Useless

Written By: - Date published: 10:33 pm, October 2nd, 2013 - 81 comments
Categories: you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

So John Key goes out into the world to represent our interests and what does he get?

His good mate David Cameron tells him to get stuffed when he asks for better access to the UK for Kiwis.

A meeting with the Queen that made us look like a bunch of hicks.

A “hard hitting” (though weirdly squeaky) speech to the UN urging them to do something they had already done (and don’t think his sucking up to the US will get us anywhere).

And now Tony Abbott has told him to get stuffed when he’s asked for some basic citizenship rights for Kiwis across the ditch.

After all that rolling on his back and showing his belly he couldn’t even get a little tickle. Not even a small symbolic concession from his overseas mates (although you know he’s quietly offered plenty of concessions on our behalf). What an embarrassing little prick.

81 comments on “Useless ”

  1. Alanz 1

    “David Cameron tells him to get stuffed”

    “Tony Abbott is [sic] has told him to get stuffed”

    And more NZ voters are telling him to get stuffed!

    • Tracey 1.1

      This must be wrong because Wayne Mapp is saying we have status in the TPPA to negotiate terms and stuff for our benefit… and we arent just sitting there nodding for any scraps off the table.

  2. vto 2

    Get stuffed Captain Useless

  3. Clement Pinto 3

    Ha, but Key, not to be outdone, tells us to get stuffed too by ignoring the GCSB concerns, the asset sale opposition etc, etc!

  4. Colonial Viper 4

    Sigh.

  5. Not another Sheep 5

    “Key said he did not expect any “deliverables” from his meeting, but it was a chance to build up “chemistry and rapport”, which was already high because he knew Abbott well. ” Stuff.co

    “deliverables” used as a Noun…………….. is there such a word????????? Moron:- Or is a ‘deliverable’ a brand new word meaning another ‘big, hard, brown, job’ to drop on New Zillend people?

    “chemistry” eewww creepy. Did Key really need to go for a ‘quickie’ with Abbott?

    “rapport”, some sleazy deal in secret face to face because Key couldn’t use electronic digital media or the GCSB would find out.

    ” because he knew Abbott well.” So ….the moron didn’t really need to go to the exorbitant expense of an Airforce 757 for a quickie few hours to build “rapport” in the first place. Something stinks about this trip !

    Perhaps the cheaper option to New Zillend taxpayers would have had Key use the Copper cable that his Brighter Future is invested in ??

    RING,RING… ” Hey Tony, John here. How are yah? Got any deliverables for New Zillenders? No?? yep, yep…. appreciate your busy running a nation of 23million and it’s your first week on the job… okay I’ll catch up with you bouta sweet deal I’ve got for you. ” CLICK.

    Telecom International Conference- Price per minute
    Australia, USA, UK, Ireland, Canada
    $0.95

    • Colonial Viper 5.1

      “deliverables” used as a Noun…………….. is there such a word????????? Moron:- Or is a ‘deliverable’ a brand new word meaning another ‘big, hard, brown, job’ to drop on New Zillend people?

      Yeah, it’s standard corporate/consulting lingo.

      • GregJ 5.1.1

        Yeah, it’s standard corporate/consulting lingo.

        My personal most hated consulting lingo – “learnings”.

        FFS! 😡

        • Paul 5.1.1.1

          Do you get paid more as a consultant if you invent new words?

        • Paul 5.1.1.2

          Do you get paid more as a consultant if you invent new words?

          • McFlock 5.1.1.2.1

            Do you get paid more as a consultant if you invent new words?

            Actually, yeah, indirectly. Invent a new buzzword as part of a “dynamic and innovative new training package”, glossy packaged presentation, and Robert’s your father’s brother.

            And if your bullshit presentation makes millions, your invented jargon percolates into the wider community as a variation of Cockney rhyming slang – it serves to differentiate clique members from outsiders (who either patently don’t understand it, or merely fail to maintain a straight face at the elevated bullshit levels).

            Of course, if our new learnings include a pre-engagement indication that an anthro-economic unit is verbally non-adaptive, then we can de-escalate the prioritisation of face-time interaction and divert them into an eDynamic relationship which hyper-streams the agreement of deliverables…

          • Colonial Viper 5.1.1.2.2

            Yes. The usual approach is for someone to publish a new business bestseller which harps on about some new (i.e. old but renamed) concepts, and for the consultants to then make a mint selling projects based on this “new” jargon.

            TQM, TPM, Just in time, Business process re-engineering, world class best practice, core competencies, centres of excellence, mission/vision/values statement, blah blah blah

    • the pigman 5.2

      “RING,RING… ” Hey Tony, John here. How are yah? Got any deliverables for New Zillenders? No?? yep, yep…. appreciate your busy running a nation of 23million and it’s your first week on the job… okay I’ll catch up with you bouta sweet deal I’ve got for you. ” CLICK.

      Telecom International Conference- Price per minute
      Australia, USA, UK, Ireland, Canada
      $0.95”

      But who would have laid the wreath (to tap into some all-important trans-tasman-fraternity political capital)? Who would have laid the wreath?!

      Pretty good summary otherwise.

  6. Not another Sheep 6

    So it’s just as well Key and cronies didn’t sell the RNZAF 757 then? Or there would have been no cargo hold for the “deliverables” he might have brought back at $111,521.26 per flight hour (2011)

    • the pigman 6.1

      Hopefully he had a glance out the window for that missing yacht while he was at it…

      • Not another Sheep 6.1.1

        The Wreath could have been laid by the “boat people” (who’ve already landed) in memory of the other “boat people”. You know the ones whose children/ families, human beings are in the missing yachts that can’t come to OZ now.

        Maybe Key went to Oz to launch his new book and sell it to his “brother prime minister” for ideas. It’s called
        “The John’s Way :How Politics Explains Poverty”
        Tony’s been reading it, he comments
        “I am impressed with the way the New Zealand Government has created economic growth, pursued very sensible economic policies without in any way engaging in what’s become known as austerity. ” Abbott

    • North 6.2

      Bloody outrageous. That’s close to $700K just to get to dinner. To schmooz with the whangae son of that racist old bastard Howard.

      So tell me, what was all that shit about Winston’s baubles as Labour’s Foreign Minister ? And what was all that SlaterPorn shit about Cunliffe, Robertson and Jones flying to various primaries meetings around the country ?

      This preening “yay everybody loves me” narcissistic schoolboy in the Beehive is acting like some addled rock star zipping down to St Tropez for a piss-up. Wonder if he took a bottle or two from the vineyard he knows nothing about ?

      Any links on that $111K per flight hour for the 757 ?

  7. ak 7

    (edit – handle typo in earlier note)

    chemistry…rapport…high….deliverables….

    Let’s hope that the line was fine, and it wasn’t just another case of editorial mending of Slippery diction: mild-mannered Lib-Natsy leaders talking about using chemistry on the poor and miserable while high has a worryingly familiar ring to it…..

  8. I don’t get this idea that NZers have some kind of citizenship “rights” in Australia. We already have way more rights in Australia than any other foreigners, in that we don’t need visas or work permits to live and work there. Is there some reason they should be offering citizenship as well, other than that many of us apparently would like it?

    • IrishBill 8.1

      Australians have access to social welfare and can vote while in New Zealand. And New Zealanders used to have those rights in Australia until the Howard government shut them down in 2001.

      • risildowgtn 8.1.1

        It is high time we cancelled access for Australians having access to Social welfare etc etc etc……

        Tit for tat

        but agree this PM is a international embarrassment and a failure……

        • srylands 8.1.1.1

          “Tit for tat”

          Do you know how many Australians in NZ are on welfare? Stuff all. And if we did that the Australian government would simply say “fine with us”. Who are you are trying to punish?

          To reiterate – stopping access to benefits in Australia was a New Zealand Governnment proposal. That is why Australians here still have access to welfare.

          • Tracey 8.1.1.1.1

            “Do you know how many Australians in NZ are on welfare? Stuff all.”

            source please.

          • ghostwhowalksnz 8.1.1.1.2

            There are things like access to student loans, disability payments. Then there is things like natural disasters, your Aussie neighbour will get federal assistance you will get diddly squat.

      • Tracey 8.1.2

        yes, but other than that, WHAT have we done for the Australians (h/t to Life of Brian – Python)

      • srylands 8.1.3

        “Australians have access to social welfare and can vote while in New Zealand. And New Zealanders used to have those rights in Australia until the Howard government shut them down in 2001.”

        Whooaaa. You are doing a revisionist thing with history.

        It was the NZ Government of Helen Clark that proposed that the access be shut down. New Zealand had always reimbursed Australia for the cost of welfare payments for New Zealanders living in Australia. That had applied since 1975. But the cost was becoming too high. What New Zealand was willing to pay was not meeting the cost. Helen’s view was that the new Labour Government was interested in the welfare of New Zealanders living in NZ, not in Australia. Her view was that if NZers in Aus were unhappy they could come home.

        It was Helen that put the proposal to stop access to benefits in Australia on the table. The Australian government then said that suits us fine.

        • Tracey 8.1.3.1

          Here is an assessment from an editor on stuff.co.nz

          ” The anomaly arose 10 years ago when Australia took umbrage at an overstayer amnesty in this country which would have allowed people previously unwanted by New Zealand to enter Australia and gain access to Australia’s welfare system.

          The Labour government of the day misread the strength of feeling across the Tasman and pressed ahead with the amnesty. Australia responded by tearing up the agreement that had previously entitled New Zealanders residing in Australia to the same social assistance as Australians.

          Then prime minister Helen Clark described the ending of the reciprocal welfare arrangements as a win for both countries. Australia would not have to pay any more “Kiwi dole bludgers” to surf at Bondi; New Zealand would no longer have to contribute to Australia’s welfare bill as it then did.

          However, it was never a win for this country. New Zealanders testing their opportunities in Australia lost out and New Zealand itself loses out when Australian-based Kiwis who have fallen on hard times return home to claim assistance from a welfare system to which they have not contributed.

          Australia, on the other hand, benefits from what a former Australian MP, Bob Catley, once described as New Zealand’s “foreign aid programme”.

          It gets to use the skills of educated workers whose education it has not had to pay for, but reserves the right to effectively send them home when the work dries up or they suffer other misfortune.
          Ad Feedback

          A fairer apportionment of responsibilities and rewards between the two countries makes sense. In the meantime, however, Kiwis contemplating a move across the Tasman should bear in mind the downside as well as the upside.

          If they do not qualify as permanent residents they are likely, if disaster strikes, to find themselves denied the assistance that is taken for granted here. ”

          and from wikipedia

          “New Zealanders in Australia previously had immediate access to Australian welfare benefits and were sometimes characterised as bludgers. In 2001 this was described by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark as a “modern myth”. Regulations changed in 2001 whereby New Zealanders must wait two years before being eligible for such payments.[46] All New Zealanders who have moved to Australia after February 2001 are placed on a Special Category Visa, classing them as temporary residents, regardless of how long they reside in Australia. This visa is also passed on to their children. As temporary residents, they are ineligible for government support, aid, emergency programmes, welfare, public housing and disability support in Australia; something that is not denied to Australians in New Zealand. Attempts by the Queensland Government to pass a law that would allow government agencies to deny support based on residency status without it being considered discriminatory were condemned by Queensland’s anti-discrimination commission as an attempt to legalise state discrimination against New Zealanders, claiming it would create a “permanent second class of people”

          • JonL 8.1.3.1.1

            “If they do not qualify as permanent residents they are likely, if disaster strikes, to find themselves denied the assistance that is taken for granted here. ” I’ve been here (working), for 8 yrs….I’m too old to apply for permanent residency (over 50) without sponsorship etc, etc. Having paid about $180K in Aus taxes, if I hit hard times,I guess I’ll just have to sell up what I’ve got and move back to NZ – and welfare. Seems like a lose situation to NZ from my angle…..

      • Colonial Viper 8.1.4

        Australians have access to social welfare and can vote while in New Zealand.

        Classic NZ sense of fair play. Which the Ozzies don’t buy into, in the slightest.

    • Tracey 8.2

      But, Australia gave us Srylands… or so he writes

      • North 8.2.1

        Not so much as gave, got rid of a big bucket of detritis rather.

        • srylands 8.2.1.1

          “Not so much as gave, got rid of a big bucket of detritis rather”

          More left rudeness.

          [lprent: More right wing nutter condescension. Arrogant fuckwits like yourself who want to define the rules for debate really are rude.

          If I see you attempt to usurp my role in setting the grounds for debate again then I’ll demonstrate what sysop rudeness is. ]

      • srylands 8.2.2

        “But, Australia gave us Srylands… or so he writes”

        And the red giant star Betelgeuse gave us Tracey.

    • RedLogix 8.3

      After an hour-long meeting with Key, Abbott said he was “very happy” with the situation as it stood and Kiwis who came to Australia were expected to work and pay taxes like everybody else.

      Abbott used his Wainuiomata-born wife as an example of how the arrangement worked for both sides.

      “I’m very conscious of the great debt I personally owe New Zealand – on the other hand [my wife] says that she owes something to Australia given that Australia has been a good home to her over the last 25-30 years now.”

      New Zealanders had better access to Australia than the citizens of any other country – “and that’s as it should be”, Abbott said.

      “What I admire about kiwis in Australia is their commitment to have a go. They are have a go people. I want everyone who comes to this country to work and pay taxes from day one and in delighted that’s exactly what Kiwis have done.

      “I’m very happy with the situation that exists right now which is that Kiwis coming here know that they are expected to work and pay taxes from day one as so many of them do.”

      After emerging from their meeting, Abbott addressed Key as his “brother Prime Minister” and talked about the strong bonds in the trans-Tasman relationship.

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9238539/No-change-to-Kiwi-citizenship-status-Aust-PM

      Abbott is being deeply dishonest by using his wife as an example here. Because she was resident in Australia well before 2001 and is married to an Australian her situation in Australia is fully protected. Access to citizenship and social welfare is a given for her. Using her as an example is utterly irrelevant.

      The problem that some NZ govt will eventually have to address, is that there are currently about 618,000 kiwis living in Aus under the SubClass 444 ‘Special Category Visa’. It is a temporary visa (it has to be renewed every-time you re-enter the country) and while it allows you to live and work, access Medicare or Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (in common with a number of other countries) .. there is no longer any easy path to eventually achieving citizenship for most. If you worked for a sponsoring employer for two years, or in a ‘regional’ area, then you used to be able to apply for a ‘fast-track’ visa … but even that door was shut in July 2012.

      This means that over time there are an increasing number of New Zealanders who will find themselves essentially stranded, eventually they will either retire, fall ill or will be unable to work. NZ Super (if available to them) will not sustain them and they will have zero access to any other support.

      Eventually these people will be forced to return to New Zealand. That’s the population of Wellington and Christchurch combined. It’s one of those slow demographic time-bomb things that no-one will do anything about until too late.

      Of course what is most repellent about Abbott’s line is the implied ‘you can pay your taxes but we won’t ever let you be citizens’ sneering. And then rubs it in with some blatantly insincere schmoozing about being ‘brother’ countries.

      • Tracey 8.3.1

        did she take out citizenship???

      • srylands 8.3.2

        “This means that over time there are an increasing number of New Zealanders who will find themselves essentially stranded, eventually they will either retire, fall ill or will be unable to work. NZ Super (if available to them) will not sustain them and they will have zero access to any other support.

        Many of them will have the benefit of Australia’s generous work based super schemes. If they have been working in Australia for 20-30 years they should be able to retire to NZ with nice retirement savings. Given that New Zealanders in Australia have high employment rates many will be racking up the savings (and at higher wages than NZ).

        I take your point – it is an issue that needs some attention, but more analysis would be required to determine whether it is indeed a time bomb.

        • McFlock 8.3.2.1

          So how big would the problem of people being stranded in Aus without income or healthcare have to get before your care?

    • KJT 8.4

      Happy about being able to live and work in Australia as a NZ citizen.

      I am not happy about paying taxes in Australia, when, myself and my kids, are denied many of the things those taxes pay for.

      In that current case it would be fairer if Kiwi’s working in Australia paid NZ taxes, and were exempt from Aussie ones. As it is the NZ welfare system they have to depend on if anything goes wrong.

    • Sable 8.5

      I took out citizenship just before the law was changed. I don’t blame the Australian government, this country was being used as a back door by new migrants armed with a Kiwi passport who were rejected by the Australian immigration system first time around.

      Want to blame anyone blame the NZ government for its slack immigration policy which reflects its inability to provide sound economic guidance and social policy that provides a quality standard of living to its own people who keep on leaving. Hence the need to prop up the population stats with and I hate to say this but its true, low quality imported labour. How many times has the government said “don’t worry we have more people arriving than leaving”. What they fail to mention is the quality of education and ability of these new arrivals which in many cases is sorely lacking compared to those heading to the airport.

      When I lived in OZ I came across some very talented Kiwis who said they were not getting what they needed back home. Indeed a friend of mine who had his computer science degree could not find work in NZ. Within a month of arriving in OZ he had a good grad job with a top firm and now works as a senior network engineer. He will never come back to NZ he tells me and I can not blame him.

  9. Sanctuary 9

    “…And now Tony Abbott has told him to get stuffed when he’s asked for some basic citizenship rights for Kiwis across the ditch…”

    New Zealanders who move to a deeply racist country shouldn’t be surprised when they are themselves victims of that racism.

    • One Anonymous Knucklehead 9.1

      New Zealanders who move to a deeply racist country feel at home depending on their ethnicity.

      • Sanctuary 9.1.1

        John Key last night was busy blaming Helen Clark for the current arrangement, but the deal offered by the Howard government was the current one or one restricting access to Australia to only native born New Zealanders – a racist solution from a racist government that would see me (a native born New Zealander) being treated as better than my Chinese Malay work colleague (a New Zealand citizen who moved here twenty five years ago) that was rightly repugnant to the New Zealand government.

  10. srylands 10

    “And now Tony Abbott has told him to get stuffed when he’s asked for some basic citizenship rights for Kiwis across the ditch.”

    This is a ridiculous statement. Nobody on either side expected anything different. What are we going to do? Threaten not to sell them butter?

    I expect you will apply the same test in December 2014 when Missing-T goes to visist the Australian PM. I expect to see the same “Useless” cry when Silent-T changes nothing about the current trans-Tasman arrangements.

    • idlegus 10.1

      fanny!

    • karol 10.2

      Comments that use schoolyard smears, hinting at vaginas as some kind of dirty thing, without really stating as such, are not worth reading. Gutter-tripe. Won’t be reading your comments in future, smearlands.

    • Delia 10.3

      Good lord Cryland grow up and take your foulness back to WhaleOil’s blog where it belongs I do not come to a Labour site to read crap like yours OK. So pack it in.

      [lprent: Read the about. It isn’t a Labour (ie NZLP) site, it is a labour movement site. It is a pretty important distinction that governs much of our site policies. ]

      • KJT 10.3.1

        Actually we need the Srylands on here. To remind us of the cognitive dissonance, meanness, greed and callousness, endemic on the right.

        And some other RW commentators, who do have something useful to contribute, who remind us that “they” are not all like that. Some do have the same goals for NZ as us, they just believe, rightly or wrongly, in different ways of getting there.

        • Paul 10.3.1.1

          Disagree.
          Knowing I’ll have to wade through his trolling to get to sensible debate makes me wish for his return to the sewer.

      • srylands 10.3.2

        I don’t like Whaleoil.

        • Sable 10.3.2.1

          Ahhhh shitelands, you and your kind bring out the worst in me. I swore I was going to ignore you but I find you so utterly offensive and lacking in basic human compassion and kindness I really cant help myself.

          You belong on whales slimy site. You are cut from the same poisonous, elitist, backward looking, self serving, callous cloth as the creep Slater and other misfits like Keys and co.

    • thatguynz 10.4

      I’m guessing Shitlands (yes – a deliberate insult) that you don’t see your hypocrisy of crying about people deliberately mangling your name here to cause you offense (what you are calling “rude”) with your ongoing puerile “Silent T / Missing T” jibes? They are precisely the same no?

      Just saying…

    • Tracey 10.5

      why would anyone expect left wing labour to get traction with right wing Abbott? Key on the other hand, the charming right-wing currency trader said Tony was nice and he likes him. Tony waxed ideologically about the surreal version of NZ that Key likes to paint… and still a NO.

  11. Useless little prick eh? Not to the Queen and her “firm” he isn’t. $ 30 million to Rio Tinto with her as a huge share holder comes in right handy. Him selling the TPPA on behalf of his bankster buddies is going quite well too. Total financial deregulation and bankers let loose to rip off Kiwi’s like they do Americans coming our way as I write this.

    John Key is not a useless little prick to them. No Sir! And his $ 50 million putting him in with the richest 202,000 people of the world tells me they really appreciate his endeavors on their behalf.

    And they think that you are the useless one so you might want to ditch that sense of superiority that makes you believe you’re actually smarter than John Key and his bankster mates.

    He was at Balmoral with the MSM making him look like a dip so people like you wouldn’t actually ask yourself why a scheister like him would be visiting arguable one of the most powerful people in the world. he came away from the place full of energy to promote the Queen’s descendents to be the hereditary heads of state of 54 countries including these Islands and if you think they don’t hold any power you are even more deluded.

    • Colonial Viper 11.1

      Good points.

    • Ramsay 11.2

      “Useless little prick…”

      Comments that use schoolyard smears, hinting at male genitals as some kind of dirty thing, without really stating as such, are not worth reading. Gutter-tripe. Won’t be reading your comments in future.

      • travellerev 11.2.1

        Actually the word prick was used in the actual post. I make the point that calling someone who belongs to the richest 202,000 people in the world a useless or embarrassing and little may be a bit of misnomer. A prick he may be. A Rich Prick he most assuredly is but useless, embarrassing?

        And feel free not to read my comments. Wouldn’t want you to feel too uncomfortable. What with the cognitive dissonance and all! 😆

      • karol 11.2.2

        Thank you for quoting me out of context, Ramsay.

        Actually, the equivalent to the female genital reference I was responding to would have been”useless little P.”

        And the words used for male and female genitals are not equivalent. Both are used in ways intended to put men down by attacking their masculinity – prick is used to attack masculinity by reference to small size. The term for female genitals has far deeper anti-woman associations, merely because it refers to female sexuality.

    • Crunchtime 11.3

      I’ve heard many reports that he’s doubled his worth to 100 mil since taking office. That puts him in an even smaller more exclusive club.

      Not bad performance for a blind trust eh?

  12. i was gonna do one of these..

    ..now i can just link to yrs instead..

    (my rough-draft uses ‘fuck-off!’..

    ..but ‘stuff’ will do..)

    ..phillip ure..

  13. captain hook 13

    Da troof iss we is a gang of hicks!
    I hope the Queen told him off for the crummy little dweebs in the Advertising Agencies mocking the royal family to sell their goods.
    If Doncoyote cant recognise that this sort of behaviour is deleterious to the country’s morale and standing in the world then he is a bigger moron than I thought he was.

  14. Zaphod Beeblebrox 14

    ‘Deeply racist’- Just because 43% of us voted for Abbots drive the refugees into the sea policy does not mean everybody over here is ‘deeply racist’. We still take a higher percentage of refugess per head than any other country bar Canada.

    I’m actually confused as to why Key would be opposed to the current arrangements. I thought kiwis wanted more of its own back home. Did not Key campaign on the basis of bringing more home in 2007?

    • GregJ 14.1

      While I don’t disagree with you that not all Aussies are “deeply racist” the anecdotal evidence from my extended family in Australia (some Australian born, others born in NZ) is that Australia has a deeply embedded vein of racism. New Zealand is by no means perfect but their opinion is that NZ is a long way ahead of Australia on race relations as well as gender & LGBT issues (not that we don’t have a long way to go).

      We still take a higher percentage of refugess per head than any other country bar Canada.

      A claim used by many who don’t actually want refugees in Australia that appears to lack some substance. Even if it was true it doesn’t excuse some of the worst aspects of the official Australian response & treatment of those seeking refuge in the country.

  15. Intrinsicvalue 15

    Refusing to accept illegal immigrants is not “driving refugees into the sea”. Australia is a sovereign state and as such can determine it’s own immigration policies in the interests of it’s own people.

  16. Zaphod Beeblebrox 16

    How else would describe the tow back the boats policy? Remember most of these boats barely make it outside Indonesia’s thin jurisdiction anyway.

  17. Sable 17

    Serves the jumped up little twit right. Keys should be looking after his own people rather than selling out to a bunch of Poms and Yanks. Now he can see they couldn’t give two shits about him, he’s a nobody outside NZ. Worse still because of his appalling behaviour back home he’s now increasingly hated here too. Talk about shafting yourself….

    • He is looking after his own people. The richest 202.000 on this planet. You, I ques, are not in that group.

      • Sable 17.1.1

        So I’m not entitled to push for a government that looks after its own people? I’m guessing that’s what you are implying, assuming you have a point…..

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • 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
    3 hours 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
    4 hours 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
    4 hours 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
    5 hours 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
    6 hours 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
    6 hours 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 ...
    7 hours 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
    9 hours 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
    10 hours ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats why they introduced the Recently Deleted folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Heres how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on Edit. Select Show Recently Deleted. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose Recover to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    12 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 ...
    18 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 ...
    19 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 ...
    19 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 ...
    20 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 ...
    20 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 ...
    20 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 ...
    20 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 ...
    20 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
    21 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 ...
    22 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 ...
    22 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, ...
    22 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, ...
    22 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
    22 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
    23 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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 ...
    2 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
    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 ...
    3 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to 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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...

    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 ...
    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 ...
    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

  • 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
    42 mins 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 hour 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
    2 hours 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
    2 hours 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
    3 hours 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
    5 hours 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
    16 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
    22 hours 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
    23 hours 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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
    7 days 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
    7 days 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
  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
    The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-19T02:53:22+00:00