Archive for May, 2008
National still won’t say what they’d do
Written By: - Date published: 2:41 pm, May 21st, 2008 - 9 comments
Seemingly content to coast along on the “time for a change” sentiment, the National Party are still refusing to offer any substantive details in major policy areas: government debt, work rights and retirement savings. English ended up sounding like a broken record on Agenda a few days back. His stock answer was ‘I can’t tell […]
Nandor to stay in Parliament until election
Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, May 21st, 2008 - 20 comments
Nandor Tanczos has just announced he will not be standing down from Parliament early to let Russel Norman in because former MP Mike Ward has refused to step aside. According to Nandor’s statement: “I had hoped that I might step down soon and allow Co-Leader Russel Norman to take my place before the election, however, […]
Let political animals run free
Written By: - Date published: 11:43 am, May 21st, 2008 - 11 comments
Good on Breakfast for following our lead by playing the full clip of Goff’s AltTv interview this morning and saying ‘make up your own mind’. Bit of a change that, asking people to judge for themselves. Most political reporting treats politics as if it’s some mystical art or complicated science that must be analysed by […]
Spin Bingo: Budget Edition
Written By: - Date published: 10:12 am, May 21st, 2008 - 56 comments
Well it’s Budget day tomorrow and we’ve got our man Steve Pierson going to the lock-up so we can get you a good ol’ Standardista analysis ASAP. But while we don’t know what’s going to be in the Budget we can take a fair guess at what National’s response will be. So we’ve decided to […]
Beat-up
Written By: - Date published: 6:17 pm, May 20th, 2008 - 94 comments
Well, I’ve seen the video of Goff on Alt TV and I really can’t see what all the fuss is about. Phil Goff’s stated the obvious by saying there’s a chance Labour could lose the next election, he’s reaffirmed his support for Helen Clark and hinted that if the leadership were open after the election […]
National – more women-friendly?
Written By: - Date published: 4:52 pm, May 20th, 2008 - 52 comments
Colin Espiner pointed it out the other week, National “needs more women. Never over-represented in National at the best of times, the party is looking increasingly estrogen-lite.” So there would have been a sigh of relief in National circles that they can now distance themselves from comments such as these from declared departee Bob Clarkson: […]
Kremlinology: National on work rights
Written By: - Date published: 1:56 pm, May 20th, 2008 - 24 comments
National’s refusal to say what it stands for is becoming so ridiculous we have resorted to the Cold War art of Kremlinology. Today, we look at work rights. On Agenda, Bill English said he is concerned about new ‘entitlements’ for workers. ‘Entitlements’ is an anti-worker way of saying work rights – it implies that they […]
On the distribution of income
Written By: - Date published: 10:57 am, May 20th, 2008 - 62 comments
See that line that says minimum wage? Nearly half of kiwis earn less than that. Seven months ago, that was me. I was working removing asbestos contaminated glue from the floor of an office building along with half a dozen other guys. Now, asbestos is pretty dangerous stuff, inhaling a single thread of it can […]
An unfair advantage?
Written By: - Date published: 10:47 am, May 20th, 2008 - 8 comments
Oscar Pistorius now the chance to become the first amputee to compete on the track at the Olympics. The 21-year-old who runs on artificial carbon fibre legs has been cleared to compete at the Beijing Olympics if he can make the qualifying time (he needs to take about a second off his personal best). Initially Oscar was barred from […]
Herald gets it right
Written By: - Date published: 10:12 am, May 20th, 2008 - 41 comments
Good to see the New Zealand Herald is starting a campaign to let us know the policy cost of National’s likely massive tax cut programme. Amongst the list of things National could drop to put money into the pockets of a few are: $700 million for Fast Forward Fund investing in food and pastoral sector […]
Key lacks leadership on climate change
Written By: - Date published: 5:02 pm, May 19th, 2008 - 26 comments
National has pulled its support for the emissions trading scheme which is intended to set limits on the emission of greenhouse gases and penalise polluters. This is the latest in a long line of Key’s shifting positions on climate change. First climate change was a “complete and utter hoax”. Then as the environmental mood gained momentum […]
National: we’ll borrow for tax cuts for the rich
Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, May 19th, 2008 - 77 comments
Discovering National’s policy is a bit like the old art of Kremlinology, when Western intelligence agencies would attempt to discover the inner workings of Soviet politics by looking at who stood next to whom in pictures, and what hand politburo members carried their briefcases in. The latest subtle signs from National regarding its tax policy […]
Getting the facts straight
Written By: - Date published: 11:57 am, May 19th, 2008 - 27 comments
When asked on Morning Report (MP3 link) today why National was bringing up the issue of MMP now, Key remarked: “[the public] were promised a referendum on MMP”. He’s wrong. Nigel Robert, Professor of Political Science at Victoria University points out: “A referendum wasn’t promised previously. The role of Parliament after MMP was introduced was […]
Key’s green mask slips
Written By: - Date published: 9:46 am, May 19th, 2008 - 33 comments
Last year John Key announced National’s ‘Blue-Green’ Strategy. It contained the first shadow of acknowledgment from National that climate change is a serious issue: a target to reduce greenhouse gas emission to 50% of 1990 levels by 2050. Of course, setting a target for a time when most of your MPs will be dead is […]
Winner takes all (of us to the cleaners?)
Written By: - Date published: 10:56 am, May 18th, 2008 - 120 comments
The Sunday Star Times reports National is keen to have a referendum on MMP. As you would expect Peter Shirtcliffe has been involved in lobbying the Nats for this policy. It’s just as AYB predicted. I’m sure the advertising agencies will be rubbing their hands together in glee. I would imagine we’ll hear a lot […]
Media policy
Written By: - Date published: 3:30 pm, May 17th, 2008 - 47 comments
As The Standard has grown, we’ve started to receive inquires from the media and requests for a comment or interview. We’ve been a bit hesitant about what to do in this regard. On the one hand, like most bloggers, we blog under pseudonyms and we believe what’s important is the writing and the arguments, not […]
A change to what?
Written By: - Date published: 11:35 am, May 17th, 2008 - 192 comments
As we all know the latest Fairfax poll has shown a huge lead for the National Party. Now I’m of the opinion it’s probably a rogue poll and we could argue that point (and methodology, and trends, etc) until the cows come home but I’m interested in something else. If this poll was hypothetically the […]
Fairfax poll
Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, May 17th, 2008 - 27 comments
This morning’s Fairfax poll is bad news for Labour, with National easily having the numbers to govern alone. Following the hugely popular rail buyback it’s hard to see what could have caused a swing of this size, so it’ll be interesting to see if the next few polls show a similar trend. The Greens and […]
California lifts gay marriage ban
Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, May 17th, 2008 - 41 comments
California’s top court has ruled that a state law banning marriage between same-sex couples is unconstitutional, accrording to a BBC report. The state’s Supreme Court said the “right to form a family relationship” applied to all Californians regardless of sexuality. I wonder if this ruling will re-ignite debate on the status of relationships here in […]
Bill Ralston: independent commentator?
Written By: - Date published: 2:10 pm, May 16th, 2008 - 43 comments
If you’ve been reading Bill Ralston’s columns in the Herald on Sunday over the last few months you’ll have noticed how they’ve started to read more and more like long-form National Party press releases. To date I’d put it down to pure laziness – after all, why would you bother coming up with an original […]
Time to let interest rates fall
Written By: - Date published: 1:59 pm, May 16th, 2008 - 23 comments
The economy is clearly slowing. Fundamentally, it remains strong with high employment, good wages rises, and strong prices for our exports but employment and retail spending both declined in the first quarter of this year, the housing market is flat, and there is a danger that if the Reserve Bank keeps its foot on our […]
Get your questions in for Peters
Written By: - Date published: 1:37 pm, May 16th, 2008 - 10 comments
We’ll be selecting the questions for Winston as the final interview in the ‘Interview the Leaders’ series on Sunday. So, get them in while you can here. It’s been enjoyable having this series and great to give readers the chance to question leaders in a public forum. If you’ve got any ideas for future series […]
If I were UnitedFuture’s Campaign Strategist
Written By: - Date published: 11:09 am, May 16th, 2008 - 15 comments
Last in our ‘campaign strategist’ series is UnitedFuture, perhaps the least inspiring party in Parliament. UnitedFuture (ie. Peter Dunne) should play the same strategy as was used in 2002. Keep your head down, shore up support in Dunne’s safe seat of Ohariu/Belmont and wait for a chance to present itself to make a splash. That […]
Junk pay
Written By: - Date published: 2:55 pm, May 15th, 2008 - 70 comments
The last couple of episodes of Fair Go have rightly taken aim at a distribution company – Reachmedia – that rips off young kids by paying them peanuts. Reachmedia (half owned by NZ Post) has been paying young kids sweatshop wages to distribute pamphlets for the likes of the Warehouse, Farmers, Michael Hill Jeweller, and Progressive Enterprises (the […]
Launch of Drinking Liberally NZ
Written By: - Date published: 12:17 pm, May 15th, 2008 - 67 comments
If you’re down in Wellington and of the Left, you’ve probably heard people talking about Drinking Liberally New Zealand. Drinking Liberally is an international network that grew out of the US, where people from throughout the Left, greenies, union-types, feminists, anarchists, Labourites, and everyone else, get together at a bar in their town, have a […]
Two stories on crime in Christchurch
Written By: - Date published: 11:54 am, May 15th, 2008 - 8 comments
Christchurch hosted a public meeting on crime within the city last week. But the thing that caught my eye, despite the very laudable aim, was how National MP, Nicky Wagner, managed to present two contrasting opinions on the state of crime in the Garden City, in close succession: I do think the statistics are sometimes […]
Bring back the bash?
Written By: - Date published: 10:06 am, May 15th, 2008 - 74 comments
A man has been convicted of assault for hitting his daughter because she was dating a Muslim. You can’t assault someone, the law worked. Good, right? OK. Now, let’s imagine that this had taken a place a year ago and the daughter, who is 20 years old, was 15 instead and, so, a child in […]
Batman Politics
Written By: - Date published: 5:57 pm, May 14th, 2008 - 14 comments
Who would have thought? Murray McCully as The Penguin. Hat tip: onegoodmove
Rio Tinto threats backfire
Written By: - Date published: 10:50 am, May 14th, 2008 - 72 comments
Rio Tinto’s threat of capital strike appears to have backfired on them, with a political consensus emerging that the multinational has overplayed its hand on this one and some even starting to question whether we might be better to just shut the smelter down and be done with it. CAFCA were particularly blunt: Campaign Against […]
- A Parliament of office workers
Although there are now more farmers than teachers in the country’s 54th Parliament, office work, politics and humanities education are the dominant backgrounds of MPs. Mark Blackham and Emily Mingins write – Research released today by Blackland, a PR consultancy, finds that the six most popular ...2 weeks ago - Watching Television.
Some of you might’ve guessed what today’s song is already. As the top comment on YouTube says, “one of the most important records ever made by one of the most underrated bands of all time. Just as relevant today as it was when it was released.”I’d agree with that, I’ve ...2 weeks ago - Confidence in Government collapses
A new poll shows women see the country on the wrong track more dramatically than other cohorts, especially older men, and overall confidence collapsed in March. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items of note in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy on Thursday, April 4 included:A Roy Morgan poll ...2 weeks ago - Bryce Edwards: The Affluent pathway to Parliament
Increasingly the New Zealand Parliament is becoming a place for the affluent. New research out today on the socioeconomic and occupational backgrounds of those in the current Parliament shows that MPs are becoming more and more homogenous. Despite diversifying demographics in terms of gender, ethnicity, sexuality and so forth, our ...2 weeks ago - How can I make my retirement plan climate-friendly?
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Barbara Grady If you’re worried that your retirement plan might include investments in fossil fuels, here’s what you can do. The first thing you’ll want to do is research what’s in your 401(k). Which stocks and bonds are in the mutual ...2 weeks ago - The Maddest March since COVID
March is now over and so too is March Madness – though public transport will likely stay busy at least until school holidays in a few weeks. So how did PT perform in March …. pretty well it turned out. Just prior to March I wrote about how average weekday ...2 weeks ago - Mark Blackham and Emily Mingins: A Parliament of office workersAlthough there’s now more farmers than teachers in the in the 54th Parliament, office work, politics and humanities education are the dominant backgrounds of MPs. Research released today by Blackland, a PR consultancy, finds that the six most popular careers for MPs are (in descending order) managers, elected representatives, ...2 weeks ago
- Chalk marks the position of the body
Try as he might to dazzle us with his CEO mad skillz, there is no way this lacklustre Prime Minister can conceal the awkward reality that he is but the goofy grinning front end of a horse costume, the monkey who fancies himself the organ grinder, the sad awkward cuck ...2 weeks ago - “Efficiency” is no reason to violate human rights
The right to trial by jury is affirmed in the Bill of Rights Act. The National Party wants to take it off you: Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is considering ways to reduce the number of jury trials, saying an increase in defendants choosing them is contributing to delays. Data ...2 weeks ago - NZ Govt welcomes the lifting of an injunction (to protect the Maui dolphin) which banned some fish i...
Buzz from the Beehive The lifting of a temporary ban on some New Zealand fish exports to the United States was hailed by two New Zealand ministers as a win for commonsense. Sea Shepherd spokesperson Michael Lawry, on the other hand, told RNZ “politics and power” had won over science. ...2 weeks ago - Why Do We Love True Crime?
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Read more ...2 weeks ago - Gordon Campbell on the death of library browsing
For many of us, the word “library” has comfortable connotations. It suggests rows of books in which to browse, make discoveries and pass them on to friends and family. Beyond being a resource centre for culture and practical information, a typical library is also a community meeting ground and a ...2 weeks ago - I'm not a cynic.
I'm just bein' realistic, bein' honest with myselfI've tried bein' optimistic but it doesn't seem to helpSo I'll just have to admit this is the hand that I've been dealtI'm not bein' pessimistic, just bein' honest with myselfI remember a family outing at lake Rotoiti, near Rotorua. It always felt ...2 weeks ago - Success CityPatrick Reynolds is deputy chair of the Council’s City Centre Advisory Panel. On the back of the latest Infometrics data release, the Council through its economist Gary Blick has been publishing a whole lot of great numbers: For the second year in a row, Auckland’s high-achieving city centre has ...2 weeks ago
- Dawn Chorus for Wednesday, April 3These homes in Mt Cook, Wellington were demolished but the large rebuild project is now paused and the site sits idle, along with other social housing projects around the country. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six newsy things of note to me in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 7:06 ...2 weeks ago
- Beehive bloatWhile the new Government repeatedly vows to cut waste from within the Government, it has created seven new ministries and abolished only two left over from the Labour Government. A new study says that the more Ministers a government has, the more it will spend and the more difficult it ...2 weeks ago
- At a glance – Global warming and the El Niño Southern OscillationOn 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 ...2 weeks ago
- Criminal enterprisesIt was easter over the weekend, which meant the annual "debate" over relic easter trading laws, and various businesses deliberately flouting them for profit. I'd prefer those out-dated laws to be reformed - my preference is to make easter Sunday a public holiday, which solves all the problems other than ...2 weeks ago
- Tax relief is included in the next stage of Government Action Plan – but hospital staff could do ...Buzz from the Beehive Uh, oh. Maybe we are in the PM’s Naughty Book. We received a press statement from Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick to tell us the Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months “is as pointless as it is hollow”. She was more than somewhat ...2 weeks ago
- You’re welcome, renters
More Than A Feilding: Good afternoon Prime Minister, thanks for making the time to talk to this little newsletter.Old Mate Grabaseat: You’re welcome mate! How’s it all going in Friendly Feilding, 14-time winner of NZ’s Most Beautiful Town?MTAF: Oh, I’m not actually in Feilding, that's just a reference to…OMG: I’m ...2 weeks ago - Fair Enough!
Sounds About Right: It would seem that the realities of practical politics makes utilitarians of us all.DOING THE GREATEST GOOD for the greatest number has long been the ethical rule-of-thumb for New Zealand politicians. At least, that is how they would argue if challenged to justify their own, or their ...2 weeks ago - Climate Change: The wrong directionToday the government released its "action plan" for the next three months - basically, the list of what it wants to get done. Yes, its government by KPI, with all the bullshit that that entails. But contempt for management culture aside, what about the substance? And in particular, the substance ...2 weeks ago
- The complex and bloated ExecutiveDavid Farrar writes – The NZ Initiative has published a research note comparing our Executive Government to others. They note: We have 44% more Ministers, 282% more portfolios and 156% more departments than countries of similar size NZ has 41 departments NZ has 27 crown agencies NZ has ...2 weeks ago
- Steven Joyce’s revolving door entry into a $4000/day govt appointmentBryce Edwards writes – Former National Government Finance Minister Steven Joyce is being paid $4000 a day to chair the new Government’s “expert advisory panel” on infrastructure. That’s over twice what Prime Minister Christopher Luxon gets, and makes Joyce New Zealand’s highest-paid public servant. At the same time, ...2 weeks ago
- The debt rules being used to strangle NZIn reality, there is far too little ‘future proofing’ being undertaken by councils, mainly because of the fear of the perceptions of councillors, officials, mayors (and Government ministers) that they’ll be punished for being ‘fiscally reckless’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six news items of note on ...2 weeks ago
- A data scientist’s case for ‘cautious optimism’ about climate changeThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Michael Svoboda Against the regular drumbeat of negative news on climate and the environment, a positive note can be both startling and therapeutic. To keep pressing forward, we need to know that progress has been — and still can be — made. ...2 weeks ago
- Suddenly Seymour.
I know Seymour's the greatestBut I'm dating a semi-sadistSo I've got a black eyeAnd my arm's in a cast.Still, that Seymour's a cutieWell, if not, he's got inner beautyAnd I dream of a placeWhere we could be together at last..How are you feeling about David Seymour, six months after the ...2 weeks ago - The Kaka’s diary for the week to April 8 and beyond
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 8 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-cabinet news conference at 4pm today.Parliament is not sittingBuilding consents data is due on Thursday.Photo by Marissa Grootes on UnsplashThe Kaka’s diary for the week to ...2 weeks ago - Daughters of Derbyshire: Published
My 4300-word historical fiction piece, Daughters of Derbyshire, is now out, via The Lesbian Historical Motif Podcast. Print format: https://alpennia.com/blog/lesbian-historic-motif-podcast-episode-283-daughters-derbyshire-daniel-stride Audio format: https://lesbianhistoricmotif.podbean.com/e/daughters-of-derbyshire-by-daniel-stride-the-lesbian-historic-motif-podcast-episode-283/ It concerns seventeenth century English Puritans – at once alien to modernity, and yet also a story written in the grim shadow of 2020. ...2 weeks ago - A moment of friction.
In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), … Continue reading ...2 weeks ago - Spotlight on the CourtsMuriel Newman writes – “Houston, we have a problem!” New Zealand’s Supreme Court – the highest court in our land – has been captured by activist judges. What is heartening, is the emergence of a wide range of eminent legal voices all openly criticising the Court and calling ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Government announces ban on walkingRNZ reports: As part of their ‘100 Day Plan – Phase 2’, the government today announced a ban on walking on streets and in most public spaces. Transport Minister Simeon Brown says the move is part of the Government’s plan to boost economic growth and productivity. “Walking is just too ...2 weeks ago
- 2024 Reading Summary (+ Writing Update)Completed reads for March: Lamia (poem), by John Keats The Moon Pool, by Abraham Merritt A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking Inverted World, by Christopher Priest Fugue for a Darkening Island, by Christopher Priest The Secrets of Dr John Taverner (collection), by Dion Fortune St Benedict’s Rule ...3 weeks ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #13A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 24, 2024 thru Sat, March 30, 2024. Story of the week When it comes to polar sea ice appearances can be deceptive, trends may be obvious ...3 weeks ago
- Love is Love.
There are three comedians I particularly like. One Scottish, one American, and one Australian. No walking into a bar in this joke, they’re all at various stage of alcoholism - funny how that works. They’re all liberal more than necessarily left - although the Scottish one is typically socialist. It’s ...3 weeks ago - In journalism facts should be verifiable
Fact-Checkers’ personal biases will often lead to presenting fake news as factual, or facts as fake news. Image credit: “The Psychology of Fact-Checking.” I ... 3 weeks ago- The Origins of Rage
Hi,I dyed my hair pink* this week. If I was being pretentious I’d say it was an art project. I’d used a pink-hair filter on social media earlier this month, which had people evenly split between “Oh my God you dyed your hair!” to “That’s clearly a filter!”At some point ...3 weeks ago- The Missing Body.
“And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.” – Matthew 27:2“THIS COURT OF INQUIRY will come to order!”The Presiding Officer surveyed the room. The tables arranged to form a hollow square. The soldiers in their dress uniforms. The evidence folders placed neatly ...3 weeks ago- National’s Governing For (Crony) Capitalists – Not Capitalism.
Gimme, Gimme, Gimme! The late Bruce Jesson used to say that while National governed for capitalists, Labour governed for Capitalism. Jesson’s suggestion: that National was so firmly locked inside the individualist logic of the private sector that it struggled to see the broader capitalist picture; was a shrewd one.WHY IS THE ...3 weeks ago- Rapture and Rage.
When Push Came To Shove: If Jacinda Ardern’s government struggled to contain 3,000 angry Kiwis in 2022, how will Christopher Luxon’s cope with 300,000 in 2025?THE OCCUPATION OF PARLIAMENT GROUNDS stands as one of the oddest moments in New Zealand political history. Not the least of its oddities was the mixture ...3 weeks ago- Things I’d have hoped we could all agree on
Eric Crampton writes – This week’s Budget Policy Statement was disappointing. There are a few things I’d have thought we could all have agreed on. They seem pretty basic. If the Reserve Bank is still using monetary policy to push against inflation, fiscal stimulus is a pretty bad ...3 weeks ago- Labour’s crime legacy of the last three years
Michael Bassett writes – The Labour Government lost the 2023 election when its support halved from 2020. It deserved to lose on economic grounds alone. Covid lockdowns that went beyond the prudent and wrecked livelihoods in the name of saving lives; an orgy of careless spending of borrowed ...3 weeks ago- Heroes and Rogues.
Happy Easter. 🙂As with last week’s review I’ll begin today with the the view from the right. Which last week seemed cloudy, and lacking in the ideal accoutrements for depth perception. Hosking’s Hall of Heroes.Donald Trump: 7/10 He floated and made a fortune and got a bond reduction with more time ...3 weeks ago- Getting Laid with Lamiae: The Origins of Sexy Vampires
I ran across a recent essay from The Brothers Krynn, which attempts to map common horror monsters onto the Seven Deadly Sins: https://canadianculturecorner.substack.com/p/horror-monsters-and-vice My interest, however, is not in the meat of the piece, but rather the opening paragraph: It is an interesting fact that in recent decades, Vampires have ...3 weeks ago - The Origins of Rage
- Breaking: Stuff wins race to replace Newshub with a new 6pm bulletin for Three
Sources familiar with the deal say the print news giant has beaten out NZME to create a 6pm bulletin to replace Newshub at Three. Less than a week after Three confirmed that its proposal to completely shutter Newshub will be going ahead, it will today confirm that Stuff has won ...2 days ago - Can playing Tetris help prevent PTSD if you’ve witnessed something traumatic?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Bressington, Professor in Mental Health, Charles Darwin University In the wake of witnessing tragic events, many people turn to online communities such as Reddit to discuss and process their experiences. A common bit of advice users give each other is to ...2 days ago - Have New Zealanders really been ‘misled’ about AUKUS, or is involvement now a foregone conclusio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marco de Jong, Lecturer, Law School, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images When former prime minister Helen Clark spoke out against New Zealand potentially compromising its independent foreign policy by joining pillar two of the AUKUS security pact, foreign minister ...2 days ago
- With democracy under threat in Narendra Modi’s India, how free and fair will this year’s electio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priya Chacko, Associate Professor, International Politics, University of Adelaide India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, is favoured to win reelection when India’s 970 million voters start heading to the polls on April 19 in the country’s massive, six-week general election. Modi, who has ...2 days ago
- What happens when I stop taking a drug like Ozempic or Mounjaro?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Yates, General Practitioner, PhD Candidate, Bond University Diva Plavalaguna/Pexels Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight. But what do we actually know about them? This month, The Conversation’s experts explore their rise, ...2 days ago
- Climate change is causing marine ‘coldwaves’ too, killing wildlifeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicolas Benjamin Lubitz, Researcher in marine ecology, James Cook University Ryan Daly The effects of ocean warming are profound and well-documented. But sometimes changes in the patterns of winds and ocean currents cause seawater to suddenly cool, instead. Surface temperatures ...2 days ago
- Our research suggests eating an unhealthy breakfast could have a similar effect on your child’s sc...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew J. Martin, Scientia Professor and Professor of Educational Psychology, UNSW Sydney Haley Owens/Unsplash, CC BY Many parents know it is important for their teenagers to have breakfast before they go to school. Even though young people can be reluctant ...2 days ago
- NZ joins call for Israel not to escalate tensions with Iran
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says now is not the time escalation, but rather for calmness. ...2 days ago - China’s forced returns prompt call for foreign interference committee
A report sheds new light on NZ residents pressured into returning to China to face its legal system The post China’s forced returns prompt call for foreign interference committee appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago - Mega tunnel idea prompts anger and satire but finds a couple of championsOne proponent has suggested the minister give Elon Musk a call about the newly resurrected mega tunnel idea for Wellington, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ‘We’re having a really good look ...2 days ago
- Costs of Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway not to be finalised until 2025The divvying up of costs for the billion-dollar Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway will not be finalised until next year. ...2 days ago
- Air NZ calls for Govt mandates to help drive sustainable aviation fuel useNew Zealand’s national carrier has taken a leap towards its net zero 2050 goal, with its biggest ever purchase of sustainable aviation fuel. But Air NZ chair Dame Therese Walsh said it was now time for the Government to step in with policies that would help level the playing field ...2 days ago
- Public service cuts: $6.3m in payouts at one ministry so farThe total cost of redundancies across the public service is not yet known and the Finance Minister has not asked for an estimated price tag. ...2 days ago
- A flagpole, a failed space, and a confused history of white fragilityWellington’s Flagstaff Hill has a strange, dark history…. or does it? Max Rashbrooke uncovers the truth about a historical myth. I pass it almost every day, yet never see it used. The flagpole, placed on a grassy hill above Wellington’s CBD, surrounded by trees and houses, and accessible only by ...2 days ago
- A series of alternative, equally ambitious, transport options for WellingtonYou want to build a giant underground tunnel? Dream a little bigger. On Monday, news broke that the government is investigating the prospect of a mega-tunnel, running from Wellington’s The Terrace to Kilbirnie, designed to reduce the car load on State Highway 1 and speed trips up by an astounding ...2 days ago
- Principals on the truth behind truancyBad parenting – or are there a million other reasons that a child might not make it to school? Ask Ash Maindonald, the principal of Western Heights School, a primary school in West Auckland. He’ll tell you that every principal he speaks to has a litany of war stories they ...2 days ago
- Beyond the DoC job cuts: ‘The worst is yet to come’Losing staff is just the beginning of a coming storm for the Department of Conservation, environmental groups warn The post Beyond the DoC job cuts: ‘The worst is yet to come’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- ‘Reverse uplift’ foster parents still waiting to hear from OTThe foster couple at the centre of a Newsroom video investigation ordered removed from our website by the High Court are hopeful a Court of Appeal ruling means they finally hear back from Oranga Tamariki, who have been giving the couple the “silent treatment”. “We’re still in limbo. Our lives ...2 days ago
- Environment Court shuts down Pākiri sand mining appealThe court found the ‘clear benefits’ of continuing to take sand from Pākiri didn’t outweigh environmental concerns The post Environment Court shuts down Pākiri sand mining appeal appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Man in the middleIt’s no easy task leading a company that supplies fossil fuels in this day and age, and no one gives Z Energy chief executive Lindis Jones a harder time about it than his own kids. His work skating the friction zone – maintaining steady fuel supply while supporting the transition ...2 days ago
- Carers want out from disability ministry over funding fiascoCarers want to use their funding as they see fit The post Carers want out from disability ministry over funding fiasco appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Swiss climate ruling full of holesOpinion: European Court of Human Rights rules that Switzerland’s climate policy violates human rights of its citizens The post Swiss climate ruling full of holes appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 16 AprilLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 16 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Rhapsody in feijoaThe greatest book ever written about the feijoa may well be the only book ever written about the feijoa but there is no doubting that the recently published Feijoa by Kate Evans qualifies as a New Zealand natual history classic, a deep and knowledgeable dive into the life story of ...2 days ago
- Daily crossword, Tuesday 16 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Tuesday 16 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Security steals focus in Luxon’s Singapore swingOne of New Zealand’s closest defence partners has warned of the possibility of “calamity” if countries didn’t come together to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the Middle East conflict. “It is a very troubled world. And in particular, it is a very very troubled Middle East,” said Singapore Prime Minister ...3 days ago
- Rideshare giant Ola has abruptly exited the Australian market. What does this mean for the future of...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Neil G Sipe, Honorary Professor of Planning, The University of Queensland Diego Thomazini/Shutterstock Last week, Indian rideshare giant Ola announced that it would abruptly cease operations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. A competitor to Uber, the company ...3 days ago
- Recession, high interest rates take toll on construction industryTony Boyce threw "mega bucks" into his company to try keep it afloat but with no work coming in, he has to close it down for good. ...3 days ago
- New Wellington tunnel: 'An astonishing misunderstanding of transport priorities'A new underground mega-tunnel in the capital would be a colossal waste of money, opponents of the government's suggestion for the tunnel say. ...3 days ago
- Singapore PM warns against Middle East 'calamity', signs NZ agreementSingapore's PM has warned small countries cannot solve the Middle East situation but efforts must be made to push for peace, after promising closer cooperation with NZ. ...3 days ago
- Pet bond will be 'safety blanket' for landlords – Housing Minister Chris BishopLandlords will be able to charge up to two weeks' rent, but renters say it's just another way for landlords to "pad their wallets". ...3 days ago
- We found three new species of extinct giant kangaroo – and we don’t know why they died out when ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isaac A. R. Kerr, Research Assistant at Flinders University Palaeontology Laboratory, Flinders University Artist’s impression of the prehistoric landscape and creatures that Protemnodon would have walked among. Peter Schouten For millions of years, giant animals or megafauna roamed the lands that are ...3 days ago
- What public sector job cuts mean for Wellington small businessIt's not just public sector workers who are feeling the pain - the Wellington shops and services who rely on their custom fear they will be hit hard, too. ...3 days ago
- Judge finds Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins and dismisses Network 10 defamation case. How did ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Clift, Lecturer of law, The University of Melbourne Bruce Lehrmann has lost his defamation suit against Channel Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson after the media defendants proved, on the balance of probabilities, that Lehrmann raped his colleague Brittany Higgins in Parliament ...3 days ago
- Sydney attacker had ‘mental health issues’ but most people with mental illness aren’t violentSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Ogloff, University Distinguished Professor of Forensic Behavioural Science & Dean, School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology The man who killed six people and injured countless others at a Bondi shopping centre on Saturday, 40-year-old Joel Cauchi, reportedly had “mental ...3 days ago
- Family carers lose employment status after successful Govt appealTwo parents victorious in the Employment Court have had the decision to count them as employees of the Government for the work they do in caring for their children, overturned. The Court of Appeal has released its judgment following a lengthy deliberation since the final day of the hearing ...3 days ago
- Australia now has a $70 ‘shadow price’ on carbon emissions. Here’s why we won’t see a real p...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Andriano/Shutterstock For those who have followed the tortuous path of Australian climate policy over recent decades, a recent report by the Australian Energy Market Commission of a “shadow price” of ...3 days ago
- Revealed: A cost-benefit analysis for Wellington’s long tunnelDoes the capital really need a really long tunnel? Quite possibly, reckons Simeon Brown. Here’s how the transport minister might* have decided a project once rejected because it was eye-wateringly expensive was worth another look. Transport minister Simeon Brown has asked Waka Kotahi officials to investigate building a long tunnel ...3 days ago
- Long Covid sufferers scared they'll face penalties under government benefit resetSarah Macrae is in "agony" just trying to drive her children to school. Looking for work is impossible, she says. ...3 days ago
- Crisis communication saves lives – but people with disability often aren’t given the messageSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ariella Meltzer, Research Fellow in Social Impact, UNSW Sydney In a pandemic, bushfire or flood, people need high quality safety and crisis information. Getting emergency messages quickly can help people know how to prepare, what rules to follow, where dangers are, where ...3 days ago
- More WorkSafe Cuts Will Put Workers’ Health And Safety At Risk
Moves by WorkSafe to start planning for further job cuts risks making New Zealand workplaces less safe, and New Zealand’s already poor worker safety record even worse, the PSA says. In November 2023 WorkSafe disestablished 113 roles , putting ...3 days ago - Something borrowed, something Bluey: why we love a TV weddingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Giuffre, Senior Lecturer in Communication, University of Technology Sydney Ludo Studio There is nothing like a wedding episode. Bluey’s first 28-minute special, The Sign, was the ultimate wedding television. Full of family, and family-friendly, the wedding between Bluey’s ...3 days ago
- New Paper On A Framework For Assessing The Economic And Fiscal Impacts Of Climate ChangeMore fully understanding the impacts of climate change to New Zealand is a critical step in evaluating the potential threats or opportunities posed to New Zealanders’ living standards. ...3 days ago
- Digital ‘death knocks’: is it fair game for journalists to mine social media profiles of victims...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alysson Watson, Associate lecturer in journalism, University of Newcastle The family of Ash Good, one of the Bondi stabbing victims and the mother of the nine-month-baby who was also stabbed, issued a plea overnight for media to stop reproducing photos of Ash, ...3 days ago
- Pet Refuge Charitable Trust Welcoming Introduction Of Pet BondsPet Refuge hopes the introduction of Pet Bonds will lead to more families finding safe homes for themselves and their pets after fleeing family violence. The government has today announced it will make changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to make ...3 days ago
- Ships in the night – final day of election campaigning in Solomon IslandsBy Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor It is the final day of election campaigning in Solomon Islands and there is a palpable sense of anticipation in the country, which is holding national and provincial elections simultaneously for the first time this year. There is also significant international interest this year ...3 days ago
- Watch: Government announces pet bond policy for rentersThe government has unveiled a two-week pet bond and obligations for tenants to pay for damage their animals cause. ...3 days ago
- More adults are being diagnosed as neurodivergent. Here’s how employers can help in the workplaceSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dougal Sutherland, Clinical Psychologist, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Anne Koeleman/Shutterstick There has been a rise in the number of people diagnosed with “neurodivergence” in adulthood over the past decade. This trend has been noted both internationally ...3 days ago
- Charges Laid Against Fraudulent Immigration Agent In ThailandCharges have been laid against two visa agents in Thailand after Immigration New Zealand identified they were providing fake documents for visitor visa applicants. ...3 days ago
- New Caledonia: Flags and emotions flying high over proposed changesBy Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonia’s capital was on Saturday flooded by two simultaneous waves of French and Kanaky flags with two rival demonstrations in downtown Nouméa, only two streets away from each other and under heavy security surveillance. The French High Commission in Nouméa ...3 days ago
- Watch live: Government announces pet bond policy for rentersThe government has announced a two-week pet bond and obligations for tenants to pay for damage their animals cause. ...3 days ago
- PM Christopher Luxon would consider Singapore drone testing in NZ airspaceThe Prime Minister has talked up the prospect stronger defence ties Singapore. ...3 days ago
- What does a uni student with two part-time jobs eat?An interview with a student and food Instagrammer about eating as a first-time flatter and the importance of Auckland University mainstay Munchy Mart. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. “All I ever really want to know is how other people are making it through life ...3 days ago
- Finding Neutral: Estimates Of New Zealand’s Nominal Neutral Interest RateDue to New Zealanders’ high inflation expectations, the Official Cash Rate (OCR) would currently need to be about 3.9 percent to neither tap the brakes nor push on the accelerator of the economy, the Reserve Bank’s new Bulletin article shows. ...3 days ago
- International Migration: February 2024International migration statistics give the latest outcomes-based measure of migration, which includes estimates of migrants entering or leaving New Zealand. Key facts Annual migration Provisional estimates for the February 2024 year compared with the February ...3 days ago
- Owner Of Liquidated Auckland Restaurant Ordered To Pay Former Chef Almost $100,000The former owner of an Auckland restaurant business has been heavily sanctioned by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) for multiple breaches of minimum employment standards even though the business is no longer trading and was liquidated in 2022. ...3 days ago
- Disability Support Zero For Three In Government Priority ListsSupport for disabled New Zealanders is yet to appear on a government action point list, missing from November’s 100 day plan, the 2 April 36 point plan or the nine government 2030 targets released on 8 April. “The government has set out its priorities ...3 days ago
- Briscoes’ new ‘retro’ collection looks awfully familiarRemakes are never as good as the originals, and that goes for plates too. There are many joys to op shopping, but for myself and a whole host of others it’s the discovery of something totally unexpected. A branded item mistakenly snuck onto the $1 rack, or a book you’ve ...3 days ago
- Road user charges: Are EVs still cheaper to run than petrol cars?Owners of some EVs now pay the same road user charges as diesels - so is it still worth it? ...3 days ago
- Councils funding is a disaster. Are city deals the answer?Local councils think city and regional deals could solve New Zealand’s broken infrastructure funding. But how would it work? The vibes in New Zealand’s councils are bad. Local Government New Zealand’s combined sector conference at Shed 6 in Wellington felt like a moment in time, when everyone in the room ...3 days ago
- Rogue waves in the ocean are much more common than anyone suspected, says new studySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alessandro Toffoli, Professor in Ocean Engineering, The University of Melbourne Willyam Bradberry/Shutterstock We used three-dimensional imaging of ocean waves to capture freakish seas that produce a notorious phenomenon known as rogue waves. Our results are now published in Physical Review ...3 days ago
- Our research has found a way to help the teacher shortage and boost student learningSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Gore, Laureate Professor of Education, Director Teachers and Teaching Research Centre, University of Newcastle Australian schools are facing unsustainable pressures. There are almost daily reports of too many students falling behind and not enough teachers to teach them. Meanwhile, the teachers ...3 days ago
- Darwin Dingoes, Canberra Capitals, Cairns Crocodiles? Weighing up the options for the AFL’s 20th t...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney There was plenty of fanfare and goodwill across the Australian Rules football community when the AFL’s 19th team, the Tasmania Devils, officially launched in mid-March. Tasmania’s debut season has been pencilled ...3 days ago
- What if whales took us to court? A move to grant them legal personhood would include the right to su...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachael Evans, Lecturer, Kaupeka Ture | Faculty of Law, University of Canterbury Shutterstock/Konrad Mostert In a groundbreaking declaration earlier this month, Indigenous leaders of New Zealand and the Cook Islands signed a treaty, He Whakaputanga Moana, to recognise whales as ...3 days ago
- The big dry: forests and shrublands are dying in parched Western AustraliaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joe Fontaine, Lecturer, Environmental and Conservation Science, Murdoch University Author provided, CC BY-NC-ND Perth has just had its driest six months on record, while Western Australia sweltered through its hottest summer on record. Those records are remarkable in their own ...3 days ago
- An education in music makes you a better employee. Are recruiters in tune?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Diana Tolmie, Senior Lecturer of Professional Practice, Griffith University Gabriel Gurrola/Unsplash See the word “musician” on a resume and you might not immediately think “stellar employee” or “exceptional leader”. Perhaps the word evokes the image of a rock star, ...3 days ago
- Why are blooper reels so funny?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shane Rogers, Lecturer in Psychology, Edith Cowan University Ollyy/Shutterstock Blooper reels are very popular, with some videos on YouTube racking up tens of millions of views. It’s a curious thing: why are videos of mistakes sometimes getting as much attention ...3 days ago
- Government investigates 4km tunnel under WellingtonThe tunnel would run from north of the Terrace to Wellington Road. ...3 days ago
- Couple to leave New Zealand after paying thousands to advisor who forgot to apply for visaNewton Santos and his wife, Nubia, paid over $4000 to an Auckland company for the service. "As far as we knew, everything was all good." ...3 days ago
- Govt was warned Yemeni civilians could be killed during NZ deployment to Red SeaThe defence minister was told there was no way to rule out "collateral damage" if NZ joined a coalition conducting strikes against Houthi rebels. ...3 days ago
- PM eyes new export markets on week-long Southeast Asian tourAs Winston Peters returns from yet another foreign tour, his boss has jetted off to visit the leaders of Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. PM ...3 days ago
- Government won't commit to funding emergency housing support services past JuneThe government wants to reduce emergency housing lists, but may cut a service that helps tenants find homes. ...3 days ago
- Young commuters feeling the pinch as government ends public transport subsidyWith half-price fares ending for those aged 16-24, uni students and part-time workers will be "spending an awful lot". ...3 days ago
- Staring down the ‘silent epidemic’ of myopia in childrenShortsightedness in kids is skyrocketing overseas. Is New Zealand next? “Hey bro, are you blind now?” jokes a student, slapping his friend on the back. “Yeah bro, did you not know I’m blind?” his friend replies. Both are eating cereal in the whānau room of Kia Aroha College, a school ...3 days ago
- Flashing your lights to warn other drivers of a speed camera – is it legal?The legal and moral debate around New Zealand’s best unofficial road rule. If you’ve ever driven outside of a city centre, you’ll surely have seen it – the friendly flash of the headlights from an oncoming car. Most of the time it’s to let you know your headlights aren’t on ...3 days ago
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