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Comment: Open mike 13/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 3:46 pm, June 13th, 2025
A wafer thin pretext https://armscontrolcenter.org/countries/israel/ Israel is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and has not accepted IAEA safeguards on some of its principle nuclear activities. What exactly is their reasoning again ...Comment: Open mike 13/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 3:29 pm, June 13th, 2025
That has been in place since the 90s through power companies. My parents did that with their solar systems back in the 2010s. Meaningless without some decent pricing and some legal controls about the process - which doesn't exist. When I finally get around ...Comment: Open mike 13/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 3:22 pm, June 13th, 2025
This is a really stupid time to do it. Israel is starving Gaza, doing ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, and attacking a country for the ostensible reason of Iran building nuclear weapons in secret for their defence - when that is exactly what Israel did ...Comment: Open mike 13/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 3:06 pm, June 13th, 2025
Since Israel did a preemptive attack and act of war. Israel is now a war target at any time from now and into the future. Others who intervene are also subject to the international rules and laws of warfare. If the US or any other nation with ships around ...Comment: Open mike 12/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 5:06 pm, June 12th, 2025
ACC probably doesn't welcome them here. Seems like a ridiculous 'sport' straight out of some dystopian fantasy.Comment: Open mike 12/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 3:24 pm, June 12th, 2025
Usual problem - which is what are the objectives of the RB. We could have the Don Brash monetary freeze which completely ignored the recession in employment from 1988 to probably about 2002 that soured a generation of kiwis with unemployment (including my ...Comment: Open mike 12/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 2:47 pm, June 12th, 2025
Croaking Cassandra did a interesting post that I read this morning off the Feeds. https://croakingcassandra.com/2025/06/11/the-orr-story-well-part-of-it-anyway/ I see that there is a later one as well https://croakingcassandra.com/2025/06/12/why-is-neil- ...Comment: The other Jacinda Book
Written By: lprent - Date published: 2:37 pm, June 12th, 2025
I read that article today. I thoroughly applaud Judge Skelton “Overall, while acknowledging the case is at an early stage, my assessment is that Ms Baker will face difficulties establishing her claims against the defendants,” Judge Skelton said. Judge ...Comment: Open mike 12/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 2:00 pm, June 12th, 2025
The farmers aren't creaming it. Of that $3, probably at least $2.50 is input costs to produce the milk solids. The distribution is for local. You have to remember that the $1.00 for local distribution is a tiny proportion of the distribution costs for NZ ...Comment: Open mike 12/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 1:42 pm, June 12th, 2025
Mostly because dairy methane has been increasing per head and the herds have been increasing. This appears to largely as a result of extra feed rather than the pasture feeding. Of significance is the regional shifts with dairy moving into more regions. ...Comment: Open mike 11/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 8:17 am, June 12th, 2025
I agree. The problem is that we are caught by a cleft problem. The parliamentary term is too short at 3 years. However we also can't trust our single house parliament to do due diligence on the legislation that they pass if we give them a 4 or 5 year term. ...Comment: Open mike 12/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 7:45 am, June 12th, 2025
More bomber than the left. I know he doesn't speak for me. I worked in a factory from 15-17 mostly night or evening shift, a town supply farm for 6 months. Kinloch station for 6 months. Then went in the army for 3 months training. Then went to university. ...Comment: Trump vs Musk
Written By: lprent - Date published: 5:43 pm, June 7th, 2025
Possibly just can't read more than a slogan or title.Comment: Open mike 06/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 1:55 am, June 7th, 2025
Sure... I mostly go for the beer and the chips. Galbraiths was kind of full friday night. Apparently the fullest they have had it for a while. Looks like the fires and local brewed ales have been pulling the groups to book. Fortunately, the back room was ...Comment: Open mike 06/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 7:41 pm, June 6th, 2025
Sounds good. They had a black pudding burger. Avoid it. I had to stop drinking beer whilst digesting it.Comment: Open mike 06/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 7:38 pm, June 6th, 2025
Are you outing thyself... Thats ok, like other working professionals, we don't discriminate. We just have fun with them.Comment: Open mike 06/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 5:56 pm, June 6th, 2025
Nah, even after all this time you're still just an amateur.Comment: Open mike 06/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 5:55 pm, June 6th, 2025
Sounds like great idea. They have fires at Galbraiths... as well as the beer. Ummm. I might feed the cat and take my laptop up there now. My partner is in the cold in Invercargill, I don't feel like either cooking or uber-eating. And I blocked by cabin ...Comment: Open mike 06/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 4:30 pm, June 6th, 2025
Wouldn't happen. Military aren't into lease arrangements because their programmes last decades. Corporates are often lucky to last a decade in the same business. Military in my experience of dealing with them (7.5 years of writing military training ...Comment: Open mike 06/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 4:10 pm, June 6th, 2025
Something probably needs to happen. My self-employment semi-retirement has been interesting. I wound up paying Gross income ~50k (ex GST) on super + investment income + interest + self-employed part-time (10-20 hour pw) contract for 5 months (~24k). But ...Comment: Open mike 06/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 1:25 pm, June 6th, 2025
Sure. But they will cause themselves a lot of damage on the way through. For instance right now SpaceX is effectively a major portion of the US space industry and in particular the military side of it. Tesla is the only significiant US contender in the EV ...Comment: Open mike 06/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 12:18 pm, June 6th, 2025
You appear to be referring to another country - not New Zealand. Possibly the imaginary world of Belladonnas? This is a AI overview from google (first item) when I looked for "laws on recording in nz". I checked and it is a short accurate description (and ...Comment: Open mike 06/06/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 9:45 am, June 6th, 2025
Oh – when 'friends' fall out, it is so embarrassing. It is also predictable. Problem is that Trump absolutely cannot resist putting the boot in when someone is down (reading about Tesla sales figures – really down). Plus Musk doesn't seem to have any ...Comment: The trouble with using AI bots
Written By: lprent - Date published: 10:35 pm, June 5th, 2025
Probably... Scathing commentary in my emails. For instance Emily Writes: The David Seymour excuse generatorComment: The trouble with using AI bots
Written By: lprent - Date published: 8:33 pm, June 5th, 2025
David Seymour is an technically illiterate wanker. Or just a deliberate liar... Quite how he passed a BEng in electrical engineering is beyond me. Probably did it in the old days before computers? Nah - he isn't that old. You'd have to go back to the 1970s ...Comment: Daily review 23/05/2025
Written By: lprent - Date published: 1:21 pm, May 24th, 2025
And these days ancient geek programmers do as well. So long as they keep up, don't burn out, and don't start looking longingly at the golf clubs.... I'm on a part-time remote long-term contract these days. Mostly because it usually gives me more time to ...Comment: BHN and CTU’s Craig Renney on the Budget
Written By: lprent - Date published: 11:12 am, May 23rd, 2025
Which probably the second best security system we have. The moderators use that feature to check the junk comments that leak through the primary barrier (wordfence). It weeds out those who start their first session with a handle here without having a clear ...Comment: BHN and CTU’s Craig Renney on the Budget
Written By: lprent - Date published: 8:08 pm, May 22nd, 2025
But another hefty dose of the last quarter century's economic policy that got us here will be sure to turn things around, right? Nope. The basic problem is that we're still basically a commodity selling economy when it comes to overseas exchange, and the ...Comment: Liam Hehir needs to relearn his civics
Written By: lprent - Date published: 2:50 pm, May 22nd, 2025
Traditional Westminster understandings of parliamentary sovereignty tend to treat the authority of Parliament as axiomatic: its power presumed rather than justified. and But in Aotearoa that presumption collides with the reality of a constitutional ...Comment: Liam Hehir needs to relearn his civics
Written By: lprent - Date published: 2:31 pm, May 22nd, 2025
Comment editor dictionary. The comment editor fix is something that weka has been awaiting for. So when I do it, I'll remember that I need to make sure to avoid using a en-US dictionary
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- In All Honesty
Nobody's got the heart to tell you where to goBut in all honestyFuck offFuck offJust F-U-C-K O-F-F, fuck offSong: Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt & Tré Cool.A disclaimer: Please be aware that this newsletter is about David Seymour and therefore contains swear words; however, not the one that is forever ...2 hours ago - “Quick, Dirty and Affable” Chris Bishop
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- Gordon Campbell On Sacrificing Worker Rights On The Altar Of Commerce
In the interests of efficiency, maybe Brooke van Velden should just outsource her Workplace Relations and Safety Ministry to Business NZ and be done with it. Because (obviously) corporate wishes are her command. Within a short time in the job, van Velden has trashed a decade of pay equity work, ...14 hours ago - Forging a stronger defence partnership in a time of strategic risk
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- Hotel Rwanda: Paul Rusesabagina
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22 hours ago - The West should still look towards peeling Russia away from China
As tensions grow between China and the West, and Moscow drifts further into Beijing’s orbit, a strategic question is emerging. In 1971, the United States opened to Mao’s China to weaken the Soviet Union. Could ...22 hours ago
- Dismantling the state
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Christopher Luxon’s neoliberal government is lurching from one communications disaster to another, making a complete mockery of their promise to govern with transparency and competence. The PM’s incessant bleating about “turbocharging the economy” is laughably detached from reality, while Ministers such as Brooke van Velden and Tama Potaka trip over ...1 day ago
- Mammoth Money Heist
Last year, Health Minister Shane Reti and Prime Minister Chris Luxon visited Auckland’s Ormiston private hospital to talk up privatisation.Everything was up for grabs, Luxon said - “schools, health, hospitals, roads, 3 Waters investment”1. The Prime Minister also inferred he was talking to finance related companies, echoing Former NZ Health ...1 day ago - Tuesday 17 June
The Government is considering cutting sick leave entitlements for part-time workers. Brooke van Velden has introduced a new bill which legislate changes to personal grievances, the 30-day rule and the ability of workers to test their employment status in court. NZEI is considering legal action against the government’s decision to ...1 day ago - Radical employment bill threatens every NZ worker
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi is urging all political parties to vote against Brooke van Velden’s new Employment Relations Amendment Bill, as it will severely undermine workers’ rights. “This new Bill will legislate many of the attacks on workers’ rights signalled by Brooke van Velden, ...1 day ago
- Update: On RNZ and Ruth Hill
Hi,Firstly, I just wanted to say thanks for all the outpouring of comments you left under yesterday’s story about Alex — and thanks to all of those who shared the article. It’s a huge help to my work when you share it. Again, here is the link to Alex’s story ...1 day ago - Undersea mining push could echo in Antarctica
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- Short and Silly
Morena, folks, I’m in a bit of a rush this morning with an appointment, so today it’s something short and silly.No, not your Miniature of Health, although Simeon certainly fits the description if that’s who came to mind. I’m talking about the grand Poobah, your Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon.Yes, our ...1 day ago - No guardrails: Australia’s messy rules for using the military on home soil
Australia needs clearer guidelines around domestic deployments. Australia’s constitution mirrors many key features of the United States, including a provision that allows federal troops to intervene domestically in states. But unlike the US, Australia has ...1 day ago
- Van Velden Continues Be A Cunt To Women Workers
Van Velden shows her inexperience — and the privilege of the MPs surrounding her — as she announces potential new sick leave for part time workers doing the types of jobs she wouldn’t deign to call “real work”. Her older, more established colleagues are equally sheltered, or equally uncaring. David ...1 day ago - 10 ways that Trump’s tax bill would undermine his energy promises
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections President Donald Trump has promised to reduce gas prices, improve energy security, create domestic manufacturing jobs, boost the economy, and ensure that Americans breathe the cleanest air. But by gutting the Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, Congress’ big new budget bill would undermine all of these objectives – ...1 day ago - Israel is Lying About Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Capability
Israel’s unprovoked airstrikes on Iran, justified by baseless claims of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, expose a glaring double standard in global politics. While Israel, an undeclared nuclear power, operates beyond international scrutiny, Iran faces relentless pressure, even as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), despite ...1 day ago
- The Israel-Iran war reveals the danger of a piecemeal approach to statecraft
Australia’s approach to the Israel-Iran war has so far been based on a flawed model of statecraft. It’s one that tends to balkanise problems into convenient buckets, to be tackled piecemeal, rather than recognising the ...2 days ago
- No aid without access: transforming Darwin into a regional humanitarian hub
As climate volatility increases and regional instability looms, Australia should consider developing Darwin into the Indo-Pacific’s leading humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) hub. This will require recognition of Darwin’s strategic value beyond defence, funding ...2 days ago
- Today in dysfunctional government
The big news this morning was that the Prime Minister thought the government he leads was going to steal your sick leave. But apparently even the ACT zealots could see that that would deeply unpopular, so they've "clarified" that the Prime Minister was wrong, and really they're just going to ...2 days ago
- Government turns its back on workers’ safety
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi is dismayed by the Government’s decision to abstain from the new International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on biological hazards that would strengthen worker protections. “This Convention provides a comprehensive framework for preventing and managing biological workplace health and safety issues,” ...2 days ago
- 90% of NZ Lawyers Linked to Panama Papers Still Practicing
Back in 2016, the Panama Papers ripped the veil off New Zealand’s squeaky-clean image, exposing our foreign trust regime as a playground for tax dodgers and money launderers. The leak of 11.5 million documents from Mossack Fonseca, a Panamanian law firm, revealed how Kiwi lawyers facilitated secretive trusts for the ...2 days ago
- 41 questions
I’m pretty tied up for the next couple of weeks so unless there are significant new developments (things like, for example, complying with the OIA) this will be my final post on events around the Orr resignation for the time being. We know from what the Reserve Bank did choose ...2 days ago - Thinking about Chinese Australians: how to mention the war
After the federal elections of 2022 and 2025, a certain supposed truth is taking root in Australian political discourse—namely, that discussion of potential conflict involving China is politically disadvantageous, because it is likely to have ...2 days ago
- Wish Giver
For paid subscribers - Van Velden steers WorkSafe toward a softer touch has an interesting revelation about Brooke Van Velden’s Worksafe reforms.Not only is the Minister transforming Worksafe from enforcement to a soft ‘advisor’ mandate, she “wants to see more prosecutions of workers” and “reduce the obligations on directors.”Think about ...2 days ago - Read About It
You've got the words to change a nationBut you're biting your tongueYou've spent a lifetime stuck in silenceAfraid you'll say something wrongIf no one ever hears it, how we gonna learn your song?Songwriters: Emily Sande / Benjamin Kohn / Iain James / Peter Kelleher / Stephen Manderson / Thomas Barnes.Morena, ...2 days ago - Mapping India-Pakistan military power
India strives to render Pakistan strategically irrelevant to better focus its attention on China. But neither Pakistan nor China has an interest in allowing that to happen. It’s an ongoing saga of which we saw ...2 days ago
- The Life and Death of Alex
Note: This story contains sensitive content, including discussion of eating disorders and disordered eating. Please read with caution.Hi,Last week, Radio New Zealand published a story about a 17-year old trans man who had tragically died, alone, in 2023.It was an extensive, detailed piece from journalist Ruth Hill — over 3500 ...2 days ago - Resources & Support For Trans Teens
Hi,In light of today’s piece about Alex, it’s important to share some places where support can be found.To prevent further loss of life, we need to help families support trans young people, ensure medical and social services are equipped to understand and respond to their needs, and resource community organisations ...2 days ago - Gordon Campbell On The West’s War Against Iran
Clearly, the world needs to stop talking about Israel’s right to defend itself, and start talking about the world’s need to defend itself against Israel. Gaza, Lebanon, Iran….these have become the stepping stones in Israel’s plan to expand its rule, unrivalled, over all the land between the river and the ...3 days ago
- 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #24
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- Ruth Richardson Is Wrong on NZ Super
3 days ago
- Assassination of Democratic Lawmakers in America Predictable
Cartoonist: Musa GusmusOpinion:The assassination of Democrat lawmakers in America is regrettably predictable. Democratic House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, 55, and her husband, Mark, 58, were both shot and killed at their home in Brooklyn Park in what Gov. Tim Walz called a “politically motivated assassination.”Another couple were also attacked: DFL ...3 days ago - A message from Chris
The New Zealand Prime Minister, a Mr Christopher Luxon, pleads with the world to take him seriously. ...3 days ago - Why the Regulatory Standards Bill is dangerous to New Zealand’s democracy
There’s a post still coming about farming and our future that spans oceans and centuries, but I’m sending something else today because time is of the essence. So: first some memories, and then some words from Sir Geoffrey Palmer about Seymour’s goddam bill.Before I share with you something written by ...3 days ago - Fact brief – Was 1934 the hottest year in the global record?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Was 1934 the hottest year in the global record? 1934 was a particularly hot year in the contiguous United States, but not globally ...4 days ago
- A Successful Loss to Worstfish [Chess Nonsense]
I have played less chess in recent times, largely out of frustration at my internet connection cutting out in the middle of Blitz games. But I have not given up my hope of ... 4 days ago - NZ rich suck up more of our wealth
The NBR rich list has been published for 2025. The combined wealth of the 130 listed is $102.1 billion. In 2015 the 180 individuals and families listed had a combined wealth of $55 billion. According to the Reserve bank inflation calculator the percentage of change over the last decade was 32.9%. Given that ...4 days ago - Willis and Quigley
Yes, that subject again/still. Today, three main points: the comments by the Minister, including claims that she didn’t know why Orr had resigned the latest set of Quigley comments given to Newsroom’s Jonathan Milne, and (largely for the record) restating events around MPC appointments that are minimised by Milne ...4 days ago
- No Kings
No hatred, no violenceNo starvation and no greedAnd no kings, no kingsNo kingsNo lies and no bulletsNo bombs and no needFor kings, no kingsNo kingsSong: Jesse Welles.Morena, all, as I begin writing, the missiles are flying, and it doesn’t matter which side is right or wrong to the people they ...4 days ago - The One Who Saw Too Much: Published
Back in September 2024, I had an acceptance for a Gothic Horror piece called The One Who Saw Too Much (3,600 words): https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2024/09/28/the-one-who-saw-too-much-accepted/ In a nice bit of news, it has now been published in audio format at the Tales to Terrify podcast (https://talestoterrify.com/): https://talestoterrify.com/episodes/698-daniel-stride-rachel-bolton-stoker/ As commented before, this one ...4 days ago - Far from ruinous, the US AUKUS review is routine
News that the US Department of Defence has launched an AUKUS review has Canberra’s defence circles in overdrive, with familiar critics already proclaiming the pact is ‘sinking’. Yet this outbreak of anxiety poses a bigger danger than ...4 days ago
- On Complicity
Hi,I have left the United States. But it’s much less dramatic than it sounds.This is a trip I’d been planning for months, and it has taken me out of the US. I’m in Manchester, here to see my best friend Rosabel who’s working on a project here in the land ...4 days ago - Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s response to Israeli strikes against Iran
Israel’s strikes against Iran will form the backdrop to New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s upcoming trip to China. Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the strikes at a scheduled press conference on Friday, Luxon characterised the strikes by Israel as ‘potentially catastrophic for the Middle East’, observing ‘the last ...5 days ago - Why Wellbeing?
The Government’s plans to remove the wellbeing provisions in the Public Finance Act represents a reversal of the way society is travelling. I welcomed the Ardern-Robertson’s Government decision to focus on wellbeing in its budgets. It went on to amend the Public Finance Act to require the government to state ...5 days ago - Don’t talk about our weight
Australia must stop talking about being a middle power that punches above its weight. Talking about it is far less interesting to the rest of the world than Australia actually doing it. The occasion for ...5 days ago
- Don’t panic: the US AUKUS review could strengthen the partnership
The Trump administration has ordered a review of AUKUS to be led by Undersecretary of Defense Policy Elbridge Colby. The review has some attendant risks, but also a potential upside for the three-way partnership. The ...5 days ago
- Pre-emptive or preventative?
I do not mean to be pedantic about this sort of thing, but since it lies within my area of supposed “expertise,” here goes: Unlike what is being reported in the corporate media and by some defense officials, the Israeli strike on Iran was not “pre-emptive.” “Pre-emptive” means “a sudden ...5 days ago - Goebbels’ favourite bird
1. What would you let David Seymour or the people he put on a board decide for you?a. Whether to order the chicken or the flounderb. Whether to watch Dept Q or Sirens on Netflixc. Whether to read Ayn Rand or smack my head with a frypand. Nothing, not one ...5 days ago - The Patupaiarehe Concerto: Accepted
New story acceptance. My 2,000-word New Zealand folk-horror piece, The Patupaiarehe Concerto, has been accepted by Eternal Haunted Summer for their upcoming Summer Solstice issue, which has an overarching theme of music (https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/). ... 5 days ago - An open letter to Prime Minister Luxon – Will he listen?
Excerpt: Open Letter to the Prime Minister of Aotearoa New Zealand, the Rt Hon Christopher LuxonRe: The Regulatory Standards Bill..This legislation would:Impose financial penalties on environmental action, making it a new and unprecedented expectation that the Crown would compensate corporations when laws to protect nature or the climate affect the ...5 days ago - Ukraine war enters new stage – an anti-terrorist operation?
The post-coup Ukrainian government was the first to declare an anti-terrorist war – although their forces were the ones carrying ut terrorist acts against civilians in Eastern Ukraine. Russian politicians are starting to discuss the necessity of escalating the Russia-Ukraine war from a limited military operation into ...5 days ago - Silent risk to net-zero commitment: climate policy meets national security
Australia faces a growing dilemma: in attempting to ease genuine climate challenges, it is creating national security vulnerabilities by embedding Chinese smart technologies in critical infrastructure. This includes solar inverters and batteries. Electric vehicles, too, ...5 days ago
- Quigley, Orr, and the RB board: edition number 965
This morning as the Quigley/Orr/Board saga rumbles on I wanted to touch on three items: the latest comments from Board chair Neil Quigley (and the Minister’s comments on and to him) a reminder of where this all started, with the Board unanimously approving a budget last year far in ...5 days ago
- Let’s diversify our space partnerships—and build some self-reliance
Australia’s long-term interests in space are best served by independent capability, diversified international partnerships and a civil-led strategy that reflects national priorities. As global competition intensifies, Australia must avoid tying its trajectory to the political ...5 days ago
- Bernard Hickey, Peter Bale, Cathrine Dyer, Robert Patman & Andrew Gunn ‘Hoon’ around the new...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking with regular guests and about the week’s news in geopolitics and climate. This week’s Hoon featured special guest New Zealand freelance journalist Andrew Gunn speaking from Kyiv.The Hoon’s ...5 days ago
- Chantelle Baker Gets a $100,000 Reality Check
It’s a rare day when the New Zealand courts deliver a sharp reminder to the right-wing that actions have consequences, even for those who’ve built a career on peddling disinformation. Chantelle Baker, the self-styled “citizen journalist” and darling of New Zealand’s anti-vax, anti-government fringe, has been ordered to pay a whopping ...5 days ago
- The Bewildering World of Christopher Luxon – Back on Track…
..The latest two out of three polls for National are - to put it mildly - troubling.Fresh on the heels of Minister Nicola ‘NoBoats' Willis' austerity budget and the scrapping of thirtythree pay equity agreements to fund tax cuts for the already-rich, the public's appetite for this rightwing coalition government ...6 days ago - Trying to attract a stranded asset
Shane Jones is an outdated fossil of a minister. Born in 1959, his model of how our economy and society should look is stuck sometime in the late 70's: a dirty, fossil-fuel powered, racist, sexist, homophobic shitstain of a country which most of us never experienced, and most of those ...6 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #24 2025
Open access notables A Rapid Deterioration of the Transmissive Atmospheric Radiative Regime in the Western Arctic, Bertossa & L’Ecuyer, Geophysical Research Letters: The tendency for the atmosphere to reside in one of two radiative states (“transmissive” or “opaque”) is unique to the high latitudes. This phenomenon makes the Arctic climate ...6 days ago
- You call that a defence industry?
Australia’s defence manufacturers are essentially a cottage industry, with the average supplier employing only 13 people and achieving net annual sales of about $2.2 million. These averages, drawn from the annual review of the industry ...6 days ago
- The Climate Catastrophe
Dr Robert Howell UN Secretary General: We are sleepwalking to climate catastrophe. In facing this wake up call, Dr Howell will describe the lessons to be learned from Wesfamers; the work of the External Reporting Board; the National Climate Change Risk Assessment for New Zealanders; and the Dasgupta Review.Dr Robert Howell ...6 days ago
- Taiwan has 12 diplomatic partners left. Who’ll drop it next?
Beneath Taiwan’s high-profile fight for global recognition lies a parallel contest in capitals scattered across the Caribbean and the Pacific. This is Beijing’s relentless campaign to isolate Taiwan diplomatically—country by country—until Taipei is left with ...6 days ago
- Keep Perfectly Calm
There is no depression in New ZealandThere are no sheep on our farmsThere is no depression in New ZealandWe can all keep perfectly calmPerfectly calm…Songwriters: Donald Bain Mcglashan / Richard Paul Von Sturmer.The National Party and farmers go together like Vogels and Vegemite - a classic Kiwi combo, based on ...6 days ago - Short Term At All Costs: Tend Healthcare Wins & More
My Food Bag Co-Founders’ Tend Health approved to become a Government Primary Health Organisation (PHO)Opinion and analysis:In April, I wrote about My Food Bag Co-Founders James and Cecilia Robinson telehealth organisation, Tend, and its positive chances of securing government contracts.An industry contact wrote this in response to me at the ...6 days ago - The hole in Canada’s intelligence system is ASIS-shaped
A hardy perennial in Ottawa politics is whether Canada should create a foreign intelligence service equivalent to the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS, aka MI6). If it does, ...6 days ago
- Thursday 12 June
Council of Trade Unions Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges has taken New Zealand’s pay equity fight to the International Labour Organisation conference in Geneva. Opposition parties say the government should be going much further, much faster in sanctioning Israel. Government ministers did not get advice on what the changes to pay equity ...6 days ago
- Gaza’s Rising Death Toll Demands More Diplomatic Action
The recent sanctions placed on just two Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, by New Zealand, alongside Australia, Canada, Norway, and the United Kingdom, mark a timid but critical step toward halting Israel’s relentless genocide.However, targeting these two for their vile incitement of violence against Palestinians is the bare ...6 days ago
- Why is Neil Quigley still RB board chair?
In my post yesterday, I documented a whole series of ways in which Neil Quigley, Reserve Bank board chair (appointed by the Minister of Finance) appeared to have actively misled the public (and overseen the misleading of Reserve Bank staff) on the day Adrian Orr’s resignation was announced. Some of ...6 days ago
- Recognising the economic potential of digital infrastructure resilience
Australia needs to coordinate national digital infrastructure investment and resilience or risk falling behind in security and missing economic opportunities. For the past decade, Australia has focused outward on projects such as funding regional telecommunications ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt overreach removes power from local councils
Ministers will now be able to override the decisions of councils and locally elected officials. ...4 hours ago - ECE funding review must centre tamariki
The Government’s review of Early Childhood Education funding, announced today, is a clear and appalling reflection of its priorities, with a ministerial group being directed to balance “quality and affordability for services”. ...24 hours ago - ERA changes hurt workers, pander to big business
The Green Party says proposed changes to the Employment Relations Act announced today by the Government will further undermine workers’ rights while pandering to big business. ...1 day ago
- Release: Govt Bill strips vital job protections from workers
The Employer Relations Amendment Bill will make work even less secure for Kiwis. ...1 day ago
- Release: Government is full of it on homelessness
The Government continues to deny its policies are contributing to homelessness in New Zealand, despite being told they are. ...1 day ago
- Govt’s private hospital contracts little more than Band-Aid
The Government’s directive to give private hospitals 10-year outsourcing contracts to perform elective surgeries is yet another step down the path of privatisation in our healthcare system. ...1 day ago
- Sick Leave is a Right, Not a Reward- Ngarewa-Packer
Te Pāti Māori is calling out the Government’s proposed changes to sick leave entitlements as a cruel step backwards that punishes low-income, part-time, single parents and essential workers. We staunchly support the concerns raised by PSA National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, that this move will disproportionately harm wāhine, who are most ...2 days ago
- Greens show Willis’ fiscal straight-jacket is junk, validate case for strong public investment
The Green Party has released its fiscal strategy, demonstrating how we can and must invest in the real-world needs of our country, planet and people. ...2 days ago
- Concern over signs Govt will reduce sick leave for workers
The Green Party is calling on the Prime Minister to stand up for workers’ rights for once and rule out reducing sick leave entitlements. ...2 days ago
- Out of Sight, Out of Mana- Rotorua Lakes Council’s Callous Attack on Homeless Whānau
Te Pāti Māori Co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi, has slammed the Rotorua Lakes Council’s treatment of homeless whānau as “inhumane and disgraceful,” following the forced police removal of people sleeping outside the Salvation Army on Amohia Street yesterday. “Our most vulnerable whānau were woken by police, trespassed like ...6 days ago
- Biodiversity credit won’t fix damage done by Luxon Govt
The Green Party says the Government’s newly announced Biodiversity Credit scheme is a tiny positive that doesn’t undo the biodiversity harm caused by the Luxon Government. ...6 days ago
- New report confirms Oranga Tamariki is failing tamariki and Government is failing Māori
A new report, ‘Outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau in the oranga tamariki system 2023/24,’ has confirmed that Oranga Tamariki is severely failing our most vulnerable Māori youth. ...7 days ago
- Release: PM must stop changes further failing children
Today’s damning report on Oranga Tamariki shows Māori children are being left with little chance of success, or even survival, after their experiences in the state care system, and Minister for Children Karen Chhour is making it worse. ...1 week ago
- Government rightfully sued over illegal climate ‘plan’
Last week, world-leading climate scientists called out the Government’s approach to agricultural emissions. This week, climate lawyers have sued the Government because its Emissions Reductions Plans do not add up. ...1 week ago
- Release: Changes to stalking Bill important step for women’s safety
Parliament today took an important step to improve women’s safety with the Government moving closer to Labour’s position on how stalking should be defined in law. ...1 week ago
- Te Pāti Māori Demands Safe Passage of Madleen to Gaza
Te Pāti Māori condemns the Israeli navy’s armed interception of the Madleen, a civilian aid vessel carrying food, medical supplies, and international activists to Gaza, including Greta Thunberg. Communications of the Madleen have been cut, and there is no knowing if the crew are safe and unharmed. This is the ...1 week ago
- Greens call for safe passage of Madleen and Government to sanction Israel
The Green Party is calling for the safe passage of the Madleen, a civilian aid vessel on course to Gaza, following the Freedom Flotilla being seized by the Israeli Military and urging the New Zealand Government to sanction Israel for its illegal occupation of Palestine. ...1 week ago
- Rich get much richer, driving inequality and poverty
The 2025 NBR Rich List makes immediately obvious the need for a fair tax system, says the Green Party. ...1 week ago
- Release: Manawatū Gorge replacement opens toll-free
Thanks to a successful community-led campaign backed by Labour, Lower North Island locals are today celebrating the toll-free opening of Te Ahu a Turanga – Manawatū Tararua Highway. ...1 week ago
- Govt parent boost changes prioritise rich over poor
The Green Party is calling out the Government’s parent boost changes that benefit a wealthier minority while doing nothing to help reunite thousands of migrant families. ...1 week ago
- Release: Timid tariff response fails New Zealanders
The Government is failing New Zealanders by ‘being comfortable’ with a 10 percent tariff on all goods going into the US. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party condemns decision to suspend Te Pāti Māori MPs
The Green Party condemns the unprecedented decision to suspend Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi for 21 days, and MP for Hauraki-Waikato Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke for 7 days. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Reserve Bank predicts more job losses
The Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Statement predicts a sluggish economy with higher inflation and more job losses. ...2 weeks ago
- Luxon must end climate denial speculation
The Greens welcome the open letter from world-leading climate scientists to the Prime Minister, urging his Government to abandon any plan to water down climate targets. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt’s budget balanced on the backs of low-income families
The Government is quietly leaving some of our poorest families hundreds of dollars worse off, ignoring warnings that changes to the accommodation supplement and public housing subsidies will disproportionately target disabled, older, Māori, Pasifika, and young people. ...3 weeks ago
- Democracy Denied: Te Pāti Māori Slam Govt for Silencing Māori and Tangata Tiriti on the Regulator...
Today, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi slammed the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee’s refusal to extend the public submission period for the Regulatory Standards Bill, calling it a deliberate act to silence whānau, hapū, iwi, and community voices. Waititi had urged the Committee to extend the submission period by ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Mental health cuts lead to overwhelmed EDs
Workforce shortages that mental health Minister Matt Doocey tried to hide are now resulting in increasing pressure on our emergency departments as people needing help have nowhere else to go. ...3 weeks ago
- Te Pāti Māori Call on Te Whatu Ora to immediately Publish Gender Affirming Care Guidelines
Te Pāti Māori join health professionals, medical bodies, and community organisations across Aotearoa in calling on Te Whatu Ora to immediately release the updated Guidelines for Gender Affirming Healthcare. The guidelines were developed by medical professionals with expertise in this form of care and approved by Te Whatu Ora’s National ...3 weeks ago
- National direction changes mark dark day for people and planet
Today’s sweeping changes to environmental protections paint a damning picture of a government hellbent on profit at all costs, openly allowing more environmentally harmful activities under the guise of progress. ...3 weeks ago
- Indonesia Press Remarks – Remarks to media alongside Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono
Good Morning. It is a pleasure to be in Jakarta again today. Indonesia is an absolute priority for the New Zealand government, which is why we have now visited here four times since re-taking office as New Zealand Foreign Minister in late 2023. Indonesia is one of New Zealand’s oldest friends ...5 days ago - Foreign Minister visit strengthens ties with Indonesia
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ visit to Indonesia today has secured tangible progress in New Zealand’s relationship with Southeast Asia’s most populous nation. “Indonesia is an indispensable partner for New Zealand,” Mr Peters says. “Demonstrating our commitment to the relationship, this is our fourth visit to Indonesia in the past 18 ...5 days ago
- Joint Statement: By the Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Indonesia and New Zealand at the 12th J...
His Excellency Sugiono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, and Rt Hon Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, convened the 12th meeting of the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) on 13th June 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Ministers welcomed meeting in person, underscoring the importance ...5 days ago
- New modular units will expand bed capacity during hospital upgrades
At least four new rapidly deployable relocatable inpatient units will be rolled out across the country to ensure hospitals can continue delivering care to patients while major infrastructure projects are underway, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. “These new inpatient units – part of the Government’s $1 billion Budget 2025 investment ...5 days ago
- Skilled trades on fast track to residence
The Government is tackling talent shortages in manufacturing and boosting New Zealand’s economic recovery by fast-tracking residency for skilled tradespeople. “We know how important skilled workers are to the resilience of the manufacturing sector. When we don’t have enough people to fill these roles, productivity slows, business growth stalls and the ...5 days ago
- High Court Associate Judge appointed
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Liz Gellert as an Associate Judge of the High Court. Associate Judge Gellert graduated from the University of Auckland in 2003 with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts. She was a law clerk with David Williams KC before ...5 days ago
- $33 million into more classrooms for Central North Island Schools
The Government is delivering 32 more safe, warm and dry classrooms and a major school redevelopment for Kiwi kids living in the Central North Island. “As communities continue to grow, we remain committed to future-proofing our education system so parents have certainty about where to send their child to school. ...5 days ago
- Supercharging residential solar power generation
The Government is expanding the permitted voltage range for electricity networks, so Kiwis with solar panels can send more power back to the grid. Changes are being made to clarify that a building consent is not needed to install rooftop solar panels on existing buildings. Councils will be required to ...5 days ago
- Successful childhood immunisation programme delivering results
A successful programme to help Māori health providers lift childhood immunisation rates will be renewed, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. "The Immunising our Tamariki programme, originally launched in 2023 by Hon Dr Shane Reti, invested $50 million in Māori health providers to deliver targeted, community-based immunisation outreach. It aims to ...5 days ago
- Stronger forestry ties with India driving export growth
Forestry, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay, today announced at the Fieldays Forestry Hub, both inbound and outbound forestry trade missions with India this year, aimed at strengthening trade links, deepening industry ties, and unlocking greater value for both countries’ forestry and wood processing sectors. “India is one of the ...5 days ago
- Judicial Conduct Panel to inquire into Judge’s conduct
A Judicial Conduct Panel will inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken, Acting Attorney-General Paul Goldsmith says. “Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct at the Northern Club on 22 November 2024 was the subject of a preliminary examination by the Judicial Conduct Commissioner. “The ...5 days ago
- Prime Minister to visit China and Europe
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to China and Europe next week. He will be joined in Shanghai and Beijing with a delegation of senior New Zealand business leaders. “China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner and a vital part of our economic story,” Mr Luxon says. The visit will focus on ...5 days ago
- Backing New Zealand’s native forest champions
Forestry Minister Todd McClay today congratulated the winners of the inaugural Growing Native Forests Champions Awards for driving real progress in native forest establishment and land use innovation. “This is what good land management looks like — native forests that support both the environment and the rural economy,” Mr McClay ...6 days ago
- Operation Gallant Phoenix deployment extended
New Zealand has extended its commitment the Operation Gallant Phoenix multinational intelligence mission in Jordan, the Government announced today. The deployment of up to 10 New Zealand Defence Force and Police personnel has been extended for two years until June 2027. “This operation is essential to our commitment to a ...6 days ago
- New and improved radiology services for Auckland City Hospital
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today announced funding for the first stage of a major project to upgrade and expand interventional radiology services at Auckland City Hospital. “This project will significantly improve access to radiology services for patients across Auckland and beyond,” Mr Brown says. “A $41.2 million investment will ...6 days ago
- Wool carpets for state houses a win-win
The return of wool carpets to state homes has been welcomed by Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson. State housing agency Kāinga Ora announced today that from next month, a new supplier agreement will deliver woollen carpets for the fit-out of new state homes. “The ...6 days ago
- Government backs voluntary nature credits
The Government is supporting the expansion of a voluntary credits nature market through the running of pilot projects across New Zealand. Establishing a market that is durable, measurable and transparent will help farmers, landowners, iwi, and conservation groups unlock new income streams for looking after nature on their land, Associate ...6 days ago
- New Zealand food and fibre exports on track to break new records
Farmers, growers, foresters, fishers and primary processors are driving New Zealand’s economic recovery with export revenue on track to surpass $60 billion for the first time, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced today at Fieldays. “The latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) report forecasts export earnings of ...6 days ago
- New Zealand hits digital economy milestone
A key milestone in the push for a more connected digital economy has been reached, with over one million businesses now registered with a New Zealand Business Number (NZBN), Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Chris Penk says. “The NZBN is a simple idea with a big impact. It gives each ...6 days ago
- Double-digit growth for aquaculture exports
New Zealand’s aquaculture sector has experienced double-digit growth in export revenue over the past year, sending a clear signal that more is to come from the enormously promising sector, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The forecast export results were released today as part of the latest Situation and ...6 days ago
- Elective boost delivers over 9,500 additional procedures so far
More than 9,500 additional procedures have now been delivered as part of the Government’s elective boost, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. “This is what putting patients first looks like. We are focused on increasing delivery of elective treatments – across both public and private hospitals – to reduce wait times ...6 days ago
- Foreign Minister strengthens relationship with Italy
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has concluded a constructive visit to Italy, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations. Mr Peters and Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met in Rome overnight and confirmed the strength of the bilateral relationship that New Zealand and Italy share. “New Zealand and Italy are long-standing ...6 days ago
- Partnership approach to FMD signed and sealed
A new agreement between the Government and key livestock industry groups marks a major milestone in New Zealand’s readiness for a potential foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “The Foot and Mouth Disease Operational Agreement confirms how Government and industry will jointly prepare for, ...7 days ago
- Public consultation begins on legal aid review
Public consultation begins today aimed at improving the legal aid scheme for those who cannot afford advice and representation, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We have a duty to ensure all New Zealanders have access to justice by means of a fair and open process. “To do so, we need ...7 days ago
- Solar on Farms: Unlocking farm cost savings
Energy Minister Simon Watts has announced the Government’s new Solar on Farms initiative, which will support farmers in taking the next step towards installing solar and battery systems, helping them reduce energy costs, increase on-farm resilience, and allow farmers to gain greater control over their power use, leading to increased ...1 week ago
- New Zealand Grass-Fed certification to take on global competitors
New Zealand is raising its game on the global stage with a new Grass-Fed certification scheme to help our red meat and dairy producers go head-to-head with competitors in premium international markets, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today at Fieldays. “International consumers are increasingly willing ...1 week ago
- Innovative pasture project to drive farmgate returns
The Government is backing a $17 million partnership with farmers to boost productivity, profitability, and sustainability by identifying the most resilient, high-performing pastures for New Zealand conditions, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today at Fieldays. Minister McClay confirmed the Government will invest $8.269 million in the Resilient Pastures project through ...1 week ago
- Radiology backlog cleared at Taranaki Base Hospital
Health Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the clearance of a significant radiology backlog at Taranaki Base Hospital, calling it a practical outcome that puts patients first. “In March, more than 6,000 x-ray reports were sitting unprocessed at Taranaki Base Hospital. That was causing unacceptable delays for patients needing diagnosis and ...1 week ago
- Saying yes to more housing
City-shaping changes are coming to New Zealand’s largest city, ensuring that Auckland can fully harness the economic growth benefits of the new City Rail Link, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill (the Bill) has been ...1 week ago
- Primary Sector-Government partnership to boost rural health and resilience
The Government is stepping up support for rural New Zealand with a $4 million Rural Wellbeing Fund to expand investment in community-based initiatives, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced today at Fieldays. “The establishment of this fund is a result of advocacy by Federated Farmers Chair, Wayne Langford, who ...1 week ago
- Applications open for $30 million Coastal Shipping Resilience Fund
Applications have opened for a $30 million fund for projects that will enhance the resilience of New Zealand’s coastal shipping connections and help boost economic growth, Associate Transport Minister James Meager has announced. The Coastal Shipping Resilience Fund was established through the Government Policy Statement on land transport. Funding will ...1 week ago
- Foreign Minister focuses on Pacific resilience during visit to France
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has taken part in two major international events in Nice, France this week, focused on Pacific resilience, prosperity and security. The sixth Pacific-France Summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, took place in Nice overnight. “The Summit brought together Pacific countries for discussions with France on ...1 week ago
- NZ places travel ban on extremist Israeli politicians
New Zealand has joined Australia, Canada, the UK and Norway in placing travel bans on two extremist Israeli politicians, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. The bans will prevent Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from travelling to New Zealand. “Our action today is not against ...1 week ago
- 6th Pacific-France Summit – Intervention by New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs
6th Pacific-France Summit Intervention by New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rt Hon Winston Peters Nice, France, Tuesday 10 June 2025 Thank you, President Macron, for convening this meeting today, the sixth Pacific-France Summit. We were privileged to have also been at the second Pacific-France Summit, during the Presidency of ...1 week ago
- Tourism Growth Roadmap speech to Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA)
Tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you for the warm welcome. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to MEETINGS 2025. First, I would like to acknowledge Mayor Wayne Brown attending MEETINGS 2025 today and a special acknowledgment to Ngāti Whatua Orakei for their pōwhiri and welcome. I would also like ...1 week ago
- More funding to grow international tourism
The Government is increasing funding for attracting overseas visitors and investing in tourism infrastructure as part of its new Tourism Growth Roadmap, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says. “We’re investing $35 million to deliver the first stage of the Roadmap, which sets out the Government’s plan to double the ...1 week ago
- Major changes to proposed anti-stalking law
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is welcoming changes to toughen up the proposed anti-stalking law, including being triggered after two specified acts within 24 months. “This change better recognises patterns in stalking behaviour and time that can pass between incidents. For example, stalking that occurs around anniversaries would not be covered ...1 week ago
- Speech: APAC energy capital assembly, Singapore
I am delighted to be here in Singapore once again, to speak to you in my capacity as New Zealand’s Minister for Resources and Associate Minister for Energy. If you haven’t heard of me before today, I’m proud to declare myself the champion of New Zealand’s petroleum and minerals sector. ...1 week ago
- Speech to the Law Association 2025
Thank you all for the invitation to speak with you this morning. I have been looking forward to this opportunity. May is a busy month for the Government, and it is always a relief to have the Budget delivered. Today, I would like to speak about what I see as ...1 week ago
- Government backing rural resilience and wellbeing
The government is boosting support for rural resilience and wellbeing announced by Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson. “We’re backing Rural Support Trusts by committing $3 million over the next four years, to help improve rural communities’ access to primary mental health services and specialist ...1 week ago
- Sharks come in many different shapes and sizes. But they all follow a centuries-old mathematical rul...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jodie L. Rummer, Professor of Marine Biology, James Cook University Rachel Moore From hand-sized lantern sharks that glow in the deep sea to bus-sized whale sharks gliding through tropical waters, sharks come in all shapes and sizes. Despite these differences, ...33 minutes ago - National’s Erica Stanford clashes with Labour MPs over redress system for survivors abused in ...
MPs have clashed over the redress system for survivors abused in state care. ...34 minutes ago - Gone By Lunchtime: New Zealand bestrides the globe, punching above our tightrope
Christopher Luxon is off to China and Europe in a world on fire. Around the world, the flames of aggression and instability are burning. As Christopher Luxon arrives in China his immediate challenge is to douse the alarm from several former politicians and ensure that the relationship with leaders in ...60 minutes ago - Abuse in care survivors in line for under a third of government’s $774m package
Officials are "taking so much away from the pockets of survivors, who deserve better than this", a lawyer says. ...1 hour ago
- The government is fed up with councils taking the piss on housing
They’ve built aqueducts for the piss. A state-of-the-art municipal pipe network purely for transporting the piss. Chris Bishop started his speech at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday paying tribute to an unlikely list of allies. Labour’s Phil Twyford deserved “great credit” for pushing through the pro-housing National Policy ...1 hour ago
- Ninety-Five NZ Lawyers Speak Up — Palestine Forum Responds
As legal voices within our own legal fraternity have acknowledged, our Government holds not only a right but a duty to lead—ahead of electoral cycles—by placing human rights and international justice at the heart of its foreign policy. ...2 hours ago - Solomon Islanders safe but unable to leave Israel amid war on Iran
RNZ Pacific The Solomon Islands Foreign Ministry says five people who completed agriculture training in Israel are safe but unable to come home amid the ongoing war between Israel and Iran. The ministry said in a statement that the Solomon Islands Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, was closely ...2 hours ago
- ‘I’m still searching for Wally’: Donovan Te Ahunui Farnham’s childhood favourite
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits of Aotearoa writers, and guests. This week: Donovan Te Ahunui Farnham, author of Whānau: Reo Māori phrases to share with the people you love. The book I wish I’d written I’m very fortunate that I ...2 hours ago
- Swears, spending and ‘making shit up’: Inside scrutiny week, part one
A whole week dedicated to putting Budget 2025 spending under the microscope means a whole lot of bickering. Welcome to another edition of scrutiny week. Although our government is always supposed to be acting democratically or whatever, this relatively new process gives parliament’s select committees the chance to put recent ...4 hours ago
- Government to spend $16.5m changing way inflation data reported
The government is changing how inflation data is reported. ...4 hours ago
- Census to be scrapped from 2030, replaced with administrative data and annual surveys
The traditional Census will be replaced with a combination of government data and smaller annual surveys. ...4 hours ago
- Number is up for error-ridden NZ census – so what fills the data void?
Analysis: Since early in the Old Testament, leaders have counted their population. Sometimes to raise taxes, sometimes to raise an army. They counted the men, their wives and children, their donkeys, goats and sheep … Indeed, the fourth book of the Christian Bible is named ‘Numbers’, because it starts and ...4 hours ago - ‘Population storm’: Govt Statistician must face questions about Census
Analysis: The decisions reliant on population statistics in any five-year period could be worth 100 times the $400m five-yearly cost of the Census The post ‘Population storm’: Govt Statistician must face questions about Census appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 hours ago
- We tracked Aussie teens’ mental health. The news isn’t good – and problems are worse for girls
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scarlett Smout, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use and Australia’s Mental Health Think Tank, University of Sydney skynesher/Getty Images We know young people in Australia and worldwide are experiencing growing mental health ...5 hours ago
- Australia could become the world’s first net-zero exporter of fossil fuels – here’s how
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Jotzo, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy and Director, Centre for Climate and Energy Policy, Australian National University Photo by Jie Zhao/Corbis via Getty Images Australia is the world’s third largest exporter of gas and second largest exporter of coal. ...5 hours ago
- Would a corporate tax cut boost productivity in Australia? So far, the evidence is unclear
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isaac Gross, Lecturer in Economics, Monash University The Conversation, CC BY-NC The first term of the Albanese government was defined by its fight against inflation, but the second looks like it will be defined by a need to kick start Australia’s ...5 hours ago
- How high can US debt go before it triggers a financial crisis?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Hartigan, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney rarrarorro/Shutterstock The tax cuts bill currently being debated by the US Senate will add another US$3 trillion (A$4.6 trillion) to US debt. President Donald Trump calls it the “big, beautiful bill”; his erstwhile ...5 hours ago
- Jaws at 50: how two musical notes terrified an entire generation
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Cole, Composer and Lecturer in Screen Composition, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney Universal Pictures Our experience of the world often involves hearing our environment before seeing it. Whether it’s the sound of something moving through nearby water, or ...5 hours ago
- Chronic fatigue and me: the reality of a torrid illness and light at the end of the tunnel
The estimates for those with chronic fatigue (now known colloquially as ME) in New Zealand have risen sharply. Danny Rood shares his personal experiences of living with the illness for six years, and what eventually helped improve his quality of life. You may have heard of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or chronic ...5 hours ago
- Court action threatens Ruapehu ski season
The post Court action threatens Ruapehu ski season appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Government to give itself power to override councils on housing in RMA changes
The government will take back power from local councils if their decisions are going to negatively impact growth, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. ...5 hours ago
- Watch live: Housing Minister Chris Bishop releases more detail on RMA housing rule shake-up
Housing Minister Chris Bishop is providing more details on now proposed changes to housing rules will work. ...6 hours ago
- FMA confirms job cuts
The country's leading financial market regulator has confirmed it cut 20 jobs. ...6 hours ago
- Abuse in care survivors in line for under a third of government’s $774 package
Officials are "taking so much away from the pockets of survivors, who deserve better than this", a lawyer says. ...6 hours ago
- Can a new suicide prevention plan save more NZ lives?
The mental health minister says clear milestones and better accountability are among the reasons he’s hopeful the plan will work, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A new strategy with sharper teeth Mental health minister Matt Doocey ...7 hours ago
- Foreign policy critics shouting ‘impotently at clouds’, Winston Peters says
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says critics of the government's foreign policy reset are ill-informed and shouting "impotently at clouds". ...7 hours ago
- New standards may be needed for NZ’s critical communications infrastructure
Government officials are looking at developing minimum standards for the protection of critical communications infrastructure. ...7 hours ago
- ‘The inequities aren’t closing’ – Māori still a long way from Smokefree 202...
The Smokefree 2025 goal is only months away, but Māori smokefree advocates are concerned that Māori smoking rates have remained more than double that of the general population. ...7 hours ago
- As Luxon heads to China, his government’s pivot toward the US is a stumbling block
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago Ahead of his first visit to China, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been at pains to present meetings with Chinese premier Xi Jinping and other leaders as advancing New Zealand’s best interests. ...7 hours ago
- MFAT providing ‘extremely vague’ advice for Kiwis trapped in Iran
A friend of a New Zealander stuck in Iran says the government needs to help provide safe passage, and that the advice so far has been "vague and lacking any substance whatsover". ...7 hours ago
- Luxon arrives in China intent on building on positives amid global conflicts
The prime minister says the China visit is important right now given the immense global uncertainty. ...9 hours ago
- Windbag: The little decisions that make a big impact
Two overlooked votes on obscure council policies could make a significant difference to new housing in Wellington. It’s no secret that council rules and processes are arcane. Local government is a bureaucratic minefield of jargon and seemingly pointless minutiae. It’s not uncommon for councillors to sit through hours of explanations ...9 hours ago
- The secretive Tory donor with the golden visa – and the ear of the Beehive
A British billionaire with links to offshore tax havens and a history of controversial political donations has been granted New Zealand residence, and he’s been meeting with government ministers in Wellington. This story is supported by The Spinoff Members. To join them in supporting independent journalism, please donate today. The ...9 hours ago
- Big fish Shane Jones puts ‘cancel culture’ under scrutiny
Analysis: Fisheries and Resources Minister Shane Jones has positioned himself at the coalface of the current government’s economic agenda, labelled in some quarters as the ‘war on nature’. While other Ministers tinker with big ticket items like the fast track bill, it tends to be Jones on the ground calling ...9 hours ago
- Govt decision-less as court approves more coastline titles to Māori applicants
Judges continue to find in favour of Māori applicants for customary title along the coastline The post Govt decision-less as court approves more coastline titles to Māori applicants appeared first on Newsroom. ...9 hours ago
- Govt delays answers over equal pay amendment
Comment: The workplace relations minister has decided to delay her response to my OIA request The post Govt delays answers over equal pay amendment appeared first on Newsroom. ...9 hours ago
- ‘Dear Brooke, make my wish come true’
I’m getting my Christmas wish list in early. I don’t want golf clubs, diamonds or a pony I can ride twice. I have two simple wishes for this Christmas, both to do with the dear old Public Lending Right. I dream of the modern equivalent of a cheque in time ...9 hours ago
- Heavily criticised SFO to lead crackdown on public service corruption
The Serious Fraud Office, which has been forced to change its investigative practices after stringent criticism by an appeal court, will be put in charge of a government-wide crackdown on corruption among public servants. The agency will take the lead in a national counter-fraud and corruption strategy being launched across ...9 hours ago
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The post Mini crossword, Wednedsay 18 June appeared first on Newsroom. ...9 hours ago
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The post Daily crossword, Wednesday 18 June appeared first on Newsroom. ...9 hours ago
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