“The purists can weep”

Written By: - Date published: 9:11 am, November 3rd, 2013 - 105 comments
Categories: Economy, Privatisation - Tags: ,

Labour’s new KiwiAssure policy has been welcomed by John Armstrong as good politics. And it is. But it’s also good policy – at the same time we’ve got a government hell bent on making sure electricity profits flow to overseas investors, David Cunliffe’s policy is about giving Kiwi’s the ability to ensure that any money made from their insurance stays in the country and pays for hospitals, schools, and New Zealanders’ retirement.

But back to the politics. As Armstrong points out:

When it comes to honesty and ethics, the public ranks insurance companies only slightly above used-car salesmen.

So David Cunliffe cannot really go wrong in committing Labour to setting up a state-owned general insurance firm, KiwiAssure – especially at a time when private companies’ premiums are soaring through the roof and their cover is falling through the floor.

There’s a couple of other threads to this too, one is the close ties National have had with the insurance industry over the years (note how muted Gerry Brownlee has been about recalcitrant insurers in Christchurch), the other is that this policy is another milestone in the return of the Labour party to its roots – the last state insurance company was privatized in the dying days of the neo-liberal fourth Labour government. Which is why Armstrong’s comment that “the purists can weep” is so piquant.

David Cunliffe has brought the Labour party back. Not just to the members of the party but to New Zealanders. There could have been no more appropriate walk-on music as he approached the stage to deliver this policy than a song called “Aotearoa”. “We are New Zealand”. Indeed.

105 comments on ““The purists can weep” ”

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  1. Lanthanide 1
    3 November 2013 at 9:15 am

    Wonder if Labour will be using that song as the anthem for their 2015 campaign.

    I’ve always thought Minuit really wrote themselves a winner in terms of royalities with that song. TV4 used it for advertising for a while a couple of years ago.

    • Saarbo 1.1
      3 November 2013 at 9:49 am

      wow, powerful video…great.

      That is New Zealand to many of us who proudly live in diverse communities. but I reckon half of National voters live in mono cultural environments (I was in Takapuna recently, ewww), we know from research that 70% of them dont know anyone who is unemployed, so wont appeal to them.

      • Lanthanide 1.1.1
        3 November 2013 at 9:52 am

        It’s actually not really that representative at all: the photos are from Minuit fans who sent them into their facebook page back in 2009 when they made the music video.

        So it skews heavily young.

        • IrishBill 1.1.1.1
          3 November 2013 at 10:08 am

          I don’t know about that. I’m pretty sure I saw a couple of old mates in the tour footage.

        • Saarbo 1.1.1.2
          3 November 2013 at 9:02 pm

          Well Lanth, it may be perfect if you consider this from the SST today.

          “Yet, from young people, there’s been barely a whimper.

          The point has been raised before – young people are bearing the brunt of decisions made in the name of necessity, so why aren’t they taking to the streets? More than that, many don’t vote. Although eligible voters aged 18-24 represented 13 per cent of the total voting age population in the 2011 general election, they accounted for nearly half of the total who did not bother to enrol.”

          http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/9356042/New-lending-criteria-labelled-unfair

    • Just Like Tiger Woods 1.2
      3 November 2013 at 12:46 pm

      Twee “we’re all just like each other” socialist pap.

      Some people contribute. Some people don’t. Some people destroy. Whoever you think the destroyers happen to be, should they be treated just the same as the everyone else?

      If you think not, then you don’t believe in social equality regardless of input.

  2. Tat Loo (CV) 2
    3 November 2013 at 9:34 am

    Great that Armstrong came out with some fairer comments today, unlike the bizarrely one side piece yesterday which basically criticised Labour for doing things the Labour way.

  3. Sacha 3
    3 November 2013 at 9:45 am

    Brownlee muted? The clown was defending the insurance industry vigorously on the radio.

  4. Anne 4
    3 November 2013 at 9:49 am

    Just watched a petulant display of the sulks by Matthew Hooton and Claire Robinson on Q&A. Hooton was his normal self… using the language set out by Crosby/Textor. That is, lie, distort, misrepresent and don’t give your opponent a chance to respond.

    Claire Robinson berated Labour for no policy announcements and then contradicted herself later by praising Cunliffe for announcing KiwiAssure even though she had previously criticised it. When Williams (rightly) pointed out that her “years of statistical evidence” were nothing compared to his “years of political experience”, I thought she was going to dong him one!

  5. Rogue Trooper 5
    3 November 2013 at 10:03 am

    speaking of ‘purists’, Shane Jones appeared to have diluted his his cocktail, toasting the gender remit; “the capacity of the women in the party should not be underestimated” – 3News

    Gower also drew out a couple of tensions from the conference;
    -retirement age
    -TPP- increasing skepticism within the party, outright opposition by the unions.

    KiwiAssure- Excellent

    Ditching the monarchy-Even more Bodacious

    • Paul 5.1
      3 November 2013 at 10:05 am

      Grower was looking for tensions.
      He is not a journalist, but a propagandist.

    • Sanctuary 5.2
      3 November 2013 at 10:25 am

      “…Gower also drew out a couple of tensions from the conference;
      -retirement age
      -TPP- increasing skepticism within the party, outright opposition by the unions…”

      Party membership of NZ political parties collapsed during the era of Douglas and Richardson. Now, I know Labour is a long, long way from the halcyon days of tens of thousands of members but by the sound of things a bit of sap is running into long dormant political roots.

      That mean if Gower was born around 1970 he will have no memory of what a mass membership party looks like and how it operates, so for him & the rest of the media amnesiacs – brought up on and used to a normality of husk parties going through a charade of annointing the decisions of a central cadre – seeing delegates debating issues and arguing vigorously over remits must look very strange indeed.

      • Macro 5.2.1
        3 November 2013 at 1:01 pm

        Agreed… They have no knowledge of what the Labour movement – it never wanted to call itself a ‘party’ in those days looked or felt like. The Party of recent times has been a poor image of the robust debate that formed the policy of the early movement.

      • Rednex 5.2.2
        3 November 2013 at 1:04 pm

        Nice one! I got that feeling watching him and that other fella interviewing Davo on TV One this morning. It looked like they really didn’t understand what was going on..

      • Rogue Trooper 5.2.3
        3 November 2013 at 1:06 pm

        😉

  6. tricledrown 6
    3 November 2013 at 10:37 am

    Brownlee defending the insurance companies ripping off New Zealanders,
    If not for Campbell live Gerihatric brownoselee would have not done one thing to push
    Insurance companies into paying out.
    The profits these insurance companies are extacting from NZ now is criminal.
    Brownlee is wrong on saying kiwisure requiring the govt to bail it out they can get reinsurance just like the other insurance co’s.
    Kiwibank isn’t covered by the govt taxpayer either but has forced down bank charges for every one.
    Kiwisure will break the cartel that is in the insurance market.

  7. Wayne 7
    3 November 2013 at 10:47 am

    KiwiAssure is a bit of an indifferent policy. It will have as much impact as KiwiBank. Now I know a lot of people like the idea of KiwiBank, but has it really led to a dramatic change in NZ banking?

    Interesting item on Q&A on poverty this morning. It seems to me the biggest impact on child poverty (apart from jobs) would be to have more state houses. Dr Wills own research confirms that. Which is why I asked the question in post a few days ago about the numbers of poor children in state houses as opposed to private rentals.

    It is surely easy (and popular) Labour party policy to build an extra 3,000 to 5,000 state house a year over the next 3 to 5 years.

    Interesting speech by David Cunliffe yesterday. A lot of clever rhetoric to appeal to the party faithful (including the left), but rather less actual policy that would be different to what Labour has already announced.

    And as I suspected, he was taking a careful line on TPP on Q &A this morning. In my view he would almost certainly support (or at least not seriously oppose) TPP if it comes to Parliament next year which is not so likely given that I imagine a deal won’t be done till sometime in 2014.

    Mind you I suspect the Nats would quite like Labour to oppose TPP in election year (if TPP is done soon), since they could paint Labour as not being ready to be responsible guardians of the economy. Which is never a good space for a major party trying to win an election. But I imagine David Cunliffe is alert to that risk.

    • Lanthanide 7.1
      3 November 2013 at 10:54 am

      “Now I know a lot of people like the idea of KiwiBank, but has it really led to a dramatic change in NZ banking?”

      Yes. Prior to KiwiBank, all ‘everyday’ bank accounts had fees. After KiwiBank started up, all of the big banks introduced various accounts with no monthly fee – there are strings attached, like no chequebook and some require online statements etc, but happily none of those strings are of any inconvenience to myself.

      • felix 7.1.1
        3 November 2013 at 12:24 pm

        It’s worth noting that in Wayne’s world 20 or 30 bucks of bank fees is “indifferent”.

        • Lanthanide 7.1.1.1
          3 November 2013 at 1:19 pm

          A lot of the alternative ‘flat-rate’ options are $5/month, so $60 a year. Which actually is pretty sizeable if you think about it in terms of interest on savings: equivalent to $3,000 in a bank account earning 3% and paying tax at the 33% rate. Then again maybe $3,000 sitting in a savings account isn’t much to Wayne, either.

          Or you can go with one of the old-fashioned “pay as you go” accounts that charge you fees for using EFTPOS etc, as if it’s some fan-dangled new technology that “kids these days” are hip with.

  8. Populuxe1 8
    3 November 2013 at 11:46 am

    Except that New Zealand First passed KiwiSure as a policy remit at thier convention several weeks ago and it’s virtually identical though perhaps better thought out

    • Curwen Rolinson 8.2
      3 November 2013 at 12:09 pm

      I have to say … I may be biased, but “KiwiSure” just rolls off the tongue easier than “KiwiAssure”.

      Cunliffe certainly seems to think so – he keeps dropping the “A” when he says it in interviews!

    • insider 8.3
      3 November 2013 at 12:49 pm

      Better thought out? Really? Exactly how will it work, how is it going to be funded? How will the risks be managed? What will it cost? I’ve seen nothing on that in Cunliffe’s speech or media release. For a so called major policy I’d expect a bit more than a clichéd name and it will be sold through post shops (no doubt furtHer lengthening the queues). Kiwi bank is struggling so is hardly a great model. I note Cunliffe’s hedged his bets with a discrete ‘subject to a business case’.

      • Macro 8.3.1
        3 November 2013 at 1:06 pm

        Of course State insurance was always a dog…As is ACC… I mean you twist your ankle – go see the doc – all those forms and stuff .. pay thru the nose…. Govt insurance has never been tried before and is bound to fail…

        • insider 8.3.1.1
          3 November 2013 at 1:08 pm

          So are you saying acc is the model? They are going for compulsory insurance?

          • Macro 8.3.1.1.1
            3 November 2013 at 1:45 pm

            compulsory insurance! What a bloody good idea!
            Of course public health isn’t insurance and look how poorly that works.. compulsory health insurance.. maybe Obama should have thought of that… Bloody governments get their fingers in the insurance pie…

        • Rogue Trooper 8.3.1.2
          3 November 2013 at 1:09 pm

          lol

        • Curwen Rolinson 8.3.1.3
          3 November 2013 at 1:10 pm

          “Government insurance has never been tried before and is bound to fail”

          Well with an attitude like that …

          Also, no, I think you’ll find if you open a history book that New Zealand used to actually HAVE government insurance. Why did you think State Insurance was called State..?

      • Curwen Rolinson 8.3.2
        3 November 2013 at 1:09 pm

        You would appear to have misread my party comrade’s comments. We are not Labourites.

        We are from New Zealand First, and we are praising *our own* KiwiSure concept, not heaping opprobium or praise on Labour’s “KiwiAssure”.

        • Lanthanide 8.3.2.1
          3 November 2013 at 1:23 pm

          I wonder if KiwiSure was the name Labour had initially cooked up and NZFirst snatched it up first.

        • greywarbler 8.3.2.2
          3 November 2013 at 2:11 pm

          Good to know that Labour and NZFirst agree on this insurance scheme. What other matter are they in parallel on.

          • Curwen Rolinson 8.3.2.2.1
            3 November 2013 at 2:16 pm

            Well we don’t like asset sales … but it remains to be seen whether Labour will join NZ First’s call for renationalization, or endorse our stance of retaining a 65 age of retirement.

      • felix 8.3.3
        3 November 2013 at 1:14 pm

        “Kiwi bank is struggling so is hardly a great model.”

        Yeah, KB is totally failing to suck kiwis dry like the foreign banks do. 🙄

  9. tricledrown 9
    3 November 2013 at 12:02 pm

    Wayne has found his brain .
    But the Tpp will not be in place anytime this side of 2020.
    As it requires govts to drop agricultural tariffs.
    Conservative govts rely on the rural vote for power they will cut off the hands that feed them!
    Korea Japan The US will not give one inch on farm subsidies!

  10. tricledrown 10
    3 November 2013 at 12:04 pm

    Populuxe that will mean it will be a good fit for NZ1st as a coalition partner.

    • Curwen Rolinson 10.1
      3 November 2013 at 12:16 pm

      pledge to renationalize assets first.

      Then we may talk.

      Rest assured NZ First has many awesome ideas for you to pirate. We don’t even mind giving a few away for free for the good of the Nation 😀

      • Tat Loo (CV) 10.1.1
        3 November 2013 at 12:21 pm

        Bearing in mind that any sertious talk of the govt bulk buying back shares is likely to cause the share price to dramatically rise, giving the big institutional investors an instant win fall.

        It’d have to be done smart, were it to be done.

        • Curwen Rolinson 10.1.1.1
          3 November 2013 at 12:38 pm

          lol, who said we’d be renationalizing at the market rate? That WOULD be a problem.

          NZF policy’s the state reacquires the shares at no more than the purchase price. Turns asset sales into an effective zero-percent-interest-loan.

          (although we really must introduce you Labourites to the PowerBond scheme we passed at our last Convention 🙂 Ain’t gonna be no large institutional investors loving it)

          • Rogue Trooper 10.1.1.1.1
            3 November 2013 at 1:10 pm

            Fawking funny Guy! 😀

            • Curwen Rolinson 10.1.1.1.1.1
              3 November 2013 at 2:22 pm

              you wait till you see the actual policy. It’s hilarious.

              (Provided you’re not a foreign pension fund, investor or carpet-bagger)

              • Rogue Trooper …
                3 November 2013 at 2:29 pm

                I’ve always maintained, Winston earns that constituency which is there for the taking. All credit to him for a man who perpetually rends the english language asunder. Now, time for a cuppa-tea.

              • MrSmith …
                3 November 2013 at 9:12 pm

                What’s funny is by the sounds of things NZ First won’t be involved in any coalition with National after the next election.

              • Tat Loo (CV) …
                3 November 2013 at 10:38 pm

                Mr Rolinson. Random question for interests’ sake.

                Does your ordinary membership take a vote on who NZF would enter into coalition with, if anyone?

                Or is it a purely NZF caucus decision, divorced of input from your members?

                • Curwen Rolinson …
                  4 November 2013 at 8:00 am

                  Legit question, Tat.

                  I’m given to understand that the official way we do things is the Parliamentary Caucus gets a say, and the Board of Directors (which I’m on, by some bizzare piece of happenstance) gets a say. The Board is supposed to represent the wishes and will of the Membership in this equation.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    4 November 2013 at 8:10 am

                    Thanks for your reply. And, congratulations Curwen, I’d read about that.

                    • Curwen Rolinson …
                      4 November 2013 at 8:29 am

                      Ahaha. Thanks. Well if you’re referring to what I think you’re referring to, congratulations may be a little premature. I believe I find out the outcome tonight.

                      Depending on how it goes, solidarity and support may prove more appropriate.

            • bad12 10.1.1.1.1.2
              4 November 2013 at 8:26 am

              As seen on TV, Backbenchers i do believe…

  11. Paul 11
    3 November 2013 at 12:10 pm

    KiwiBank
    Kiwi Assure
    Kiwi Build

    • Rednex 11.1
      3 November 2013 at 1:08 pm

      I don’t like Kiwi Assure (the name that is not the policy) just doesn’t trip of the tongue well. Should run a competition on it…

      • Curwen Rolinson 11.1.1
        3 November 2013 at 1:11 pm

        Lol. NZ First came up with “KiwiSure” two weeks ago as a name. How does that sound to you?

        • Tat Loo (CV) 11.1.1.1
          3 November 2013 at 10:38 pm

          Labour couldn’t possibly use that mate. It might make it look like we were copying policy off you, or something…

          • Curwen Rolinson 11.1.1.1.1
            4 November 2013 at 8:01 am

            Lol, we’re always more than happy to provide progressive … inspiration 😀

            • bad12 11.1.1.1.1.1
              4 November 2013 at 8:28 am

              By the way, welcome to the Standard, a NZfirst perspective will be an ‘interesting’ addition to the debate…

              • Curwen Rolinson …
                4 November 2013 at 8:53 am

                Thanks. There’s been a few of us NZF people who’ve occasionally inhabited the comments-threads of The Standard for awhile now (Hello Populuxe et al), but it’s nice to have a more formalized welcome 🙂

                I’m sure you’ll find we’ve got creative contributions to the national conversation.

                • bad12 …
                  4 November 2013 at 9:14 am

                  Lolz, i am finding NZFirst now has 3 policies that i agree with, taking back the power generators,(should wait for the Labour/Green single buyer to kick in first which will have them begging to unload the proceeds of such theft),

                  65 as the age of retirement Full Stop, (although i would entertain a look at an abatement rate for those who choose to work and collect the pension),

                  The insurance biz,(can’t find any objection in my bones,Government has a role in business especially where manufacture can lead to a more valuable export commodity for our primary goods, the super-fund should be the beneficiary of all such Government business)…

                  • Curwen Rolinson …
                    4 November 2013 at 9:34 am

                    😀

                    #Renationalization’s awesome, yeah. You’re also correct to note there’s a potential synergy between NZPower and Renatioanlization – although it may potentially be a little unfair to some of the actual mum & dad investors (yes, there are some out there) to renatioanlize for *too* terribly much less than the price we sold them for.

                    Will have to tell you about the PowerBonds policy remit we just put through our own Convention on a related note 🙂 (oh, while on power, I do note a cabinet paper prepared by David Parker in iirc 2006 which declared the case for nationalization and amalgamation to produce arguable efficiency gains over single-buyer)

                    65’s legit, and I’m glad we’re exerting electoral gravity (so to speak) by having made that a bottom line. How do you feel about Compulsory National Savings?

                    And yeah, you’re right – KiwiFund and KiwiBank (along with, surprise surprise, Kiwis) ought to be the main beneficiaries of government business and transactions.

                    Here’s another NZF policy you’ll agree with : doing everything in our power to ensure government banks with Kiwibank rather than foreign owned ones 😀

                    • bad12 …
                      4 November 2013 at 10:17 am

                      Definitely agree on the banking, it will tho take a serious cash injection and some robust IT work to bring KiwiBank up to such a capability but there is plenty of time to accomplish both while the clock ticks away the time left on the Westpac contract,(doing so as far as IT goes might need the setting up of an IT campus where one company is not of such robustness as to be able to carry out all the necessary work but a number of IT companies working together probably could),

                      The other leg of this policy has already been signaled by Labour/Green in that all Government spending should be examined line by line and Favor given to those firms based in New Zealand employing Kiwi’s and paying their fair share of tax,

                      The areas of policy agreement across the Labour/Green/NZFirst spectrum seem to be piling up in such a fashion as to out-weigh the disagreements and as far as i can see such disagreements are more to do with the means of achievement and the extent of the policy reach than the actual policy outcomes…

                    • Tat Loo …
                      4 November 2013 at 10:34 am

                      How do you feel about Compulsory National Savings?

                      It’s got to be kept well away from the private investment banking and hedgefund sector, for starters.

                      Idea:

                      The government puts your money into your own KiwiBank national savings account, which sits there as a massive cash asset on the government’s balance sheet, to which it electronically credits 1.0% interest per month for the first $10,000 invested. This is new money, electronically generated, designed to push the circulation of money into the economy from the ground up, and benefiting small savers the most.

                      No need for it to be invested in speculative markets.

                • karol …
                  4 November 2013 at 9:15 am

                  Hi Curwen.

                  Are you claiming Populuxe as one of yours? Or as a strong critic of NZFers?

  12. Foreign Waka 12
    3 November 2013 at 12:19 pm

    Q&A this morning: Paula Bennett is so below par that it is astounding that even a National Party welcoming all the rhetoric and denying poverty, is keeping this person in her job. On the question of whether her department should actually do the research instead of private funding via the Children’s commissioner – her answer is no! My god, why is she paid in the first place. Even the business lobby knows that what you cannot measure, you cannot manage. Perhaps this is what quintessential the issue is: National does not WANT to measure as it would become quite clear that NZ has now outpaced the British from last century by far. I admire Dr Russel Wills for his professional approach and his commitment to change the situation. Perhaps he should be in charge of that issue and his recommendations binding. 265 000 children in poverty – NZ shame on you!

  13. Fisiani 13
    3 November 2013 at 4:53 pm

    So correct me if wrong but nationalised electricity, nationalised insurance and nationalised building. More tax, more borrowing , more government spending. The North Korea of the South Pacific. And there will be still more bribes to come. 1,000,000 votes to come apparently from raising minimum wage and paying even teenagers working for the government a wage dreamed up for a family of four despite these policies costing at least 50,000 job losses.
    There come a point when no amount of emotive language and crocodile tears will be able to con the public. They are not that gullible.
    If I am wrong and they are that gullible and believe in the money fairies then the Labour/Green polling should be over 50% next poll.

    • Paul 13.1
      3 November 2013 at 5:22 pm

      Fisiani, are you:
      a) a disciple of neo-liberalism and so indoctrinated you believe in the cult of selfishness as proposed by Ayn Rand ..despite all the evidence now apparent.
      b) a paid puppet of the corporates who write their spin.
      c) a member of the 1% yourself who actually benefits from the present paradigm.

      Just wondering what motivates you to write the rubbish you do.

      • Fisiani 13.1.1
        3 November 2013 at 6:43 pm

        no to a b and c. Simply stating the truth Paul. I believe that the public are actually quite intelligent. They want prosperity, higher wages and more jobs, all of which are guaranteed by the proven success of National rather than the monstrosity of a Green/Labour/Mana/NZF ungovernable job destruction coalition.

    • Puddleglum 13.2
      3 November 2013 at 10:35 pm

      “So correct me if wrong but nationalised electricity, nationalised insurance and nationalised building.”

      Hi Fisiani, yes you are wrong. NZPower, KiwiAssure and Kiwibuild do not involve the nationalisation of those industries.

  14. Tracey 14
    3 November 2013 at 5:15 pm

    You may stand corrected. You are wrong. Yes 47% of new zealanders are gullible. In the same way you continue to swallow the lies of the nats dangling the possibility of future prosperity so you will vote for policies that actual keep you stagnant and the 1% rolling on. Like you many cling to the idea that they are doing good because you would rather be foolish than admit they have duped you on so many fronts.

    • KJT 14.1
      4 November 2013 at 10:38 am

      I wouldn’t say that New Zealanders are gullible on the whole. Misinformed is nearer the mark.

      • Tracey 14.1.1
        4 November 2013 at 10:49 am

        sure, but I was referring to those who voted for national in the last election. Make a fool of me once shame on you, make a fool of me twice, shame on me type thing…

  15. Tracey 15
    3 November 2013 at 5:19 pm

    Fisiani

    creating a new state insurance entity is not nationalisation. The dictionary can be your friend.

  16. lolita bother 16
    3 November 2013 at 6:34 pm

    Hey Fisiani at 4:53 pm

    ”
    So correct me if wrong but nationalised electricity, nationalised insurance and nationalised building. More tax, more borrowing , more government spending. The North Korea of the South Pacific. And there will be still more bribes to come. 1,000,000 votes to come apparently from raising minimum wage and paying even teenagers working for the government a wage dreamed up for a family of four despite these policies costing at least 50,000 job losses.
    There come a point when no amount of emotive language and crocodile tears will be able to con the public. They are not that gullible.
    If I am wrong and they are that gullible and believe in the money fairies then the Labour/Green polling should be over 50% next poll.
    ”

    You print that on an Lprint or Karol entry you get banned for two weeks pal. You lucky Eddie not so extreme

  17. Psycho Milt 17
    3 November 2013 at 7:31 pm

    Would it kill them to either call a thing what it is (eg, State Insurance) or use a bit of fucking imagination? It feels like the current Labour incumbents think naming something involves sticking “Kiwi” on the front of it. Two terms into the next government we’ll have Kiwiair, Kiwicops, Kiwihealth, Kiwischools and Christ alone knows what the fuck else. Kiwinationallibrary, anyone?

  18. Dumrse 18
    3 November 2013 at 8:44 pm

    “The purists can weep”. The only weeping will be the policy holders when the kiwiasure goes tits up because it can’t cover the first tsunami let alone a half decent shake.

    • Tracey 18.1
      4 November 2013 at 10:50 am

      you mean like AMI needed boosting from the government????

    • KJT 18.2
      4 November 2013 at 11:44 am

      Like AMI and all the Christchurch private insurers that people are still waiting for payments from.

      The ones that took our money for decades and suddenly cannot afford to pay out without doubling premiums.

      Yeah right.

  19. tricledrown 19
    3 November 2013 at 10:34 pm

    Dumrse all insurers use reinsures to cover their arse.
    But there is no cover for being dumb unless u vote for National or Act you can become a right wing policy consultant all you have to do is tell lies and act dumb.
    Perfect fit 4u dumrse.

  20. One Anonymous Knucklehead 20
    4 November 2013 at 8:23 am

    Throwing words around equals critique, apparently, in right wing land.

    Is there any criticism of this policy that isn’t frothing at the mouth?

    I guess that’s why Cunliffe wants to see the business case; the local Tea Party doesn’t have the chops. Better wingnuts please.

  21. Crunchtime 21
    4 November 2013 at 3:47 pm

    Please fix your rogue apostrophes…

    “David Cunliffe’s policy is about giving Kiwi’s the ability to ensure…”

    should be

    “David Cunliffe’s policy is about giving Kiwis the ability to ensure…”

    An apostrophe is used for abbreviation or ownership. No other reason. You do not put an apostrophe before an s for a plural. Ever.

    I’m sure we want things to a professional standard.

    Love,
    The Grammar Nazi. 😉

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    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
    5 hours 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
    12 hours 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
    12 hours 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
    13 hours 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
    13 hours 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
    13 hours 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
    13 hours 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
    13 hours 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
    13 hours 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
    14 hours 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
    15 hours 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
    15 hours 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
    15 hours 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
    15 hours 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
    15 hours 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
    16 hours 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
    19 hours 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
    19 hours 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
    20 hours 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
    21 hours 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
    21 hours 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
    22 hours 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
    22 hours 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
    23 hours 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
    23 hours 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    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. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. 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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, 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?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
    Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Small accomplishments and large ironies
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VII
    In order to catch up to the actual progress of the D&D campaign, I present you with another couple of sessions. These were actually held back to back, on a Monday and Tuesday evening. Session XV Alas, Goatslayer had another lycanthropic transformation… though this time, he ran off into the ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Accelerating the Growth Rate?
    There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days 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
    9 hours 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
    15 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
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  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
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  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
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  • Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
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  • New Fast Track Projects advisory group named
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