“Considering a tin of baked beans is at least half the price of a tin of pet food, then you must be pretty friggin stupid to be eating pet food, Madam. Are you part of the 7% still wanting Helen Clark as PM?”
When out collecting for charity in the sixties, I remember being greeted at one door by two huge dogs followed by their owner who said they (the owners) could not afford to give to charity.
Since, Pat, as you say, baked beans are cheaper by half than pet food, this household must have spent enough for a person to live on just in dog food for their dogs.
Charity and paying taxes, two hallmarks of a civilised person accepting personal responsibility for his or her part in society. Not like the mean-spiritedness shown in the comments such as yours or that from the bilious, blind to gender, one below.
Anti-spam word ‘touches’. Some people are soft touches and allow human stories, or cartoons, to touch their hearts. I have read stories of the poor eating pet food for cheap animal protein. I prefer a soft heart to the other.
Of course GST is an unfair tax because the wealthy have a much larger portion of their cash flow directed towards financial transactions.. which is GST free.
(And why of course FTT’s like Tobin Taxes never get mentioned.)
If a bum eating catfood cannot help himself, why should I help him?
Clark voters prefer Chef.
[lprent: and people like you prefer looking for table crumbs falling from Key and congratulating yourself on how lucky you are. Wee mutts with a very limited pack mentality quivering with pleasure in front of their ‘betters’ seems to describe most of the right.
But I really didn’t hear a point in your comment – just some pathetic jerk being snide because he could sneer at someone else. ]
[lprent: Agreed – that does appear to be your trademark. When are you going to rectify your deficiencies? Or should I carry on enhancing your comments to express what you appear to be unable to do – having some substance rather than just being bilious. ]
A classic Tom Scott piece. Commenter Peter Bilious has mis-thunk. The cartoonist is pointing out a contradiction not suggesting what should be done about it.
I’m not economist, but I was flabbergasted at Key’s defense of GST as “not necessarily” a regressive tax when questioned by Sean Plunkett. He kept saying that high income earners would actually pay more in nominal terms, repeating that word: nominal. It was as if he really thought people don’t understand what that means.
I take you do understand percentages and that a GST rise of 2.5% is only a total price rise of 2.2%. ie 22 cents in 10 dollars.
Balance that against the coming Budget tax cuts for the MANY with only a FEW wealthy landlords paying more.
Not a Communist by 20 -no heart.
Still a Communist by 30 -no brain.
Obviously a blog written by teenagers!
[lprent: Actually no. I’m the oldest at 50.
And before you get off into the usual gormless wingnut troll idiocies. I’ve never worked for the civil service (apart from time in the army). Never worked for or been a member of union. Have always worked in export businesses except for my time in the army. Have pretty much always been taxed at the top rates. Have a degree in science, another in business, and dribs and drabs of several other disciplines. You’ll find this type of profile isn’t uncommon around here.
Personally I think that they must issue idiotic stereotypes to the wingnut trolls like you when they punch you out of the frigging mold. Your ‘intelligence’ appears entirely framed in restating what someone else has said and shows virtually no signs of any creativity or innovation.
You’re politically illiterate otherwise you’d realize that mis-quoting Winston Churchill is tantamount to swearing audibly at a wedding.
Read the about and the policy so that you don’t look like such a tremendous teen-age dork. Even the teenage dorks around here (eh KT) look better prepared to live around this site than you do. ]
“Balance that against the coming Budget tax cuts for the MANY ”
We’ll believe it when we see it
Did you believe your hero when he promised you ‘North of $50’ in tax cuts each week? What about when he passed his last set of tax cuts, only to repeal them a couple of months later?
Fisiani it sounds like you were a sucker thinking in platitudes at 20, and a sucker thinking in platitudes at 30, and I suspect you’ll die a sucker thinking in platitudes too.
(probably from high blood pressure, angry about young people and that bloody music, it all sounds the same cos you stopped growing in your late teens)
I humbly apologise for missing out the one word that was wrong in my post.
I should have said “obviously a blog apparently written by teenagers”
I sincerely concede You are not a teenager……………..
Anyone with a Rolls Royce – and probably anything even half the price – will have it owned by a company or partnership which reclaims the GST, and claims insurance, petrol etc. as business expenses.
Interestingly if the Rolls Royce was bought in Australia, it would be somewhat more expensive. In Aus there is a luxury car tax of 33% for the value of vehicles above $57,000.
How about bringing that in here to help us catch up with australia.
ââBUT HE HASNâT GOT ANYTHING ON,â a little boy said âŠ.. âBut he hasnât got anything on!â the whole town cried out at last.âOn this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of âThe Emperorâs New Clothesâ to an end.Andersenâs childrenâs story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
 Bryce Edwards writes – As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. Itâs therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
Not Labour: If youâre out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse. Chris Trotter writes –THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oh, dear. We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the governmentâs official website. But the drones have not gone silent. They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1. What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
Not Labour: If youâre out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when âa credible left-wing partyâ is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
Labourâs Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the leadersâ debate on Newshubâs evening programme, and most of the pundits rated him the winner against Nationalâs Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem for Hipkins is that voters are all too ...
Buzz from the Beehive Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
The D&W analysisMichael Grimshaw writes –Â Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this yearâs general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-Â Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving.They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
Buzz from the BeehivePoint of Order has waited until now â 3.45pm – for todayâs officially posted government announcements. There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehiveâs website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
Alex Holland writes –Â In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealandâs government debt ...
Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
The Facts has posted –Â Â Â Â KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealanderâs polled: Social unity/division77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% âmuch moreâ + 35% âa little moreâ) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% âmuch lessâ + 2% âa little lessâ) ...
The centre-rightâs enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealandâs general election, Britainâs PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. Heâs announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative governmentâs approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I donât like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan â for 3000 more public homes by 2025 â is the most recent to be posted on the governmentâs official website. Another â a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. Itâs therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
Voters are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris Hipkinsâ valiant rearguard action. So where are they heading? Clearly not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that the outcome will be âcloseâ. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a few weeks ago  was ...
Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out.Graham Adams writes –Â Â With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice â including in water management, education, planning law and local government â remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. Thatâs why yesterdayâs Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR:National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a ârebalanceâ of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes –Â While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.  Brian Easton writes – Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR:Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour â and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years itâs become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything thatâs gone wrong and the answer ...
A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 17, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 23, 2023. Story of the Week Opinion: Let’s free ourselves from the story of economic growth A relentless focus on economic growth has ushered in ...
Have you been looking out of your window for signs of the apocalypse? Don’t worry, you haven’t been door knocked by a representative of the Brian Tamaki party. They’re probably a bit busy this morning spruiking salvation, or getting ready to march on our parliament, which is closed. No, I’ve ...
Climate Town is the YouTube channel of Rollie Williams and a ragtag team of climate communicators, creatives and comedians. They examine climate change in a way that doesn’t make you want to eat a cyanide pill. Get informed about the climate crisis before the weather does it for you. The latest ...
A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was similar to the May Budget BEFU, ...
Back in June, we learned that Kiri Allan was a Parliamentary bully. And now there's another one: Labour MP Shanan Halbert: The Labour Party was alerted to concerns about [Halbert's] alleged behaviour a year ago but because staffers wanted to remain anonymous, no formal process was undertaken [...] The ...
Its that time in the election season where the status quo parties are busy accusing each other of having fiscal holes in a desperate effort to appear more "responsible" (but not, you understand, by promising to tax wealth or land to give the government the revenue it needs to do ...
Nationalâs fiscal plan has failed to fill the massive fiscal hole in its dodgy tax scheme, it will mean more cuts to public services, more children being put into poverty and an end to action on climate change. ...
New Zealand First Policy Announcement:Law and Order New Zealand First believes that keeping society safe should be the priority of law-and-order policies. Every New Zealander deserves to feel safe, secure, and have their person and property respected. That is why New Zealand First continues to fix the flaws in ...
In last nightâs leaders debate Labour Leader Chris Hipkins referred to a quote without giving any explanation of its content, which was about the âdisease of co-governanceâ that is perpetuated by the MÄori elite, and he said it was racist. Then, without even examining the content, National leader Christopher Luxon agreed with ...
In last nightâs leaders debate Labour Leader Chris Hipkins referred to a quote without giving any explanation of its content, which was about the âdisease of co-governanceâ that is perpetuated by the MÄori elite, and he said it was racist. Then, without even examining the content, National leader Christopher Luxon agreed with ...
After years of criticising the Government on law and order, National have embarrassed themselves by conceding they have no new ideas and instead copied Labourâs Police policy announced three weeks ago, Labour Police spokesperson Ginny Andersen says. ...
Labourâs fiscal plan will continue its focus on carefully managing the books while protecting critical public services like health and education and investing to deliver high wage jobs and a low carbon economy. ...
New Zealand First today is announcing a policy on adjusting the rules and restrictions around access to the Job Seeker Benefit.New Zealand Firstâs policy is to introduce a capped time-period for any person to access the Job Seeker Benefit during their lifetime. Any individual will have the ability to access the Job Seeker ...
New Zealand First today is announcing a policy on adjusting the rules and restrictions around access to the Job Seeker Benefit.New Zealand Firstâs policy is to introduce a capped time-period for any person to access the Job Seeker Benefit during their lifetime. Any individual will have the ability to access the Job Seeker ...
Nationalâs cuts to funding for beneficiaries will once again leave children and their parents with less, Spokesperson for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni said. ...
The Green Party will double the Best Start payment and make it available for every child under three years of age - and it will be paid for with a fair tax system. ...
Labour will fund more medicines for more New Zealanders by investing over $1 billion of new funding into Pharmac if re-elected, Chris Hipkins announced today. ...
Labour has just announced a policy to increase Pharmac funding by $1billion over four years to fund additional medicines.With the current Pharmac budget of $1.2billion per year and needing a further $213million, by Minister Verrallâs own admission, just to keep up with current costs - then this is nothing ...
Labour has just announced a policy to increase Pharmac funding by $1billion over four years to fund additional medicines.With the current Pharmac budget of $1.2billion per year and needing a further $213million, by Minister Verrallâs own admission, just to keep up with current costs - then this is nothing ...
This matter begins with the Pike River investigation being inadequate, inexplicably lengthy, and after millions of dollars, the evidence that should have been placed before the public still has not been. We have always believed that Pike River is a crime scene, and that a proper investigation would have come to that conclusion. Blue ...
This matter begins with the Pike River investigation being inadequate, inexplicably lengthy, and after millions of dollars, the evidence that should have been placed before the public still has not been. We have always believed that Pike River is a crime scene, and that a proper investigation would have come to that conclusion. Blue ...
New Zealand faces a stark choice this election â vote for Labour to continue to confront the climate emergency with eyes wide open or bury your head in the sand alongside Christopher Luxon. ...
Labour is supercharging its plan to solve the public housing shortfall created by National, promising another 6,000 homes on top of what has already been committed says Labour Housing spokesperson Dr Megan Woods. ...
Labour will back migrant working families by introducing a 10-year multiple-entry parentsâ and grandparentsâ Super Visa, and make good on the Dawn Raids apology by providing a one-off visa for overstayers who have been in the country ten years or more, Labourâs Immigration Spokesperson Andrew Little says. ...
The Green Party is today welcoming Labour coming to the table to ensure an amnesty for overstayers, but only the Greens will ensure immigration settings actually reflect the reality of people who have been failed by our immigration system. ...
The Green Party is calling on Auckland Council to do more to protect urban trees and housing developer Aedifice Property Group to restore and replant the native forest it cleared, and protect all the remaining trees on Ngahere Road in Pukekohe after a significant number of native trees were cut ...
Latest Police data shows monthly ram raids have hit a two-year low, laying waste to Christopher Luxonâs false claim that there are two ram raids a day says Labourâs Police Spokesperson Ginny Andersen. ...
Free and healthy school lunches will be here to stay if Labour is re-elected, guaranteeing food for our kids who need it most and significant cost saving for parents. ...
The next Labour Government will build a new hospital in Hawkeâs Bay, Labour leader Chris Hipkins and Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall announced. ...
The Green Party will keep up the fight to support exploited migrant workers, including pushing to end single employer visas, after the government picked up Green recommendations to improve immigration settings. ...
Green Party co leader James Shaw visited a home in Auckland today that has been upgraded with a wide range of energy improvements, similar to those that would be supported through the Green Partyâs Clean Power Payment. ...
The Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahutaâs presence in New York today at the United Nations General Assembly is a contempt of New Zealandâs âcaretaker governmentâ convention. Despite the long-standing caretaker convention, Minister Mahuta is today at the UN to sign a highly contentious âBiodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreementâ, delivering a ...
The Pre-Election Fiscal Update Changes EverythingWithin an hour of this speech there is going to be a debate between the political parties that the media, under MMP, still think are the only parties that matter in this campaign. Both of those parties are riddled with inexperience, as evidenced by ...
National and ACT's tax plans don't add up, and that means deep cuts to the public services New Zealanders rely on, says Labour Campaign Chair Megan Woods. ...
Thank you for your invitation to speak with you this afternoon about New Zealand Foreign Policy. After offering one or two general thoughts about the nature of foreign policy, the focus today will be the Pacific Reset and why its goals remain even more important today as when they were ...
Nationalâs plan to cut policies that are reducing New Zealandâs climate emissions will result in a huge gap in the countryâs emissions budgets and could see Kiwis paying significantly more at the petrol pump as a result of Christopher Luxon hiking the ETS price. ...
Labourâs plan to support rooftop solar is a step in the right direction, but falls short of what could be achieved through the Green Partyâs Clean Power Payment. ...
Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the MÄori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 MÄori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. âWeâve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
MÄori: Kua waitohua e Te WhÄnau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te WhÄnau a Apanui me te Karauna i tÄtahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i Ć rÄtou tÄhuhu kerÄme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mÄ rua ngÄ hapĆ« o roto mai o Te WhÄnau ...
Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. âWeâre delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
Tangi ngunguru ana ngÄ tai ki te wahapĆ« o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. TÄrehu ana ngÄ pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngÄ manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o TÄne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tĆ« ana ...
40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today. Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. âAs a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielleâs wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawkeâs Bayâs Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. âThe Repco Supercars Championship is ...
The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. âThe New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,â Grant Robertson said. âItâs continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
The Government has accepted the Environment Courtâs recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealandâs largest freshwater springs, Te WaikoropupĆ« Springs (also known as PupĆ« Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.  âTe WaikoropupĆ« Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
An export boost is supporting New Zealandâs economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. âThe economy is ...
The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the TairÄwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. âTe Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the WaipÄoa River ...
The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. âCyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,â Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. âBuilding on our earlier business support, this ...
Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. âThis new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,â Andrew Little said. âThis Government ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. âAddressing historical pay ...
Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last weekâs earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. âWe are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,â Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today. A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouthâs CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. âIt will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministersâ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealandâs regional counterparts. âAotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,â ...
Economy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Governmentâs Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...
$12 million to improve the resilience of roads in the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman regions Hope Bypass earmarked in draft Government Policy Statement on land transport $127 million invested in the top of the southâs roads since flooding in 2021 and 2022 The Government is investing over $12 million to ...
Ko tÄnei te wiki e whakanui ana i tĆ tÄtou reo rangatira. Ko te wÄ tuku reo MÄori, e whakanuia tahitia ai te reo ahakoa kei hea ake tÄnÄ me tÄnÄ o tÄtou, ka tĆ« Ä te RÄtĆ« te 14 o Mahuru, Ä te 12 o ngÄ hÄora i te ahiahi. ...
RNZ News New Zealand police are investigating after the home of Te PÄti MÄori election candidate Hana-RÄwhiti Maipi-Clarke was invaded, vandalised, and a threatening letter left behind. They said the burglary of a Huntly home was reported to police on Monday. On Friday, Te PÄti MÄori issued a statement saying ...
A protest against co-governance led by Julian Batchelor, a prominent figure in the movement, has ended, with police saying there were no issues. About 300 people marched from Civic Square to parliament in Wellington today, according to a police press release, and they have now departed parliament grounds. About 45 ...
The ACT Party says it would abolish Fair Pay Agreements, put a hold on minimum wage increases for three years, and remove the 2 January public holiday. ...
Police are investigating after the home of Te PÄti MÄori candidate Hana-RÄwhiti Maipi-Clarke was invaded, vandalised, and a threatening letter left behind. ...
There's no break in sight for the political party leaders as they continue to campaign in communities on Saturday. Follow RNZ's live blog for more. ...
Former Wellington mayor Andy Foster is attempting a political comeback as a candidate for NZ First. He talks to Joel MacManus.Fear not, Wellingtonians, your leader has returned from exile: Andy Foster is back.After nine terms on council and one term as mayor, Foster lost his re-election bid to ...
Former Wellington mayor Andy Foster is attempting a political comeback as a candidate for NZ First. He talks to Joel MacManus.Fear not, Wellingtonians, your leader has returned from exile: Andy Foster is back.After nine terms on council and one term as mayor, Foster lost his re-election bid to ...
In an interview that swung from jovial to furious and back again, Winston Peters joked about National leader Christopher Luxonâs claim not to know him, and denied his party was responsible for race-baiting thatâs led to an escalation in vitriol towards MÄori. In an interview on Newshub Nation this morning, ...
In an interview that swung from jovial to furious and back again, Winston Peters joked about National leader Christopher Luxonâs claim not to know him, and denied his party was responsible for race-baiting thatâs led to an escalation in vitriol towards MÄori. In an interview on Newshub Nation this morning, ...
The star of Shortland Street, The Gone and now Celebrity Treasure Island shares some of her favourite TV moments. Name a New Zealand television show, and Miriama Smith has probably been in it. For the past 30 years, the actor and presenter has been a welcome fixture on our TV ...
Every weekday, The Detail makes sense of the big news stories. This week, the big problems with tiny homes, how we can do our bit to mitigate climate change (besides recycling), why it's so difficult to keep our drinking water safe, the limits of mental health 'awareness', and the case of an ...
In this week's episode of VOTE2023, we talk to Green Party co-leader and Climate Change Minister James Shaw about student-focused policies, electric vehicles, the Emissions Trading Scheme, and whether the Green Party would form a coalition government with NationalThis series is made by politics students and aims to entertain ...
See ya later, ground. This week on Their house, my garden, itâs all pots, balconies, window ledges and the kitchen bench.Sometimes you move into a tiny CBD apartment to live out your urbanite dreams. You put on your sparkly eyeshadow and smile till 3am behind the bar of a ...
After a mild traumatic brain injury turned her life into a âgame of snakes and ladders with no laddersâ, Ursula Cochran discovered a powerful tool she could use to start getting better â her own brain. Here, she explores the potential of mind-body training for sufferers of other chronic illnesses, ...
This is The Detail's Long Read â one in-depth story read by us every weekend This week, it's a story from RNZ's In Depth team: 'Fully embedded': The food lobby in Aotearoa. Investigative reporter Guyon Espiner has come out with a new series, Off the Shelf, looking at the quiet struggle to stop New Zealanders eating ...
Pacific Media Watch Barely a day passes without a story in the British or Australian media that ramps up fear about the rulers in Beijing, reports the investigative website Declassified Australia. According to an analysis by co-editors Antony Loewenstein and Peter Cronau, the Australian and British media are ramping up ...
Asia Pacific Report Members of Indonesiaâs Nduga District Police and the Damai Cartenz Police Task Force have raided a residential house and the local head office of the Papuan Tabernacle Church (Kingmi Papua) in the town of Kenyam, Nduga Regency, Papua Pegunungan Province, reports Human Rights Monitor. Before raiding the ...
Te PÄti MÄoriâs candidate for Hauraki-Waikato says her home was âinvaded, vandalised, and left with a threatening letterâ in what the party is calling a âpolitically motivated attackâ. Hana-Rawhiti Maipi Clark said the âpremeditated and targeted attackâ was the latest of three incidents to take place at her home just ...
The National Party's fiscal plan is ghoulish smoke and mirrors that will put more children into poverty, if you listen to Labour and the Green Party. ACT is critical, too. ...
âACT will take the politics out of the Royal Commission into the Governmentâs Covid-19 response by allowing all New Zealanders to have their say on what should be investigated through a new crowdsourced terms of referenceâ, says ACT Leader ...
Te PÄti MÄori are not strangers to hate speech and online threats. Today however, a line was crossed. Our Hauraki-Waikato candidate, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi Clarkâs home was invaded, vandalised, and left with a threatening letter. This premeditated and ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon's announcement that he'll work with Winston Peters after the election if he has to boosts NZ First's chances of getting back into Parliament, writes Peter Wilson. ...
National has wheeled out its stars into the blue, blue seat of TÄmaki which is under friendly fire attack from Act deputy leader Brooke van Velden First Bill English, then Christopher Luxon fronted within two days of each other for Simon O'Connor in the previously safe National heartland of the east ...
Chris Hipkins has condemned the increased risk of campaign trail violence as police investigate an assault on Labourâs Angela Roberts Labourâs candidate for Taranaki-King Country has confirmed she was assaulted following an election debate at the Inglewood Rotary Club earlier this week. Angela Roberts explained in a Facebook post after ...
National may have hoped its detailed fiscal plan would put to bed the lingering questions about how it will pay for its tax cuts, but there are no satisfactory answers in sight, Marc Daalder writesAnalysis: Grant Robertson says National's new fiscal plan has a $537 million hole in it and ...
âPeople who experience poverty as sanctioned by a capitalist system shouldnât be punished for the predicament theyâre inâ says Brooke Pao Stanley, AAAP Coordinator. These parties use fear based politics to gain popularity and continue to push a narrative ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Tax cuts, crime, the cost of living, potholes and co-governance ⊠these and various other issues are now familiar to most voters. But there has been one major election area missing the serious debate ...
Labour candidate Angela Roberts, a list MP campaigning in Taranaki-King Country, was shaken and slapped by a member of the public following a debate on Tuesday this week. She described the incident on Facebook. While talking about education policy with an attendee after an event at Inglewood Rotary Club, the ...
The Forest Owners Association generally welcomes the National Party forestry policy announcement that National wants to give certainty and support to the forestry and wood processing industry clearly recognising its economic and environmental advantages. ...
Both major parties needed to have prioritised ongoing new investment in children and education in their allowances for new spending, NZEI Te Riu Roa president Mark Potter said today. âThe two fiscal plans released this week made pre-commitments ...
National has finally released its fiscal plan after much delay and it reveals a plan to cut the incomes and essential public services the poorest New Zealanders rely on, just so they can pay for tax cuts for landlords and the well-off, says NZCTU ...
The Governor-General of New Zealand, Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro, and Dr Richard Davies will depart for an official visit to Malaysia on Sunday 1 October 2023. Their Excellencies are travelling to Malaysia at the invitation of His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong ...
Labour says Nationalâs plan to index benefits to inflation rather than wages will result in more children living in poverty. Speaking in Lower Hutt today, party leader Chris Hipkins said National was proposing â$2 billion in benefit cutsâ. âIn the middle of a cost of living crisis, theyâre cutting benefits ...
Hatikvah Blue Hope Foundation is gravely concerned following the suicide of another serving police officer in the past month, and we extend our deepest sympathy to the grieving family. This tragedy comes as NZ Police is seeing a staggering 48.5% decline ...
The Child Poverty Action Group is asking the National Party to make good on its commitment to children in poverty, but says the partyâs fiscal plan reveals it has no desire or intention to help those living in the greatest poverty in Aotearoa. ...
Sam Brooks reviews Auckland Theatre Companyâs Switzerland, which canât quite meet its subject straight in the eye.What is it?The last show in Auckland Theatre Companyâs programme is somewhat of a pivot from the rest of its programme this year. Itâs a psychological thriller by an Australian playwright (Joanna ...
A new poem by kī anthony. farm to table there is a story in my body that you want to hear. pull me apart like supermarket pizzabread and tell me who i am. narrative unspools my broken cassette; pick up your fork. wind me up. present me on masterchef and ...
The candidate for Taranaki-King Country says she was going to let it go, but realised it was important to take a stand against aggressive and unacceptable behaviour. ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Booksâ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Vintage, $26) Gamer Queen of the list! ...
The Taxpayersâ Union is slamming the plan released by the National Party today saying it barely touches the sides in terms of cutting waste, and realigning the sector to live within the countryâs means. Taxpayersâ Union spokesperson Jordan ...
A National-led government would deliver âa mini-budget before Christmasâ, Nicola Willis has confirmed, with the intention of âsetting out some of the savings and reprioritisations we believe are necessary to get New Zealand back on trackâ.Speaking as National unveiled its revised, post-Prefu fiscal plan, she said heads of government ...
Nationalâs âtough-on-crimeâ approach will result in a higher prison population, and $700 million has been set aside to deal with this, Nicola Willis has confirmed. âWe do expect the prison population to rise as a result of our sentencing policy,â Nationalâs finance spokesperson said at the announcement of the partyâs ...
National is promising a bigger surplus and lower debt than Labour in its fiscal plan, which has just been released by leader Christopher Luxon and finance spokesperson Nicola Willis in Auckland. Nationalâs plan says a surplus of $2.9 billion will be reached in 2027 â the same year as Labour. ...
The National Party has released its fiscal plan, saying it will lower taxes and reduce net debt. Watch a live stream with leader Christopher Luxon and finance spokesperson Nicola Willis here. ...
Can learning about politicians and policies be fun? A 23-year-old Ćtautahi illustrator thinks so, if you turn it all into a card game. A pencil drawn Chris Hipkins, with freckles and a big wide smile, looks like a little school boy. Underneath the portrait, he is briefly and somewhat ruthlessly ...
Smaller parties contending the 2023 election use social media most, shows a new study. Conducted by Victora Universityâs Internet, Social Media and Politics Research Lab, researchers analysed 681 posts made by political parties and party leaders on Facebook. Act posted almost twice as much as any other party. âMost of ...
In the lead-up to the general election on 14 October, ACT is pipping other parliamentary parties for the number of Facebook posts. However, some of its posts contain âhalf-truthsâ, said Dr Mona Krewel, director of the Internet, Social Media and Politics Research ...
NgÄi Tahu is celebrating the anniversary of its Crown Settlement by holding a tribal climate change symposium with whÄnau today. In 1998, NgÄi Tahu received an apology from the Crown, cultural and tribal redress, and $170 million compensation. It was ...
It is "wrong" that the government gets to set the terms of reference of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into its Covid-19 response, the ACT Party says. ...
Itâs Friday, September 29. Welcome to The Spinoffâs election live updates.Learn more about the political parties at Policy.nz The agenda Coming up today: National is releasing its fiscal plan in Auckland at midday, after which leader Christopher Luxon is doing a walkabout in St Heliers and attending ...
MÄori leaders, including Dame Naida Glavish, TÄ Mark Solomon and Tukoroirangi Morgan, have released an open letter to politicians this morning calling on them to âcall out racism and race-baiting and publicly condemn itâ. The letter appears to reference a line from National leader Christopher Luxonâs speech at Waitangi this ...
With just over two weeks till election day, we asked party leaders about the kai that fuels them along the campaign trail. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. One of the great (or only) joys of election campaign season is the abundance of footage and ...
Save the Children is asking politicians and voters to put childrenâs needs at the top of the agenda ahead of Election 23, with five vital asks for tamariki. The child rights organisation, that has been gathering children and youth voices in recent ...
New Zealand makes lots of money from foreign trade, and spends lots of money on the defence force. What role do the parties want the country to play overseas? Policy.nz has the full version, but we can tell you the basics in two minutes. One of the roles of a ...
It is "wrong" that the government gets to set the term of reference of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into its Covid-19 response, the ACT Party says. It is "wrong" ...
In an open letter, MÄori and community leaders are calling for an end to a "divisive style of politics", and asking National leader Christopher Luxon to condemn race-baiting by NZ First and ACT. ...
National leader Chris Luxon beats his Labour rival â though not overwhelmingly so â in the NZ Heraldâs Mood of the Boardroom survey out this morning. The regular pre-election survey of 100 business leaders asks them to rank government ministers and opposition MPs on their handling of economic issues and overall political ...
The Sporting Shooters Association of New Zealand (SSANZ) is concerned about the political neutrality of New Zealand Police in the leadup to the 2023 General Election. We also have concerns about the mediaâs understanding of the Firearms Registry ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Howell, OzGrav Associate Investigator; Adjunct Research Fellow in Astrophysics, The University of Western Australia Carl Knox / OzGrav, CC BY Every so often, astronomers glimpse an intense flash of radio waves from space â a flash that lasts only ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Saturdayâs premiership tussle between Collingwood and Brisbane features the two top-ranked teams from 2023. Hopefully, unlike last yearâs final, it will be a gripping match. The 2023 finals series has so ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Shutterstock Maybe you have hay fever, COVID, a cold or the flu, and are reaching for a tissue or handkerchief. But which oneâs better ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mary Lou Rasmussen, Professor, School of Sociology, Australian National University Smoke covered large swathes of Australia during the catastrophic summer fires of 2019-2020. You could see the plumes from space. Over 20% of Australiaâs forests went up in smoke and flame. ...
The former cabinet minister withdrew from Nationalâs list after implying the party had valued his experience below the need for diversity. Shanti Mathias speaks to him in Dunedin as he contemplates what comes after 15 years in politics. Michael Woodhouse is always repping â both Otago and the National Party. ...
The former cabinet minister withdrew from Nationalâs list after implying the party had valued his experience below the need for diversity. Shanti Mathias speaks to him in Dunedin as he contemplates what comes after 15 years in politics. Michael Woodhouse is always repping â both Otago and the National Party. ...
Itâs just one product, in one chain of stores. But few stories symbolise the ongoing power of the supermarket duopoly as well as The Warehouseâs Weet-bix situation, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The National Party is set to reveal its fiscal plan today after much controversy over how viable its foreign buyer's tax is and Labour's release of their fiscal plan on Wednesday. ...
A prolific try-scorer in any team she makes, Martha Mataele is looking to cross the try line for the Black Ferns, as she's named in the squad for the first time. Martha Mataele almost gave up on her Black Ferns dream before her call-up came this month. When the Black ...
"They're using cloud seeding to alter the atmosphere!": a NZ Loyal candidate is sadly imagined by Jack Remiel Cottrell, in our series of short stories set in the election campaign "Andy, what you're saying is unhinged." Despite Ethan being one of the sheeple, Andy does appreciate that he visits. ...
Labour leader Chris Hipkins is continuing to target his political opponents over their rhetoric around MÄori, saying it's race-baiting, while those accusing say he's "desperate". ...
“Considering a tin of baked beans is at least half the price of a tin of pet food, then you must be pretty friggin stupid to be eating pet food, Madam. Are you part of the 7% still wanting Helen Clark as PM?”
When out collecting for charity in the sixties, I remember being greeted at one door by two huge dogs followed by their owner who said they (the owners) could not afford to give to charity.
Since, Pat, as you say, baked beans are cheaper by half than pet food, this household must have spent enough for a person to live on just in dog food for their dogs.
Charity and paying taxes, two hallmarks of a civilised person accepting personal responsibility for his or her part in society. Not like the mean-spiritedness shown in the comments such as yours or that from the bilious, blind to gender, one below.
Anti-spam word ‘touches’. Some people are soft touches and allow human stories, or cartoons, to touch their hearts. I have read stories of the poor eating pet food for cheap animal protein. I prefer a soft heart to the other.
aaah,but no meaty juice-ness in a tin of baked beans!
I don’t want Helen back I just want the men in grey suits gone
So you want Tony Ryall for PM?
I speak figuratively…but you knew that!
Of course GST is an unfair tax because the wealthy have a much larger portion of their cash flow directed towards financial transactions.. which is GST free.
(And why of course FTT’s like Tobin Taxes never get mentioned.)
If a bum eating catfood cannot help himself, why should I help him?
Clark voters prefer Chef.
[lprent: and people like you prefer looking for table crumbs falling from Key and congratulating yourself on how lucky you are. Wee mutts with a very limited pack mentality quivering with pleasure in front of their ‘betters’ seems to describe most of the right.
But I really didn’t hear a point in your comment – just some pathetic jerk being snide because he could sneer at someone else. ]
If a prick making vile comments fails at being human, why should I not turn him into catfood?
Making vile comments is being human wank wad.
[lprent: Agreed – that does appear to be your trademark. When are you going to rectify your deficiencies? Or should I carry on enhancing your comments to express what you appear to be unable to do – having some substance rather than just being bilious. ]
Oh your just drunk…
i’m sorry P.B, did you see a ‘bum’ in scotts cartoon? you are doing the classic rightie move of MAKING SHIT UP
John Key would be so proud of the quality of the comments of his supporter, Peter Bile. What generosity of spirit!
A classic Tom Scott piece. Commenter Peter Bilious has mis-thunk. The cartoonist is pointing out a contradiction not suggesting what should be done about it.
I’m not economist, but I was flabbergasted at Key’s defense of GST as “not necessarily” a regressive tax when questioned by Sean Plunkett. He kept saying that high income earners would actually pay more in nominal terms, repeating that word: nominal. It was as if he really thought people don’t understand what that means.
I fear he may be right.
It also suggests that he doesn’t know what “regressive” means. Which suggests that he doesn’t understand what percentages are.
(or he thinks we don’t)
I take you do understand percentages and that a GST rise of 2.5% is only a total price rise of 2.2%. ie 22 cents in 10 dollars.
Balance that against the coming Budget tax cuts for the MANY with only a FEW wealthy landlords paying more.
Not a Communist by 20 -no heart.
Still a Communist by 30 -no brain.
Obviously a blog written by teenagers!
[lprent: Actually no. I’m the oldest at 50.
And before you get off into the usual gormless wingnut troll idiocies. I’ve never worked for the civil service (apart from time in the army). Never worked for or been a member of union. Have always worked in export businesses except for my time in the army. Have pretty much always been taxed at the top rates. Have a degree in science, another in business, and dribs and drabs of several other disciplines. You’ll find this type of profile isn’t uncommon around here.
Personally I think that they must issue idiotic stereotypes to the wingnut trolls like you when they punch you out of the frigging mold. Your ‘intelligence’ appears entirely framed in restating what someone else has said and shows virtually no signs of any creativity or innovation.
You’re politically illiterate otherwise you’d realize that mis-quoting Winston Churchill is tantamount to swearing audibly at a wedding.
Read the about and the policy so that you don’t look like such a tremendous teen-age dork. Even the teenage dorks around here (eh KT) look better prepared to live around this site than you do. ]
“Balance that against the coming Budget tax cuts for the MANY ”
We’ll believe it when we see it
Did you believe your hero when he promised you ‘North of $50’ in tax cuts each week? What about when he passed his last set of tax cuts, only to repeal them a couple of months later?
Straight down the memory hole I suspect Marty.
Fisiani it sounds like you were a sucker thinking in platitudes at 20, and a sucker thinking in platitudes at 30, and I suspect you’ll die a sucker thinking in platitudes too.
(probably from high blood pressure, angry about young people and that bloody music, it all sounds the same cos you stopped growing in your late teens)
I humbly apologise for missing out the one word that was wrong in my post.
I should have said “obviously a blog apparently written by teenagers”
I sincerely concede You are not a teenager……………..
@Lynn. Thanks. Age isn’t everything. đ
[lprent: It is good for giving perspective. You tend to grow out of your current habit of dealing with things as being absolutes. ]
Anyone with a Rolls Royce – and probably anything even half the price – will have it owned by a company or partnership which reclaims the GST, and claims insurance, petrol etc. as business expenses.
Exactly.
Interestingly if the Rolls Royce was bought in Australia, it would be somewhat more expensive. In Aus there is a luxury car tax of 33% for the value of vehicles above $57,000.
How about bringing that in here to help us catch up with australia.
Including the Xensen Interceptor? (The bird-puller of my adolescent dreams!)
How do you define fair?
Use a dictionary, Google for a definition, ask someone knowledgeable, that’s how you can define fair.
Anti-spam “minds”, which I do about English.
I know the normal definition. I was asking for the left-wing one.
No, you asked how to define fair. That is not asking for a definition. What is your definition of fair, being a right -winger?
free from favoritism.
Equal.
That’s one definition, very popular with children, as teachers know.
What about considerations of equity, need, opportunity as well?
Also very popular with google. Which you suggested me to use.
Google’s right wing?
No. Right-wingers just use neutral definitions.
[lprent: Bullshit. ]
GOL.
Nice jousting with you, kiddo. Back to cooking my tea, learning my lines and lessons with my french mistress, maybe later.
No, right wingers use definitions that best suit their purposes. You are most definitely guilty of this on this blog.