Archive for October, 2009
Dipton Watch
Written By: - Date published: 8:29 am, October 5th, 2009 - 20 comments
Greetings to the good people of Dipton. Must be fun to be so much in the news lately! I hope some local entrepreneurs are working out how to make good on all the free publicity. I’d expect Dipton’s high profile in the media to last a bit longer, as Bill English continues his belated attempts […]
No bull
Written By: - Date published: 8:51 pm, October 4th, 2009 - 1 comment
An interesting take on the Crafars from Bernard Hickey in the Herald. He starts off: The Crafar Farms tragedy is a microcosm of many of the things wrong about our business and investment culture. Then goes on to say: We believe land is the best investment always. We are happy to load up with debt, […]
English could learn from the Greens
Written By: - Date published: 5:18 pm, October 4th, 2009 - 116 comments
The Greens have a superannuation fund. That’s fine. It has investments in a couple of houses. That’s fine. The Green MPs have to rent somewhere to live when they’re in Wellington. They claim the out of town allowance to cover those costs, which is what the allowance is for. So, that’s fine. Three of the […]
Talk about politics. And nutters
Written By: - Date published: 1:54 pm, October 4th, 2009 - 3 comments
Today’s mediawatch on RNZ covers problems with the reportage of the tsunami warnings, the politics of climate change reporting, and features an interview with Mike King about his life and new Sunday night Radio Live show focusing on psychological issues and mental illness. Although it’s entitled The Nutter’s Club, the show’s got the potential to […]
Show some decorum, David
Written By: - Date published: 12:49 pm, October 4th, 2009 - 19 comments
It was inevitable that Farrar would do this, although I really hoped he wouldn’t. His post criticising Chris Carter for being in Samoa is a shameless attempt to make political capital off tragedy. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, Winne Laban headed to Samoa to assist her family there. Carter went as her support person, […]
It’s full of stars
Written By: - Date published: 9:32 am, October 4th, 2009 - 11 comments
Maybe it would be good for my blood pressure to try not to be grumpy about politics on Sundays. So here is a site I found last week which both rekindled my sense of wonder, and re-calibrated my sense of perspective. The site displays a full 360 degree spherical image of the night sky as seen […]
Slow off the mark
Written By: - Date published: 6:58 pm, October 3rd, 2009 - 9 comments
Colin Espiner also writes in yesterday’s blog: The Government was slow off the mark in sending a minister up to Samoa. While Labour quickly dispatched two MPs, Winnie Laban and Chris Carter, as late as Wednesday McCully was still saying he saw no point in going up there. It took a couple of gentle digs from […]
It’s not about Dipton, it’s about corruption
Written By: - Date published: 4:36 pm, October 3rd, 2009 - 29 comments
Colin Espiner: “To start with the ironical, Acting Prime Minister Bill English had no sooner hauled his protesting family back to Dipton for the parliamentary recess to prove that it was still really his home than he had to come straight back to Wellington again [to deal with the tsunami]. It neatly illustrated his argument, […]
The walking dead
Written By: - Date published: 2:45 pm, October 3rd, 2009 - 23 comments
Fran O’Sullivan has laid out the business elite’s preferred successors to Bill English: At this stage English is not mortally wounded. But his reputation as one of the Mr Cleans of New Zealand politics has been damaged. And – more importantly for the Deputy Prime Minister’s political future – some of the more ambitious among […]
Education cuts don’t heal
Written By: - Date published: 7:23 am, October 3rd, 2009 - 26 comments
Remember “Education cuts don’t heal”? That was the rallying cry during the last National government. Looks like we might be needing it again this time round. National’s 2009 budget was a very mixed bag for education, but it turns out that it only narrowly avoided being worse – much worse. Seeking to save $50m in […]
PoliticsNZ – New role playing game
Written By: - Date published: 2:30 pm, October 2nd, 2009 - 14 comments
A couple of young nats and young labourites have created an online NZ Politics simulation game. It officially starts on the 3rd of October, but you can sign up now at www.politicsnz.com. It looks like it could be fun, but while I’ll play initially, my addictive personality means I might not want to get too […]
Closing time for Banks
Written By: - Date published: 1:29 pm, October 2nd, 2009 - 28 comments
There is an astounding editorial in today’s business newspaper The Independent (not online) titled Foolish idea spirited away. Commenting on the recent 11pm closing time fiasco for Auckland restaurants and bars, the paper slams Banks’ leadership saying, ‘the embarrassing back down by Auckland City Mayor John Banks on proposed liquor-law changes doesn’t bode well for […]
LKJ: If I was a Top-notch Poet
Written By: - Date published: 11:25 am, October 2nd, 2009 - Comments Off on LKJ: If I was a Top-notch Poet
For my old mate Mercurius. I hope things are looking up.
“Caped crusader’s plan flawed”
Written By: - Date published: 11:15 am, October 2nd, 2009 - Comments Off on “Caped crusader’s plan flawed”
That’s the headline from today’s editorial in the DomPost. Th DomPost starts off: The last time this Government got into real trouble it had controversially made much-married former Winz boss Christine Rankin a families commissioner and selected a tyro to contest, almost unaided, the Mt Albert by-election Justice Minister Simon Power did his best caped-crusader […]
A fighting Left
Written By: - Date published: 10:58 am, October 2nd, 2009 - 32 comments
This live performance on CNN by Congressman Alan Grayson gives me some hope for the American Left. Unlike nearly every other Democrat I have ever seen Grayson doesn’t back down and when the Republicans try to attack him for lowering the standard of debate (ironic considering their “death panel” smears) he just slaps them right […]
Wee gripes: Crying wolf
Written By: - Date published: 10:24 am, October 2nd, 2009 - 10 comments
I want to make clear this post isn’t about the relief effort in Samoa and Tonga. I think that has been well handled. It was good to see Winnie Laban and Chris Carter, both MPs with links to Samoa, were sent out there immediately to work with our diplomats in assessing the situation and are […]
I live in Dipton!
Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, October 2nd, 2009 - 78 comments
That last post was probably a bit dull for a Friday morning, so now for something completely different. I was a little surprised last night to see on Scoop the following worthy publication: Plain English – No. 2, 2009 Welcome to Plain English, my regular newsletter aimed at Clutha-Southland residents. It covers local issues as […]
Pecuniary interest 2
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, October 2nd, 2009 - 11 comments
Bill English keeps claiming that he has “no pecuniary interest” in his family trust. What does that mean? A while back John A did a post on pecuniary interest. Time for Part 2 in the series. As John A noted, the main case which seems to be cited in defining pecuniary interest (at least in […]
World Farm Animal Day – Oct 2nd
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 2nd, 2009 - 24 comments
Following on from yesterdays guest post on World Vegetarian Day, today is World Farm Animal Day. At the end of last year, I was a little bit involved in a documentary created by Animal Liberation Aotearoa called “Who are you having for dinner? The reality of meat production in New Zealand“. On a trip up […]
Corruption must never be tolerated
Written By: - Date published: 3:20 pm, October 1st, 2009 - 95 comments
I have to disagree with my comrade Zetetic’s post arguing that it’s best if Bill English stays in office. Yes, this scandal has permanently destroyed English’s credibility and I can see how having a lame duck Deputy PM and Finance Minister plays into the Left’s hands. But I do think our touchstone should always be […]
Crime leaps along with unemployment
Written By: - Date published: 1:35 pm, October 1st, 2009 - 29 comments
The Police statistics out today show the crime rate continues to follow the unemployment rate. With unemployment on the rise, so is crime. Recorded crimes per person leapt 2.8% in the June year, as unemployment climbed from 4% to 6%. It’s obviously not a coincidence. Crime is a symptom of a society in distress, the […]
What can you buy with 5x$10,000?
Written By: - Date published: 11:15 am, October 1st, 2009 - 25 comments
National has released its proposals for election law. Labour has criticised the $10,000 level above which donations must be disclosed as too high. National Party campaigner David Farrar gets very defensive on Kiwiblog every time people argue for a lower level in the interests of transparency. Farrar estimates that you need to give at least […]
World Vegetarian Day October 1st
Written By: - Date published: 10:32 am, October 1st, 2009 - 85 comments
I’m a vegetarian and today, October 1st, is the worldwide day to celebrate the benefits of not eating meat and the healthy contribution to a better society vegetarianism makes. The personal is political. My choice to eschew meat for 30 years has exposed me to abuse from chefs, sexually coded remarks from ‘red blooded’ men, […]
He’s good where he is, thanks
Written By: - Date published: 9:19 am, October 1st, 2009 - 42 comments
Around the media, they’re talking about the growing odds English will be sacked. The other day, my mate Marty asked ‘who would replace Bill?’ and I said Key should show him the door. I’ve changed my mind. The corrupt prick’s clearly set up his finances to scam the max out of the public. He tried to get away with […]
The Cindy effect
Written By: - Date published: 6:17 am, October 1st, 2009 - 67 comments
National in opposition irresponsibly fanned the flames of all kinds of unrest, from the divisive Iwi / Kiwi campaign, to the nanny state ranting and Section 59 stirring, to the cynical “Democracy Under Attack” EFA nonsense. National made it their mission to get people scared and angry. And for what? History suggests that they would […]
- Hopes versus expectations for ALL survivors
This year has been a big one for me personally and professionally. The firm won the Litigation and Disputes Resolution Firm of the year award on November 28 and I was an Excellence Finalist in the category of firm leader for a firm with under 100 staff. I was also ...2 weeks ago - 2024, the year of the election
Opinion: In 2024, 64 countries were scheduled to hold different types of national elections this year for an array of offices.Some of these, of course, were more democratic than others, but it made for a bumper year for election nerds like me.Incumbents had a bad year – more than three ...2 weeks ago
- All 29 road tunnels in New Zealand ranked from worst to best
Summer reissue: From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter ...2 weeks ago - A life story
Summer reissue: David Hill remembers an old friend, who you’ve probably never heard of. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. Doug (I’ll call him ...2 weeks ago
- ‘The mission is clearly possible’: On watching every single Tom Cruise movie ever made
Summer reissue: I watched all 46 of Tom Cruise’s films over the past 12 months. The question on everyone’s lips: why? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be ...2 weeks ago
- A trip to the beach with the poo detectives
Summer reissue: In recent years, checking online for a green tick has become a necessary habit for Aucklanders heading to the beach. Shanti Mathias tags along with the team tasked with testing the water for pollution – and figuring out how to stop it. The Spinoff needs to double the ...2 weeks ago
- Who killed the Johnsonville mall?
Summer reissue: After two decades of promised redevelopment, Johnsonville Shopping Centre remains neglected and half empty. Joel MacManus searches for answers in the decaying suburban mall. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter ...2 weeks ago
- Daily crossword, Thursday 26 December
The post Daily crossword, Thursday 26 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 26 December
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('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. .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-title { font-size: 1.2em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .entry-meta { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center; margin-top: 0.5em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-meta { font-size: 0.8em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .avatar { height: 25px; width: ...2 weeks ago
- Digging up dirt in our own wee patch
Comment: I’ve been digging up dirt over the past few weekends. I plan to dig up more over summer.As global geo-politics heats up, I’ve impulsively turned to tending my wee patch of the world. The world is complex and messy. But I’m determined my quarter acre won’t be. Apparently, this is ...2 weeks ago
- Seymour takes aim at politics, the media, and economic recovery
Winston Peters was 47 when he founded NZ First. David Seymour is 41. “It’s probably unlikely I’ll still be in Parliament when I’m 47,” he tells Newsroom.“I always said, I have no intention of being a Member of Parliament when I’m 70-something.”In saying that, Seymour has already exceeded his own ...2 weeks ago
- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon shares Christmas message
"From our family to yours, we hope you have a very Happy Christmas," Christopher Luxon posted to social media. ...2 weeks ago - Returning to a different New Zealand after 32 years away
Summer resissue: Has the country changed all that much in three decades? Loveni Enari compares his two New Zealands. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member ...2 weeks ago
- I survived five hours on Christchurch’s first murder mystery train ride
Summer reissue: Alex Casey goes on a killer journey aboard the Tormore Express. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. It was a dark and ...2 weeks ago
- The need for speed: What I learnt competing in an online jigsaw puzzle competition
Summer reissue: Speed puzzling is like a marathon for the mind – intense, demanding, surprisingly exhausting. But does turning it into a sport destroy it as a relaxing pastime? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read ...2 weeks ago
- The complete top 100 NZ TV shows of the 21st Century
Summer reissue: In October, we counted down the top 100 New Zealand TV shows of the 21st century so far (read more about the process here). Here’s the list in full, for your holiday reading pleasure. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue ...2 weeks ago
- The epic inside story of The Spinoff’s first 10 years
Summer reissue: Told in one crucial moment from every year, by The Spinoff’s founder Duncan Greive. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. 2014: An ...2 weeks ago
- Daily crossword, Wednesday 25 December
The post Daily crossword, Wednesday 25 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 25 December
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('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, Wednesday 25 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- ‘Ambitious’ climate claim against Judith Collins dismissed
The Court of Appeal has dismissed Mike Smith’s “ambitious” climate claim against Attorney-General Judith Collins.Smith, a Māori climate activist, and Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Kahu elder, appealed a High Court decision that found his claims against the Crown – that its action on climate change was inadequate – untenable.The Appeal Court’s ...3 weeks ago
- Trish McKelvey: ‘It’s a big honour, truly humbling’
Trish McKelvey is listed 139 times in the index of the New Zealand women’s cricket tome The Warm Sun On My Face, authored by Trevor Auger and Adrienne Simpson.She wrote the foreword for the book and headlines two chapters addressing crucial events in the evolution of the sport.McKelvey’s appointment as New Zealand ...3 weeks ago
- ‘A curse and a blessing’: Ginette McDonald on how Lyn of Tawa changed her life
Summer reissue: The New Zealand comedy legend takes us through her life in television, including the time she hugged Elton John and the unshakeable legacy of a girl named Lyn. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please ...3 weeks ago
- Making a splash: Is this the most impressive select committee submission ever?
Summer reissue: You really won’t guess how it ends. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. First published October 4, 2024. Parliament’s Economic Development, Science ...3 weeks ago
- Hopes for 2025: To revitalise Tauranga
Opinion: It was February 2024 when my friends started getting in touch with me to suggest I run for the Tauranga City Council mayoralty. At the time, the council was governed by four Government-appointed commissioners, who had been in their roles since 2021. Their terms were coming to an end ...3 weeks ago
- Shane Jones wants coal in his stocking
Resources minister reflects on Fast-Track Approvals Bill and developments in Māoridom The post Shane Jones wants coal in his stocking appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 weeks ago
- The Jewish community in NZ needs protecting from antisemitism
Opinion: As the year winds down and we pause for some reflection, I find myself, as chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand, contemplating the unprecedented hatred aimed at Jewish New Zealanders. Antisemitism – the prejudice, discrimination or hostility directed at Jews – has snowballed to record levels, so much ...3 weeks ago
- Finding Joy: The fascinating and painful life of Aotearoa’s most prolific writer
Summer reissue: Joy Cowley reveals her enthralling life story, from a difficult childhood, to getting drunk with Roald Dahl, to encountering an Arctic polar bear. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and ...3 weeks ago
- ‘We’d never move back’: Nadia Lim and Carlos Bagrie on swapping the hustle for the harvest
Summer reissue: Alex Casey chats to Nadia Lim and Carlos Bagrie about the challenges of life on a 1,200-acre farm in Central Otago, and why they continue to share it with the nation in Nadia’s Farm. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue ...3 weeks ago
- Chinese, but not a Chinatown: The rise and rise of Dominion Road
Summer reissue: Dominion Road has made a name for itself as a destination for authentic, regionally-specific Chinese food. How did it get here? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign ...3 weeks ago
- Daily crossword, Tuesday 24 December
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- Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 24 December
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- Youth Organization Fears Government Decisions Mean Rangatahi Will Be Sleeping Rough This Xmas!
Kick Back has growing concerns about the impact that denying young people access to shelter is having on the mental health and physical safety of the young people we serve. ...3 weeks ago - Grave fears over fate of young people left homeless this festive season
Youth advocates are worried tighter rules for emergency housing could lead to someone dying due to the impacts on mental health and physical safety for those denied shelter. ...3 weeks ago
- Church Bioethics Agencies Express Dismay at the Rushed Consultation Period for Submissions on the Ge...
“We urge the Health Select Committee to extend the date for submissions,” concluded Rev Bush. “There is too much at stake to leave the outcome of this review only in the hands of politicians or those with vested interests.” ...3 weeks ago
- Submissions Open For The International Treaty Examination Of The Agreement On Climate Change, Trade ...
The agreement seeks to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. ...3 weeks ago
- Cook Islands passport would require giving up NZ citizenship – NZ foreign affairs
A separate passport, citizenship and membership of the United Nations are only available to fully independent nations, Winston Peters' office says. ...3 weeks ago
- How was Maddi Wesche’s final shot put throw not over 20m? A Spinoff investigation
Summer reissue: Was it a false measurement, a full-blown conspiracy or just some mild incompetence? Mad Chapman uncovers the truth of Maddi Wesche’s final throw. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and ...3 weeks ago
- NZ Media Council upholds complaint against The Spinoff article on Palestine exhibition
The NZ Media Council upheld the complaint under principle four: comment and fact On 5 September 2024, The Spinoff published a brief article titled Made in Palestine, found in 1970s Hastings, which highlighted an upcoming art exhibition featuring photographs of vintage cosmetic products labelled “Made in Palestine.” The piece, described ...3 weeks ago
- Public service cuts: ‘Rough’ months ahead for those out of work
Laid-off public servants have been slogging it out on a months-long job hunt, and for some that will continue into 2025. ...3 weeks ago
- Māori ‘under siege’ in 2024, must fight back in 2025 – Ngarewa-Packer
Te Pāti Māori has had to adopt a new way of debating, operating and even thinking in Parliament in response to the Government’s “onslaught” against te ao Māori, co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says.In an end-of-year interview with Newsroom, the Te Tai Hauauru MP reflected on how 2024 has differed from her ...3 weeks ago
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