Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, ugly and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Lucky we have a marae that cares……..
‘Social agencies desperate to help their clients have joined the queues of people turning up at a south Auckland marae that opened its doors to the homeless.’
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, ugly and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
‘Housing New Zealand is evicting several tenants in Hamilton, just as Aucklanders are being offered $5000 to move into state homes there and in other provincial cities.
Angela Eastham, 49, who faces eviction this Friday, has multiple sclerosis and cares for a 21-year-old son with a brain injury and a 23-year-old autistic daughter.
Another family with four school-aged children faces eviction within 48 hours if Housing NZ wins a Tenancy Tribunal case this Thursday. The evictions come just days after Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett announced a scheme to pay up to $5000 for Aucklanders seeking social housing to move to the provinces from June 20.
She said Hamilton, Huntly, Ngaruawahia, Whanganui and Gisborne all had vacant state houses available.’
Musical chairs game by Paula Bennett. Unfortunately the wording is too true, Someone from Paula Bennett’s department announced that they will be offering the option of chairs placed near a public toilet and shower block for people evicted from houses. Some will even have sunlounges offering a shade for protection from the weather.
The comment from Bill English was that the National government is cognisant of the difficulties which some people are experiencing, and does not want to see them having to sleep in the streets and under bridges with no amenities.
/sarc
This is the Auckland marae that has acted to assist with emergency housing.
All those people so angry about the homeless situation could have a look to see what they can do in the interim to help until we can get real NZ politicians into Parliament instead of these marathon competitors in the Hunger Games.
If someone connected with the marae could start a GiveaLittle page for them, it would ease the burden on them to have some money as they are going to be run off their feet and putting so much time and resources into it that their own lives and families will suffer. They need help at Te Puea Memorial Marae. Can someone who knows them help them to do so, I think they would be accepted without difficulty. And while it is in the news, and people have it at the top of their minds, I think would be the most effective time to do it.
Meanwhile NZ the Neo liberal paradise has been rated the 4th most prosperous country in the world across the balance of 89 variables by the Legatum Institute global annual survey, 1 ahead of the left poster child Sweden.
News flash Paul having palpitation as he searches for new daily header to reflect reality
Why are Nordic countries rated so highly then, with nz, thus all very similar over 89 variables, are not the Nordic countries the poster child’s for social democracy Thus nz can hardly be a neo liberal nightmare and they not
Over a third of coral is dead in parts of the Great Barrier Reef, scientists say
‘We knew this was coming.
For months, coral reef experts have been loudly, and sometimes mournfully, announcing that much of the treasured Great Barrier Reef has been hit by “severe” coral bleaching, thanks to abnormally warm ocean waters.
Bleaching, though, isn’t the same as coral death. When symbiotic algae leave corals’ bodies and the animals then turn white or “bleach,” they can still bounce back if environmental conditions improve. The Great Barrier Reef has seen major bleaching in some of its sectors — particularly the more isolated northern reef — and the expectation has long been that this event would result in significant coral death, as well.
Now some of the first figures confirming that are coming in. Diving and aerial surveys of 84 reefs by scientists with the ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University in Australia — the same researchers who recently documented at least some bleaching at 93 percent of individual reefs — have found that a striking 35 percent of corals have died in the northern and central sectors of the reef.’
To repeat…. because it needs repeating every night people repeat sleeping outside.
No wonder we don’t have enough houses to house the vulnerable… this government has sold them for fucks sake …… and let a couple hundred thousand more people into the country as well …
what the fuck did John Key expect?
What a complete dumbarse dope
. . . .
unless it was intentional ….. so that house prices would be driven high and the incumbent re-elected…. in that case it makes John Key a ……. traitor ……. amongst more and worse …..
. . . .
this entire situation is abominable and Key and his National Party members and supporters truly astounding.
Rising house prices which leads to increasing mortgages that feed in to the economy to produce a rising GDP and thus he, and National, would be able to proclaim a growing economy.
The reality is that a few people are getting richer on paper while the real economy collapses beneath them.
What if gorillas are a dying species and really precious to the earth. And we are fecund and destructive and harming other species. Perhaps we should shoot the boy, and his parents who are less alert than meerkats, and not as concerned in looking after their young as spiders.
Not all that hard. Somewhere around the “shoot the boy” and parent-blaming, your comment got routed through the “low probability of valuable content” filter and thereby avoided serious consideration 🙂
But but the reasoning is all factual. But the low probability of value content attention applies to anything really serious on blogs these days, hardly anyone can run their minds off the old familiar rails and gaze at a different landscape. they might encounter themselves. They don’t want to face that, and turn instead to the small and large brutalities on television, say Game of Thrones.
Hey, look, gorillas are one of the few non-human life-forms that approach my pet test for a sentience level we have a duty to preserve, which is “can they write a story about what they did on their summer holiday”.
But the fact is that an agitated gorilla can easily kill a kid by accident, even if it actually means to protect the sprog. And no parent is perfect at stopping their sprog doing something silly. Let’s say the gorilla was a human being who you couldn’t talk to for whatever reason, was growing agitated and was dragging a kid around by his ankle? Yeah, I wouldn’t judge a cop who shot the adult, or one who didn’t. It’s a shitty call to have to make, but sometimes there’s no winning move where everybody walks away unharmed.
“Distraction” is the wrong word, I think. It implies that people would watch and care about continued stories on Syrian refugees.
Many would just switch over to something else. It’s the difference between “hey, look over here, don’t look over there!” and “Bored now. What else will I look at?”
What has happened to the stunning news that Hilary Clinton/Clinton Foundation quite possibly will be indicted on Racketeering charges, it was breaking news yesterday and the FBI have said if the charges do not go ahead they will release their findings publicly anyway. Why aren’t our MSM all over this, even for just headline purposes, its not like they aren’t in the business of trying to break news. This will change completely the face of the upcoming presidential elections. It seems this is being swept under the carpet.
Another event which was swept under the carpet is the under/overpaying of accommodation supplement payments by our own government, and discovering it too close to an upcoming election and choosing to sweep it under the carpet. Is this becoming a common practice among our people in power?
I was listening to a podcast a few months ago about sexual abuse by Bill Clinton being covered up, and they recommended anyone who was in doubt about the Clinton’s shady dealings to read “Clinton Cash”, by Peter Schweizer.
It basically outlines how they profited into the millions by blurring the lines between charity, business and politics.
“General Sir Richard Shirreff is a high ranking retired British military General. He warns that nuclear war with Russia could happen within a year, if NATO doesn’t beef up its defence presence in the Baltic states.”
“Who is being aggressive? For the past few years the drumbeat for a conflict with Russia has been building almost to the point of hysteria. Now there is talk of a war – including a nuclear war – that could destroy civilization. On this edition of CrossTalk we ask who benefits from such dangerous talk.
CrossTalking with John Laughland, Nebojsa Malic, and Hall Gardner.”
‘Chomsky to RT: US and its NATO intervention force may spark nuclear war’
Gee, that’s a tough question, but my money’s on the one that invaded its neighbour’s territory and thereby made its other neighbours shit themselves. That seems pretty aggressive. Maybe if the fear of being forcibly absorbed into a Russian empire hadn’t been proved justified quite so often for these neighbours, they wouldn’t be clamouring for NATO protection in the wake of this latest instance – but what would I know?
That’s a pretty compelling argument you make there, One Two, but, comprehensive though it is, there are nevertheless a few things you could clarify for me:
1. Did the Russian Federation not annex Crimea and I just imagined it?
2. Russian military not fighting the Ukrainian military inside Ukraine, then?
3. Poland and the Baltic republics actually not keen for NATO to protect them from similar antics and just faking their concern, maybe?
4. Poland and the Baltics lack previous experience of being forcibly absorbed into a Russian empire and all the historians are wrong?
“A Czech veteran opposed to the “aggressive missions” of the US in Europe has decided to take a stand against the major drills across central and Eastern Europe by launching a semi-naked protest.
Martin Zapletal, a member of a group of Czech and Slovakian soldiers opposed to Nato, described the US soldiers as “aggressors, killers and occupiers” as Dragoon Ride II paraded through the country over the weekend…
1. Did the Russian Federation not annex Crimea and I just imagined it?
ANSW: Over 80% of the residents of Crimea, including the Tartars, voted to return to Russia.
Further, you gotta be dreaming if you think that Russia was about to let Sevastapol turn into a NATO base.
2. Russian military not fighting the Ukrainian military inside Ukraine, then?
ANSW:
Russian regular troops who asked were given leave from their units to fight a Ukraniain military that was attacking civilian towns and apartment blocks, in Eastern Ukraine, yes.
3. Poland and the Baltic republics actually not keen for NATO to protect them from similar antics and just faking their concern, maybe?
ANSW: NATO cannot protect these countries. The Baltic states in particular are totally indefensible. Further NATO is supposed to increase the security of its members – instead its actions moving armed forces right to Russia’s borders reduce the security of its member states.
Romania, due to the presence of the new US ABM system, has now made itself a strategic target in Russian military contingency plans.
4. Poland and the Baltics lack previous experience of being forcibly absorbed into a Russian empire and all the historians are wrong?
ANSW: Maybe you should remember your history. The Germans killed approx 27M Soviet citizens. That’s why the Soviet Union occupied those countries, as a buffer zone against future European aggression. Which is what Russia is facing right now.
Speaking of history, maybe you should also remember how France tried to sack Moscow under Napolean. European aggression against Russia has been the norm in history, not the other way around.
1. So, no I’m not imagining it.
2. So, yes Russia does have its military fighting Ukrainians in Ukraine.
3. Whether NATO will actually be able to protect those countries or not is irrelevant to the fact that they want somebody to protect them.
4. The people living in those countries find Soviet propaganda less credible than you do, obviously. I’ll take their word for it over yours any day. Also: these countries’ experience of Russian imperialism goes back way before Soviet times. They know their history a little better than you do.
You’re a fool if you believe the mood of the ordinary people on the streets of Riga and Vilnius is the same as the bought by USD political elite of those countries.
BTW people in the former eastern bloc countries have massively sensitive propaganda BS detectors because of their Warsaw Pact experience. Whereas us in the west, we’re stupid enough to believe that we’re not being propagandised so we don’t tend to look out for it.
Which is odd, because on The Standard, the theme of a highly biased pro-establishment narrative mass media, is taken for granted.
Been out doing vox pops, have you? Everything I’ve seen suggests no love for the Soviets and their modern counterparts in Poland or the Baltic republics. And they do indeed have powerful bullshit detectors, which is exactly why they don’t trust Putin and are looking to the defence of their countries.
But it will not allow Russia or China to run affairs even 1,000km from their own borders.
Your conspiracy theory that the Americans are “running affairs” in eastern Europe is merely comical; your belief that Russia and China have some kind of right to imperial power not comical at all.
Thats neatly countered Colonial Viper. You have been following your history.
Did you study it at uni or is it an interest of yours?
Our entire political team down here in Dunedin has an interest in history. You need to know some history or else contemporary politics becomes meaningless without context.
My interest is informal; I never studied history at university (my background is engineering and technical).
It certainly is important to look beyond the facile arguments that the RW come up with. Do you really know your stuff so well that it is 99% right?
I am convinced that the guts of it is right – minimum 85% to 90% right. Mostly it is just relaying things that the western style of propaganda (= propaganda by omission).
I like to read and listen to pieces by journalists and experts like Pilger, Hedges, Cohen, Wilkerson, Leveretts. These people are not pro-Russian, but they are definitely pro-reality.
Sigh. Germany putting 150 divisions there was “massing troops along the Russian border.” NATO having one armoured brigade rotate between six of Russia’s neighbours and maintaining around four divisions nowhere near Russia as a ready-reaction force, on the other hand, is not. You should spend less time on Russian propaganda sites, it’s leading you to present delusional fantasies as though they were facts.
Then try doing it. You’re fawning over someone who’s an apologist for a very ugly right-wing nationalist authoritarian regime in Russia.
Again, you are wrong here PM. Putin is a democratically elected and very centrist leader in Russia, and he is extremely popular for it, with personal approval ratings in the low to mid 80% range.
Try and find me a western leader with approval ratings anywhere near that figure. John Key was in the 60% range for a while, I guess.
And if you were at all genuinely concerned about “ugly right wing nationalist authoritarian regimes” you would be kicking the shit out of the government in Kiev, and their Stepan Bandera inspired paramilitary supporters, who have been using heavy weapons and terror tactics against their own citizens in eastern Ukraine for the last 3 years.
Sigh. Germany putting 150 divisions there was “massing troops along the Russian border.” NATO having one armoured brigade rotate between six of Russia’s neighbours and maintaining around four divisions nowhere near Russia as a ready-reaction force, on the other hand, is not.
Correct.
That singly NATO armoured brigade, I presume it is up to 2000 combat troops plus support personnel, has an effective fighting time span in a serious scrap with the Russians of under 12 hours. Being generous there. It’ll probably be 180 minutes or so.
The real threat to Russia is from the Romanian based US ABM system which uses interceptor missiles which can be nuclear tipped, and no one would ever know the difference. Not even the Romanians at the base. (Putin specifically mentioned this in a speech a couple of days ago).
That’s the real strategically destabilising factor that NATO has put on Russia’s door step.
NATO is supposed to make the environment more secure for its members; in fact it is doing exactly the opposite.
Putin is a democratically elected and very centrist leader in Russia…
So is Assad in Syria, according to you and Chooky.
…and he is extremely popular for it…
So was Hitler. These things in themselves mean little. Putin is in fact running a kleptocracy with no democratic or media oversight, in which nationalist authoritarianism is the dominant political approach and collaboration with the official Church hierarchy to promote order, obedience and conservative values is the dominant ideological approach. In political terms, he has more in common with General Franco than with any leaders of western democracies.
So was Hitler. These things in themselves mean little. Putin is in fact running a kleptocracy with no democratic or media oversight
Putin is an extremely popular leader – more popular than even our John Key – and United Russia won their internationally monitored elections fair and square.
And bear in mind that most of the Russians who do not support Putin…are people who think that he isn’t hard line enough and that he isn’t Communist enough.
Yes Putin is running a system where billionaire oligarchs have a lot of say in what happens in Russia…but sorry mate so does every western FVEY nation.
As for media oversight – you clearly have no idea. There is a strong Atlanticist leaning private sector mass media in Russia, both TV and in print.
And my understanding is that newspapers like the New York Times and the Washington Post are available on line in Russia, translated into Russian on the same day.
Bottom line is that the Russians do some pretty shite underhanded things for $$$, and their mid and local levels of government are often corrupt and utterly inefficient, but guess what, every country has shit that it needs to deal with.
A brief respite came Thursday — the day he cleared the number of delegates needed to be the nominee — when Trump gave his only scripted speech of the week at an energy conference in Bismarck, N.D. Standing between two teleprompters, Trump seemed to find his confidence not only as a winner but as the Republican nominee that many want him to be. Trump argued that returning to more use of coal and lifting environmental regulations are keys to making the nation wealthy again.
Rumour.. McDonald Trump will announce either Glenn Beck or Ronald Mcdonald as his running mate.
(To paraphrase Obama..”For Fox News people..that’s a Joke.”)
Watched some TV the other night for the first time in a long time, and…
…why anti-smoking ads (presumably) on the grounds its effects will afflict others, and why no high alcohol content ads on the grounds (presumably) that spirits won’t be doing you any favours (unlike ‘lolly water’ apparently) and yet – buy a car, a SUV, a 4WD or a whatever and fly to Australia or wherever for only $149 or whatever because carbon’s fine and global warming’s a big fat nothing, or maybe, if it’s not, we got it covered…(?)
…while 1000 homes in Auckland blank out off the back of some fairly normal wind and rain – again.
Chris Trotter did a piece on Labour, as he often does, taking the pulse, looking for rashes, and checking the health of eyes, ears, and throat, all important features in a capable and active politician.
These, interesting paragraphs – A genuinely “broad church” party of the Left would balance off Andrew Little with Hone Harawira, Jacinda Ardern with Laila Harré, Stuart Nash with John Minto, Kelvin Davis with Annette Sykes, Grant Robertson with Julie Anne Genter and Annette King with Metira Turei. The whole spectrum of alternative power: from Soft Centrists to Hard Leftists; would be covered.
That Labour’s fatal apostasy [the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief or principle] has made such a caucus impossible is the besetting tragedy of progressive New Zealand politics. Its embrace of neoliberalism in the mid-1980s left Labour with the political equivalent of syphilis. Sadly, every one of the many attempts to administer the Penicillin of genuine progressivism (God bless you Jim, Rod, Laila!) was rejected. Consequently, Labour’s bones have crumbled and its brain has rotted. Small wonder that the other opposition parties are reluctant to get too close! https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2016/05/an-opposition-worthy-of-name.html
This coming year has got to sort out the sheep from the goats. We have to draw on the principles and the name of Savage and be resolute. This is the time of the Hunger Games, not the Disabled Games where if a competitor stumbles the others turn round to give aid in a spirit of friendly competition. The neo liberals won’t stop until they advance their theory and prove that it works, or doesn’t, and whoever gets hurt in the process will be considered to be not of the right stuff. Try looking at Cold Lazarus by Dennis Potter. Some will probably be on Youtube.
We have people against us who are ruthless, and prepared to divide off society into us and them, who will repeat the Highland Clearings on a huge scale, or who may start a crisis ending in war so they can repeat the Nasti experiment.
One of the most terrifying things of that was that it could happen at all, arising from a civilised country with great philosophers. Our minds are so plastic that they can adapt to any thought and rationalise it.
edited
If increasing taxes has no discernible effect on reducing smoking rates, then why keep doing it?
It seems that the diminishing returns have basically fallen to zero, so the reason for increasing the tax isn’t about reducing smoking. Is it down to:
A. racism?
B. another hit on the punishment pinata of poor life choices/bene bashing?
C. milking addicts for cash (Tax Cuts anyone)?
D. being seen to be doing something, cos if it worked before, it’ll work forever??
E. Tariana & the Maori Party wanted it?
I don’t know, but based on the research presented it seems suspect.
I didn’t see it, but wouldn’t be surprised. After all, the current government’s already made cigarettes worth robbing a dairy for, so it’s not like Labour bunging another tenner on the price would make things worse – might as well rake in the cash.
For extra points, King could spend the additional money collected on a commission of enquiry into why poor people don’t have any cash.
Back when you could buy individual cigarettes and they were only 900% excise tax by weight, an increase in tax would result in a reduction in use (initially in number of cigarettes/day, but then reduction in weight per rollie).
But the law of diminishing returns means that the effects are no longer as obvious. I’d also be intrigued if there’s any research as to the size of the tobacco black market – it grows just as capably as dope in NZ.
The G7’s problems show that many of us have recognised that trade deals have made the world a playground for the super-rich – they are part of our staggeringly unequal economy. But the G7 is unable to think beyond the interests of the world’s elite. It’s up to us to reclaim our democracy as citizens, and the movements against TTIP and Ceta are the frontline.
What? Frozen? In 2014 this was the news:
RNZ in ‘decent shape’ despite funds freeze | Stuff.co.nz http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/…/RNZ-in-decent-shape-despite-funds-freeze
May 8, 2014 – Despite suffering frozen funds for the past six years, RNZ chief executive Paul … RNZ chairman Richard Griffin said financial constraints meant the broadcaster …
RNZ had about 500,000 regular listeners but wanted to double that in 10 years.
Forty per cent of RNZ’s listeners were older than 65, and mostly Pakeha.
30 May 2016
More ice for Radio NZ in Budget « LiveNews.co.nz
livenews.co.nz/2016/05/30/more-ice-for-radio-nz-in-budget/
1 day ago – Budget 2016 once again left our only public broadcaster, Radio NZ (RNZ), worse off. After eight years of funding freezes, you have to wonder if RNZ is being … The Government, however, has frozen RNZ’s budget at 2008 levels, which means … The current National-led Government may be actively de-prioritising its role, but …
Comment – from Geoff Simmons economist for Morgan Foundation on NBR (originally on Gareths World.) ‘Pass the parcel on’ >… and
(Tune into NBR Radio’s Sunday Business with Andrew Patterson on Sunday morning, for analysis and feature-length interviews.) The budget freeze on Radio NZ continues, the clear decline in public interest journalism elsewhere. It must be time for a rethink of this sector.
Meanwhile, there is almost $500m extra for defence and intelligence. Priorities…
apparently the govt calling for public submissions for what should be printed on plain packaged tobacco lol does this mean us smokers are gonna be treated to reading hate messages from all the health snobs out there ?…such as die you bastards how dare you try an take the easy way out when we all have to live forever !!You gotta laugh by calling for submissions they make the whole process sound like its democracy in action rather than a fascist subjugation of the rights of 500 thousand newzealanders !! you gotta laugh when prob at least a third of the population is on a form of happy pill acceptable because youre local quack dispenses it and while rot gut fizzy drink is peddled in enormous quantities to the poorest members of our society at a cheaper than cheap price and the consumtion of this muck despite health officials repeatedly stating the very serious connection to obesity not a word is said against it .It just shows the power of lobbyists ie the maori party ash etc and the short sighted righteousness of the health snob.
We can afford another embassy in South America. The one in Colombia will cost some tens of millions over two years, and give us about five down there.
I remember the touching scene when David Lange returned to the one in India closed down by the cheese parers, and the previous caretaker was still in a little hut keeping guard waiting for our return.
Now we are adding Colombia to our set though we only do some tens of millions of trade with them each year. I hope the trade will match the cost. Or perhaps the USA sees it as a strategic point in their fight against drugs and General Mayhem (or one of the Generals somewhere), They might have said to us you are a good little ally and you can open an embassy and keep us covered on events through 5Eyes. Heres something towards the cost.
“Marxist economist and game theorist Yanis Varoufakis confided in crowds gathered at a Welsh arts festival on Monday that he has some admiration for the late ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, despite largely viewing her legacy as damaging…
He had been invited to discuss the origins of the eurozone crisis, the relentless Troika (European Central Bank-International Monetary Fund-European Commission) austerity that followed, and a potential path ahead for Europe and Greece.
Reflecting on commentary Thatcher once gave on the European Central Bank (ECB), he said it was the “most pertinent” ever made.
“It was a very nuanced and sophisticated criticism – who controls interest rates in Europe controls the politics of Europe, and that money cannot be depoliticized,” he added…
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
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Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
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Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
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New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
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Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
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:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles and that ...
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 ...
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. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
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 Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
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Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, ugly and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Lucky we have a marae that cares……..
‘Social agencies desperate to help their clients have joined the queues of people turning up at a south Auckland marae that opened its doors to the homeless.’
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/305224/social-workers-go-to-marae-for-help
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reNBonIh-UU
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, ugly and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
‘Housing New Zealand is evicting several tenants in Hamilton, just as Aucklanders are being offered $5000 to move into state homes there and in other provincial cities.
Angela Eastham, 49, who faces eviction this Friday, has multiple sclerosis and cares for a 21-year-old son with a brain injury and a 23-year-old autistic daughter.
Another family with four school-aged children faces eviction within 48 hours if Housing NZ wins a Tenancy Tribunal case this Thursday. The evictions come just days after Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett announced a scheme to pay up to $5000 for Aucklanders seeking social housing to move to the provinces from June 20.
She said Hamilton, Huntly, Ngaruawahia, Whanganui and Gisborne all had vacant state houses available.’
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11647724
Nat led HCC recently flogged their rental housing….join the dots folks.
Musical chairs game by Paula Bennett. Unfortunately the wording is too true, Someone from Paula Bennett’s department announced that they will be offering the option of chairs placed near a public toilet and shower block for people evicted from houses. Some will even have sunlounges offering a shade for protection from the weather.
The comment from Bill English was that the National government is cognisant of the difficulties which some people are experiencing, and does not want to see them having to sleep in the streets and under bridges with no amenities.
/sarc
https://www.facebook.com/Te-Puea-Memorial-Marae-Manaaki-Tangata-1622950467990826/timeline
This is the Auckland marae that has acted to assist with emergency housing.
All those people so angry about the homeless situation could have a look to see what they can do in the interim to help until we can get real NZ politicians into Parliament instead of these marathon competitors in the Hunger Games.
If someone connected with the marae could start a GiveaLittle page for them, it would ease the burden on them to have some money as they are going to be run off their feet and putting so much time and resources into it that their own lives and families will suffer. They need help at Te Puea Memorial Marae. Can someone who knows them help them to do so, I think they would be accepted without difficulty. And while it is in the news, and people have it at the top of their minds, I think would be the most effective time to do it.
Meanwhile NZ the Neo liberal paradise has been rated the 4th most prosperous country in the world across the balance of 89 variables by the Legatum Institute global annual survey, 1 ahead of the left poster child Sweden.
News flash Paul having palpitation as he searches for new daily header to reflect reality
Legatum Institum is a think tank of the neoliberal cult.
Of course it likes New Zealand.
Why are Nordic countries rated so highly then, with nz, thus all very similar over 89 variables, are not the Nordic countries the poster child’s for social democracy Thus nz can hardly be a neo liberal nightmare and they not
Over a third of coral is dead in parts of the Great Barrier Reef, scientists say
‘We knew this was coming.
For months, coral reef experts have been loudly, and sometimes mournfully, announcing that much of the treasured Great Barrier Reef has been hit by “severe” coral bleaching, thanks to abnormally warm ocean waters.
Bleaching, though, isn’t the same as coral death. When symbiotic algae leave corals’ bodies and the animals then turn white or “bleach,” they can still bounce back if environmental conditions improve. The Great Barrier Reef has seen major bleaching in some of its sectors — particularly the more isolated northern reef — and the expectation has long been that this event would result in significant coral death, as well.
Now some of the first figures confirming that are coming in. Diving and aerial surveys of 84 reefs by scientists with the ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University in Australia — the same researchers who recently documented at least some bleaching at 93 percent of individual reefs — have found that a striking 35 percent of corals have died in the northern and central sectors of the reef.’
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/05/29/a-whole-new-ballgame-scientists-find-35-percent-coral-death-in-parts-of-great-barrier-reef/
Climate Change Infographic
http://www.fastcodesign.com/3059791/infographic-of-the-day/climate-change-charted-as-a-haunting-death-spiral
To repeat…. because it needs repeating every night people repeat sleeping outside.
No wonder we don’t have enough houses to house the vulnerable… this government has sold them for fucks sake …… and let a couple hundred thousand more people into the country as well …
what the fuck did John Key expect?
What a complete dumbarse dope
. . . .
unless it was intentional ….. so that house prices would be driven high and the incumbent re-elected…. in that case it makes John Key a ……. traitor ……. amongst more and worse …..
. . . .
this entire situation is abominable and Key and his National Party members and supporters truly astounding.
Fuck the National Party
+1000
I’m guessing migrants tend to vote National too.
Rising house prices which leads to increasing mortgages that feed in to the economy to produce a rising GDP and thus he, and National, would be able to proclaim a growing economy.
The reality is that a few people are getting richer on paper while the real economy collapses beneath them.
And some ‘happy’ news for stunned mullet and red delusion.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/80532662/new-zealand-rowers-looking-good-for-rio-olympics-after-world-cup-medal-haul
Remember, don’t look. Keep the tinted windows down.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BxFLanNCIAALuMe.jpg:large
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjkfqbXVAAAnbo3.png:large
happy I am living rent free in your head Paul, saying that it is very drafty in here, plenty of vacant space 😀
Keep the tinted windows down.
Lock up your gated community.
Your repeating yourself Paul ( you have used tinted windows) simply saying the same rubbish moronically day after day does not make it so
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/07/reducing-food-waste-would-mitigate-climate-change-study-shows
The third biggest GHG emitter is food waste. Who knew?
You know, the ‘free-market’ is supposed to eliminate waste. So far, though, all I’ve seen is increasing amounts of it.
I would guess its a first world problem .
Some of us are deceived and distracted by the daily struggles of living in our current zeitgeist. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Sorry for the dead Gorrilla, but at least it distracts from Syrian children drowning in the Club Med Sea.
I reckon if someone had gone up to the cage (like the child’s mother) and asked, then the gorilla would have simply given the boy back …………..
we eternally under-estimate the non-human kingdom inhabitants..
What if gorillas are a dying species and really precious to the earth. And we are fecund and destructive and harming other species. Perhaps we should shoot the boy, and his parents who are less alert than meerkats, and not as concerned in looking after their young as spiders.
Now it’s hard to be objective isn’t it.
Not all that hard. Somewhere around the “shoot the boy” and parent-blaming, your comment got routed through the “low probability of valuable content” filter and thereby avoided serious consideration 🙂
But but the reasoning is all factual. But the low probability of value content attention applies to anything really serious on blogs these days, hardly anyone can run their minds off the old familiar rails and gaze at a different landscape. they might encounter themselves. They don’t want to face that, and turn instead to the small and large brutalities on television, say Game of Thrones.
Hey, look, gorillas are one of the few non-human life-forms that approach my pet test for a sentience level we have a duty to preserve, which is “can they write a story about what they did on their summer holiday”.
But the fact is that an agitated gorilla can easily kill a kid by accident, even if it actually means to protect the sprog. And no parent is perfect at stopping their sprog doing something silly. Let’s say the gorilla was a human being who you couldn’t talk to for whatever reason, was growing agitated and was dragging a kid around by his ankle? Yeah, I wouldn’t judge a cop who shot the adult, or one who didn’t. It’s a shitty call to have to make, but sometimes there’s no winning move where everybody walks away unharmed.
“Distraction” is the wrong word, I think. It implies that people would watch and care about continued stories on Syrian refugees.
Many would just switch over to something else. It’s the difference between “hey, look over here, don’t look over there!” and “Bored now. What else will I look at?”
We’re guilty of shooting first ask questions later too. Build motorways, imprison poachers, pollute rivers, etc etc.
What has happened to the stunning news that Hilary Clinton/Clinton Foundation quite possibly will be indicted on Racketeering charges, it was breaking news yesterday and the FBI have said if the charges do not go ahead they will release their findings publicly anyway. Why aren’t our MSM all over this, even for just headline purposes, its not like they aren’t in the business of trying to break news. This will change completely the face of the upcoming presidential elections. It seems this is being swept under the carpet.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/
Another event which was swept under the carpet is the under/overpaying of accommodation supplement payments by our own government, and discovering it too close to an upcoming election and choosing to sweep it under the carpet. Is this becoming a common practice among our people in power?
I was listening to a podcast a few months ago about sexual abuse by Bill Clinton being covered up, and they recommended anyone who was in doubt about the Clinton’s shady dealings to read “Clinton Cash”, by Peter Schweizer.
It basically outlines how they profited into the millions by blurring the lines between charity, business and politics.
Now check this out….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVvZ59Se0WA&feature=youtu.be
Peter Schweizer. Good friend of the mad Glenn Beck and equally crazy Sarah Palin.
Take a grain of salt!
Schweizer’s a serial bullshitter.
http://mediamatters.org/research/2015/04/20/clinton-cash-author-peter-schweizers-long-histo/203209
The Clintons are career criminals
+100
+100
Distraction update;
Gooners trougher sidekick mrs soper has been slagging off ngarawhaia and giving the waikato times an excuse to front page a nothing story.
If you really cared, instead of looking for an excuse for a bleat, you would have spelt Ngāruawāhia properly.
To counter RNZ cold war propaganda interview against Russia below (remember NATO destroyed Libya):
‘Top brass warns NATO on course for war with Russia’
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201802711/top-brass-warns-nato-on-course-for-war-with-russia
“General Sir Richard Shirreff is a high ranking retired British military General. He warns that nuclear war with Russia could happen within a year, if NATO doesn’t beef up its defence presence in the Baltic states.”
…and the contrary view to give some balance:
‘Who’s aggressive?’
https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/344555-russia-conflict-war-benefits/
“Who is being aggressive? For the past few years the drumbeat for a conflict with Russia has been building almost to the point of hysteria. Now there is talk of a war – including a nuclear war – that could destroy civilization. On this edition of CrossTalk we ask who benefits from such dangerous talk.
CrossTalking with John Laughland, Nebojsa Malic, and Hall Gardner.”
‘Chomsky to RT: US and its NATO intervention force may spark nuclear war’
https://www.rt.com/news/203055-us-russia-war-chomsky/
‘Chomsky: NATO is a U.S.-run intervention force’
https://www.rt.com/shows/sophieco/202967-cold-nuclear-war-nato/
‘Who’s aggressive?’
Gee, that’s a tough question, but my money’s on the one that invaded its neighbour’s territory and thereby made its other neighbours shit themselves. That seems pretty aggressive. Maybe if the fear of being forcibly absorbed into a Russian empire hadn’t been proved justified quite so often for these neighbours, they wouldn’t be clamouring for NATO protection in the wake of this latest instance – but what would I know?
You know nothing, as you pointed out!
That’s a pretty compelling argument you make there, One Two, but, comprehensive though it is, there are nevertheless a few things you could clarify for me:
1. Did the Russian Federation not annex Crimea and I just imagined it?
2. Russian military not fighting the Ukrainian military inside Ukraine, then?
3. Poland and the Baltic republics actually not keen for NATO to protect them from similar antics and just faking their concern, maybe?
4. Poland and the Baltics lack previous experience of being forcibly absorbed into a Russian empire and all the historians are wrong?
‘Czech veteran moons US convoy in anti-Nato protest (VIDEO)’
https://www.rt.com/news/344863-czech-veteran-moons-usarmy/
“A Czech veteran opposed to the “aggressive missions” of the US in Europe has decided to take a stand against the major drills across central and Eastern Europe by launching a semi-naked protest.
Martin Zapletal, a member of a group of Czech and Slovakian soldiers opposed to Nato, described the US soldiers as “aggressors, killers and occupiers” as Dragoon Ride II paraded through the country over the weekend…
1. Did the Russian Federation not annex Crimea and I just imagined it?
ANSW: Over 80% of the residents of Crimea, including the Tartars, voted to return to Russia.
Further, you gotta be dreaming if you think that Russia was about to let Sevastapol turn into a NATO base.
2. Russian military not fighting the Ukrainian military inside Ukraine, then?
ANSW:
Russian regular troops who asked were given leave from their units to fight a Ukraniain military that was attacking civilian towns and apartment blocks, in Eastern Ukraine, yes.
3. Poland and the Baltic republics actually not keen for NATO to protect them from similar antics and just faking their concern, maybe?
ANSW: NATO cannot protect these countries. The Baltic states in particular are totally indefensible. Further NATO is supposed to increase the security of its members – instead its actions moving armed forces right to Russia’s borders reduce the security of its member states.
Romania, due to the presence of the new US ABM system, has now made itself a strategic target in Russian military contingency plans.
4. Poland and the Baltics lack previous experience of being forcibly absorbed into a Russian empire and all the historians are wrong?
ANSW: Maybe you should remember your history. The Germans killed approx 27M Soviet citizens. That’s why the Soviet Union occupied those countries, as a buffer zone against future European aggression. Which is what Russia is facing right now.
Speaking of history, maybe you should also remember how France tried to sack Moscow under Napolean. European aggression against Russia has been the norm in history, not the other way around.
+100…well said CV
Over the last 70 years Washington DC has gotten used to run affairs in foreign nations 10,000km from its own borders.
But it will not allow Russia or China to run affairs even 1,000km from their own borders.
1. So, no I’m not imagining it.
2. So, yes Russia does have its military fighting Ukrainians in Ukraine.
3. Whether NATO will actually be able to protect those countries or not is irrelevant to the fact that they want somebody to protect them.
4. The people living in those countries find Soviet propaganda less credible than you do, obviously. I’ll take their word for it over yours any day. Also: these countries’ experience of Russian imperialism goes back way before Soviet times. They know their history a little better than you do.
You’re a fool if you believe the mood of the ordinary people on the streets of Riga and Vilnius is the same as the bought by USD political elite of those countries.
BTW people in the former eastern bloc countries have massively sensitive propaganda BS detectors because of their Warsaw Pact experience. Whereas us in the west, we’re stupid enough to believe that we’re not being propagandised so we don’t tend to look out for it.
Which is odd, because on The Standard, the theme of a highly biased pro-establishment narrative mass media, is taken for granted.
Been out doing vox pops, have you? Everything I’ve seen suggests no love for the Soviets and their modern counterparts in Poland or the Baltic republics. And they do indeed have powerful bullshit detectors, which is exactly why they don’t trust Putin and are looking to the defence of their countries.
But it will not allow Russia or China to run affairs even 1,000km from their own borders.
Your conspiracy theory that the Americans are “running affairs” in eastern Europe is merely comical; your belief that Russia and China have some kind of right to imperial power not comical at all.
Thats neatly countered Colonial Viper. You have been following your history.
Did you study it at uni or is it an interest of yours?
It certainly is important to look beyond the facile arguments that the RW come up with. Do you really know your stuff so well that it is 99% right?
Our entire political team down here in Dunedin has an interest in history. You need to know some history or else contemporary politics becomes meaningless without context.
My interest is informal; I never studied history at university (my background is engineering and technical).
I am convinced that the guts of it is right – minimum 85% to 90% right. Mostly it is just relaying things that the western style of propaganda (= propaganda by omission).
I like to read and listen to pieces by journalists and experts like Pilger, Hedges, Cohen, Wilkerson, Leveretts. These people are not pro-Russian, but they are definitely pro-reality.
Thanks for that CV. I have paid attention to your thoughts which seemed far seeing. So good to know the provenance!
It certainly is important to look beyond the facile arguments that the RW come up with.
Then try doing it. You’re fawning over someone who’s an apologist for a very ugly right-wing nationalist authoritarian regime in Russia.
actually I would have thought this description applied to you …
” someone who’s an apologist for a very ugly right-wing nationalist authoritarian regime”
‘NATO masses troops along Russian border, war becomes possible scenario – peace movement leader’
https://www.rt.com/shows/sophieco/344551-nato-planes-montenegro-conflict/
NATO masses troops along Russian border…
Sigh. Germany putting 150 divisions there was “massing troops along the Russian border.” NATO having one armoured brigade rotate between six of Russia’s neighbours and maintaining around four divisions nowhere near Russia as a ready-reaction force, on the other hand, is not. You should spend less time on Russian propaganda sites, it’s leading you to present delusional fantasies as though they were facts.
Again, you are wrong here PM. Putin is a democratically elected and very centrist leader in Russia, and he is extremely popular for it, with personal approval ratings in the low to mid 80% range.
Try and find me a western leader with approval ratings anywhere near that figure. John Key was in the 60% range for a while, I guess.
And if you were at all genuinely concerned about “ugly right wing nationalist authoritarian regimes” you would be kicking the shit out of the government in Kiev, and their Stepan Bandera inspired paramilitary supporters, who have been using heavy weapons and terror tactics against their own citizens in eastern Ukraine for the last 3 years.
Correct.
That singly NATO armoured brigade, I presume it is up to 2000 combat troops plus support personnel, has an effective fighting time span in a serious scrap with the Russians of under 12 hours. Being generous there. It’ll probably be 180 minutes or so.
The real threat to Russia is from the Romanian based US ABM system which uses interceptor missiles which can be nuclear tipped, and no one would ever know the difference. Not even the Romanians at the base. (Putin specifically mentioned this in a speech a couple of days ago).
That’s the real strategically destabilising factor that NATO has put on Russia’s door step.
NATO is supposed to make the environment more secure for its members; in fact it is doing exactly the opposite.
Putin is a democratically elected and very centrist leader in Russia…
So is Assad in Syria, according to you and Chooky.
…and he is extremely popular for it…
So was Hitler. These things in themselves mean little. Putin is in fact running a kleptocracy with no democratic or media oversight, in which nationalist authoritarianism is the dominant political approach and collaboration with the official Church hierarchy to promote order, obedience and conservative values is the dominant ideological approach. In political terms, he has more in common with General Franco than with any leaders of western democracies.
Putin is an extremely popular leader – more popular than even our John Key – and United Russia won their internationally monitored elections fair and square.
And bear in mind that most of the Russians who do not support Putin…are people who think that he isn’t hard line enough and that he isn’t Communist enough.
Yes Putin is running a system where billionaire oligarchs have a lot of say in what happens in Russia…but sorry mate so does every western FVEY nation.
As for media oversight – you clearly have no idea. There is a strong Atlanticist leaning private sector mass media in Russia, both TV and in print.
And my understanding is that newspapers like the New York Times and the Washington Post are available on line in Russia, translated into Russian on the same day.
Bottom line is that the Russians do some pretty shite underhanded things for $$$, and their mid and local levels of government are often corrupt and utterly inefficient, but guess what, every country has shit that it needs to deal with.
+100 greywarshark
Chooky
Thanks for defending me from the psycho melt-down.
‘Kusturica: Why does NATO still exist? To fight terrorism? It’s laughable!’
https://www.rt.com/shows/sophieco/emir-kusturica-europe-russia-296/
‘NATO’s “Humanitarian Intervention” in Libya: A Premeditated Geostrategic Operation’
http://www.globalresearch.ca/natos-humanitarian-intervention-in-libya-a-premeditated-geostrategic-operation/5482662
Coal, lots and lots of coal.
/
A brief respite came Thursday — the day he cleared the number of delegates needed to be the nominee — when Trump gave his only scripted speech of the week at an energy conference in Bismarck, N.D. Standing between two teleprompters, Trump seemed to find his confidence not only as a winner but as the Republican nominee that many want him to be. Trump argued that returning to more use of coal and lifting environmental regulations are keys to making the nation wealthy again.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/even-in-victory-donald-trump-cant-stop-airing-his-grievances/2016/05/29/a5f7a566-2526-11e6-8690-f14ca9de2972_story.html
Rumour.. McDonald Trump will announce either Glenn Beck or Ronald Mcdonald as his running mate.
(To paraphrase Obama..”For Fox News people..that’s a Joke.”)
Watched some TV the other night for the first time in a long time, and…
…why anti-smoking ads (presumably) on the grounds its effects will afflict others, and why no high alcohol content ads on the grounds (presumably) that spirits won’t be doing you any favours (unlike ‘lolly water’ apparently) and yet – buy a car, a SUV, a 4WD or a whatever and fly to Australia or wherever for only $149 or whatever because carbon’s fine and global warming’s a big fat nothing, or maybe, if it’s not, we got it covered…(?)
…while 1000 homes in Auckland blank out off the back of some fairly normal wind and rain – again.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/80503311/strong-winds-down-trees-cut-power-to-auckland-homes
Words failing…
John Key knows money is created out of thin air. He has done it for 20 years and is still at it! Here is how it’s done.
Chris Trotter did a piece on Labour, as he often does, taking the pulse, looking for rashes, and checking the health of eyes, ears, and throat, all important features in a capable and active politician.
These, interesting paragraphs –
A genuinely “broad church” party of the Left would balance off Andrew Little with Hone Harawira, Jacinda Ardern with Laila Harré, Stuart Nash with John Minto, Kelvin Davis with Annette Sykes, Grant Robertson with Julie Anne Genter and Annette King with Metira Turei. The whole spectrum of alternative power: from Soft Centrists to Hard Leftists; would be covered.
That Labour’s fatal apostasy [the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief or principle] has made such a caucus impossible is the besetting tragedy of progressive New Zealand politics. Its embrace of neoliberalism in the mid-1980s left Labour with the political equivalent of syphilis. Sadly, every one of the many attempts to administer the Penicillin of genuine progressivism (God bless you Jim, Rod, Laila!) was rejected. Consequently, Labour’s bones have crumbled and its brain has rotted. Small wonder that the other opposition parties are reluctant to get too close!
https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2016/05/an-opposition-worthy-of-name.html
This coming year has got to sort out the sheep from the goats. We have to draw on the principles and the name of Savage and be resolute. This is the time of the Hunger Games, not the Disabled Games where if a competitor stumbles the others turn round to give aid in a spirit of friendly competition. The neo liberals won’t stop until they advance their theory and prove that it works, or doesn’t, and whoever gets hurt in the process will be considered to be not of the right stuff. Try looking at Cold Lazarus by Dennis Potter. Some will probably be on Youtube.
We have people against us who are ruthless, and prepared to divide off society into us and them, who will repeat the Highland Clearings on a huge scale, or who may start a crisis ending in war so they can repeat the Nasti experiment.
One of the most terrifying things of that was that it could happen at all, arising from a civilised country with great philosophers. Our minds are so plastic that they can adapt to any thought and rationalise it.
edited
Labour-Green Announcement 3.10 pm. Looking up, feeling better.
New Zealand’s leading Maori tobacco researcher says National’s tobacco tax increases racist?
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11647467
And Labour welcomed this?
Isn’t that a kick in the face for the strong support Maori gave Labour at the last election?
Thoughts?
It’s a good point raised.
If increasing taxes has no discernible effect on reducing smoking rates, then why keep doing it?
It seems that the diminishing returns have basically fallen to zero, so the reason for increasing the tax isn’t about reducing smoking. Is it down to:
A. racism?
B. another hit on the punishment pinata of poor life choices/bene bashing?
C. milking addicts for cash (Tax Cuts anyone)?
D. being seen to be doing something, cos if it worked before, it’ll work forever??
E. Tariana & the Maori Party wanted it?
I don’t know, but based on the research presented it seems suspect.
Mostly C, to a lesser extent E. I presume Labour supports it because it intends doing quite a bit of C when it’s the government again.
Didn’t King suggest the possibility of Labour doing that (further tax increases on tobacco) the other day?
I didn’t see it, but wouldn’t be surprised. After all, the current government’s already made cigarettes worth robbing a dairy for, so it’s not like Labour bunging another tenner on the price would make things worse – might as well rake in the cash.
For extra points, King could spend the additional money collected on a commission of enquiry into why poor people don’t have any cash.
we are going to tax you for your own well being
Dairy owners are very concerned about their well being.
Will Labour use the extra tax intake to also increase the police budget?
Corrections will also require more.
Might have to let prisoners smoke again for the $$$
I hear they smoke tea-leaves mixed with nicotine patches.
Good points. A bit of analysis applied to the no tobacco meme can go a long way. Perhaps try another path.
What psycho milt said, but also a bit of D.
Back when you could buy individual cigarettes and they were only 900% excise tax by weight, an increase in tax would result in a reduction in use (initially in number of cigarettes/day, but then reduction in weight per rollie).
But the law of diminishing returns means that the effects are no longer as obvious. I’d also be intrigued if there’s any research as to the size of the tobacco black market – it grows just as capably as dope in NZ.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/30/ttip-trade-deal-agreements-ceta-eu-canada
The G7’s problems show that many of us have recognised that trade deals have made the world a playground for the super-rich – they are part of our staggeringly unequal economy. But the G7 is unable to think beyond the interests of the world’s elite. It’s up to us to reclaim our democracy as citizens, and the movements against TTIP and Ceta are the frontline.
Eight year freeze to funding of Radio NZ.
Maori TV get 4 million boost.
He who pays the piper….
What? Frozen? In 2014 this was the news:
RNZ in ‘decent shape’ despite funds freeze | Stuff.co.nz
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/…/RNZ-in-decent-shape-despite-funds-freeze
May 8, 2014 – Despite suffering frozen funds for the past six years, RNZ chief executive Paul … RNZ chairman Richard Griffin said financial constraints meant the broadcaster …
RNZ had about 500,000 regular listeners but wanted to double that in 10 years.
Forty per cent of RNZ’s listeners were older than 65, and mostly Pakeha.
30 May 2016
More ice for Radio NZ in Budget « LiveNews.co.nz
livenews.co.nz/2016/05/30/more-ice-for-radio-nz-in-budget/
1 day ago – Budget 2016 once again left our only public broadcaster, Radio NZ (RNZ), worse off. After eight years of funding freezes, you have to wonder if RNZ is being … The Government, however, has frozen RNZ’s budget at 2008 levels, which means … The current National-led Government may be actively de-prioritising its role, but …
Comment – from Geoff Simmons economist for Morgan Foundation on NBR (originally on Gareths World.) ‘Pass the parcel on’ >… and
(Tune into NBR Radio’s Sunday Business with Andrew Patterson on Sunday morning, for analysis and feature-length interviews.)
The budget freeze on Radio NZ continues, the clear decline in public interest journalism elsewhere. It must be time for a rethink of this sector.
Meanwhile, there is almost $500m extra for defence and intelligence. Priorities…
Tim Watkin leaving as Producer of TV3 The Nation, joining RNZ.
apparently the govt calling for public submissions for what should be printed on plain packaged tobacco lol does this mean us smokers are gonna be treated to reading hate messages from all the health snobs out there ?…such as die you bastards how dare you try an take the easy way out when we all have to live forever !!You gotta laugh by calling for submissions they make the whole process sound like its democracy in action rather than a fascist subjugation of the rights of 500 thousand newzealanders !! you gotta laugh when prob at least a third of the population is on a form of happy pill acceptable because youre local quack dispenses it and while rot gut fizzy drink is peddled in enormous quantities to the poorest members of our society at a cheaper than cheap price and the consumtion of this muck despite health officials repeatedly stating the very serious connection to obesity not a word is said against it .It just shows the power of lobbyists ie the maori party ash etc and the short sighted righteousness of the health snob.
Anything that stops a teen starting is all good with me.
We can afford another embassy in South America. The one in Colombia will cost some tens of millions over two years, and give us about five down there.
I remember the touching scene when David Lange returned to the one in India closed down by the cheese parers, and the previous caretaker was still in a little hut keeping guard waiting for our return.
Now we are adding Colombia to our set though we only do some tens of millions of trade with them each year. I hope the trade will match the cost. Or perhaps the USA sees it as a strategic point in their fight against drugs and General Mayhem (or one of the Generals somewhere), They might have said to us you are a good little ally and you can open an embassy and keep us covered on events through 5Eyes. Heres something towards the cost.
Colombia is a colony of the USA, don’t know why we would need extra representation there.
Unless it’s a cover for a FVEY base of operations.
Praise for Thatcher from an unusual source
‘Varoufakis: Thatcher’s criticism of ECB was sophisticated, pertinent’
https://www.rt.com/uk/344964-varoufakis-thatcher-praise-ecb/
“Marxist economist and game theorist Yanis Varoufakis confided in crowds gathered at a Welsh arts festival on Monday that he has some admiration for the late ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, despite largely viewing her legacy as damaging…
He had been invited to discuss the origins of the eurozone crisis, the relentless Troika (European Central Bank-International Monetary Fund-European Commission) austerity that followed, and a potential path ahead for Europe and Greece.
Reflecting on commentary Thatcher once gave on the European Central Bank (ECB), he said it was the “most pertinent” ever made.
“It was a very nuanced and sophisticated criticism – who controls interest rates in Europe controls the politics of Europe, and that money cannot be depoliticized,” he added…