Archive for July, 2009
Credit outlook cut but it’s not a credit rating downgrade
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 am, July 17th, 2009 - 49 comments
So, Fitch, the third of the big three sovereign credit ratings agencies, has moved the Government’s rating from a stable outlook to a negative outlook. Does this mean that John Key will be admitting that he has delivered a credit downgrade, like he was boasting of an upgrade when S&P (another of the big 3) moved us […]
Cool Cat
Written By: - Date published: 8:25 pm, July 16th, 2009 - 16 comments
Courtsey of Chairman Meow. Obey the Kitteh!
Wee gripes: 2 of 3
Written By: - Date published: 3:52 pm, July 16th, 2009 - 30 comments
Maori unemployment is ballooning day by day but the most important thing that Maori Affairs Minister Sharples can spend his time on is debating which flag will fly on the Harbour Bridge next Waitangi Day. “Having a flag under which Maori can rally under is really, really, really important. And people might see it as […]
Drinking Liberally Palmy
Written By: - Date published: 1:30 pm, July 16th, 2009 - 3 comments
Drinking Liberally Palmy’s having their first event of the year at the Brewers Apprentice bar on July 23. Head over, have a pint or two, talk some politics with likeminded people and hear Green co-leader Metiria Turei talk about the upcoming referendum. As usual with these events she’ll probably stick around afterwards for questions and […]
Wee gripes: 1 of 3
Written By: - Date published: 12:46 pm, July 16th, 2009 - 7 comments
It takes two days from folate blowing up as a political issue for Key to get Crown Law onto finding a way for us to get out of it. It’s been nine months and there’s still no action on the economy and jobs. Priorities? By now, we know what Key’s priorities are: Dampen down any […]
Defending the indefensible
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, July 16th, 2009 - 44 comments
It was disappointing to hear Phil Goff defending the Fourth Labour Government on National Radio the other morning. This was a government whose policies put hundreds of thousands of Kiwis out of work, introduced regressive taxation through GST, began the firesale of our national assets and drove record numbers of our young people to suicide. […]
Video piracy, it turns out, isn’t new
Written By: - Date published: 11:48 am, July 16th, 2009 - 2 comments
60 Minutes on “Video piracy” – 1979 – part 1 of 2 60 Minutes on “Video piracy” – 1979 – part 2 of 2 (Via Gizmodo)
Secret moves to censor the net
Written By: - Date published: 10:27 am, July 16th, 2009 - 34 comments
Does it seem odd to you that on March 20th 2009 the Minister for IT & Comms, Mr Steven Joyce, said the following: “We have been following the internet filtering debate in Australia but have no plans to introduce something similar here. … The technology for internet filtering causes delays for all internet users. And unfortunately those who are […]
Crusher Collins to launch McPrisons
Written By: - Date published: 8:47 am, July 16th, 2009 - 18 comments
Crusher Collins to launch McPrisons(TM) Clearly envious of the regular stream of complimentary Happy Meals arriving at Paula Bennett’s Parliamentary office (Paula tells us she has already managed to collect seven out of the eight of the new Ice Age figurines), Crusher Collins has attempted to go one better than Bennett’s McJobs scheme with a […]
Incentive to leave school?
Written By: - Date published: 8:02 am, July 16th, 2009 - 18 comments
I disagreed with Helen Clark in 2007 when she first suggested raising the school leaving age, as I don’t believe the mainstream school system is suitable for all young people. However I did largely support Labour’s 2008 policy to ensure all school leavers under the age of 18 are in some kind of education. If […]
Musings on fluff
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 16th, 2009 - 15 comments
Claire Trevett wrote me a very cordial email in response to my criticism of her reports from Key’s trip around the Islands. I want to say from the start this reply is meant in the same constructive tone. Trevett points out that there were in fact two articles each day – one serious, one ‘colour […]
Gordon Campbell on PPPs
Written By: - Date published: 5:40 pm, July 15th, 2009 - 15 comments
Gordon Campbell has a great piece up at Scoop on the pitfalls of Public Private Partnerships, something we’re going to be hearing a lot more about in the near future if National and its business mates get their way. Go have a read.
Right headings, wrong policies
Written By: - Date published: 4:12 pm, July 15th, 2009 - 12 comments
John Key’s speech on the economy, billed as the way to close the 30% wage gap with Australia, had six policy headings – regulatory reform, infrastructure investment, better public services, education and skills, innovation and business assistance, and a world-class tax system. On regulatory reform, the recipe was more deregulation, particularly of job security with […]
A brave man
Written By: - Date published: 12:59 pm, July 15th, 2009 - 70 comments
Looking at the centre photo above of John Key gave me pause for thought; I realised that much as I dislike his politics, he is a brave man. Brave because he really does appear to be consistently out of his depth, yet despite being half-dead with a cold or exhaustion, he soldiers on. I somehow doubt […]
Key grins blankly, shrugs shoulders
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, July 15th, 2009 - 42 comments
I was going to do a fisking of Key’s ‘major speech‘ today. But there’s nothing to fisk, no substance, no ideas, no vision. There’s just endless recycling of the same old Crosby-Textor lines and waffle. In fact, there’s one section that is just a bunch of rehashed lines – one after the other. You get […]
A National disgrace
Written By: - Date published: 9:25 am, July 15th, 2009 - 13 comments
Judith “Crusher” Collins, postergirl for uncompassionate conservatives, proudly announces in her latest press release: “Prison numbers set to be highest ever”. Odd thing to be proud of when what it really shows is a justice system that’s failing. Our rate of incarceration – the second highest in the western developed world – should be a national […]
Fire at Will: abuses, no new jobs
Written By: - Date published: 8:55 am, July 15th, 2009 - 9 comments
The Key Government decided not to monitor the implementation of its Fire at Will law. It probably feared embarrassment. Fortunately, the EMA and CTU have done something to fill the gap (from RNZ report, not yet online). The EMA conducted a survey of members and the CTU has asked workers to come to them for assistance if […]
Leak: Key’s next big plan revealed
Written By: - Date published: 4:10 am, July 15th, 2009 - 19 comments
Today Key is giving a major speech on the economy. He told Oliver Driver on Sunrise yesterday that it would be “pretty high level”, and he wasn’t joking. The Sir Peter Blake Awesome Stratosphere Rollercoaster will rise from Queen’s Wharf, circle the Sky tower, rise to a height of 1500m, and do a twisting loop before plunging […]
YL video: Join the opposition
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, July 14th, 2009 - 18 comments
Not to be outshone by their leader’s latest efforts, looks like Young Labour have been busy with a little video project of their own. Nice. (Hat-tip: Red Alert)
We can haz vision?
Written By: - Date published: 3:30 pm, July 14th, 2009 - 31 comments
According to NZPA John Key is going to deliver a big speech tomorrow in which he will “detail the problems and solutions for New Zealand’s economy”. I’m not holding my breath. As I said two weeks ago when he indicated he would announce a plan to stop job losses (he still hasn’t, perhaps this will […]
The power of images in politics
Written By: - Date published: 3:15 pm, July 14th, 2009 - 7 comments
The shots above are small versions from this site where you can find other great images from Obama’s first 167 days in office. The official Whitehouse Flickr photostream is pretty impressive too. [UPDATE] Not to be outdone, as of yesterday, National’s photostream features Kate Wilkinson with a giant lump of earwax block of cheese.
Oil company backs Greenpeace
Written By: - Date published: 2:07 pm, July 14th, 2009 - 6 comments
Who’d have thought? An oil company coming out on the side of New Zealand’s biggest environmental organisation over emission reduction targets. Gull says let the science dictate how much New Zealand cuts its greenhouse gases by, and that the cost of inaction will far outweigh the cost of urgent cuts. Curious times call for curious […]
Folic acid fiasco
Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, July 14th, 2009 - 30 comments
I just don’t see why medicating an entire population to prevent a handful of spina bifida cases, which will only work if women eat far more bread than they do, is a good idea. It’s such a grossly untargeted and unsophisticated approach. Saying ‘well many women don’t get enough folic acid and many pregnancies are […]
Nats can NOHSAC
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, July 14th, 2009 - 7 comments
One of the most fundamental rights at work is the right to come home at the end of the day healthy and safe. Now that work right, like so many others, has come under attack from National. NOHSAC, the National Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Committee, was set up by Margaret Wilson in 2003 to […]
Stop press: Bosses support bosses’ party
Written By: - Date published: 9:51 am, July 14th, 2009 - 29 comments
The Herald’s ‘Mood of the Boardroom’ survey is predictable reading. Year after year, it’s the same ideologues with the same outdated ideas. The bosses are happy that their boy is in power. Can’t point to anything he’s actually done. But love him nontheless. Still hate Labour and the unions. As ever, their companies’ under-performance is […]
The danger of Key’s low wage economy
Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, July 14th, 2009 - 47 comments
As you know, things are tough in the job market at the moment. The firm figures won’t be out until later this month but unemployment has grown by probably well over 50,000 so far this year. The number of the dole has shot from 37,000 in March to 50,000 now and is growing at 1200 a […]
Credit where credit’s due
Written By: - Date published: 2:57 pm, July 13th, 2009 - 16 comments
You may have noticed that we’ve taken to offering Labour a little unsolicited comms advice of late. Irish recently told them to get some decent key lines. I asked them (as have many others) to start talking about their vision, and when they do, to keep it simple. Phil Goff’s latest video (below) looks like a step […]
EEC votes ‘No’ on should-a.com
Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, July 13th, 2009 - 16 comments
should-a.com, the site that lets you write your own parody of the upcoming referendum question, has been issued with a takedown notice by the Electoral Enrolment Centre. It’s a shame that the EEC hasn’t had a sense of humour about this but, more importantly, it reveals once again the weakness of our free speech protections […]
Big Mac nation
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, July 13th, 2009 - 99 comments
New Zealanders are now the third fattest nation in the world according to a report covered in today’s Christchurch Press. New Zealand faces a healthcare time-bomb as a new report ranks the country once touted for its outdoorsy, fit population as the third-fattest nation after Mexico and the United States. Health authorities fear disease and […]
Standard scoop: Why Key fired Worth
Written By: - Date published: 3:30 am, July 13th, 2009 - 81 comments
Last Monday, John Key said you, the people of New Zealand, don’t have the right to know why a minister in your government was sacked. We think you do have that right. And so do others. We have been told the reason from sources in and around the National party. The only reason for Key […]
Big dreams, no delivery
Written By: - Date published: 6:58 pm, July 12th, 2009 - 12 comments
Tv1 has revealed that our daydreamer PM had much much bigger plans for the cycleway. Like excited schoolkids, he and good mate Mark Weldon of the NZX drew up plans for a grand cycle race to be called the Sir Edmund Hillary tour that would go the length of New Zealand along the cycleway. They […]
- 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 ...2 weeks 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 weeks 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 ...2 weeks 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 ...2 weeks 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 & ...2 weeks 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. ...2 weeks 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 ...2 weeks 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 ...3 weeks 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....
3 weeks 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 ...3 weeks 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 ...3 weeks 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 ...3 weeks 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 weeks ago
- Apposite Quotations.
3 weeks 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 ...3 weeks ago - Howling at the MoonKarl 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 ...3 weeks 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, ...3 weeks 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 ...3 weeks 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 ...3 weeks 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. ...3 weeks ago
- PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for electionPRC 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 ...3 weeks ago
- Climate Change: Criminal ecocideWe 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 ...3 weeks 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 ...3 weeks 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 weeks 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 ...3 weeks 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 weeks 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 ...3 weeks 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 ...3 weeks ago
- The case for cultural connectednessA 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 ...3 weeks ago
- Useful context on public sector job cutsDavid 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 ...3 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racismRemember 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 ...3 weeks ago
- Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal3 weeks 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 ...3 weeks 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. ...3 weeks 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 ...
3 weeks ago
- What are heart rate zones, and how can you incorporate them into your exercise routine?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South Australia Cameron Prins/Shutterstock If you spend a lot of time exploring fitness content online, you might have come across the concept of heart rate zones. Heart rate zone training has become more ...4 days ago - Ministry of Māori Development proposes to cut 38 positions
A recruitment pause put in place last year had reduced the scale of job losses necessary, says the secretary for Māori development. ...4 days ago - 'A man of the people': MPs pay tribute to Fa'anānā Efeso CollinsThe MPs reflected on the impact Fa'anānā had in Parliament, in his communities, and their long friendships with him. ...4 days ago
- School phone ban for 16-year-olds 'very backward' – principalTwo secondary school principals are not convinced a phone ban is warranted and say it will be difficult to enforce. ...4 days ago
- 27 years in captivity – free Marwan Barghouti, ‘Palestine’s Mandela’SPECIAL REPORT: By Eugene Doyle He is the most popular Palestinian leader alive today — and yet few people in the West even know his name. Absolutely no one in Gaza or the West Bank does not know him. That difference speaks volumes about who dominates the media narrative that ...4 days ago
- Members of Parliament and Prime Minister to get pay riseThe Remuneration Authority has set an ordinary MPs' salary at $168,600 a year, and the PM's salary will rise to $484,200. ...4 days ago
- Long before politicians called to ‘stop the boats’, First Nations people welcomed arrivals from ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Will McCallum, PhD Candidate – School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University Earlier this year, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of not supporting Operation Sovereign Borders – the military-led border security operation that has “closed Australia’s borders ...4 days ago
- Does the AFL ban on skinfold testing avoid fat shaming – or has footy ‘gone soft’?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominique Condo, Senior Lecturer in Sports Nutrition, Deakin University Microgen/Shutterstock There was, perhaps unsurprising, outcry from some sections of the sports media when it was revealed the AFL was removing body composition testing (including skinfold testing) in its junior (under the ...4 days ago
- Supreme Court reinstates PNG MP after bribery ruling overturnedBy Melyne Baroi in Port Moresby A Papua New Guinea MP, Peter Isoaimo, who had been ousted by the National Court in an alleged bribery case, has been reinstated by the Supreme Court on appeal. A three-member Supreme Court bench found that the National Court had erred in finding that ...4 days ago
- Problems for news media arose 'too fast' – former media minister Melissa LeeThe former media minister says she may have been "a little slow" in reacting to dramatic changes. ...4 days ago
- ‘When the ship docks’: Publishing the poetry of the late Schaeffer Lemalu
Publisher Chris Holdaway reflects on the unique project of collecting the work of the late, terrific poet Schaeffer Lemalu. One of the nice things you can do as a truly independent publisher is to make the books that writers want to make, whatever they happen to be. That’s how I’ve ...4 days ago - New minister announces review into disability support services funded by WhaikahaThe ministry has been under fire for not consulting with carers before changing entitlements to flexible funding support. ...4 days ago
- Afghanistan Service Recognised In NZ Post’s Modern Veterans Stamp Series
Those profiled in the stamp series served on overseas deployments from 1995 onwards, and all have been awarded theNew Zealand Operational Service Medal. ...4 days ago - On the politics of vengeanceLast night’s dismal poll result for the coalition government shows the limits of trying to govern as an opposition, argues Joel MacManus. There’s a quote from the American political activist Barbara Deming: “Vengeance is not the point; change is. But the trouble is that in most people’s minds, the thought ...4 days ago
- Govt might take $1.1b hit to return GST on rates to councilsAnalysis by infometrics shows central government collected about that amount in GST from rates in 2022. ...4 days ago
- ‘Abject failure’: why Australia’s scheme to curb foreign influence doesn’t work and can’t ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shireen Morris, Associate Professor and Director of the Radical Centre Reform Lab at Macquarie University Law School, Macquarie University Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock Foreign interference in Australian democracy poses a growing risk to our national sovereignty. It refers to coercive, corrupt or ...4 days ago
- Defendant Pleads Guilty In Mortgage Fraud SchemeA defendant charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has pleaded guilty to four charges of obtaining by deception in relation to a mortgage fraud scheme. Sentencing has been scheduled for 14 August 2024. ...4 days ago
- A handy primer for arts spokespeople who know nothing about New Zealand artWhat to say when pesky journalists ask gotcha questions like ‘can you name a single book you’ve ever read?’ and ‘did you read it, or did you just see the movie?’ This week, Act Party arts spokesperson Todd Stephenson foolishly agreed to an interview with Newsroom’s Steve Braunias regarding his ...4 days ago
- School cellphone ban: What you need to knowExplainer - What will a ban on cellphones in schools achieve? Can students use them during lunch breaks? And what happens if you need to contact your child? ...4 days ago
- We found pesticides in a third of Australian frogs we tested. Did these cause mass deaths?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jodi Rowley, Curator, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Biology, Australian Museum, UNSW Sydney Jodi Rowley, CC BY-NC-ND In winter 2021, Australia’s frogs started dropping dead. People began posting images of dead frogs on social media. Unable to travel to investigate the deaths ...4 days ago
- Share Of Home Transfers To Overseas Buyers Remains LowIn the year ended March 2024, 0.4 percent of home transfers were to people who didn’t hold New Zealand citizenship or a resident visa, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. ...4 days ago
- 364,000 New Zealanders rely on an accomodation supplement – but these 3 flaws need fixingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wasay Majid, Research Assistant , University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau New Zealand’s accommodation supplement scheme is facing scrutiny, with Social Development Minister Louise Upston recently saying “there is merit in considering whether the current settings are fair and sustainable long-term”. The ...4 days ago
- Manasseh Sogavare bows out of prime ministerial race in Solomon IslandsBy Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor The first prime ministerial candidate has been announced in Solomon Islands and it is not Manasseh Sogavare. The man of the hour is Jeremiah Manele, the MP for Hograno/Kia/Havulei constituency in Isabel Province, who served as minister of foreign affairs in the last government. ...4 days ago
- If you love a dog, you must also love disposing of its shitProtesting the removal of bins by leaving piles of your dog’s shit for others to deal with doesn’t make you a hero – it’s precious and entitled behaviour. You haven’t truly lived until you’ve stood on the shoreline of Auckland’s Cheltenham beach, desperately trying to scoop increasingly liquid dog shit ...5 days ago
- Analysis: What the shock poll tells us about the coalition governmentAnalysis - Christopher Luxon will be alert to the factors driving the dire polling, but won't be waving the white flag just yet, RNZ political editor Jo Moir writes. ...5 days ago
- Moe mai rā: Tributes to Vincent O’SullivanWriter, teacher and academic Vincent O’Sullivan died on Sunday 28 April. Here we gather tributes from friends, colleagues, and students who remember his extraordinary contributions. I went down to the garage tonight. There was a bird shrieking out in the bush, in the dark, maybe a kākā. Miraculously, through the ...5 days ago
- Call for radical reform of Pharmac's budget amid concern Kiwis not getting basic standard of ca...New Zealand offers no appeal for drug companies because it's so hard to make a sale, the Cancer Society says. ...5 days ago
- The cost of being: A ‘semi-unemployed’ house-sitter with dwindling savingsAs part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a burnt-out corporate escapee explains how she gets by ‘working as little as possible’. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Female Age: 31 Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: Contractor in ...5 days ago
- Think all chemicals are bad? From our food to your phone, modern life relies on themSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Schmidt, Professor of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney Albert Russ / Shutterstock The icebreaker of many a barbeque conversation is something like “what do you do for a crust?” “I teach chemistry at university,” is what we usually reply. Then silence. Our ...5 days ago
- Tech-based sexual harassment at work is common, male-dominated and often intended to cause harmSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Asher Flynn, Associate Professor of Criminology, Monash University Shutterstock Sexual harassment is often considered to be a person-to-person act, but new research shows Australians are also experiencing and perpetrating workplace harassment in large numbers through technology. Our latest study shows one ...5 days ago
- When supplies resume, should governments subsidise drugs like Ozempic for weight loss? We asked 5 ex...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fron Jackson-Webb, Deputy Editor and Senior Health Editor Rostislav_Sedlacek/Shutterstock 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, impact and ...5 days ago
- Gaza Petition To Be Tabled In Parliament TodayA petition signed by more than 16,500 people, demanding the government take stronger action to halt the genocide of Palestinians by the State of Israel, is being presented to the House of Representatives today by Hon Phil Twyford. ...5 days ago
- It’s time to strike an environmental grand bargain between businesses, governments and conservatio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Burnett, Honorary Associate Professor, ANU College of Law, Australian National University jenmartin/Shutterstock April has been a bad month for the Australian environment. The Great Barrier Reef was hit, yet again, by intense coral bleaching. And Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek delayed ...5 days ago
- Vietnam, brutalist architecture, fees and Gaza: how student protests shaped Australian universitiesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Lewi, Professor, Architecture, The University of Melbourne Anti-Vietnam War protests at the University of Sydney, 1969. Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy SEARCH Foundation, CC BY Australian university students are beginning to set up encampments on campus, ...5 days ago
- Waitangi Tribunal report urges government stop changes to Oranga Tamariki ActThe report highlights concern over the approach the government is taking. ...5 days ago
- Politics live: Shocking poll result for coalition, government pushes school phone banThe education minister says a "handful" of schools haven't brought in full bans and are being spoken to. ...5 days ago
- On The Anniversary Of The Live Export Ban, SAFE Urges The Government To Stand FirmSAFE CEO Debra Ashton says while this milestone should be a cause for celebration, it is overshadowed by the looming threat of its reversal. ...5 days ago
- Poll serves government an unwelcome entrée to the BudgetWinston Peters might not give a ‘rat’s derriere’ about last night’s poll, but it revealed the unusual absence of a honeymoon period and little payoff for the government’s action plan approach, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...5 days ago
- NZ started discussing AUKUS ‘Tier 2’ involvement in 2021, newly released details revealSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marco de Jong, Lecturer, Law School, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Details released by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet under the Official Information Act reveal New Zealand officials have been considering involvement in AUKUS from the outset. ...5 days ago
- Paul Goldsmith tells UN of commitment to reduce victims of violent crime, youth offendingThe government's treatment of Māori raised eyebrows, with countries saying New Zealand needed to do more to reduce health, education and justice inequities. ...5 days ago
- Politics live: Shocking poll result for coalition, new education priorities announcedACT says the poll reflects current tough economic conditions while Nicola Willis say she's 'failing to see the drama'. ...5 days ago
- NZ’s Human Rights Record ‘Tarnished’ At UN Rights ReviewThe age of criminal responsibility was one of numerous human rights issues raised during Aotearoa New Zealand’s UPR. Other key themes were racism and discrimination, the disproportionate representation of Māori in prison, and to uphold the UN Declaration ...5 days ago
- Coalition parties drop in shock poll resultACT says the poll reflects current tough economic conditions while the Greens say communities are "fed up and angry". ...5 days ago
- James Shaw exit interview: The 'greatest privilege' – and the 'horrible' m...In a sitdown interview ahead of his final day at Parliament this week, the former Green Party co-leader tells RNZ about his lowest point during 2017's rough election campaign. ...5 days ago
- Reality Check Radio is still ‘off-air’. But was it ever really at risk?Is the fringe radio station really in a financial crisis, or is it just running a hyped-up donation drive? Fringe internet radio station Reality Check Radio was launched by the anti-vaccine mandates group Voices for Freedom in March 2023. For the next year, it undertook probably the most aggressive promotional ...5 days ago
- How a High Court showdown between two Māori culture giants flared and faded in a dayAbove the Fold: On Monday, the biggest Māori screen production company faced down the biggest funder of Māori content at the High Court. It was an incredibly tense moment – then, just as quickly, it resolved. Duncan Greive breaks down a strange day in the screen sector. Yesterday morning, Māori ...5 days ago
- Mother and daughter ride into the world champs
It’s a ride that’s lasted almost 30 years for mother and daughter BMX riders Nancy and Toni James, and the next stop is the World Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Almost 27 years ago, Nancy and her husband Gerrard took their oldest child, Daniel, to the Waitākere BMX Club. ...5 days ago - To be competitive in Europe requires modern slavery legislation nowOpinion: An opportunity to raise labour standards, enforce human rights, and foster a culture of responsible business conduct The post To be competitive in Europe requires modern slavery legislation now appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- A fast track with unprecedented powerWhen it comes to talking about the Government’s controversial fast-track consenting process, political scientist Richard Shaw refers to the famous Chinese sci-fi novel Three-Body Problem, while RNZ’s In Depth journalist Farah Hancock talks about zombie projects. Shaw is referring to the three-party coalition Government and how the proposed legislation is ...5 days ago
- Does gender-segregated schooling make a difference?Opinion: The debate over single gender versus co-educational schooling has long been controversial. I went to a co-ed school and was inspired by a remarkable woman who was my maths teacher, and because of her deep knowledge and passion for the subject, I knew that maths was definitely an option ...5 days ago
- Daily crossword, Tuesday 30 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Tuesday 30 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- Vale, Vincent O’Sullivan (1937-2024)He won everything and he earned a knighthood and he was a senior literary figure to the point that he was a living monument to himself until his death in the weekend at 86, but there was something about Vincent O’Sullivan that flew under the radar, that was independent and ...5 days ago
- Europe will not be able to fight the return of conscriptionOpinion: The post-Cold War generation grew up never having to worry about their countries’ security. But that era is over. The post Europe will not be able to fight the return of conscription appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 30 AprilLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,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 30 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- ‘Barren, toxic wasteland’: Fast-track risks repeating mistakes of the past – Ngāti ToaUnrestrained development poisoned Porirua’s streams and silted up its harbour. Now Ngāti Toa says the fast-track bill could repeat that environmental vandalism. The post ‘Barren, toxic wasteland’: Fast-track risks repeating mistakes of the past – Ngāti Toa appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- KiwiRail apologises for not telling workers about asbestos riskThe Rail and Maritime Transport Union has discovered KiwiRail knew buildings across more than a dozen sites contained asbestos, but never told those who worked in them The post KiwiRail apologises for not telling workers about asbestos risk appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- New homicide statistics show surge in intimate partner killings – and huge disparity in First Nati...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia The rate of women killed by their partners in Australia grew by 28% from 2021–22 to 2022–23, according to new statistics released today by the Australian Institute of Criminology ...5 days ago
- Public service cuts: Ministry accused of stealth job lossesMinistry of Disabled People employees were promised a permanent role, but were told to start packing three weeks before their fixed term contract finished, says a former employee. ...5 days ago
- Waitangi Tribunal report urges government stop repeal of Oranga Tamariki ActThe report highlights concern over the approach the government is taking. ...5 days ago
- Pharmac funding will not stretch to new medicines – chief executiveA multi-million dollar budget boost for Pharmac will only keep the lights on, doctors and patient advocates warn. ...5 days ago
- No threat to farm land: just 1,200 square kilometres can fulfil Australia’s solar and wind energy ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Blakers, Professor of Engineering, Australian National University Clean Energy Council / Neoen As Australia’s rapid renewable energy rollout continues, so too does debate over land use. Nationals Leader David Littleproud, for example, claimed regional areas had reached “saturation point” and ...5 days ago
- ‘Witches’ are still killed all over the world. Pardoning past victims could end the practiceSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan C. Walsh, Sessional Academic, The University of Queensland Arrest for witchcraft (1866) by John Pettie NGV, CC BY-NC In recent decades, governments the world over have increasingly taken action to address the dark history of witch-hunting. In western Europe, memorials to ...5 days ago
- ‘A stain on our country’: Criticism of ‘racist’ Supreme Court rulingsBy Mark Rabago, RNZ Pacific Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas correspondent The US Department of Justice is being urged to condemn and cease its reliance on the “Insular Cases” — a series of US Supreme Court opinions on US territories, which have been labelled racist. Senate Judiciary Committee chair Dick ...5 days ago
- 'Achievement, attendance, engagement' – government announces new education prioritie...Education minister Erica Stanford wants "every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning". ...5 days ago
- 1News poll: New Zealand First out, Labour, Greens, Te Pāti Māori could form governmentSupport for the National Party and its coalition partners has dropped in the latest 1News Verian poll. ...5 days ago
- Unions Mark May Day With Call To Fight Back Against Government AusterityUnions are holding public events in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to mark May Day and International Workers’ Day 2024. ...5 days ago
- Most kids are only coached by men in junior sport – women need to be part of the picture, tooSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kara Dadswell, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Victoria University Ask your son or daughter, niece, or nephew to draw you a picture of a sport coach. They will most probably draw a man. Why? Our latest research published in the Psychology of Sport ...5 days ago
- Watch: Prime Minister, Education Minister reveal education prioritiesAny school not putting in place the new ban on phones will face a visit from the Education Review Office, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. ...5 days ago
- 'Achievement, attendance, engagement' – goverment announces new education prioritiesEducation minister Erica Stanford wants "every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning". ...5 days ago
- What is pathological demand avoidance – and how is it different to ‘acting out’?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Rinehart, Professor, Child and Adolescent Psychology, Director, Krongold Clinic (Research), Monash University Shutterstock/Brian A. Jackson “Charlie” is an eight-year-old child with autism. Her parents are worried because she often responds to requests with insults, aggression and refusal. Simple demands, such ...5 days ago
- Watch: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks at post-Cabinet conferenceAny school not putting in place the new ban on phones will face a visit from the Education Review Office, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. ...5 days ago
- The Spinoff is looking for a new staff writerA rare opportunity to join our team of award-winning journalists. The Spinoff is advertising for a staff writer for the first time in… maybe ever? This is an extremely rare opportunity to join our small team of award-winning writers, covering a range of topics and tones, from the most serious ...5 days ago
- ‘Invisible’ consultants help companies write sustainability reports. Here’s why that’s a pro...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hendri Yulius Wijaya, PhD Student in Political Science (Joint Supervision with Business School), The University of Melbourne witsarut sakorn/Shutterstock Around the world, more and more companies are publishing sustainability reports – public scorecards detailing their impacts on society and the environment. ...5 days ago
- ‘sheer glitter ringing about’: Emma Neale remembers Vincent O’SullivanNews that the great writer Vincent O’Sullivan has died has spurred a wave of tributes. Here, fellow writer Emma Neale remembers her friend and colleague. I have a bright string of memories of Vince. The earliest moments are of sitting as a young student in his lectures on Katherine Mansfield, ...5 days ago
- Underwater cultural heritage: why we’re studying ‘orphaned objects’ to work out which shipwrec...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natali Pearson, Senior Lecturer, Sydney Southeast Asia Centre, University of Sydney Hence Kertajaya/Shutterstock A lot of the recent talk about maritime issues in Southeast Asia has focused on issues such as security, the Blue Economy, law enforcement and climate change. But ...5 days ago
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