Archive for June, 2010
Key comes clean on the ETS
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, June 30th, 2010 - 28 comments
In a moment of uncharacteristic political honesty, John Key has come clean on his ETS. It loads “disproportionate” costs on to householders. National’s scheme is all about keeping things sweet for their business mates – muffling the price signal that an ETS is supposed to send by (as usual) socialising the costs.
Brownlee makes Nats more enemies
Written By: - Date published: 12:16 pm, June 30th, 2010 - 18 comments
Every night before they go to sleep, good little Labour and Green spin doctors pray for another headline involving Gerry Brownlee. The guy has an amazing tin ear for public opinion. He’s had 50,000 people march against his mining plans and, now, he’s made a Treaty breach over the one area of foreshore and seabed that was settled. Gerry, you’re a godsend.
If real life were more like the internet…
Written By: - Date published: 12:14 pm, June 30th, 2010 - 7 comments
Ring any bells? Tom Tommorrow at Salon is a great satirical cartoonist, for more of his work have a look at This Modern World.
The Unkind Cuts
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, June 30th, 2010 - 9 comments
John Key can flippantly deflect media scrutiny of his Government’s unkind cuts to early childhood education by referring to the snip he himself has voluntarily undertaken, but many early childhood services are having to make hard decisions about how to deal with it all. “Saving” $419m with education cuts means writing off potential gains of $5.5 BILLION.
The paper that Anne Tolley censored
Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, June 30th, 2010 - 38 comments
Anne Tolley can’t stand to hear any criticism of National Standards, and she doesn’t want you to hear it either. She has had a critical Parliamentary Library research paper removed from the Parliamentary website. You can read it here.
Offenders’ Levy fails
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, June 30th, 2010 - 5 comments
Judith “Crushless” Collins always has plenty of bluster but behind it all she has done precious little. 18 months after her spin doctors gave the media her moniker, Collins has yet to have a single car crushed (which is a stupid and wasteful policy any way). Her Offenders’ levy is another flop – it’s only going to raise 40% of the money promised and most of that will be spent collecting it.
Open mike 30/06/2010
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 30th, 2010 - 27 comments
Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…
Mining royalties pathetic
Written By: - Date published: 10:52 pm, June 29th, 2010 - 33 comments
Our mineral wealth is a one-off endowment that belongs to all of us. If we let someone dig it up, it’s gone forever. We shouldn’t let our most precious environments be mined and when we do allow mining we need to get the most for it. It’s not good enough that the mining industry gets away with paying just $70 million in royalties for digging up $6 billion of minerals.
Most and least trusted
Written By: - Date published: 7:46 pm, June 29th, 2010 - 31 comments
A recent survey of most and least trusted individuals and professions in NZ makes for interesting reading. Politicians as a profession rank down with telemarketers and sex workers. The list of least trusted individuals contains some bad news for the government…
Private Prison Profile
Written By: - Date published: 11:41 am, June 29th, 2010 - 74 comments
When National get their ideological wish to get a prison privately run here, the most likely candidate will be Australian/UK prison company G4S. In the ‘care’ of these crime profiteers, an Aboriginal man died in a Western Australian prison van, during a four hour ride without ventilation in 50 degree plus temperatures that gave him 3rd degree burns. And that’s far from the only abuse.
Banks joins the spenders’ club
Written By: - Date published: 9:57 am, June 29th, 2010 - 41 comments
I have very mixed feelings about all this scrutiny of the spending of public figures. However, for the record, Supercity mayoral hopeful John Banks now joins the spending club.
What’s the sense in selling?
Written By: - Date published: 9:09 am, June 29th, 2010 - 65 comments
Papers obtained by Radio New Zealand under the OIA show Treasury told the Government that investing $100 million in extra capital in Kiwibank would bring the Crown a healthy return. Not long after, Bill English and John Key started talking about selling Kiwibank. It raises the question: if people are so keen to buy are our assets, why would we be keen to sell?
Open mike 29/06/2010
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 29th, 2010 - 43 comments
Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…
Smoking in prisons
Written By: - Date published: 9:17 pm, June 28th, 2010 - 63 comments
I’m supportive of the government’s move to end smoking in prisons. I think the real winners will actually be the two thirds of prisoners who smoke. They will be forced to break their addiction. I don’t think there’s any serious justification for concerns that banning smokes could lead to more trouble in jails or that the prospect of not getting any ciggies will be enough to deter crime.
Key bullish on Kiwi, bearish on pandas
Written By: - Date published: 1:01 pm, June 28th, 2010 - 27 comments
Itching to get back into the markets, and having solved all New Zealand’s economic and social woes in 18 short months, John Key has announced he is putting aside his Prime Ministierial duties to become the country’s head trader in exotic animals.
Sara Goff and Drugs
Written By: - Date published: 12:04 pm, June 28th, 2010 - 54 comments
A British government scientist was recently fired after showing that Ecstasy is safer than horse riding, and definitely safer than alcohol. There is an aversion to all recreational drugs in Western society, with the exception of the old favourite alcohol. Should the fact that Sara Goff wants to have a good night out and had something safer than alcohol be cause for a mini-scandal?
Not a good look
Written By: - Date published: 11:09 am, June 28th, 2010 - 63 comments
I’m not going to take sides in the dispute between Brian Edwards and Duncan Garner over Garner’s targeting of Chris Carter. Edwards attacks Garner’s professionalism. Garner responds by attacking Edwards’ politics. The level of behaviour all round is unimpressive. The only one who comes out looking good is Margaret Bazley.
Rules of politics
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, June 28th, 2010 - 20 comments
Rule 1: Don’t compare yourself to Jesus in any way. Didn’t work for Lennon. Won’t work for you. Rule 2: Don’t keep talking about a negative issue once its reached a conclusion. Rule 3: If you’re going to reduce your entire campaign to smearing your opponent, you better make sure your own house is in order
TV3’s Garner confirms vendetta against Carter
Written By: - Date published: 9:33 am, June 28th, 2010 - 91 comments
A few months ago Brian Edwards suggested that TV3’s chief political reporter Duncan Garner was on a personal vendetta against Chris Carter, an observation also made on several occasions by Bomber Bradbury, Dimpost and The Standard. At the time Edwards invited Garner to refute the accusation that Garner had a vendetta against Carter, suggested by the […]
Grass roots and astroturf
Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, June 28th, 2010 - 23 comments
National are still cruising in the polls, and no doubt feeling pretty confident about the next election. But ticking the blue box is easy – how firm is that support? We’re seeing big protests against this government. Is there any significant National policy that isn’t attracting popular protest, criticism from the experts, or both?
Open mike 28/06/2010
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 28th, 2010 - 28 comments
Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…
Fighting back against privatisation
Written By: - Date published: 11:27 pm, June 27th, 2010 - 6 comments
The Government’s privatisation by stealth agenda continues – from ACC to Whanau Ora to mining to PEDA to water.
And the fight back is gathering strength.
Aussies mull ethical market signal
Written By: - Date published: 11:25 am, June 27th, 2010 - 10 comments
Australia is looking at quality mark for products from ethical supply chains.
We should too.
Beware the politics of gender
Written By: - Date published: 11:01 am, June 27th, 2010 - 5 comments
An article in the Guardian puts gender politics into perspective, with 1,000 “honour killings” a year in India, according to one recent study. For those who think that the world has moved on – it hasn’t.
Beware the young advisers – they reflect their masters
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, June 27th, 2010 - 25 comments
An interesting parallel between Kevin Rudd and the Key government’s leadership style surfaced in our papers this weekend. On Saturday, Tracy Watkins had this to say in the DomPost: Dislike of the Australian leader seems to have reached legendary proportions in the three years since he won the election a dislike surpassed only by the […]
Open mike 27/06/2010
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 27th, 2010 - 44 comments
Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…
Govt to slash jobs in health and education
Written By: - Date published: 7:35 pm, June 26th, 2010 - 31 comments
Before the last election John Key promised the public service would be capped, because that’s what Kiwis wanted. That promise is now lying in tatters as jobs in education and health are to be slashed. With mining, privatisation, and now this, Mr Key shouldn’t act surprised if he suffers from the Rudd effect. This government is getting more and more out of touch.
Crock of the Week – “The Medieval Warming Crock”
Written By: - Date published: 5:55 pm, June 26th, 2010 - 25 comments
I’m tired of hearing about the ‘medieval warming period’ and ‘hockey-stick’, which are respectively almost two decades and a decade old. It came up in comments today again, and I get the impression that CCDs are firstly euro-centric and secondly never seem to look at the current evidence. There have been many studies that substantially support the ‘hockey-stick’ and none that support the MWP. The Crock of the Week did this video explaining it…
Crock of the Week – ‘Climategate’
Written By: - Date published: 3:29 pm, June 26th, 2010 - 24 comments
Peter Sinclair in Crock of the week uses some old classic movie and TV footage to point out the debunking the ‘climategate’ myth. Quite simply this hack of the e-mails hasn’t changed any of the science of climate change and is as ineffectual as most of the anti-science inquisition has been over the last century. It really just shows how pathetic and ineffectual that the CCDs are becoming.
The anti-education government
Written By: - Date published: 1:03 pm, June 26th, 2010 - 33 comments
John Key and the Nats are an anti-education government. Everywhere you look education is under attack. The Nats seem incapable of grasping the basic facts – trained, skilled committed teachers are the best way of creating good educational outcomes, and good educational outcomes are the best way of lifting society and the economy.
Yet more abuse of Urgency
Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, June 26th, 2010 - 20 comments
This week, the Government slammed through the Policing (Involvement in Local Authority Elections) Amendment Bill. It lets Police stand for local elections under the same rules as other public servants. It’s an issue that deserves to be debated. Instead, it was rushed through by this government in yet another shameful act of disregard for transparent government and active democracy.
- Woman of the Hour
2023, directed by Anna Kendrick Woman of the Hour is… such a weird movie. It’s based on the real life story of serial killer Rodney Alcala, but it’s not a documentary – it’s described as a crime thriller. It’s been criticised by one of his surviving victims as taking liberties ...2 hours ago - Is the Isthmus becoming a retirement village?
We’re continuing to look at the recently released census data. A few weeks ago I looked at how travel to work and education had changed and John looked at how our cities have grown over the last 130 years. Today I wanted to look some of that growth in a ...3 hours ago - Fake Seizure Guy
Hi,When you make a documentary about Competitive Endurance Tickling, people tend to contact you about their strange encounters — which is how, eight months ago, I came upon Fake Seizure Guy.“So we’re standing there and I just notice this very thin, sort of gaunt looking younger gentleman who was clearly ...4 hours ago - Government stops water cleanup plans
Hostilities have resumed in one of politics’ longest-running battles. The question of how clean fresh waterways should be has occupied hours of political time as farmers and environmentalists have battled over the issue since back in the Key Government. Yesterday, the debate resumed in Parliament after the Government proposed a ...8 hours ago - Brighter days
Something exciting happened to me yesterday. Life-changing even. A few of you already know what it is, but I don't want to say too much too soon. I want to be sure it's as good as it appears to be on first impression. Perhaps tomorrow, then, perhaps later in the week. ...18 hours ago - Stomping on democracy
That's the only way to describe National's actions in appointing a crown observer to the Wellington City Council. Wellington didn't vote for National. They elected a council which supports public transport, housing intensification, and making Wellington a nicer place for people to live (rather than landlords and house hoarders to ...19 hours ago - A violation of law, justice, and decency
This morning, in a desperate effort to distract attention from the suppurating sore of contempt that is Andrew Bayly, National announced that it would be bringing back its "three strikes" regime. The policy never worked and had no significant quantifiable benefits; but National doesn't care, despite a commitment in both ...20 hours ago
- What’s driving the exodus of workers to Australia
21 hours ago - Safer, Smarter, Sooner: about these concrete tim tams…
This is a cross-post from Bike Auckland, shared here with kind permission. It assesses progress on Auckland Transport’s November 2021 promise to install 70 km of quick, robust protection across 60 painted bike routes around Tāmaki Makaurau over a three-year time span. According to that original plan, right now ...1 day ago
- Money’s Just Cash
Money makes open case, closeMoney bend law, make war, make ghostsMoney gives a poor man hopeMoney saves lives, takes lives, money bothMoney is, money isn't, money's just thatMoney's just a concept people attractTax up the poor man, feed up the fatMoney's just, money's just, money's just cashSong: Ren GillIt’s money, ...1 day ago - Luxon boasts a unique insight
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed yesterday that he is looking for big cuts in next year’s Budget. In part, that quest is driven by the Health NZ Budget blow-out plus what he claims is his own unique insight coming from outside the political process. To accommodate the cuts Finance Minister ...1 day ago
- Gordon Campbell on the Three Strikes cycle of failure
We all know the “tough on crime” approach is only a stop gap measure at best, and that a justice model based on incarceration doesn’t work. Our prisons are already overcrowded and under-staffed. More often than not, they function as training centres for young offenders, and as sites for gang ...1 day ago - Luxon Shows The World Andrew Bayly Lied
In today’s press conference, Christopher Luxon re-affirmed his government’s commitment to bringing back the live animal export ban: claiming that National will do it to a “gold standard”.Heard of that term before?Well lobbyists spent $1m to help with the National-ACT-NZF reversal of Labour’s ban and the marketing term “gold standard” ...2 days ago - Going West
Yesterday in the quiet of Sunday morning we went out West. Here you will find native rainforest, here you will find Kauri — and dieback, here you will find trails, beautiful trails, here you will find others out walking, here on the dusty road you will find a stream of ...2 days ago - The Enemy Within – Maire Leadbeater & Nicky Hager
Like so many others involved in social justice movements, Maire Leadbeater was subjected to state surveillance during a long life of activism. With the help of archival material, released SIS files, and other formerly secret material, she has been able to examine the depth of stateintrusion into the lives of ...2 days ago - Monday 21 October 2024
In union news, the Postal Workers Union is worried a scam that has conned New Zealanders out of millions of dollars is circulating for a fourth time, while FIRST are working with Woolworths to redeploy staff following the announced closure of a store in Tauranga. Latest SEEK data shows that ...2 days ago - DTIs set to restrain housing-debt-led economic rebound
Many thanks to subscribers for your patience and support while I’ve been off work. My mum died in Melbourne last Sunday, and her funeral was held there on Friday. I appreciated being able to spend time with my mum before she died, and with my family and Lynn over the ...2 days ago - Time for a Transfer of Power in Entrust
What if I told you that if you pay for electricity in Auckland’s Isthmus, South Auckland, East Auckland, or Waiheke Island, you have a say in how a $3.76b company is run? What if I told you that one group has been in control of this resource on your behalf ...2 days ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #42
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, October 13, 2024 thru Sat, October 19, 2024. Story of the week Here's another week of stories describing how our species has become a force of nature by creating ...3 days ago - Electrifying
I went on the radio this week to talk economic gloom. My starting point was this very good piece by Geoff Bertram in The Conversation exploring the question: Does the government know what it is doing? Answer: very possibly not. Their austerity measures, which they’ve touted as getting the car ...3 days ago - Empire of the Ants
Windows, releasing 7 November 2024 After those first few super chill games I’ve had bad luck getting Next Fest demos to run on my Steam Deck (no shade – none of them claimed they would and they’re not even finished games yet) but of the couple that have I really ...3 days ago
- Why should Andrew Bayly get a pass?
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedCome in with the Big L sign plastered on your voice.Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMake fun of the worker doing his pace.Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedWho am I?Text ...4 days ago - Take This Bottle, Loser.
Cuz I've done wrongAnd I'm a little afraidAnd I ain't too strongAnd this ain't easy to say:Take this bottleTake this bottleAnd just walk away - the both of youAnd let me feel the pain - I've done to youSongwriters: Michael Allen Patton / Bill Gould / Michael Andrew BordinIn case ...4 days ago - The hospital that still should have been, set on fire.
4 days ago - Still giving it a go
4 days ago - The Major Conspiracy Theories of This Election Cycle
Hi,It seems like a very, very long time ago now — but Webworm basically started as a newsletter about conspiracy theories (tending to debunk rather than spread, don’t worry). It’s almost alarming how much I wrote about them, a look through the archive the weirdest trip down memory lane.Today, with ...4 days ago - Healthcare is Not in Crisis; Financing it Is.
Healthcare sector management needs to break away from its obsession with financial information and focus on funding for access. Health New Zealand recently ‘proactively released’ 454 pages about its financial performance to July 2024. Here is a letter it did not release. Hon Dr Shane Reti, Minister of Health. Dear ...5 days ago - What National thinks of us
A "what the fuck" moment for National: Andrew Bayly went round calling a worker a "loser" on an official visit: The worker explained their interaction with Bayly, and said once the pair were introduced, Bayly asked them why they were still at work. “Take a bottle of wine and ...5 days ago
- Give New Zealand a go!
1. Who was the first woman to serve as Governor-General of New Zealand?a. Mother of the Nation Judy Bailey b. Vivacious and astute Cath Tizardc. Calm and perceptive Sylvia Cartwright d. Sovereign Citizen Liz “Unloaded” Gunn2. The formation of the National Party in 1936 was a merger of the United and Reform ...5 days ago - Government must support workers following Smithfield closure
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to show leadership following the announced closure of the Smithfield meat works, and the continued loss of regional manufacturing jobs, by putting in place policies to support workers with retraining and income insurance. “The loss of 600 jobs ...5 days ago
- Aotearoa’s Big Lie
OPINIONWhen I first wrote about David Seymour’s ties to the Atlas Network this year, I came across a fellow called Trotter who argued that - although Atlas Network wasn’t a conspiracy - as David Farrar, David Seymour, and Chris Bishop all claimed - it really wasn’t worth the left’s time ...5 days ago - Fast Track Stupidity
Ten years from now, I will almost certainly be dead. But, if I were to live that long, I would be constantly challenged with the question, “Why did you not warn us about what was surely already apparent – that the globe was heating at an ever-increasing rate, and that ...5 days ago - Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
2022, directed by Sam Raimi It’s a bold artistic choice on Marvel’s part to spend the entire two hour runtime of the guy’s own movie telling us how literally every version of him is fucking terrible and this one’s only the hero because Wanda managed to be even worse. I’d ...5 days ago
- Train in Vain
You must explain why this must beDid you lie when you spoke to meDid you stand by meNo, not at allWriters: Paul Simonon, Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Joe StrummerGood morning, all. Since it's Friday, I’ll take a quick look at a few of the stories from the week. There’s also ...5 days ago - Weekly Roundup 18-October-2024
Happy Friday, and welcome to another round-up of interesting stories about what’s happening in Auckland and other cities. Feel free to add your links in the comments! This post, like all our work, is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew and made possible by generous donations from our ...5 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #42 2024
Open access notables The influence of partisan news on climate mitigation support: An investigation into the mediating role of perceived risk and efficacy, Choi & Hart, Risk Analysis: Perceptions of efficacy play a central role in motivating people to engage in climate actions. However, there has been little investigation into how different climate efficacy ...6 days ago
- The usual suspect
Economic woes for Wellington continued today with news that yet more longstanding enterprises were going out of business. Capital One Hour Photos; Courtenay Place Video Rentals; CDs on Cuba and Kumar’s Smokefree No-Cigarettes Dairy all said they would be closed by the end of the month, and they all had ...6 days ago - Unexpected support
When the Education and Workforce Committee reported back on Camilla Belich's Crimes (Theft by Employer) Amendment Bill and recommended that it not be passed, I'd assumed it was doomed. The right-wing coalition government supports employer exploitation of workers, and certainly doesn't see why intentionally and systematically conspiring to not pay ...6 days ago
- Your Thursday Politics Roundup
For paid subscribers1. Tory Whanau says “No thanks” to Local Government Minister Simeon Brown (RNZ)Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says there was no talk of government intervention during her talk this morning with the Local Government Minister.Following the meeting, Whanau said the conversation was polite and friendly and was mainly about ...6 days ago - Inspiration and Gratitude
You grew on me like a tumourAnd you spread through me like malignant melanomaAnd now you’re in my heartI should’ve cut you out back at the startSong by Tim MinchinTim Minchin has a song about cheese; one clever dick in the audience yelled it out to him last night. I ...6 days ago - Thursday 17 October 2024
Inflation has fallen to its lowest point in the last 3.5 years, but many costs remain high, and unemployment is expected to get worse. An OIA response received by the Green Party has revealed that Brooke van Velden’s contractor proposals are almost word for word from an Uber proposal. TEU ...6 days ago
- Wanted: Better housing to help people stay cool on a hotter planet
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Peter Graham and Mili Majumdar Apartments on the outskirts of New Delhi, India. (Photo credit: Adam Cohn / CC BY-NC 2.0) It was 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47°C) in Tunisia in July, yet our colleague Manel Ben Khelifa could not turn on ...6 days ago
- Why are economists giving this government the benefit of the doubt?
This National government came to power on the promise of tax cuts it hadn’t costed out and immediately scrapped an essential infrastructure project ten years in the making with no backup plan because global cost inflation pushed the price into mildly uncomfortable territory. It would be only a matter of ...6 days ago - Auckland Harbour Bridge is collapsing*
This guest post by Tim Adriaansen, an advocate for accessibility and sustainable transport, is an expanded version of a recent post on LinkedIn. Auckland Harbour Bridge is collapsing.* A new report investigating the health of the bridge shows that without rapid and significant changes to how the asset is managed, ...6 days ago
- The battle over Tikanga in the courts, a contemporary challenge
As Parliament girds itself for the introduction next month of David Seymour’s Treaty Principles’ Bill, a Select Committee yesterday grappled with another collision between Te Ao Maori and our British-based legal system. This time, it was ostensibly about whether University law schools should compel students to study Tikanga Maori. But ...6 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on the language of healthcare, and Mink DeVille
So far, the Great Multi-lingual Healthcare Crisis has passed by without any damage to life, or to limbs. To date, no-one appears to have mistaken the Hindi word for “lunch-break” for the Filipino word for “tracheotomy.” But then, the risk of bad clinical outcomes was never really the point, was ...6 days ago
- The Why ACC’s $7.2 billion deficit is not what it seems
The revelation of ACC’s $7.2 billion dollar deficit is coming at an amazing time for Luxon, Seymour, and Winnie. To start with, two of the three of them are engaging in a subtle war with the judiciary, in which ACT and New Zealand First have decided to prey on the ...7 days ago - Three chill games
Once again it’s Steam’s Next Fest, the regularly occurring event that highlights demos for upcoming games. It’s always a favourite of mine and I try to always participate by playing through several interesting looking titles. Today I tried three that were all extremely relaxed with no real time pressures involved. ...7 days ago
- We fixed it for youse
To the garage, to get a WOF. I think the tires might need replacing, you say.Leave it with us, they say.When you return, you notice the tyres are the same.In fact nothing appears to have been done.We fixed your birdshit problem, they tell you.My what, now? you ask.Your birdshit problem. ...7 days ago - Vijay Prashad – New Zealand’s Role in US Military Imperialism: NATO, AUKUS & 5 Eyes
Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian and journalist. Prashad is the author of forty books, including Washington Bullets, Red Star Over the Third World, The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World. His latest book The Withdrawal: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and the Fragility of U.S. Power (2022) was ...7 days ago
- Palestine and Anti-colonialism in the Global South A conversation with Indian Historian and Journali...
Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian and journalist. Prashad is the author of forty books, including Washington Bullets, Red Star Over the Third World, The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World. His latest book The Withdrawal: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and the Fragility of U.S. Power (2022) was ...7 days ago
- We need more judicial power, not less
The Herald is reporting on yet another reporting from the ATLAS-network-linked "New Zealand" Initiative, this one complaining of a creep towards judicial supremacy, and calling for the powers of judges to interpret the law to be reined in. It seems that the billionaires who fund ATLAS and its local collaborators ...7 days ago
- Rwanda’s Kagame: from Saviour to Tyrant?
Is Rwanda turning into a country that seeks regional dominance and exterminates its rivals? This is a contention examined by Dr Michela Wrong, and Dr Maria Armoudian Dr Wrong is a journalist who has written best-selling books on Africa. Her latest, Do Not Disturb. The story of a political murder ...7 days ago
- Au Revoir, PM Luxon
Kiwirail FerriesThere’s some good news to come out of this PR loving government. If there’s one thing good about them, it’s that they are politically cashed up and comms savvy - and therefore want to please on things that get NZ’s attention.After the stalemate between National and NZ First over ...7 days ago - Member’s Day
Today is a Member's Day. First up is the third reading of Deborah Russell's Family Proceedings (Dissolution for Family Violence) Amendment Bill, which looks like it will pass unanimously. This will be followed by the committee stage of Katie Nimon's Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) (Improving Mental Health Outcomes) Amendment Bill ...7 days ago
- Wednesday 16 October
E tū are raising concerns with proposals to privatise airport security, saying that staff are “extremely concerned” about risks to safety for those who use airports. 1News has published an investigative piece on international nurses struggling to find a job in NZ. In political news, the fallout from the Govt’s ...7 days ago
- Life in the Appalachians once felt ‘untouchable.’ Then Helene struck.
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tree Meinch A person bicycles through floodwaters remaining from Hurricane Helene on October 4, 2024, in Swannanoa, North Carolina. Hundreds of people were killed in six states in the wake of the powerful hurricane, which made landfall as a Category 4. (Photo ...1 week ago
- The Bare Necessities
Coming out to the light of dayWe got many moons that are deep at playSo I keep an eye on the shadow's smileTo see what it has to sayYou and I both knowEverything must go awayAh, what do you say?Songwriters: Anthony Kiedis / Brian Joseph Burton / Chad Gaylord Smith ...1 week ago - Dealing to the climate crisis
Fire and flood, heat-waves and rivers of rain. Climate change is impacting us powerfully. Major floods in Auckland, Hawkes Bay, Germany, India, the US…Huge forest fires in Australia, Canada, Greece, California….Intense heat waves in Spain, Italy, Greece, India, the US…. And we haven’t spoken of melting glaciers and ice-caps, rising ...1 week ago - Jewish, not Zionist
What is the difference between Jewish and Zionist? Marilyn Garson is the co-founder of Alternative Jewish Voices, an observant Jew who has lived and worked in Gaza. Her first book, Still Lives, told the story of her Gazan team through four years and two wars. Her second book, Jewish, not ...1 week ago
- The biggest PT improvements in six years
In just over a month, Auckland is going to see some of the biggest changes to our public transport network since the completion of the New Network over six years ago. The decade between 2008 and 2018 was one of the most significant for public transport in Auckland. Almost every ...1 week ago
- Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Scandals contributed to Labour’s election defeat
Former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins admits that the series of scandals leading up to last year’s election contributed to Labour’s large defeat. In Back on Track, a new book on the 2023 New Zealand election, being launched today, Hipkins says “A succession of ministerial scandals didn’t help the mood that ...1 week ago - Ducking Out of Society With a Dumb Phone
Hi,I read through your feedback about my AI voice clone with both delight and horror — and am so appreciative to all of you who left comments.There was such a wide range of discussion that it sort of blew my mind, from accessibility and ethics, to the very real issue ...1 week ago - The politics behind Winston’s latest new idea
New Zealand First’s $100 billion “Future Fund” has a carefully calculated political strategy behind it. It is an attempt to raid the Labour Party’s conservative right wing. New Zealand First knows that the coalition of voting groups that got it over the five per cent threshold last year is shaky. ...1 week ago - Wistful longing in Comic Sans
A couple of thoughts about the giving of a speechLet’s say you are speaking to Tangata Whenua at a sensitive moment. Let’s say your government’s policies have worried and angered them.Let’s say that people with any sort of informed opinion have been saying that your policies stand to unravel much ...1 week ago - What if you run a transparent process, then ignore it?
On Friday I blogged a news story about Paul Goldsmith's appointment of terf and genocide supporter Stephen Rainbow as Chief Human Rights Commissioner, and how it appeared that he had ignored the recommendations of the appointments panel to shoulder-tap a preferred and unqualified candidate. The Spinoff was on the story ...1 week ago
- Tuesday 15 October 2024
A new poll shows there is strong public support for rail-enabled ferries, which MUNZ have said shows New Zealanders know what a huge mistake it was to cancel the order for new ferries. In other poll-related news, a 1News-Verian poll shows both major parties and their leaders losing support, and ...1 week ago
- First judicial review for the Minister of Transport
In September, Eloise Gibson reported for RNZ that the Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, fast-tracked changes to tailpipe emissions standards to meet a car industry deadline. Now, legal questions are being asked about the process that led to those decisions. As reported on Monday, again by Eloise Gibson for RNZ, the ...1 week ago
- Why have hurricanes gone crazy?
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Kevin Trenberth Have there been other years where multiple hurricanes hit Florida? That is one of the questions I am now getting. The answer is yes: in 2004, for instance. The summer of 2004 was when four hurricanes made landfall in Florida, ...1 week ago
- Gordon Campbell on Conservative ghosts, Holly Arrowsmith and Fazerdaze
Clearly, Israel is intent on de-populating Gaza for Israeli re-settlement, and is using military force as a form of state terrorism to depopulate swathes of southern Lebanon. To similar ends, it is also indiscriminately bombing Lebanese rural villages and civilian neighbourhoods in Beirut. Israel’s ultimate aim appears to be to ...1 week ago - Civil War and the new Captain America
With new trailers for Thunderbolts and Captain America 4 out over the last couple of months there’s been a resurgence of “Bucky should have been Cap instead of Sam” opining, with one of the main reasons given being “Bucky was Cap first in the comics!” Sure, he was, it’s true ...1 week ago - Is It Getting Better?
Is it getting better?Or do you feel the same?Will it make it easier on you now?You got someone to blameSongwriters: Paul David Hewson / Adam Clayton / Larry Mullen / Dave EvansIt's polling day from TVNZ. We don’t get many polls these days. Of course, they don’t mean a lot ...1 week ago - If you say so, Bishop
Is it a surprise to learn that the government is happy to see some commercial fishing in a marine reserve?It is not. This is, after all, a government that is happily giving more latitude to the tobacco industry, the gun lobby and ute drivers to put us all in greater ...1 week ago - Men, the Left, and the “Women’s Vote”.
On Calvary Street are trellisesWhere bright as blood the roses bloom,And gnomes like pagan fetishesHang their hats on an empty tombWhere two old souls go slowly mad,National Mum and Labour Dad.James K. BaxterBallad of Calvary Street1969 JAMES K. BAXTER’S stereotypes, “National Mum” and “Labour Dad”, strike a discordant note in ...1 week ago - Media Link: AVFA on Israel going rogue.
In this episode of the “A view from Afar” podcast Selwyn Manning and I discuss Israel’s expansion of its war in Lebanon as part of a “six front” strategy that it thinks it can win, focusing on the decision-making process … Continue reading ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt cuts school lunches even further
The Government has gone back on its word and cut the full school lunch programme in primary schools after saying it wouldn’t. ...18 hours ago - Time to shut down failed Youth Justice Residences
The Green Party is calling for Youth Justice Residences to close, following a protest in which a group of young people spent the night on the roof of an Oranga Tamariki justice facility. ...20 hours ago - Release: Appalling process on three strikes law
The Government is subverting parliamentary process on laws the evidence already shows don’t work. ...1 day ago
- Release: Labour calls for investigation into tobacco tax cut
The Government’s decision to award a $216 million tax break for Philip Morris’ heated tobacco products reeks of tobacco industry interference and needs to be thoroughly investigated. ...1 day ago
- Release: Delay to retirement village review won’t help residents
The National Government is treading water on a much-needed review of the Retirement Villages Act, kicking any amendments down the road till the next parliamentary term in 2027. ...2 days ago
- Release: Serious concerns ignored in Govt’s fast track bill
National’s fast track bill enables the most radical and unbalanced consenting regime in living memory. ...5 days ago
- Fast-Track, off the rails: Submitters show strong opposition to Bill
Despite resounding public opposition, the fast-track legislation is being pushed through Parliament with provisions that could have real consequences for people and planet. ...5 days ago
- Release: Labour supports continuing fight for dairy access
Labour welcomes the National Government’s decision to further pursue our access to the Canadian dairy market under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) ...5 days ago
- Release: Job losses devastating for Timaru
Confirmed news that the Smithfield meatworks will close is devastating for the hundreds of people who work there, Timaru and the wider region. ...5 days ago
- New Zealand First Member’s Bill to Improve Access to Palliative Care
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill which aims to improve access to palliative care for all New Zealanders, ensuring kiwis have better access to the compassionate palliative support they may need. The ‘Improving Access to Palliative Care Bill’ seeks to guarantee that every New Zealander has the right ...5 days ago - Release: Further uncertainty for Kiwirail as jobs set to go
KiwiRail offering voluntary redundancy to all its staff is hugely concerning given the future of New Zealand’s rail system is under threat. ...6 days ago
- ASA Declares Hobson’s Pledge Advertising Misleading and Socially Irresponsible
Te Pāti Māori Co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer welcome today’s ruling from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which found that a Hobson's Pledge advertisement regarding customary marine titles was misleading and socially irresponsible. The two-page wraparound ad, published in The New Zealand Herald, suggested that nearly the entire coastline ...6 days ago
- Release: Benefit numbers continue to soar under National
National’s all pain approach to beneficiaries has yielded no gain as benefit numbers continue to surge past projected figures. ...6 days ago
- Soaring benefit sanctions push more into poverty
Sanctions on beneficiaries have sky-rocketed since the Coalition Government came to power, pushing more families into poverty. ...6 days ago
- International Energy Agency issues wake-up call on climate action
Today’s report from the International Energy Agency highlights how far this Government’s actions are dragging us backwards in the fight against climate change. ...6 days ago
- Release: Lack of funding puts pressure on frontline Police
News that 173 roles are being cut at Police will only put more pressure on the frontline. ...6 days ago
- Release: Bipartisan agreement on outdated marriage law
Changes to outdated relationships legislation has passed its third reading giving family violence survivors the power to quickly dissolve abusive marriages. ...6 days ago
- Release: Cuts to Apprenticeship Boost will fail future NZ
The Government’s cuts to the Apprenticeship Boost programme will leave New Zealand without the workforce it needs to build homes, schools and hospitals. ...7 days ago
- Release: Sluggish economy means struggles ahead for Kiwis
While today’s inflation numbers are good news for Kiwis, there are still struggles ahead with rising rents, rates, insurance and high unemployment. ...7 days ago
- CPI figures show rents continuing to soar
Stats NZ has confirmed that higher rent prices were the biggest contributor to the annual inflation rate. Almost a fifth of the 2.2 per cent annual increase in the CPI was due to rent prices. ...7 days ago
- Release: Govt changes threaten depleted Hauraki Gulf
The National Government has sneakily reneged on protecting the Hauraki Gulf, reducing the protected area of the marine park and inviting commercial fishing in the depleted seascape. ...1 week ago
- Govt’s shameful backtrack on marine conservation
The Green Party has condemned the Government’s late change to allow commercial fishing in protected areas in the Hauraki Gulf. ...1 week ago
- Release: No time to slow-down on disaster response
Labour welcomes the release of the Government’s response to the report into the North Island weather events but urges it to push forward with legislative change this term. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Where are the 100,000 families?
Nicola Willis has once again shown her promises are based on ghost families, with less than half registering for the FamilyBoost payments. ...2 weeks ago
- Significant step forward for Pasifika justice in Aotearoa
The Green Party has welcomed news that MP Teanau Tuiono’s Member’s Bill has moved forward with unanimous support from the select committee. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Bill restoring Samoan Citizenship progresses
Labour is pleased the Samoan Citizenship Bill has unanimous support as it enters second reading. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National bent the rules to keep coalition commitment
The National Government bent all sorts of rules to give $24 million to Gumboot Friday just to fulfil a coalition agreement. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens support call for divestment from illegal Israeli settlements
The Green Party echoes a call for banks to divest from entities linked to Israel’s illegal settlements in Palestine, and says Crown Financial Institutions should follow suit. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National’s deficit stories don’t hold up
Te Whatu Ora’s finances have deteriorated under the National Government, turning a surplus into a deficit, and breaking promises made to New Zealanders to pay for it. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Politics over police safety puts shame on PM
The Prime Minister’s decision to back his firearms minister on gun law changes despite multiple warnings shows his political judgement has failed him yet again. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt Gambling Safety of our Moana
Yesterday the government announced the list of 149 projects selected for fast-tracking across Aotearoa. Trans-Tasman Resources’ plan to mine the seabed off the coast of Taranaki was one of these projects. “We are disgusted but not surprised with the government’s decision to fast-track the decimation of our seabed,” said Te ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt takes the scalpel to regional health budgets
At Labour’s insistence, Te Whatu Ora financial documents have been released by the Health Select Committee today showing more cuts are on the way for our health system. ...2 weeks ago
- Trojan Horse approach to fast-track projects threatens environment
The Government’s fast-track list is another example of its reckless approach to the environment and disregard for due process. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Fast track list reveals Govt’s backroom deals
The coalition Government’s backroom deals with coal and ironsands mining companies have finally been revealed – and it’s not pretty. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicole McKee unfit for firearms portfolio
Fresh questions have been raised about the conduct of the Firearms Minister after revelations she misled New Zealanders about her role in stopping gun reforms prior to the mosque shootings. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: The question remains… will schools get their classrooms?
Education Minister Erica Stanford still can’t confirm when the Government will deliver the $2 billion worth school upgrades she cut earlier this year. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Govt failing NZ’s manufacturing sector
Labour acknowledges the hundreds of workers today losing their jobs as the Winstone Pulp mill closes and what it will mean for their families and community. ...3 weeks ago
- Tell National what their $216m tobacco tax cut could have funded instead
In Budget '24, the National Government put aside $216 million to pay for a tax cut which mainly benefitted one company: global tobacco giant Philip Morris. Instead of giving hundreds of millions to big tobacco, National could have spent the money sensibly, on New Zealand. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Govt has made up a cost crisis to justify cuts
Te Whatu Ora’s financials from the last year show the Government has manufactured a financial crisis to justify making cuts that are already affecting patient care. ...3 weeks ago
- Government reduces Forestry ETS annual charge by 50 per cent
The Government has today started consultation on a 50 per cent reduction to the annual charge for forest owners participating in the Forestry Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) Registry, Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Following an independent review released last week we are proposing to lower the per-hectare annual charge to ...49 mins ago - Open work rights return for partners of high skilled migrants
The Government is ensuring New Zealand attracts and retains the workers and skills it needs by returning open work rights to partners of high-skilled migrants. “We are committed to growing the economy and our immigration system is critical to that. From 2 December, open work rights will be available to ...58 mins ago
- Funding boost for Hato Hone St John
Associate Minister of Health Casey Costello and Minister for ACC Matt Doocey have announced today that the Government has invested over $21 million in additional funding into Hato Hone St John. “Hato Hone St John provides an essential service by ensuring people receive timely treatment in an emergency. This is ...1 hour ago
- Police deliver clear message to gangs
Today, Police dealt a significant blow to the Mongrel Mob Barbarians in Opotiki with the execution of over thirty search warrants across the North Island, and sent a clear message that the misery and violence that they cause will not be tolerated, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “I want to ...18 hours ago
- Rooftop youth will face consequences
“The young offenders involved in the rooftop incident at an Oranga Tamariki youth justice residence in Auckland need to know there will be consequences for their actions, Children’s Minister Karen Chhour says. “Last night, 13 young people gained access to the roof of the Korowai Manaaki residence at about 6.30pm. ...20 hours ago
- Government to appoint Crown Observer to Wellington City Council
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has today announced his intention to appoint a Crown Observer to Wellington City Council, following news that the Council will now be required to rewrite its 2024-34 Long Term Plan. “I have been concerned about the Council’s ability to manage their Long Term Plan amendment ...21 hours ago
- Government provides clarity to farmers and councils on freshwater plans
The Government will move to add an amendment to the Resource Management Act Amendment Bill, currently before Parliament, which will restrict councils’ ability to notify freshwater plans before the gazettal of the replacement National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Environment ...21 hours ago
- Smarter healthy school lunches programme serves up $130m in savings
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the government has worked with businesses to transform the school lunch programme, delivering for children and saving for taxpayers. “We have embraced commercial expertise, used government buying power, and generated supply chain efficiencies to realise over $130m of annual cost ...22 hours ago
- Govt confirms details of abuse in care national apology
The Government has confirmed further details about the national apology to survivors of abuse in care. “On November 12 Parliament will apologise on behalf of the nation for the failures of the State across many governments. Following a mihi whakatau, proceedings will begin mid-morning with survivor voices and apologies from ...23 hours ago
- Improvements to protect children in schools
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] is taking action to better protect children and young people from harmful child offenders working in schools. “The Department has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Zealand Teaching Council to improve information sharing ...1 day ago
- Government to toughen Three Strikes Bill
The Government is listening to New Zealanders and Cabinet has agreed to recommend modifications to the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. “This Government is committed to restoring law and order. The Bill to reinstate the Three Strikes law makes it clear that ...1 day ago
- Breaking ground on the first new Road of National Significance
Work has kicked off on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) as the Government continues to move at pace to deliver infrastructure that enables Kiwis and freight to get to where they want to go quickly and safely, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Government is keeping its ...2 days ago
- NZ heads to Samoa for Commonwealth talks
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will be among world leaders travelling to Apia this week for a meeting of the 56-nation Commonwealth. This is the first time the two-yearly Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is hosted by Samoa, representing a great opportunity to profile the ...2 days ago
- Government to Clarify s70 Discharge Consent to Provide Certainty for Councils and Primary Sector
The Government has announced its intention to provide certainty on discharge rules under section 70 of the Resource Management Act (RMA) for primary producers, and councils – enabling permitted discharge activities to be managed in a practical way, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay confirmed today. “The clarification will be introduced via ...2 days ago
- New Zealand celebrates epic sporting weekend
New Zealanders have a huge amount to be proud about after five national sporting teams celebrated historic wins over the weekend, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop says. “In New Zealand’s history there haven’t been too many sporting weekends like the one we’ve just seen, with epic wins from Team ...2 days ago
- Foreign Minister represents NZ at Indonesian Presidential inauguration
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has concluded a visit to Indonesia, where he attended the inauguration of President Prabowo Subianto. “It was a pleasure meeting President Prabowo in Jakarta for the second time this year,” Mr Peters says. “Indonesia is a key partner for New Zealand in the Indo-Pacific, ...2 days ago
- Removing roadblocks to building infrastructure
New Zealand has a widely acknowledged infrastructure deficit, which is holding us back socially, economically and environmentally, Land Information Minister Chris Penk says. “If we want to improve our productivity and lift our standard of living, we need to fix our pipes, increase the capacity of our schools and hospitals and build more houses, roads ...3 days ago
- Anniversary of Equal Pay Act shows we have more to do
The anniversary of the Equal Pay Act is a reminder that we still have work to do to achieve equality for women across this country, Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says. “Today marks the anniversary of the Equal Pay Act that was introduced in 1972. Over the past few decades, ...3 days ago
- Attracting investment on agenda for Singapore trip
Seeking investment to support the delivery of large regional projects is on the agenda for Regional Development and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones as he heads to Singapore to meet potential investors, business leaders and policymakers. “Attracting more overseas investment is a vital part of the Coalition Government’s economic strategy. ...3 days ago
- Foreign Minister completes successful visit to Thailand
Foreign Minister Winston Peters wrapped up a successful programme of engagements in Bangkok today, where he met with Thai political and business leaders. “Thailand is an important economic and security partner for New Zealand. We are seriously focused on achieving our joint ambition of lifting our relationship to a ‘Strategic ...4 days ago
- West Coast to offer rural and remote medicine training
In another step towards improving New Zealand’s rural health workforce, Te Tai o Poutini West Coast has just received accreditation to deliver Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) Training, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This accreditation is great news for the West Coast and will help boost ...5 days ago
- Government praises important progress on East Coast clean-up
Important progress is being made on cleaning-up and strengthening resilience in the Tairāwhiti region, 18 months on from the devastating weather events in 2023, Forestry Minister Todd McClay said today. To date the Government has committed $110 million resulting in approximately 440,000 tonnes of slash and debris being removed from ...5 days ago
- New members appointed to NZ On Air Board
Brett Banner and Philip Crump have been appointed to the NZ On Air Board, Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “I am delighted to appoint two members who bring such fantastic media skills and experience. “Mr Banner has a strong commercial and accounting background which will be a great ...5 days ago
- Health Minister to attend international meetings in the Philippines and Singapore
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti will travel to Manila this weekend, leading New Zealand’s delegation to the World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Regional Committee Meeting. “Significant health challenges remain in our diverse Western Pacific region, which is also prone to the impacts of climate change,” says Dr Reti. “Being represented ...5 days ago
- Residence portion of the Military-Style Academies complete
The residence portion of the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North is wrapping up, with the young people now transitioning back into the community with support, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. Ten young people have spent three months ...5 days ago
- New Zealand takes next step in dairy dispute with Canada
New Zealand has today notified the Canadian Government and other Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) members that it has triggered mandatory negotiations in a dairy dispute with Canada, Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. In September last year, a Panel of Arbitrators ruled in favour of New Zealand, finding that Canada had breached its obligations under the CPTPP by ...5 days ago
- Instrumental change for NZSO Board
Three new members are being appointed to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Board to help ensure it’s focused on bringing value to New Zealanders, Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “The trio of new members, James Christmas, Karyn Rachtman and Susannah Robinson, have expertise across fundraising, philanthropy, Crown governance, sector experience ...6 days ago
- New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute Boards Appointment
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka has confirmed the appointment of Fletcher Tabuteau as Chair of the Te Puia New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute (NZMACI) Board. Mr Tabuteau (Ngāti Ngāraranui, Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāti Whakaue) was a teacher at Rotorua Boys' High School, a lecturer in Economics, and head of ...6 days ago
- Government investing in Auckland and Wellington rail reliability
The Government has announced how $101.7 million in Budget 2024 funding for metro rail networks will be split between Auckland and Wellington to address the maintenance backlog and deliver more reliable services for commuters in our main cities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Auckland metro rail network will receive $48.8 ...6 days ago
- Changes to Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa
The Government is continuing to stabilise the immigration system by tightening the Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa (MEPV). “Despite New Zealand being internationally regarded as a safe, fair and highly attractive place to work, we are not immune to migrant exploitation. This is unacceptable,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says. “The ...6 days ago
- Construction to start on Nelson Hospital ED expansion
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says construction on a significant expansion to Nelson Hospital’s emergency department marks a major milestone in work to improve services for the local community. “Next week, Health New Zealand will be breaking ground on a $10.6 million expansion to the existing ED, which will increase ...6 days ago
- Government releases targeted actions to improve road safety
The Government has today released targeted actions to improve road safety that are focused on increasing road policing and enforcement, targeting the highest contributing factors to fatal crashes, and delivering new and safe roading infrastructure, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Increased alcohol breath testing and introducing roadside drug testing Reviewing ...6 days ago
- More benefit exits into work as sanctions increase
The Government’s relentless focus on welfare that works and holding job seekers accountable through sanctions saw a year-on-year increase in the number of people moving from benefits into work in the September quarter, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Despite the economic gloom the Government inherited, 16,071 people ...6 days ago
- Priorities set for Retirement Villages Act review
E te huru mā, haramai e noho. E tu te huru pango, hanatu e haere.The coalition Government is progressing mahi in the Retirement Villages Act 2003 review and focusing it on the areas of highest importance, Associate Minister of Housing Tama Potaka and Seniors Minister Casey Costello announced today. “It’s ...7 days ago
- Anzac Day commemorations will honour more veterans
The Government is making changes so that more veterans who have served New Zealand will be formally recognised as part of official Anzac Day commemorations, Veterans Minister Chris Penk and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith say. “Veterans often tell me that recognition is the most meaningful form of ...7 days ago
- Trade Minister to attend G20 meeting in Brazil
Trade Minister Todd McClay will attend the Group of Twenty (G20) Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting in Brasilia next week. “As an exporting nation reliant on trade, this is a significant opportunity to boost our interests with some of the world’s largest economies and many of our most important trading partners,” ...7 days ago
- More good news for Kiwis
Today’s inflation figures are more good news for New Zealanders, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today that the inflation rate had dropped from 3.3 per cent in the year to June to 2.2 per cent in the year to September. That is down from 5.6 per cent just ...7 days ago
- Welfare traffic light system off to good start
Data from the first full calendar month of the Government’s welfare traffic light system shows more beneficiaries are doing what is required of them, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. A total of 331,530 people were in the system at the end of September due to having work-related ...1 week ago
- Dairy export quota Bill passes first reading
The Government’s work to boost export value has hit another milestone, with a new dairy Bill passing its first reading in Parliament today, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “The Dairy Industry Restructuring (Export Licences Allocation) Amendment Bill will modernise New Zealand’s dairy export quota system to grow export and farmgate ...1 week ago
- Government extends fight against cybercrime
Legislation that will help protect New Zealanders from cybercrime has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “11% of New Zealanders were victims of fraud and cybercrime in 2023, causing significant financial harm and emotional distress. “The Budapest Convention, also known as the Council of Europe ...1 week ago
- Andrew Bayly shows the government thinks workers are ‘losers’ says Chris Hipkins
And Bayly would be gone if he were a Labour MP, the opposition leader says. ...53 mins ago - What’s the difference between fusion and fission? A nuclear physicist explains
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Hole, Professor, Mathematical Sciences Institute and School of Computing, Australian National University Quality Stock Arts/Shutterstock Globally, nuclear power accounts for roughly 10% of electricity generation. In some countries, such as France, this figure is nearly 70%. Big tech companies ...1 hour ago - Labor looks set for a resounding defeat in Queensland. But the state’s elections have long thrown ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pandanus Petter, Research Fellow School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University On Saturday October 26, Queensland Premier Steven Miles’ Labor is vying for a fourth consecutive term in government, up against David Crisafulli’s Liberal National Party (LNP). Although Labor ...1 hour ago
- Are cats good for our health?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hazel, Associate Professor, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide Yerlin Matu/Unsplash Cats have lived with humans for thousands of years. And long before cat memes and viral TikToks took over the internet, they’ve been comforting us with ...1 hour ago
- No home left behind: a postcode approach to electrification
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gill Armstrong, Researcher in architecture and urban planning, Climateworks Centre EndeavourEnergy In Australia and overseas, it’s clear that homes without gas – running on clean energy – are healthier, have cheaper power bills, and produce lower greenhouse emissions. The emissions part ...1 hour ago
- Rebuilding homes after a disaster is an opportunity to build back better – why isn’t the insuran...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antonia Settle, Lecturer, Monash University For many Australians, 2022 was a dark and devastating year. Major floods wreaked havoc on hundreds of communities in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. But for some, the floods themselves were only half the disaster. ...1 hour ago
- Maranga Ake: Why FIRST Union Is Joining The Fight
"We’re joining the movement today because our country’s sovereignty and working freedoms are being compromised by politicians selling out our lawmaking to overseas companies like Uber," said Mr Maga. ...2 hours ago - The top 100 NZ TV shows of the 21st Century (60-41)
Every morning this week we’re counting down the top 100 New Zealand TV shows of the 21st century so far. Today, numbers 60-41. My watchlistWatched: 0To watch: 0go to list Welcome to The Top 100, a week-long celebration of the most significant local television of the last quarter ...2 hours ago - Principal gives thumbs down to David Seymour’s revised school lunches
At least one principal is unhappy with the changes to the school lunch programme. ...2 hours ago
- Wellington not the only council facing water cost woes
Lower Hutt's mayor says most metropolitan councils will soon face the same problem Wellington does on funding water infrastructure. ...2 hours ago
- New Māori monarch steps onto the national stage
Nga wai Hono i te Po has made her first appearance on the national stage for the national hui for Māori unity in Christchurch. ...2 hours ago
- ‘They do not respect our land. They do not respect our people’. Brazil’s traditional people ta...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ebony Birchall, Lecturer, Law School, Macquarie University Australian mining giant BHP is at the centre of one of the world’s largest class actions, the trial for which started this week in London. The Fundão Dam in Mariana, Brazil, co-owned by BHP, collapsed ...3 hours ago
- Card or cash? The hidden cost of currency
As Mastercard and Visa argue against credit card surcharges, research finds high and rising costs in paying the old way, with cash The post Card or cash? The hidden cost of currency appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago - Are there really ‘secrets banks don’t want you to know’?
You've probably seen the ads - but can you really 'pay off your mortgage in seven to 10 years'? ...3 hours ago
- ‘It’s a broken promise’: Research centre on white supremacy loses funding
The government has pulled funding from the country's flagship research centre into white supremacy and violent extremism. ...3 hours ago
- Wellington mayor ‘not fighting’ decision to bring in an observer
Tory Whanau says she wasn’t overly surprised the government followed through with its threat to intervene at Wellington City Council, explains Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...4 hours ago
- The best government money can buy? How New Zealanders feel about political party funding
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mona Krewel, Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images Companies and shareholders associated with the government’s fast-track projects gave more than $500,000 in donations to National, ACT and New Zealand First, according to ...4 hours ago
- Will the Wellington City Council intervention set a precedent?
The appointment of a Crown observer at the council has sparked concerns others could be in the firing line. ...4 hours ago
- Survivors call for removal of Solicitor-General
State abuse survivors are calling on the Attorney-General to remove Solicitor-General Una Jagose from her position, as the Government moves forward with its response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.Survivors, who have been re-traumatised by the state’s decades-long effort to cover up the abuse and torture ...6 hours ago
- Is there room for conservatives in culture? NZ On Air is about to find out
A new member of NZ On Air’s board has sent a ripple of fear through the media. Duncan Greive explains why Philip Crump has them spooked. In May of 2020, a new Twitter account debuted, under the pseudonym Thomas Cranmer, a prominent figure in 16th century English religious politics. Over ...6 hours ago
- The toughening of the ‘too soft’ three strikes bill, explained
When introduced to parliament earlier this year, the new three strikes sentencing bill had been toned down from its earlier iteration. Now, while still at select committee stage, it’s getting a tough-on-crime revamp. What’s going on? Three strikes, three strikes… This is the one that imposes harsher penalties for repeat ...6 hours ago
- Farm-to-forest conversion policy sent back to drawing board
Ministers were preparing to consult on the policy to limit conversions in June but are still working through the details The post Farm-to-forest conversion policy sent back to drawing board appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- A corporate agenda by any other name
Opinion: Imagine a political party that runs on a campaign of defunding public health and education, cutting taxes and regulations for corporations, rolling back laws that protect workers and tenants from exploitation, and implementing policies that produce racial discrimination.Such a platform would not likely garner much voter support.Now imagine another ...6 hours ago
- Taking the economy’s pulse – in nine charts
Opinion: Interest rates of various stripes and terms continue to fall steadily. We take the pulse of the economy, inflation, and housing market to get a sense of whether the trend will continue.Our view remains that the Reserve Bank’s (RBNZ) official cash rate (OCR) still has a long way to ...6 hours ago
- The future of carbon-conscious design
Opinion: Sustainability is an overused and often misused term. It means different things to different people in different contexts and has increasingly been co-opted by those engaging in greenwashing. Nowhere is this more evident than in residential architecture.However, a dedicated group of architects is focused on creating homes that meet ...6 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Wednesday 23 October
The post Daily crossword, Wednesday 23 October appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- A chief science adviser is vital – why the delay?
Opinion: The chief science adviser role has been vacant for four months and despite the Govt committing to decisions being based on data and evidence, there hasn’t been too much evidence of that The post A chief science adviser is vital – why the delay? appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- A voyage around my mother
I am stumped. As a former journalist, writer and now psychologist, I wonder why my book I Only Know Happy People: A Psychologist’s Memoir appears to have made some people unhappy.When the book was released nationally in June I was visiting my daughter in Brisbane. It was there I noticed ...6 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 23 October
Loading…(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, Wednesday 23 October appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- Sky wins as Three hits dire ratings
Comment: Warner Bros Discovery, the owners of Three, have decided there is more money to be made by putting its premium content on Sky than setting up its own streaming service in New Zealand or showing it on Three Now.This is good news for Sky whose entertainment offering has looked ...6 hours ago
- Black Ferns leader finds safe space in her struggles
Every September, Maia Roos and her high school rugby team-mates come together to celebrate the birthday of a player they lost too soon.Roos was in Year 11 at Auckland’s Tāmaki College when one of her team-mates and friends committed suicide. She makes no secret of the fact she struggled with ...6 hours ago
- Come together, right now, over change
Opinion: There’s a popular saying: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”. Within the context of sustainability transformation, I’d suggest a minor, somewhat less punchy, iteration: “If you want change that fades, go alone. If you want change that endures, go ...6 hours ago
- View from The Hill: We have bigger issues around freedom of speech than Lidia Thorpe’s noisy prote...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra King Charles – as the old-fashioned saying goes – didn’t come down in the last shower. He’s unlikely to have been fazed by the outburst from independent senator Lidia Thorpe, who disrupted Monday’s Parliament House ...12 hours ago
- Watch: David Seymour introduces MPs, NZ media to new free school lunches
David Seymour says the beef rissoles dish is "one of the best meals that you're going to have". ...15 hours ago
- Huge volumes of whey go to waste. We could do much more with this nutrient rich liquid
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Hetherington, Phd Candidate in circular business models, University of Adelaide Cheesemaking leaves large volumes of whey Lysenko Andrii/Shutterstock Every year, 7.6 million tonnes of food is lost or wasted in Australia. When we think about this, we might picture mouldy fruit, ...16 hours ago
- What to watch this week at Parliament
This week, Parliament's key action is happening both in the House and in select committees, and includes the RMA, mental health, and a request to expand the Treaty of Waitangi. ...16 hours ago
- PSA Members Ready To Support Nationwide Hui Opposing Government’s Anti-worker Agenda
"PSA members have been on the receiving end of attacks from the coalition Government, which have led to mass layoffs, cuts to services we all rely on, and relentless attacks on Te Tiriti and Māori rights," Leo says. ...17 hours ago
- As it happened: Crown Observer appointed for Wellington City Council, Darleen Tana removed from Parl...
Everything you need to know about today's political events. ...17 hours ago
- Wellington council intervention: Mayor Tory Whanau accepts appointment of Crown observer
Tory Whanau says her council will work collaboratively with the government, after its decision to appoint a Crown Observer. ...18 hours ago
- David Seymour’s new school lunches, reviewed
The future deputy prime minister revealed the new $3 school lunch options today. But which meal is the best, and which do Act MPs think is too woke? Parliament’s banquet hall isn’t actually used for banquets very often. But today, there was a rare banquet on offer, consisting of meals ...18 hours ago
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