you better hope it’s just a passer by who will be your potential rescuer, I guess.
It is hardly surprising that initiative in people is reducing as the ever-expanding bubble of government intervention in lives grows. Responsibility is being removed from individuals and given to ‘authorities’.
vto I personally don’t like the idea of responsibility being largely left to individuals to manage how they can. I think that authorities and government should work WITH people for the best result for the individual need and the social ‘fabric’. Not over people or ignore some people but put our collective taxes to provide help that people have difficulty providing on their own.
Was just off idly speculating and, well…members of the police force are probably of a personality type that doesn’t question authority. So if rules and regulations are an expression of authority and are disseminated by a person in a higher position of authority, then a paralysis of initiative would be ‘on the cards’, no?
But it goes beyond police officers or others in positions that rely on a certain codification (if that’s the correct expression for written rules, regulations and procedures ) of authority.
I think there’s a pervasive mentality whereby people simply won’t question authority whether that be the boss, the teacher or whoever. And as for defying authority, well that’s ‘unthinkable’ for most (maybe).
Is it unreasonable to suggest that in the past a rescue team comprised of miners might have simply responded to police ‘forbidding’ mine entry with a “Bite me” attitude and proceeded anyway? This paralysis of independent action in the face of authority; this apparent inability to question or defy it seems to have become somewhat pervasive in society. Why?
When and how did we become so well trained?
Government and various authorities have been around for a long, long time and have probably always acted in a basically conservative fashion, ie relied on ‘rules and regulations’. I don’t think anything much has changed there. But our relationship to them has. We defer and comply far more readily than we once did. And not just to overt commands issued from a person. But to a 1001 ‘indicators’ that invisibly or subtly extend authority…signs telling us we ‘can’t’ enter though this door because it’s for exiting only…lines on floors that no-one stands beyond even when, in given situations, there’s no reason not to. And so on and so on. Culminating in us learning to do what we are told to do.
Messrs prism and Bill, in the past government was much smaller. Tiny in fact. No social welfare, no public education system, not even any income tax and few other taxes. Certainly no health & safety legislation.
Today government is collosal in comparison.
As I said above, I think you will find the answer to your questions inside that fact. Today people have less responsibility for much of their lives, less accountability, less need to provide for themselves, less empathy for their fellow manwoman. All because those things are provided today by the state – so they don’t need to. And now it has become embedded. Something up? Look to government. Something threatening? Ask the appropriate authority. That ladder looks wobbly? Look up the health & safety booklet. Everything is prescribed.
The answer to this issue is simple, which is rare.
vto
Are you from USA? That’s what they or large numbers in some states, believe. They aren’t very impressive as examples of 21st century people.
The pioneers in NZ had it tough, had to look to themselves and the class system was strong. Little Lil and the lamp in Katherine Mansfield’s story The Doll’s House really displays how unhappy being independent of help and dependent on the whims of charity felt to the poor.
Trouble there are fashions in opinion and behaviour. Overconcern for personal comfort, high salaries and corporate good public relations is in fashion at the moment rather than a commitment to duty and service to the public. Which is what prompted the comment.
Ok, maybe we are talking about different things. You seem to be talking about the poor and how a community looks after them. I was responding to the issue of firemen not going into 3ft deep water to save a drowning man, policemen not going into a dairy to save a shot man, and police refusing to enter Pike – and the reasons behind this change in culture around initiative. My point excluded any class distinctions.
I disagree. In order to have the wealth and prosperity we need stabilization measures. Obviously they don’t need to be government driven, but just are because of the clueless right who just don’t want to give up control unless its total, or the clueless left who don’t want to give up control if when its empowering to the people.
But its naive the extreme to believe that without welfare, for individuals and corporations, that much of society as exists today, that we benefit from would actually exist. In fact we’d have to invent welfare and redistribution to get the mass society we have now.
Just because we have massive pollution social, fiscal, environmental, does not mean we should sack government, which would result in short life spans, little exotic or mass pollution, or fiscal global banking crisis. we shoudl sack government when we have a better approach to those tasks. i.e. Simplistically demand government non-existance is banal, venal and retarded.
The internet provides the means to reorganize the human world in entirely new ways, but requires local-ism, a local right to food, housing, education and healthcare, out of the purview of centralized states or corporations.
When an action could endanger more lives. Of course, what we’re seeing here is the process of safety taken to extremes.
Because if proper process isn’t followed and death occurs due to those actions then the people who took action will be up in court and vilified by the MSM.
snap.
Which is not necessarily a bad thing overall (it’s much better than the other extreme), but there should probably be a tweaking of legislation to explicitly give a “competent samaritan” immunity – something about not being liable for H&S actions if you are reasonably experienced to estimate risks in that situation, impose that risk only on yourself or other volunteers (in the case of collaborative efforts) and can reasonably expect to lessen the risk to life of another person.
John 15:13 No greater love has a man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend.
After the second Christchurch EQ, when the rescue helicopter was working for hours around the city, it was being operated outside it’s normal operating limits to save lives. The crew got away with it and rescued many people. If they had made a mistake, people who were not there would have crucified them for breaking some rule.
“I don’t know where such a culture of safety came from or why it is tolerated, but hey.”
In NZ the watershed moment is Cave Creek. That’s the point where kiwi ingenuity/# 8 wire mentality failed abysmally. Because that happened under the responsibility of a Minister of the Crown, it’s made government employees very very cautious since.
Likewise the bridge that collapsed on private land killing a beekeeper. The bridge had been built by the army when the land was under previous ownership. The owners at the time have spent years in court subsequently. This has made private land owners very very cautious since.
Leaky building syndrome is the other pertinent one. In that case it’s the local body govt that is paranoid.
What had changed in NZ society to allow those things to happen?
btw, I’m not sure the problem is a culture of safety. I think it’s a culture of denial. It’s the idea that we can control everything and avoid all risk. This makes us blind to risk assessment that is actually useful on the ground.
We see it in the way children are often raised now too. Trying to control all risk has replaced teaching kids their own risk assessment skills.
Today is the last day for on-line MMP Submissions. There is a 5 minute option for your considered opinions.
Idiot in charge of education
Having to make changes to and effectively re-write the budget before the inks even dry is gross incompetence that only a National government could display…
They probably don’t think the details are important as long as we’re all moving in the (very) right direction. I tend to see it as a mixture of incompetence and absolute arrogance.
aerobubble.Excellence
DAVID CUNLIFFE.an immediate and striking difference in the house.
RUSSELL NORMAN. very informative and persuasive.
JULIE-ANN GENTER.Excellence.
John72.moralising.sad.
Very little consideration given to TIME and socio/cultural historical REALITY in much political discourse.
“Escape from Freedom” Erich Fromm.
GREENS.Welcome The Chinese.
Investment.Infrastructure.Employment.
Post-Growth Society.
Thinking upon the words of John72 above, the tide of history has turned against that great institution, the traditional Christian church. For me it was starkly symbolised when the response of the Anglican diocese to a smashed ChristChurch Cathedral was to build a colourful cardboard box and call that a house of worship! It seems that solidity, dignity, tradition, conservatism, have been shaken and not withstood the turmoil of global events.
The great empires of Europe – gone. The mighty totalitarian states – disintegrated. The ancient religious institutions – decayed and irrelevant. The supremacy of finance and oil based economics – collapsing under their own weight of greed and power lust.
Freedom of thought, sexuality, and worship were always attacked by the forces of fear and doubt.
John72, the Creator gave us free will, a mind, body and life, not to live like a slave but to flourish.
Some observations of no real import but….
Has anyone notice that while Mr Joyce is replying to questions in the house in his usual condescending tone, he never looks anyone on the eye. What sort of personal insecurity is going on there?
Perhaps that’s why he pretends that he has a brain the size of a planet and eveybody else is a fool. Compensation for having a small….
I understand why English doesn’t look at the opposition but always looks up to the gallery – it’s the shame he feels about his problem with premature projections.
Tremaine and Bridges are keen little brown-nosers and eagerly nod their heads like bobble-head lap-dogs. Bridges especially makes a duck face, adopts a furrowed brow and nods.
The Speaker habitually responds to opposition points of order by telling the person who raised it why they are wrong – even if it is he that is wrong.
Is it me or are Winston’s questions incomprehensible?
So I get that Cameron wants his own billionaire’s retreat and that we are naive enough to be selling anything that’s not nailed down at the moment, but am I the only one that thinks 11,000,000m2 of land and a medium sized lake is a bit – ah – esurient?
Although the stuff story makes out like he’s going to run the whole 1000ha farm on his own with his three kids to instil a “strong work ethic”:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/7022639/Cameron-buys-three-more-NZ-properties
This might help you visualise the scale: Sold – Lake Pounui Preserve.
http://www.bayleysfiji.com/391740
Or putting it another way, if each of the US’s 30,000 ‘Ultra-HNWIs’ decided to buy a modest Cameron sized slice of the country, that would be the entire land area of NZ.
It does seem to be getting pretty excessive. Talk about “personal space issues”…
[edit: and does “reside indefinitely” mean an extended period of time, or just that he has not idea whether it will be 6 months or 6 decades?
from the first link:
***
In February, The Dominion Post revealed he had applied for residency under Immigration NZ’s Investment Plus category – reserved for those investing more than $10m. As such, the 57-year-old director must now spend at least 44 days in New Zealand each year in the final two years of a three- year investment period.
***
Who comes up with that stuff? $10m + 44 days??
I live in a part of the country where it’s normal to have farms above 1000ha in size, so for me it’s not the size that’s the issue. I would want to know what joining those farms does to the local community, including what will happen if Cameron wants to sell. Also, what does it mean in terms of management of the land – does it increase sustainability or decrease it?
And he shouldn’t be allowed to buy the land until he lives here, and demonstrates that he actually wants to be a NZer (as opposed to just wanting to live here because the US is so crap now).
Point taken regarding NZ station sizes, particularly in the South Island – the Shania Twain estate purchases were in the region of 25,000ha, so 1000ha is comparatively small (comparative being the operative word).
But is Cameron’s land-grab really anything to do with ‘farming’ ? Why buy the adjacent lake plus 313 ha of covenanted bush? When looked at in totality, it’s more akin to building an estate or fiefdom.
Regarding sustainability, in a strict ecological sense the most sustainable option would indeed be to sell all of NZ’s farms to Ultra-HNWIs who could then retire the land from dairy production and instead use them as personal playground, but is ‘Investment Plus’ a sustainable strategy as a country?
Loss of ag/hort export earnings from that land would be a huge hit. As well as the loss of the food production itself of course.
Have to admit, if I had Cameron’s money I’d be buying up land to prevent it being converted to dairy. I’d probably let it grow gorse too, and then regenerate to native bush. I’m sure that would go down well.
I think CV’s point is good, but I’m still waiting for the work to be done on how much land NZ needs to feed itself. As opposed to how much land we need in agriculture to export our millennia of fertility to China etc.
I was of course meaning ecological sustainability not economic.
1 ha. per person is heaps.
I’ve come to the conclusion that to own land you should be a citizen and spend 80% of your time in the country. That way you’re connected to the community.
Sounds reasonable to me. Maybe people who have legitimate reasons for travelling alot should have to apply for an exemption.
Or you could nominate a citizen to be a legal custodian of your land while you travel.
Well, if you’re travelling chances are you’re going to put someone there to look after the place, you know, like a lawyer.
Or tenants 😉
tenants would be a safer bet
Just flicked over to Kiwiblog to see if there was any substance to the Jones resignation story referred to here on the Standard (there isn’t). Couldn’t help but notice that the Curia ‘average’ poll of polls hasn’t been updated for 5 weeks. How curious. Could it be because Farrar can’t bring himself to publish the bad news that NZ is no longer BFF with Mr Australia?
Ah, more RWNJobbery and authoritarianism from NACT:
I reside in a aspect of the nation where it’s regular to have plants above 1000ha in dimension, so for me it’s not the dimension that is the problem.