The cleaner & the ugly face of National

Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, September 27th, 2013 - 164 comments
Categories: capitalism, class war, jobs, wages, workers' rights - Tags:

Imagine that your job was to clean 130 toilets every day. Imagine the grinding unpleasantness of it. Imagine the horrors some disgusting person would regularly leave for you to deal with. Imagine you do that for just above the minimum wage, barely enough to support your family, far from enough to live a real life. And imagine seeing one of the people whose shit you clean sneer at you.

Watch this. Listen to these poor working women plead with the rich people in suits to give them just a taste of the life that they take for granted. See Tau Henare (a man who was once a union organiser, for fuck’s sake) sneer and say she should give her job to someone else if she doesn’t like it.

Someone, Tau, has to do the job of cleaning up your shit or your office would soon stink of it and worse. That person is as human and as worthy of basic human dignity as you. And, unlike you, she works hard for her money, when was the last time you contributed anything of value to society? Arsehole.

As for Henare’s ‘solution’ – what happens when the woman gives up the job? Some other poor desperate person has to take it and endure the same conditions. She herself can’t get the benefit because she gave up a job voluntarily and she’ll be bloody lucky to get another job in John Key’s economy where 50,000 more people are unemployed than when he came to office.

‘She should educate herself, get a better job’, says the smug rightie. Still doesn’t change the fact that someone has to do the job and they deserve dignity. And how is a working class Pasifika mother meant to be able to afford to get educated? She can’t afford to take the time off work, and there’s no government support for her to get an education on the benefit thanks to Paula Bennett who took away the Training Incentive Allowance.

And, now, rather than pay these people a living wage, National wants to make a crappy, low-paid job worse by making it possible for cleaning contractors to fire existing staff and hire them back at worse pay when contracts change hands.

A job and a fair wage in return for your hard work. It’s something that anyone deserves, but it’s more than National thinks that you’re worth.

164 comments on “The cleaner & the ugly face of National ”

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  1. miravox 1
    27 September 2013 at 7:34 am

    How is that relevant? Are Labour and the Greens responsible for the contract? Are Labour and the Greens promising a living wage?

    Do Labour and the Greens support this piece of legislation designed to remove job protection for cleaners? Shall I answer these questions for you?

  2. tinfoilhat 2
    27 September 2013 at 7:45 am

    The Greens are committed to and pay at the very minimum a living wage.

    • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 2.1
      27 September 2013 at 7:49 am

      You should get paid more for cleaning up a vegetarian’s shit.

      • amirite 2.1.1
        27 September 2013 at 7:57 am

        Those who are cleaning your shit must be getting a CEO’s pay then.

        • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 2.1.1.1
          27 September 2013 at 8:01 am

          I am not a vegetarian.

          • thatguynz 2.1.1.1.1
            27 September 2013 at 10:41 am

            Perhaps not but given how regularly you demonstrate just how full of shit you are, one would suggest that cleaning up after you would be a hell of a job..

            • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 2.1.1.1.1.1
              27 September 2013 at 10:43 am

              Displaying your superior intellect again there I see, thatguynz.

      • phillip ure 2.1.2
        27 September 2013 at 8:21 am

        @ gormless..

        ..do you prefer the odour of rotting flesh and animal fats..?

        ..whoar..!

        ..phillp ure..

        • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 2.1.2.1
          27 September 2013 at 8:27 am

          I am not discussing my shit with you, Phil.

          • phillip ure 2.1.2.1.1
            27 September 2013 at 10:25 am

            u threw the first turd..eh..?

            ..and why the vegetarian-hate..?

            ..(and such a bad/lame ‘joke’..and from a mitchell-fan..?..hang yr head..!..)

            ..do you have financial interests in the flesh-trade..?

            ..and seriously..there is a school of thought that holds that people will never treat people decently/with respect.

            ..until people first treat animals decently/with respect..

            ..eh..?

            ..and i’d bet a vege-casserole to a meat-pie..

            ..that henare hasn’t even heard of that school of thought..eh..?

            ..and would likely share yr curled-lip contempt of those ‘vegetarians’..

            ..so..there you sit..with henare..

            ..(and i speak to you again as a fellow mitchell-fan..)

            ..henare ain’t at all funny…eh..?

            ..and you want vegan-funny..?

            ..this is from a piece i found this morn:..titled ‘the 19 most annoying things about being a vegan’..

            “..10. Getting lumped in with the gluten-free people.

            For Christ’s sake, it’s already hard enough!!!..”

            (now that..is funny..)

            ..phillip ure..

            • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 2.1.2.1.1.1
              27 September 2013 at 10:36 am

              I bet David Mitchell is a meat eater.

            • Rosie 2.1.2.1.1.2
              27 September 2013 at 10:43 am

              Onya Phil. Don’t know why some folks are obsessed with belittling vego’s after all these years, and even more childish, considering their fecal matter, as if this has anything to do with the topic anyway.Are they stuck in the 50’s?

              V funny point 10 “Getting lumped in with the gluten free people”. I have actually had this happen to me. Long story, involving an awkward social blunder recovery moment. But who’s off topic now lol.

      • tinfoilhat 2.1.3
        27 September 2013 at 8:43 am

        Not sure why you think that The greens are all vegetarians but I will defer to your expertise in all things scatological.

  3. vto 3
    27 September 2013 at 7:52 am

    Tau Henare is a pig. As are his mates who are supporting this. All pigs. oink oink, go sit with Matthew Hooton. Horrible horrible National Party people.

    What a disgusting arsehole of a man.

    He will get his comeuppance one day, that is for sure.

    • amirite 3.1
      27 September 2013 at 7:54 am

      + 1

      To be fair, he only said what most tories think to themselves but don’t dare to say it loud.

      • Tom Gould 3.1.1
        27 September 2013 at 9:57 am

        Remember how the MSM was all over Charles Chauvel when he had a moan about a crying kid on a plane? Where are the big chooks now on this grotesque example of arrogance and selfishness and entitlement? Not a peep, not a word.

    • Cemetery Jones 3.2
      27 September 2013 at 10:30 am

      Scatalogical thread is inevitalbe.

      Trying not to imagine Tau grinning smugly as he walks out of a Beehive bathroom, having shotgunned the bowl due to the backup brought on by a roid and potato diet. Too late.

    • North 3.3
      27 September 2013 at 11:52 am

      No mana. An out and out kupapa sucking ShonKey Python for the $160,000 or whatever it is he gets annually. Thing is he’d adopt that pose for anyone who had the power to ensure the putea. No mana but sure jumps on board the mana waka when it suits him. He’s a joke in the North.

    • newsense 3.4
      27 September 2013 at 10:39 pm

      Someone should make a toilet bowl brush of Henare, would be more satisfying to use than the chew toys…

    • The Pink Postman 3.5
      30 September 2013 at 3:47 pm

      The Labour Party needs to show these comments and TV news item every day throughout the election campaign.
      Yhis is true National Party ideology at is best,

  4. lurgee 4
    27 September 2013 at 7:53 am

    Surely ‘ugly face’ suggests a bit of confusion as to the mechanics of the defecation process? It doesn’t come from the face – except when John Key is speaking.

    Other than that, well said.

  5. karol 5
    27 September 2013 at 8:01 am

    Darien Fenton, Labour MP against the employment law changes and for the cleaners in schools, Parliament, etc.

    said yesterday, Listen to the Cleaners Mr Bridges:

    Simon Bridges should meet with the cleaners who today told Parliament about their fears for their work, their families and the health of their local communities under his proposed changes to labour laws, Labour’s Associate Labour spokesperson Darien Fenton says.

    “Cleaners representing schools, Parliament and the police college have warned MPs on the Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee about the impact of proposed changes to Part 6A of the Employment Relations Act.

    “Not only will the changes lower their pay and cut their hours, it will affect the quality of work they are able to do.

    “School Cleaners are particularly vulnerable, as even the largest of schools have fewer than 20 cleaners and will be subject to the proposed changes. Their jobs and pay will no longer be protected if their contractor changes hands or the work is franchised.

  6. Colonial Viper 6
    27 September 2013 at 8:02 am

    Cleaners do more good for society than the parasitic banking industry. But we have an economy which rewards pursuing excessive financial greed, and takes for granted jobs which physically help society.

  7. geoff 7
    27 September 2013 at 8:20 am

    Does it break the Standard’s anti-violence policy to suggest that someone should fling a turd at Tau Henare?

    [lprent: Probably. And hypothetically I could ban for hypotheticals as well. ]

    • private baldric 7.1
      27 September 2013 at 8:41 am

      Nah

      Celebrity death match between Tau H and Trev M with the winner receiving a bungee jump from the top of the sky tower sans bungee.

  8. pollywog 8
    27 September 2013 at 8:23 am

    Tau always struck me as a crawly bumlicking toady and i’m a fairly good judge of character.

  9. One Anonymous Knucklehead 9
    27 September 2013 at 8:23 am

    Henare’s failure to muster even the tiniest shred of human decency, Bridge’s pants-on-fire assertions that the changes are about “fairness”, can only serve to remind people what the National Party is.

  10. Saarbo 10
    27 September 2013 at 8:42 am

    “unlike you, she works hard for her money, when was the last time you contributed anything of value to society? Arsehole.”

    Hear, hear…well put!

  11. shorts 11
    27 September 2013 at 9:07 am

    I’d support any party that proposed MPs get paid the living wage and value cleaners far higher than many of those who hold power in this land

  12. greywarbler 12
    27 September 2013 at 9:19 am

    I learned from the delorean link that there were some great figures connected with the film Back to the Future. To drool over if you are an investor.
    Budget $US99M
    Box office $US957.6M
    Sorry off thread but wow. Can cleaners get into that sort of budget?

    Unfortunately you can’t make an appearance on any stage when you are invisible. And that is how the managers and indeed the general public treat such workers. Though they want the tidy clean results of their work to be visible. It’s paradoxical thinking.

  13. Rosie 13
    27 September 2013 at 9:23 am

    A moment of shear gobsmackedness was experienced watching this clip on the news last night. Purely unbelievable. Tau Henare is a paid up of member of Cruel Bastards Inc. Does he have no understanding of the work content for these women, the difficulty of life for low paid workers and the right to work security, and not to mention dignity?

    He needs to have a little think about that and then apologise to these women and all other workers he has insulted by his comments. He can follow that up by thanking them for doing a remarkable job.

  14. Tracey 14
    27 September 2013 at 9:29 am

    Cant find it online at stuff or the herald

  15. Lightly 15
    27 September 2013 at 9:32 am

    The cleaning contract is run by Parliamentary Services, not the political parties. Labour and the Greens have called on Parliamentary Services to pay its staff and contractors the living wage.

  16. Psycho Milt 16
    27 September 2013 at 10:06 am

    To be fair, he only said what most tories think to themselves but don’t dare to say it loud.

    Oh, they say it out loud alright, and write it on blog comments threads – you just don’t usually find one of their elected representatives blathering it to the TV cameras.

  17. Curtis 17
    27 September 2013 at 10:25 am

    Was she not actually concerned with potentially losing her job because of the law change? Did Tau actually bother to listen to her because I don’t understand his logic “Oh you’re worried about losing your job? Well give it to someone else then?” Who does he think he is some kind of Aristocrat and all us peasants should be happy with the scraps he and his mates gives us?

    • Draco T Bastard 17.1
      27 September 2013 at 1:38 pm

      Who does he think he is some kind of Aristocrat and all us peasants should be happy with the scraps he and his mates gives us?

      Yes, that would be exactly what he, and the rest of the National Party hierarchy, are thinking.

    • Puddleglum 17.2
      27 September 2013 at 7:42 pm

      “Was she not actually concerned with potentially losing her job because of the law change? Did Tau actually bother to listen to her because I don’t understand his logic “Oh you’re worried about losing your job? Well give it to someone else then?”

      Well spotted.

      It’s as if he automatically defaulted to the idea that they were too ‘fussy’ and didn’t want to be cleaners. As if he only had a small repertoire of dog whistle responses to these kinds of situations: ‘Toilet cleaner complaining = lazy would-be beneficiary who thinks all work is beneath her’

      Disturbing stuff.

  18. AmaKiwi 18
    27 September 2013 at 10:38 am

    Congratulations, Tau! If we can make that snide remark into a Kim Dotcom style U-Tube clip, we can motivate a lot of people to vote these creeps out in 2014.

    Same for John Key’s “no need to be honest” remark.

    We have lots of creative young Lefties. Here’s their chance to become famous and do a good deed at the same time. Much more effective than speeches and hoardings. Cheaper than TV ads.

    David Cunliffe, can we make U-Tube our new media outlet?

  19. srylands 19
    27 September 2013 at 10:58 am

    I don’t support the living wage campaign. New Zealand already has a very high minimum wage.

    Just a note on cleaners. I am surprised more don’t become more entrepreneurial. I have my house cleaned once a fortnight. I pay $70 for 2.5 hours cleaning. The guy does a great job. He is 65, just started getting Super, and has 6 clients, giving him a nice top up to his retirement income.

    The key point is he was hard to get. Good cleaners can make a decent living. The “minimum|” wage is a minimum. A bit of effort can get you a lot more even if you are a cleaner. This is down to personal effort, not yet more efforts by the state to regulate markets.

    • One Anonymous Knucklehead 19.1
      27 September 2013 at 11:05 am

      Reality check: success is driven by chance, not hard work. Yeah yeah, I know, you have blind dogmatic faith in your opinion, but your opinion is worthless.

      • srylands 19.1.1
        27 September 2013 at 11:25 am

        “Reality check: success is driven by chance, not hard work. ”

        Seriously bad shit must have happened to you. Are you brain damaged?

      • infused 19.1.2
        27 September 2013 at 11:36 am

        God, this confirms your a fucking moron.

        • One Anonymous Knucklehead 19.1.2.1
          27 September 2013 at 12:27 pm

          Yes, shoot the messenger, that always works. Lots of people work hard. A few of them achieve riches and/or success. The difference is luck.

        • Bruce 19.1.2.2
          28 September 2013 at 5:46 am

          Grammar police: “your” should be “you’re” as in “you are”. I spot a moron.

          • Brett Dale 19.1.2.2.1
            30 September 2013 at 10:37 am

            Bruce.

            This was Voted best tweet ever by the twitter universe.

            “Hey Grammar police, it’s YOU’RE GOING TO DIE ALONE”

            Something to think about.

            Man all my years of working, only to be told it comes down to luck, as why
            people are successful.

      • Brett Dale 19.1.3
        30 September 2013 at 10:33 am

        One Knucklehead:

        You say success is driven by chance and not hardwork?????

        That is not cemented in reality, Infact, I dont think I will read anything you write again.

        • One Anonymous Knucklehead 19.1.3.1
          30 September 2013 at 10:47 am

          Check the facts. Lots of people work hard. Police, nurses, miners, etc.

          The hard work might bring you riches and success, if you are lucky. Don’t shoot the messenger. I am not making this up. It formed the basis of Warren Buffett’s challenge to US tax policy, for example, but he didn’t make it up either.

          The best examples are the innate income advantages and disadvantages delivered at birth, or being tall, or dark haired, or male.

    • Delia 19.2
      27 September 2013 at 11:07 am

      These women are supporting families. They are talking about job security. They cannot run around town with x number of clients if they have child care responsibilities. If you think cleaners are over paid, go and be one. Obviously in your fantasy you would make a killing.

      • srylands 19.2.1
        27 September 2013 at 11:22 am

        “These women are supporting families.”

        Don’t be so stupid. Their kids are at school. My cleaner only works 9-3. Where did I state that cleaners are over paid? I don’t need to be a cleaner. I did 4 years of shit jobs on minimum wage while I was at university. It taught me that I did not want to do that forever.

        If people have made the decision to not aspire beyond minimum wage jobs they should not aspire to have children. They simply can’t afford them

        • Hayden 19.2.1.1
          27 September 2013 at 11:26 am

          If people have made the decision to not aspire beyond minimum wage jobs…

          Where is the evidence that everyone on minimum wage has made that decision?

        • karol 19.2.1.2
          27 September 2013 at 11:29 am

          should not aspire to have children

          Interesting way to describe sex.

        • Te Reo Putake 19.2.1.3
          27 September 2013 at 11:43 am

          Oh, goody, another eugenics fan crawls out from under his rock. The fact is that cleaners do aspire to be above minimum wage, which is why their union is so active in the Living Wage campaign. Its lowlifes like you that stop their aspirations being met.

        • framu 19.2.1.4
          27 September 2013 at 12:32 pm

          “If people have made the decision to not aspire beyond minimum wage jobs they should not aspire to have children. They simply can’t afford them”

          im going to cut straight to the logical end of this discussion

          your an inhuman piece of trash – GFY

          come back when your ready to actually engage and have disposed of your pathetic, disgusting and immoral little fantasy world

        • One Anonymous Knucklehead 19.2.1.5
          27 September 2013 at 12:33 pm

          Planet Srylands, where procreation is neat and tidy and matches faith-based drivel. Planet Earth, where the poorest people have the most children. Never the twain shall meet.

        • Tracey 19.2.1.6
          27 September 2013 at 12:36 pm

          didnt you say that you needed 150k before you should even consider children, preferably 200K? That’s way beyond minimum wage aspirations.

          Essentially you just want people like you to be breeding, whereas I am pleased to see the borth rates amongst folks like you are declining.

          • srylands 19.2.1.6.1
            27 September 2013 at 1:09 pm

            didnt you say that you needed 150k before you should even consider children, preferably 200K? That’s way beyond minimum wage aspirations.”

            Are you drunk behind that bar in Hamilton again Tracey with an e?

            Not quite what i said – Yes I did say that you needed 200K to live in a decent Auckland suburb and live a decent life and have 2 kids. That is not a remarkable conclusion.

            Yes I did know that birth rates decline with both income and educaion levels. Are you so obtuse that you think that is news?

            “

            • Tracey 19.2.1.6.1.1
              27 September 2013 at 1:57 pm

              You seem quite fixated about Hamilton and drinking.

              http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-22092013/#comment-700014

              Anyway for completeness here is what you wrote

              “A household income of 100K is totally unremarkable. If you live in Auckland and had a couple of kids, you would need a household income of at least 150k to live a half decent life (200K to live a fully decent life). Any income less than that in Auckland and you should give up on having kids (or live somewhere else).

              …

              If you are aged 30+, in good health, and you are involuntariliy earning less than $60K, you have made some poor life decisions about education, work, or both plus a bunch of other things.”

              Next time you are pretending to be in Wellington you ought to have dinner with Mathew Hooten. You can just sit and nod at each other all night long.

        • amirite 19.2.1.7
          27 September 2013 at 12:56 pm

          Srylands -If children were treated as simple economic units like you seem to think, no one would ever have them because it wouldn’t make any financial /economic sense to have them.
          The only upside of that is that the likes of you wouldn’t have never been born.

        • Sable 19.2.1.8
          27 September 2013 at 1:06 pm

          Not everyone is lucky enough to have a university education whilst others may not be capable. Does that mean these people should be condemned to a life of misery? I thought you were misguided srylands now I see you are in fact much worse than that. Shame on you sunshine….

        • fender 19.2.1.9
          27 September 2013 at 1:07 pm

          Srylands trying to outdo Henare for arsehole of the week award.

          Would like to know how anyone could competently deal with the bullshit dribble pouring out of your cakehole in 2.5 hours once every 2 weeks, must use a fire hose.

        • Draco T Bastard 19.2.1.10
          27 September 2013 at 1:49 pm

          If people have made the decision to not aspire beyond minimum wage jobs they should not aspire to have children.

          The problem you fail to see is that these people can’t afford to aspire to better paying jobs. They don’t have the necessary resources to go back to school and the present system keeps them in that position.

          Think about it: Where are they going to get the money to start a cleaning business? To buy the van, the tools and the supplies? Then there’s the cost of advertising and the time between when they start and the time when they have enough regular clients to have enough income.

          Can’t do it on the unemployment benefit as you’re a) supposed to be looking for a job and b) just don’t have enough income to actually start the business.

        • greywarbler 19.2.1.11
          27 September 2013 at 3:42 pm

          What a loss to the world if srylands’ parents had been poor and digent. (not indigent). Sigh. If this doesn’t make sense it’s in tune with wrylands epigram.

        • miravox 19.2.1.12
          27 September 2013 at 7:16 pm

          “Their kids are at school.”

          She works nights…

          But yeah, what’s she doing with her day? House-keeping, maintaining family & social contacts preparing food, household administration etc – and sleep are so over-rated.

          … made the decision not to aspire beyond…

          because there is no context to ‘decision-making’, not at all.

          • McFlock 19.2.1.12.1
            27 September 2013 at 7:26 pm

            Srylands was talking about his cleaner. Domestic slave, if you will. He seems to be unaware that most businesses schedule cleaning for when it’s most likely that other staff won’t be disturbed – for example, my office gets cleaned anywhere from 8-10pm weeknights. I only know this because I work late, and generally bullshit / gasbag with the cleaner for a bit before I piss off home.

            But even if I only worked daylight hours, I’d have to be a fucking self-absorbed moron to assume that the bin empties itself, the floors mop, vacuum or polish themselves, that bogroll gets changed magically, and so on…

            • QoT 19.2.1.12.1.1
              28 September 2013 at 11:34 pm

              I’ve worked with a hell of a lot of such fucking self-absorbed morons, McFlock. One workplace, the cleaners explicitly *did not* do dishes. If the two or three people who knew how to load a dishwasher were out for a day? Some people got seriously fucking confused when we ran out of mugs.

              So ignoring the massive amounts of other things that just magically stay clean or stocked … it’s depressing how easy it is.

        • Wayne 19.2.1.13
          27 September 2013 at 7:21 pm

          Srylands,

          Jeepers, your opinion is pretty extreme, and actually quite offensive.

          It must be obvious to everyone but you, that people have many different, and sometimes difficult financial situations and can raise really good families.

          The whole point of WFF and State Housing is to make sure everyone has the full range of choices in life, even though it might not be so easy for them.

          • Draco T Bastard 19.2.1.13.1
            27 September 2013 at 11:59 pm

            The whole point of WFF and State Housing is to make sure everyone has the full range of choices in life, even though it might not be so easy for them.

            Except for the fact that they don’t and that their true purpose is as a multi-billion dollar subsidy to business so that they can continue paying substandard wages so as to maintain higher profits for the few.

          • Hayden 19.2.1.13.2
            28 September 2013 at 9:02 am

            your opinion is pretty extreme

            Sadly, it’s actually not that unusual, judging by some of the comments on Stuff, NZ Herald, etc.’s stories.

        • Puddleglum 19.2.1.14
          27 September 2013 at 7:51 pm

          “If people have made the decision to not aspire beyond minimum wage jobs …”

          Putting aside any other issue with this statement, why do some people ‘decide’ upon one path and others upon another?

          Put another way: Just what is a ‘decision’ and what processes give rise to one?

    • Hayden 19.3
      27 September 2013 at 11:15 am

      Yeah, but you live in Australia.

    • miravox 19.4
      27 September 2013 at 7:20 pm

      ” I pay $70 for 2.5 hours cleaning”

      Is that in Australia or Kapiti?

      Also – Unless you know what that’s worth after expenses it’s pretty irrelevant.

      • Murray Olsen 19.4.1
        27 September 2013 at 9:19 pm

        I pay $50 for 2 hours cleaning in Brisbane. I can’t imagine an hourly rate that would be high enough to clean up the stinking kupapa mess left by the Right Dishonourable Tau Henare. Is the cleaning union still strong enough to put a work stoppage on his shithouse?

        • miravox 19.4.1.1
          27 September 2013 at 9:33 pm

          Beyond a living wage, that’s for sure. He might be wanting to be responsible for keeping his personal space extra un-messy right about now.

          I wonder what job he’ll be going to after the next election – may be the cleaners union can gift him the tools of the trade with instructions on how how to maintain dignity in front of arseholes, a skill these women have learned so well.

  20. karol 20
    27 September 2013 at 11:26 am

    Clever, Lynn. I’m impressed this pre-programmed time-shifting is possible.

    • Rosie 20.1
      27 September 2013 at 12:34 pm

      It had me a little baffled lol 🙂

    • lprent 20.2
      27 September 2013 at 12:52 pm

      It wasn’t pre-programmed. The sort order for comments in on UTC date/time. So shifting a comments date shifts it in the order.

      Just edit the top-level comment and change time on the comment and it moves the whole thread to the bottom. Moving a day forward seems like the obvious solution as it puts the comment thread to the end of the posts day in the sun.

      I’m tired of people hanging around to get in a first diversionary comment to try to divert the post to something that the author didn’t intend. I can move the comment to OpenMike. But in a lot of ways this is preferable.

      Leave a note to tell people that is what was done.

      • richard 20.2.1
        27 September 2013 at 4:07 pm

        Only drawback seems to be that the link to the comment stays at the top of the list of list of ‘latest comments’

        • lprent 20.2.1.1
          27 September 2013 at 4:12 pm

          Yeah – same in the admins view. That will be easy to fix. Just exclude back to the future comments from that list. I drived from that class last week to to play around with jquery/ajax

  21. Brett Dale 21
    27 September 2013 at 12:08 pm

    Imagine if you decide to better yourself and go to night school, to find a better a job.

    • One Anonymous Knucklehead 21.1
      27 September 2013 at 12:24 pm

      Imagine if that exact same point was covered in the OP. Imagine if you took remedial English comprehension lessons.

      Imagine if we had better wingnuts.

      Brett Dale and Tau Henare: arseholes together in shite.

      • Brett Dale 21.1.1
        27 September 2013 at 12:52 pm

        Yeah who doesnt want personal responsibility.

        • One Anonymous Knucklehead 21.1.1.1
          27 September 2013 at 1:43 pm

          Personal responsibility to read the article at the top of the page before making a complete fool of yourself?

          Or the variety of “personal responsibility” that you use to blame victims of circumstance, that makes you look like a piece of trash?

        • Descendant Of Sssmith 21.1.1.2
          27 September 2013 at 7:00 pm

          Yep we should not have people cleaning the toilets then.

          Once you have finished you’ll put on the gloves, get out the disinfectant, and clean it yourself.

          Do you take personal responsibility for your bowel motions Brett and the hygiene risk they present?

          I get annoyed actually when toilets don’t have a toilet brush besides them.

          I’ve never thought someone else should have to clean crap off the toilet after I’ve been and do it myself if there’s a toilet brush there. Motel rooms, workplaces, sports venues, airports. Don’t expect wife to do it either at home.

          It’s a small way in which I can make the cleaners job less unpleasant.

          • McFlock 21.1.1.2.1
            27 September 2013 at 7:15 pm

            I reckon there’s a line of courtesy, if you will 🙂

            Back when I was a cleaner at DEKA (waybackwhen) the bogs weren’t too bad of a job, little skid marks ok. The time I had the “task > (($/hr)*1000)” thought was when someone had obviously been ill and the toilet was a sight to behold. That could have done with a token attempt by the dealer, IMO.

            Well, there was another time when I got to work to find an elderly gentleman had been incontinent in one of the checkout lines. Fair enough, it happens, but they just roped it off for 45 minutes until I got in to work. Right at the goddamn front of the shop, too. All class.

            • Psycho Milt 21.1.1.2.1.1
              27 September 2013 at 7:52 pm

              …they just roped it off for 45 minutes until I got in to work. Right at the goddamn front of the shop, too. All class.

              Having run a library in a US Army camp in Kuwait, I’m familiar with the not-really-one-if-you-aren’t-a-cunt ‘dilemma’ of whether to put an out-of-order sign on the overflowing toilet and leave it until the long-suffering cleaners turn up, or deal with it yourself.

              There’s something about American toilets (and Americans, and jury-rigged sewerage systems) that leads to a great many blocked/overflowing toilets. I was particularly impressed with the unknown military hero who managed to block our urinal with toilet paper. Soldiers aren’t provided with abundant opportunities to eliminate waste, so none of them let the fact the urinal was blocked prevent them pissing in it, until eventually I got told about it and spent a while getting elbow deep in this effluent soup so I could pull all the toilet paper out of the drain. My staff were horrified, but the bottom line is that the same room features soap and a wash basin, and cleaners don’t enjoy being elbow-deep in piss any more than anyone else does. It would probably do Tau some good to have a go at it himself.

            • Puddleglum 21.1.1.2.1.2
              27 September 2013 at 8:05 pm

              When I was at Primary School, at the end of every day we had to clean the classroom and put our chairs on the desks, up off the floor.

              I remember one afternoon a child who was a smart-alec in training, asked the teacher ‘Why do we have to clean up for the cleaners?’

              The teacher looked at him in that beautifully characterful way that some old school teachers had, and, after a pause, said words to the effect: ‘Cleaning up your own mess shows respect to the cleaners, who can then do a better job, and teaches you self discipline and to take responsibility for yourself. The world works better that way.’

              It was a great moment – no doubt embellished by memory, but for me it’s a reminder of something that’s been lost. Nowadays I’m stunned at how many people – like Tau Henare in this instance – are just grown up versions of that young smart-alec. They almost seem to think it’s some kind of an expression of a higher morality to show no respect for others and certainly not to ‘yield’ to the weakness of empathy.

        • the pigman 21.1.1.3
          27 September 2013 at 8:40 pm

          Oh dear. Fallen off your hoverboard again, Brett? That musta been a nasty knock to the head…

    • joe90 21.2
      27 September 2013 at 12:27 pm

      Imagine if you decide that the 225,000 people engaged in adult education 2009 could be reduced to 35,000 in 2012.

      • Tracey 21.2.1
        27 September 2013 at 12:40 pm

        Don’t use facts or logic, you are dealing with people who give off the facade of rationality but are, in fact, relying on myth not facts to bolster their world view.

      • QoT 21.2.2
        28 September 2013 at 11:38 pm

        But at least 50,000 of them were only doing silly skill-less things like Moroccan cooking, Anne Tolley said so!

    • framu 21.3
      27 September 2013 at 12:33 pm

      Ok brett – i will play nice here.

      How does that fix the actual problem of cleaners earning to little?

      not this particular cleaner – but anyone who ends up doing the job

      • Psycho Milt 21.3.1
        27 September 2013 at 12:52 pm

        See, once everyone has gained an education sufficient to “better” themselves, the average proletarian will be well capable of designing an automated cleaning system that costs far less than employing cleaners, and will enrich themselves from it, and this will be replicated across all proletarians/work sectors, and society will be totally awesome.

        • Brett Dale 21.3.1.1
          27 September 2013 at 12:54 pm

          Psycho milt:

          There are plenty of free community colleges, do what I did in the 90’s, didint want to work in fast food all my life, went to a free night course run by the council in office admin, and changed careers.

          • lprent 21.3.1.1.1
            27 September 2013 at 1:02 pm

            … plenty of free community colleges

            Not any more. Anne Tolley destroyed almost all night courses in 2009/10 by dropping the minimal amounts of funding that they received.

            • Brett Dale 21.3.1.1.1.1
              27 September 2013 at 1:32 pm

              Iprent:

              There are plenty of courses going around that are still free. Or at elast just a one off
              small fee, and what about winz? they offer courses.

              • Tracey …
                27 September 2013 at 1:43 pm

                “plenty of courses going around that are still free.”

                Could you post the links to ones here that will reuslt in higher than minimum wage when completed?

              • Draco T Bastard …
                27 September 2013 at 2:08 pm

                and what about winz? they offer courses.

                LOL, beginner courses that are far below what’s learned in school. They won’t pay the small amount to even do the 7 days of training to get full MYOB accreditation.

          • Psycho Milt 21.3.1.1.2
            27 September 2013 at 1:50 pm

            There are plenty of free community colleges, do what I did in the 90′s, didint want to work in fast food all my life, went to a free night course run by the council in office admin, and changed careers.

            The question I was replying to was “How does that fix the actual problem of cleaners earning to little?”

            Your reply to it suggests that you’re happy for cleaners to have inflicted on them whatever low level of pay and conditions employers want to foist on them, because if they didn’t enjoy that they wouldn’t be cleaners. It’s essentially the same view as Tau Henare’s, ie a singularly unpleasant one.

          • miravox 21.3.1.1.3
            27 September 2013 at 6:16 pm

            Even if, as a cleaner, she wasn’t working nights,
            even if she had child care arrangements that allowed her to take night courses,
            even if she could afford the cost of a trip to college,
            even if she had the right skills to take the courses,
            even if she knew there were ‘better’ jobs available in the hours she could work and
            even if she felt secure enough that someone would hire her with English as a second language (because we’re not racist, or judgemental… oh nos),

            then someone else would have to clean the toilets and that someone would not be paid enough to live on and having their job made more precarious by this unfair, wage-reducing, legislation.

          • Draco T Bastard 21.3.1.2.1
            27 September 2013 at 2:16 pm

            Actually, it is but we need to get rid of capitalism so that the freeing up of peoples time can result in a better society rather than the increased poverty for the many and increased wealth for the few that we see now.

    • Tracey 21.4
      27 September 2013 at 12:39 pm

      you mean the nightclasses that National canned or something else? If you mean papers at a Uni outside working hours, then you also need to explain how a person on 13.50 an hour will be able to pay the course fees, their rent, their food, their electricity?

      How arrogantly middle class of you to imagine the world is for everyone as it is for you.

      • Brett Dale 21.4.1
        27 September 2013 at 1:36 pm

        Tracey:

        There are a ton of free courses, some run by winz, some run by schools, and even the ones that arent free, its just a small one off fee around $30.

        So lets say you did a basic free night course in computing, if you type on a computer at a particular speed, you will find yourself data entry work.

        That pays slightly higher than cleaning, around $15-17 if you go with temping agencies, and its slightly more pleasant than cleaning.

        • Tracey 21.4.1.1
          27 September 2013 at 1:48 pm

          Can you post your sources for the free or cheap courses and to the entry level jobs currently being advertised that she could step into.

          Who will clean the toilets when the cleaners are all data entry personnel? Students?

          Thanks

    • Sable 21.5
      27 September 2013 at 1:08 pm

      Imagine simply treating people with respect and paying them for their hard work irrespective of who they are Ches-dale toenail cheese…

      • Brett Dale 21.5.1
        27 September 2013 at 1:39 pm

        Sable:

        People do treat people with respect, and I have worked data entry assignments, where the cleaners actually get paid more and deservedly so.

  22. blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 22
    27 September 2013 at 12:54 pm

    Newsflash!

    Tau Henare has introduced National’s new election campaign slogan which is believed to have been inspired by the fabulous meeting Key has just had with his powerful conservative mates in Britain

    After spending large amounts of NZ tax payer dollars to get to Britain for an urgent strategy meeting with the most powerful right-wing minds in the world and staying in the finest hotels, the PM, looking somewhat sheepish responding to the question “Was that a good use of NZ taxpayers’ dollars?” stated on TV1 News: “Yes it was a very productive meeting. I was amongst the brightest and some of the wealthiest, I mean, most powerful of the western world and I made a lot of ‘useful’ connections”.

    It is understood that having spent much time over tea and canapés deliberating over the issues of concern, namely, how the conservatives and the interests of those that fund them could hold onto their fraudulently gained money whilst still appearing generous and democratic the resolution of the meeting was to approach their respective disgruntled members of the public with a clear and simple message that all could understand:

    “Let them eat cake”

    It is believed Mr Key spent much time at the meeting handing out his C.V.

    • Sable 23.1
      27 September 2013 at 1:16 pm

      Good job…..

    • Te Reo Putake 23.2
      27 September 2013 at 1:43 pm

      Interesting that Tau apparently doesnt agree with the righty scum commenting on this thread:

      “Mr Henare said on Twitter last night that he had previously cleaned toilets himself.

      He added: “I apologise to the lady and to all those that haven’t really got a choice in jobs. Aroha mai. My bad.” ”

      Haven’t really got a choice. Exactly right.

    • Steve 23.3
      27 September 2013 at 3:37 pm

      Apologised yes, but we now know what he really thinks.

      I suspect the slimeball was jumped on from a great height by his paymasters. After all, can’t have the great unwashed knowing what the National party really thinks of them.

      Pathetic, grovelling toady.

  24. Sable 24
    27 September 2013 at 1:12 pm

    I always personally found Henare pretty odious. I’m not surprised at all by his behaviour. NZ is increasingly a country of the “haves” and “have nots”, inequality fostered by the elitist National government.

  25. Curtis 25
    27 September 2013 at 1:39 pm

    Tau just wrote this on facebook
    Tau Henare
    41 minutes ago via Mobile
    Yesterday, I was asked point blank what I felt about the lady who has to clean our toilets at Parly, nothing more and nothing less I said well if she doesn’t like doing her mahi than she could leave. I didn’t even know she’d had been at the select committee. I see they put the 2 together and made a story. Context is everything. Maybe I should have said all cleaners need a pay rise. I realise explaining is losing and take your criticisms on board. Kia ora. The good thing is that I have access to all those people who think what I said when they saw the 2 put together is i can have my say without having to answer questions from the old media. To Dr Brian Edwards, you of all people should know better, like I said, I was asked point lank, no background, no anything, what I thought about the person who cleans our toilets in Bowen house, I responded by saying well If she didn’t like her job she could give it to someone else, this was in response to that question. I haven’t seen the story that ran on TV3 but I can guess they ran 2 story’s together and had my comment as a comment on the lady’s appearance before the select committee. To those that want to listen, those are the facts, to those who don’t, they are still the facts. You all can and have made your opinions clear. I’m not blaming 3 news, I stand by my comments, and I accept that I have pissed off a few people. nga Mihi nui ki a koutou katoa mai I te ringa Matau ki te ringa Maui ki te waenganui hoki.

    • Tracey 25.1
      27 September 2013 at 1:45 pm

      If he didnt know which cleaner was being referred to (the one before the select committee) how did he know she didnt like her job?

      • QoT 25.1.1
        28 September 2013 at 11:42 pm

        It’s kind of revealing, isn’t it? Like, when he *knows* her situation he’s all understanding.

        If he doesn’t know the situation, his default assumption is that she’s a whinger who needs to be talked down to.

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 25.2
      27 September 2013 at 1:53 pm

      Thanks for the information, Curtis.

      Tau Henare’s comment and ensuing explanation show an extraordinary lack of awareness of the conditions involved when there is an high unemployment rate.

      One cannot just leave one’s place of work.
      This is just not an option when there is a lack of jobs.

      It is yet another of many “Let them eat cake” moment.

    • bad12 25.3
      27 September 2013 at 2:16 pm

      Raymond having to dig deep for excuses can in no way excuse the comments made, i suggest that Raymond go and have a look at the news item,

      The overcoat changing Henare is far past His use by date and should end up at the bottom of Nationals party list for election 2014 so as to become fully aware what we think of Him and His views on those who toil daily for little reward in our economy…

      • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 25.3.1
        27 September 2013 at 2:43 pm

        I thought Mr Henare was expressing National’s political approach very lucidly, Bad12. Why would they demote him for that?

      • Murray Olsen 25.3.2
        28 September 2013 at 12:29 am

        I think they should make him leader of the NAct party. Then everyone will become aware of the real party policy on employment and its attitude to manual workers.

    • Sable 25.4
      27 September 2013 at 2:56 pm

      Ugh, what a glib little twit. Throwing a few Maori words to make it look like he’s one of the locals when in fact it appears he thinks he’s better than ordinary hardworking people. Maybe he should just shut his arrogant mouth and take it on the chin.

      • Not Another Sheep 25.4.1
        28 September 2013 at 12:29 am

        Ākuanei koe i a au,Sable ! Tapahia tōu arero; ko te āhua nei e tūtara ana o etahi whakahē i te mahi a te rōpū nei; ā, te kaupapa o te Rōpū Reipa, anō.

        Heoi anō, ko māua māua, ko ō whakaaro e āhukahuka ana ki nōku – “…it appears he thinks he’s better than ordinary hardworking people.” Anō ! Rite tonu te haunga o te tiko o Tau Henare ki ngā rōpā.

        Auē Tau !!! Kaua e wareware koe ‘He rei ngā niho, he parāoa ngā kauae’ ? Koia kei a koe…..
        Kaore a koe, Tau, e mōhio ki te rerekētanga o te pono me te tipatipa; ākene pea ??? Ākene pea he arero rua?
        Pōkokohua mā, NATIONAL; me mutu ēnā mahi haitutu – ēnei ture whakarihariha.
        Kaua tētahi tangata i puritia i roto i te tikanga whakapononga. Kua noho ko te ngaringariā ki runga koutou katoa, Nāhinara !

  26. Brett Dale 26
    27 September 2013 at 1:43 pm

    Iprent

    The delorean solution?

    Awesome that you reference back to the future, apart from that tightyrighty made a good point.

    • lprent 26.1
      27 September 2013 at 2:34 pm

      But the post was on the parliamentarians making decisions for their cleaners. Party headquarters staff are not parliamentarians, not in parliament, and are not paid for by parliamentary services.

      In other words TR was quite clearly doing a diversion from the post. If he wanted to make that “good point” then he should have done it outside of Zet’s post. He can either do it on his own blog or he can start a thread in OpenMike. Of course I could have just given him a 6 month ban – which was my first instinct (I really am irritated by people doing that). If I see him doing it again, then that is exactly what he will get.

      Posts are written on a topic by someone taking the effort and giving up the time to write them. Have some arsehole trying to divert the commentary by doing an off-topic first few comments just pisses me off. Anyone who does it and who doesn’t take the effort to at least try to relate it to the actual content of the post from now on will be taking a big risk with their comment writing privileges.

      • Brett Dale 26.1.1
        27 September 2013 at 5:17 pm

        Iprent:

        Isnt that was these message boards are about though?

        An OP may write something, but people may take something else from it, thus the different comments.

        • lprent 26.1.1.1
          27 September 2013 at 5:58 pm

          On this site they should at least relate to the context of the post or parent comments. Just dropping something completely random and out of context into a discussion and causing the author to look at their post and ask “why in the hell did I bother to write this?” isn’t helpful. I need authors way way more than I need arrogant shithead commenters who upset them.

          For something that is completely out of context like TR’s comment, there is the daily OpenMike and other more general purpose comment posts – which we don’t moderate for diversion and context.

          TR or anyone else who wants to drop out of context comments into other posts apart from OpenMike or open posts should now consider carefully if they want to leave comments here anytime in the foreseeable future. I like people to be able to assess risks…

          That was what got Jenny a 6 week ban and several others banned recently. But looking at TR, it is apparent that I haven’t made the consequences plain enough.

    • miravox 26.2
      27 September 2013 at 6:20 pm

      “apart from that tightyrighty made a good point.”

      S/he did? Can’t see it myself.

  27. bad12 27
    27 September 2013 at 2:06 pm

    According to the Herald online MP Raymond Henare has now apologized for what He said about one of Parliaments cleaners Mareta Sinoti,

    Mrs Sinoti may wish to forgive Henare his intemperate comment but i for one find that this particular scab festering on the body politic of New Zealand should be lanced as soon as possible, hopefully by National realizing the damage His comments have done and they consigning Him to the lowest ranking on their Party List,

    Having changed His political over-coat on various occasions during His life Henare appears to have no beliefs other than those which keep his snout in the trough of the public purse,

    His claim that He has ‘cleaned toilets befor’ is spurious considering the years He has spent partying and party hopping at the expense of those who daily toil to clean His mess,

    This scab denigrating the efforts of hard working Kiwis who toil daily for little reward should be surgically removed and the sooner the better…

  28. Ennui 28
    27 September 2013 at 2:32 pm

    Lets answer some of the idiots like Tighty and Brett…the women doing the toilet cleaning would I suspect prefer not to. I am not too proud to admit I have cleaned toilets for dollars whilst a student and it was not pleasant or desirable BUT it was entirely necessary. Somebody has to do this or we end up with highly paid medical specialists treating parliamentarians….

    My viewpoint is that the job is worth far more than we pay for it to be done: the women do not have the luxury of an employment market with viable alternatives. These woman need the money, and all honour to them for putting the needs of their families first in earning an income. Consequently the stock in trade Right wing nonsense spouted by Tau has no validity.

    On another note to all commentators here, why oh why do we describe toilet cleaning as a lowly job? Have we no respect for those who do the things we need done most? These people fill a societal role that is far more valuable and honorable than those professions that seek to restrict entry and charge us for their privileged status…forex floor traders and merchant bankers come to mind.

    • mac1 28.1
      27 September 2013 at 6:16 pm

      Ennui, you are right on the money.

      Toilet cleaning is not a lowly job.

      I cleaned toilets all this week as a cleaner.

      I once went on a summer camp where the camper participants shared the cleaning/cooking/ type jobs.
      A medical doctor chose the toilets job, which he did thoroughly. I asked him why he chose them as his contribution. His reply was “Less work for me as a doctor.”

      Toilet cleaning is an essential job.

  29. Brian 29
    27 September 2013 at 2:46 pm

    Thanks Tau!! – you have helped show the nation the true side of the National party.

    What a star!

  30. Draco T Bastard 30
    27 September 2013 at 3:06 pm

    The low pay that cleaners and other low paid but critical jobs get is what I’m referring to when I say that a Universal Income will increase wages. Given that a UI of a reasonable amount* will give these people a choice as to doing the low paid job or getting a better education and thus a better income means that to get people to do these jobs will mean that they will need to be paid more.

    * Well above present UB rates.

  31. Bill 31
    27 September 2013 at 4:47 pm

    Cleaning up other peoples’ shit or whatever may not be exactly pleasant. But there is, perhaps, a deeper issue being missed (I haven’t read all the comments, so don’t know if it’s been picked up on).

    The fact that cleaners probably work to a very tight timetable and have about zero say over their work environment is, to me, a bigger issue than what it is they clean.

    Think about it. Day in and day out performing rote tasks and having no more input than an automaton. It’s that that’s soul destroying and far more deserving of compensation than some managerial type who has the luxury of managing their time and tasks to some degree as well as, possibly, input to their work environment in general.

    • karol 31.1
      27 September 2013 at 5:23 pm

      Yep. I see that with the weekend cleaners where I work. Hard regime. But they have been saving for many years, and can afford a little bit of an improvement to the families lives.

      All would be disappointment if they got their pay or jobs cut.

    • Psycho Milt 31.2
      27 September 2013 at 8:01 pm

      The fact that cleaners probably work to a very tight timetable and have about zero say over their work environment is, to me, a bigger issue than what it is they clean.

      I see that at my work. Every time the contract is renewed, it goes to a different company, because that company has tendered a lower price, which is predicated on giving fewer cleaners less time to clean the damn building. The staff working in the building (and this infuriates me just about the most) then proceed to complain about the poor sods who have to empty their rubbish bins and clean their fucking toilets not doing a good enough job! Bottom line: Bridges, Henare, everyone else in the government currently involved in fucking cleaners up the arse, and their fellow travellers DPF et al, are fuckwits who deserve a good beating.

  32. Darien Fenton 32
    27 September 2013 at 6:52 pm

    Tau apologised. So now its Simon Bridge’s turn. And at the same time withdraw his employment law changes to show he means it.

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 32.1
      27 September 2013 at 7:13 pm

      Hi Darien,

      Thanks for coming along to the Standard,
      Labour is looking very good these days, please keep up the team spirit.

      Tau Henare can apologize for the deep-seated beliefs he holds all he likes, however we know that he still believes these things because he continues to belong to a political party that follows through with the type of uninsightful, uncompassionate, and shortsighted views that his comment displayed; so. really, it is clear that the apology will only ever be an insincere one.

  33. BrucetheMoose 33
    27 September 2013 at 7:54 pm

    Stuff me. a bit rich coming from this professional bludger. What the hell does this spud contribute to the daily running of the country anyway. Perhaps Tau Bro should try doing this lady’s job for a week before making such criticisms. He would probably melt into the bowl from doing a honest hard days work.

  34. AsleepWhileWalking 34
    27 September 2013 at 9:48 pm

    What a prick. And his apology does nothing to erase his sneering image from my mind.

    Incidentally these women don’t look young enough to necessarily obtain a student loan – the government has moved to age limit loans. For example if you are in your fifties you can’t necessarily train as a nurse unless you can fund it yourself through some other means. Do people realise what this is doing to older folk?

  35. xtasy 35
    28 September 2013 at 1:02 am

    Hah, actually I have been a cleaner once or twice in my “career” in NZ, and I tell you, it was a SHIT job, and I got few thanks for it, no matter how hard I worked. I tell you, I have done almost any job there is in this country, so I am an “all round experienced person”, I suppose.

    But as for cleaners, the deserve the minimum wage of $ 15 at least, which I expect a Labour led government to bring in anyway!

    As for the “qualifications” of cleaners, I admit, in many cases it will leave a fair bit to be desired, but that is not just for cleaners to take note of, New Zealanders as a whole, need to put more effort and emphasis into/on training, qualifications and whatever. Yes, even cleaning is in some ways and “expert” job, as there are many different places to clean, industrial, office, public spaces, whatever, and there are many cleaning agents, chemicals and machinery in use, that need to be learned about.

    The same applies to many other jobs. The “good old days” of just getting a broom or mop to sweep to “clean” a place, to “jump into a truck and drive it”, to “start a fork-hoist and lift a pallet”, to do this or the other, those days are gone. We live in a very different world now, with much specialisation and expectations. I look forward that all this gets rewarded by fair pay, no matter what job is done!

  36. xtasy 36
    28 September 2013 at 1:12 am

    Wikipedia on Tau Henare, by the way:

    “As a young boy growing up in Otara, Henare had a contrasting childhood. On one hand, he was told almost before he could walk that his future would be politics,[2] which at times requires statesman-like skills to deal with others. On the other, Otara was “a place where you learn how to survive,” and it required Henare to learn “to be strong, stand up and not take a backward step.”[2] Looking back on his 1960s childhood in 1996, Henare summed it up as one that “taught me to be proud of who I am.”[2] It also later contributed to what he describes as “youthful exuberance” that lead to a 1980s reputation for being a stirrer and a radical.[2]

    In Otara, Henare attended Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate. During Year 11 (Form 5) when he was 16, Henare passed School Certificate, a former New Zealand secondary school qualification for high school students to progress to Year 12.[2] However, Henare was unsuccessful on his New Zealand University Entrance.[5]

    After his schooling ended in 1978, Henare worked at a variety of positions, including wool cleaner and wool classer, where he was responsible for separating sheep’s wool, organiser for the Northern Clerical Workers’ Union under activist and trade unionist Syd Jackson,[6][7] community worker, advise to the Waitakere City Council, and Department of Internal Affairs adviser.[2] During this period, Henare was unemployed for two years.[2] Also, at the age of 25, Henare was arrested for breaking through a police line and laying a wreath for the Maori Battalion during a royal visit on Anzac Day in 1985.[2]”

    He was a “cleaner” too, a wool classer (secure job, as I learned those days), and actually a “bloody UNIONIST”!!!

    He went into some “community work”, and finally ended up in a public service role, that led to what else?: MP for the Nat(z)ional Party!?

    What a “qualified” career that is for a pompous, arrogant, and up his backside cleaner ridiculer? Does the man have any decency, or even humility?

    Tau Henare is one of the most OVERRATED pollies there are in New Zealand, that is MY view, and I am sure, I am NOT alone!

    Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tau_Henare

    • Not Another Sheep 36.1
      28 September 2013 at 1:53 am

      “,[2] which at times requires statesman-like skills to deal with others”

      Henare writes (via Curtis post)
      “like I said, I was asked point blank, no background, no anything, what I thought about the person who cleans our toilets in Bowen house”.. [ Here at this point he could have said ‘She is a lovely lady’. Yet, he does connect the dots (that he denies) between the cited two events by following with]… “ I responded by saying well If she didn’t like her job she could give it to someone else.”

      Āhahā Henare…. No flies on him.

  37. Bruce 37
    28 September 2013 at 5:54 am

    How low can we go with this anti-worker government. They have got away with way too much.

  38. CeeH 38
    28 September 2013 at 7:48 am

    Give Tau a toothbrush to clean his own excrement – I say. Now that would make for a good cartoon.

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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 hour ago

  • How Are Computers Made?
    A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 hour ago

  • How to Add Voice Memos from iPhone to Computer
    Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 hour ago

  • Why My Laptop Screen Has Lines on It: A Comprehensive Guide
    Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 hour ago

  • How to Right-Click on a Laptop
    Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 hour ago

  • Where is the Power Button on an ASUS Laptop?
    Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 hour ago

  • How to Start a Dell Laptop: A Comprehensive Guide
    Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 hour ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Serious populist discontent is bubbling up in New Zealand
    Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 hour ago

  • How to Take a Screenshot on an Asus Laptop A Comprehensive Guide with Detailed Instructions and Illu...
    In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 hour ago

  • How to Factory Reset Gateway Laptop A Comprehensive Guide
    A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 hour ago

  • The Folly Of Impermanence.
    “You talking about me?”  The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 hours ago

  • A crisis of ambition
    Roger Partridge  writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 hours ago

  • Have 308 people in the Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development Team spent over $100m on a 60-p...
    Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 hours ago

  • 'This bill is dangerous for the environment and our democracy'
    Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 hours ago

  • The Bank of our Tamariki and Mokopuna.
    Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 hours ago

  • The worth of it all
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    9 hours ago

  • What is the Hardest Sport in the World?
    Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • What is the Most Expensive Sport?
    The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • Pickleball On the Cusp of Olympic Glory
    Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • The Origin and Evolution of Soccer Unveiling the Genius Behind the World’s Most Popular Sport
    Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • How Much to Tint Car Windows A Comprehensive Guide
    Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • Why Does My Car Smell Like Gas? A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing and Fixing the Issue
    The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
    Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
    The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
    Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
    Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    18 hours ago

  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
    Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
    Skeptical Science
    20 hours ago

  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
    The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    21 hours ago

  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    22 hours ago

  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    24 hours ago

  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 day ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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