Author Archive
Narratives out of noise
Written By: - Date published: 7:13 am, July 11th, 2017 - 189 comments
Another poll, another round of narratives out of noise.
Peters posturing
Written By: - Date published: 8:54 am, July 10th, 2017 - 95 comments
As usual in election year, Peters is posturing left and right.
Skepticism cynicism lies and hypocrisy
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, July 8th, 2017 - 17 comments
There’s a very good / depressing long read in The Guardian on the dangerous “weaponising” of cynicism by climate change deniers. One of the most interesting sections was a discussion of the way that voters are more forgiving of lies than hypocrisy.
Why no inquiry into abuse in state care?
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, July 7th, 2017 - 14 comments
As we celebrate Parliament’s apology for historical convictions for homosexuality, it surely raises the question of why the government is so hardheartedly against an inquiry into historical abuse.
The great Auckland housing crash of 2017
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, July 6th, 2017 - 79 comments
Two indicators both agree that the Auckland property market has started trending downwards. Over leveraged buyers are going to get burned, and first time buyers are still shut out. Perfect.
Bill English reckons that landlords can’t raise rents
Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, July 5th, 2017 - 51 comments
The last budget raised accommodation supplement – against the advice of Treasury who said that landlords would capture the cash. Not to fear though, because Bill English reckons that landlords can’t raise rents…
Government’s cruelty on Christchurch’s mental health
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, July 5th, 2017 - 16 comments
Christchurch’s mental health services are overwhelmed and verging on collapse. Canterbury has the most suicides in NZ. And yet the government has just declined a request for further funding. National – delivering misery for Canterbury.
Citizenship – one law for the rich
Written By: - Date published: 9:01 am, July 3rd, 2017 - 185 comments
As other citizenship cases are compared to Peter Thiel, it starkly highlights our “one law for the rich” approach.
About that pay equity deal
Written By: - Date published: 10:26 am, July 1st, 2017 - 15 comments
More excellent reporting from Newsroom: “Long overdue pay rate increases affecting 55,000 New Zealand care and support workers kick in on July 1. But the Government’s failure to fully fund the changes is threatening to derail service providers”
Spare a thought for the homeless tonight
Written By: - Date published: 9:49 am, July 1st, 2017 - 20 comments
Not just because it’s winter, and the weather is lousy, but also because of this…
Employers don’t like Labour’s new employment relations package
Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, June 30th, 2017 - 43 comments
In shocking news, it turns out that employers don’t like Labour’s new employment relations package. They (and the usual suspects) are running lines about a return to the 1970s. A time when workers’ share of the wealth was higher, poverty was lower, inequality was lower, and workers had more rights. Sounds awful.
The MP that Clutha-Southland could have had
Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, June 30th, 2017 - 33 comments
The debarclay rumbles on. The Nat’s deploy the Game of Hats gambit. The vultures circle over the remains of Todd B in Clutha-Southland while his zombie vote is exploited to squeak through legislation. It could all have been so very different if the electorate had chosen the best candidate in 2014. Their loss is Invercargill’s gain – Liz Craig in 2017!
Brighter Future Delivering the Cusp of Something Special for New Zealanders
Written By: - Date published: 11:41 am, June 28th, 2017 - 8 comments
That’s a mish-mash of Nat soundbites past and present. For the reality underlying it all, check out the excellent RNZ series “Is this the Brighter Future?”
Gower is correct – police must reopen Barclay case
Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, June 27th, 2017 - 32 comments
English is trying, many days too late, to shut up about the scandal in his old electorate and hope that it will blow over. It won’t – too many loose ends. In particular, Patrick Gower is right, the police must now re-open the Barclay investigation.
America’s Cup win
Written By: - Date published: 6:46 am, June 27th, 2017 - 24 comments
Congratulations to Team NZ and supporters. That was a very convincing win, and a testimony to Kiwi design skills, sailing skills and tenacity. Everyone involved has a right to enjoy the victory! But…
National’s conference – no policy – drowns in Billshit
Written By: - Date published: 12:47 am, June 26th, 2017 - 21 comments
National’s conference was supposed to be a tour de force, setting them up for the home stretch to the election. Instead it was empty of policy or vision, and coverage was drowned in a rising tide of Billshit.
Over egging the scandal soufflee
Written By: - Date published: 9:09 am, June 24th, 2017 - 97 comments
Team Nat were desperate to try and divert some attention from their floundering leader, and to a certain extent they succeeded. But compare and contrast Labour and National’s handling of the issues, front up and fix vs lie harder.
English still digging
Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, June 24th, 2017 - 44 comments
Burying the last shred of his credibility in a deep hole forever, Bill claims that nobody realised Todd Barclay recording of secretary might be a crime. It’s like the events of 2008 and 2011 never happened.
Creative uses for Brash’s “Hobson’s pledge” pamphlets
Written By: - Date published: 12:20 pm, June 23rd, 2017 - 48 comments
Ex Nat leader Don Brash, of racist Orewa speech and Iwi/Kiwi fame, is still out there fanning the flames of division in NZ.
Meanwhile – Winston waits…
Written By: - Date published: 9:45 am, June 21st, 2017 - 31 comments
‘Tis the time in the electoral cycle when Winston Peters bestirs himself to life. And tweets thus…
Party donations analysis
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, June 20th, 2017 - 101 comments
Max Rasbrooke has done an analysis of donations to political parties, and raises the concern that donations buy influence. There is a solution to this problem.
Lies, damn lies, and National’s housing affordability statistics
Written By: - Date published: 9:19 am, June 19th, 2017 - 39 comments
RNZ: The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment ignored advice from the Reserve Bank over its new housing affordability measure, and made houses appear to be more affordable than they actually were.
The Nation on housing
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, June 18th, 2017 - 57 comments
The Nation did good work on the housing crisis yesterday. This is the Brighter Future that Bill English warned of in 2010.
Bridges and flouting the OIA
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, June 17th, 2017 - 18 comments
Simon Bridges tried to block the release of a report on a Kiwirail proposal. The Ombudsman warns against flouting the Official Information Act. But it’s a well established pattern of behaviour with this government.
Our brilliant economy
Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, June 16th, 2017 - 51 comments
We need new thinking on the economy – zero emissions, sustainable, a big redistribution from rich to poor. But the list of current economic woe shows that even on their own old conventional terms the Nats are useless economic managers.
UNICEF on our appalling child welfare record – but apparently we don’t care
Written By: - Date published: 8:22 am, June 16th, 2017 - 199 comments
UNICEF has another major report ranking the wellbeing of NZ kids 34th out of 41 developed countries. This is not new news, and apparently a lot of voters just don’t give a damn.
100 Days
Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, June 15th, 2017 - 36 comments
It’s 100 days to the election!
Young voters have the power…
When immigration means exploitation
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, June 15th, 2017 - 37 comments
Those arguing for unrestricted immigration are – wittingly or unwittingly – fueling higher levels of exploitation in NZ.
Immigration and economic growth
Written By: - Date published: 8:16 am, June 14th, 2017 - 54 comments
English’s scaremongering about Labour’s immigration policy does nothing but highlight the fundamental weakness of our economy. Just how anemic are we after 9 long years?
Sun and Breitbart falling
Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, June 14th, 2017 - 20 comments
The numbers aren’t looking good for The Sun or Breitbart. It would be great to see these hate mongers slip further into irrelevance.
Labour oppose visa scams – Nats would rather have the quick bucks
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, June 13th, 2017 - 35 comments
Labour is right to stress the many advantages that immigration brings to NZ, and right to address the major way in which it is being abused – student visa scams. Bill English has made National’s position clear, they would rather have the quick bucks.
- The NZ government’s plan to withhold COVID inquiry findings until 2026 leaves the country ill-prep...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shaun Hendy, Professor of Physics, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images The first report from a Royal Commission of Inquiry to review New Zealand’s response to the COVID pandemic was due to be released this month. ...4 days ago - 6 things to do if your child’s weight is beyond the ideal range – and 1 thing to avoid
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Fuller, Clinical Trials Director, Department of Endocrinology, RPA Hospital, University of Sydney JPC-PROD/Shutterstock One of the more significant challenges we face as parents is making sure our kids are growing at a healthy rate. To manage this, we take them ...4 days ago
- ‘Catastrophic declines’: massive data haul reveals why so many plants and animals suffer after f...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Don Driscoll, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University The megafires that tore through Australia’s forests in 2019–20 burnt more than ten million hectares. The tragedy prompted a massive research effort to understand how plants and animals were affected. So what did ...4 days ago
- First off, have a plan – 5 ways young people can stay safe at schoolies
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Hutton, Professor of Nursing, Western Sydney University Year 12 exams are finishing around Australia and celebrations are beginning. Thousands of students will mark the end of high school in coming weeks with “schoolies”. This is an important rite of passage ...4 days ago
- Australia has backed away from plans to introduce local quotas on streaming platforms – again
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexa Scarlata, Research Fellow, Media & Communication, RMIT University The federal government has quietly shelved plans to introduce local requirements for Australian screen content on streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+. In October, Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke flagged quotas were being ...4 days ago
- Help Me Hera: Why do I only befriend people nobody else can stand?
How do I end this cycle of misery, once and for all? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Dear Hera How do I break a lifelong pattern of forming close friendships with people that nobody else can stand? Ever since I was about 12, I have had a succession of very ...4 days ago - First the Ferraris, then the mansion – tech leader takes record property hit
Multi-million dollar houses in exclusive private estates have been the biggest winners, and the biggest losers, in the three-year property downturn The post First the Ferraris, then the mansion – tech leader takes record property hit appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago - One NZ learns the hard way, don’t rely on Elon Musk
The Commerce Commission files criminal charges against the telco for over-promising, after SpaceX failed to deliver its much-vaunted direct-to-cell satellite service on schedule The post One NZ learns the hard way, don’t rely on Elon Musk appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- Live: Hīkoi heads to Rotorua as Treaty Principles Bill gets first reading
The hīkoi will leave from Huntly this morning and hold a gathering in Hamilton. ...4 days ago - On the frontlines of Hīkoi mō te Tiriti
Thousands converged on Auckland, the day before the first reading of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund for The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...4 days ago
- Retracing the footsteps of past Māori protest movements
As the nationwide hīkoi for Te Tiriti made its way through Auckland it stopped at two sites synonymous with Māori resistance - Bastion Point and Ihumātao. ...4 days ago
- Treaty Principles Bill: Bill of Rights Act advice ‘quite damning’ – academic
The government's lawyers have advised the Treaty Principles Bill is consistent with the Bill of Rights Act - but only because they expect courts would not allow it to override that law or the Treaty itself. ...4 days ago
- Health officials warned government more money needed to meet targets
Released documents show health officials made clear their belief the targets couldn't be reached without more funding. ...4 days ago
- Number of speed safety cameras slashed but cost per camera doubles
The government told RNZ the 800-camera network had been unfunded. ...4 days ago
- D-Day for government’s Treaty Principles Bill
The legislation is up for its first reading after Question Time this afternoon. ...4 days ago
- You’re gonna miss the post office when it’s gone
Despite it dwindling locations and reduced service, NZ Post remains a pillar in every community, writes Hera Lindsay Bird. Every Saturday morning I arrive at 7.30am, and enter the post office box lobby. Behind the narrow corridor of identical red letterboxes, there is a locked room, full of ancient Christmas ...4 days ago
- ‘Whaka round, find out’: When the hīkoi came to Auckland
The Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi reached Auckland on Wednesday, seeing thousands cross the Harbour Bridge and walk around the coast to Bastion Point. Lyric Waiwiri-Smith joined them. Atop Bastion Point, a crowd of red, black and white gathered at the end of what we’ve been told is a history-making moment. ...4 days ago
- When women hit the grass ceiling of coaching
There’s a subject Alice Soper wants to stop writing about.It’s the sidelining of women when it comes to rugby coaching.But she can’t, as long as the problem still exists.“So often we get caught up in the good news,” she says.“There’s like a toxic positivity that’s attached to a lot of ...4 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 14 November
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 14 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- Labour needs to learn the art of the deal
Opinion: Unless the Democrats and Labour trim their policy sails accordingly, they will lose elections that matter The post Labour needs to learn the art of the deal appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- Trump II and the coming ‘golden age’ of tyranny in the Middle East
In his rambling victory speech on November 5, Donald Trump, having stoked the fears of Americans throughout his campaign, and sporting extra fake tan for the occasion, spoke of a new ‘golden age’.In terms of Middle East foreign policy, with whom will Trump look to build this ‘golden age’?In May ...4 days ago
- Book of the Week: Day of the lizard
When I first spotted the new illustrated book Geckos & Skinks: The remarkable lizards of Aotearoa in the window of a Wellington bookstore in October (I was visiting with my wife Fi who was going to WOW with her cousins and niece. I wasn’t. I went once in 2002 and ...4 days ago
- Daily crossword, Thursday 14 November
The post Daily crossword, Thursday 14 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- Survivors say torture widespread, Govt says that’s unlikely
Survivors and lawyers are calling on the Govt to release legal advice that says other abuse at psychiatric institutions doesn’t meet the definition of torture The post Survivors say torture widespread, Govt says that’s unlikely appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- An often-toxic artificial lake receives a collective shrug
A man-made lake north of Christchurch is a ‘filthy drain’ but few seem interested in fixing it The post An often-toxic artificial lake receives a collective shrug appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- Trump appealed to left-behind people in left-behind places
Opinion: Many commentators are trying to make sense of the re-election of Donald Trump and as a geography teacher, I always think geography is a valuable discipline to make sense of momentous and world-changing events.Let’s start with some simple stories, ones that I have heard in the last few days. ...4 days ago
- Global carbon budget will be used up in six years
The annual carbon budget report from the Global Carbon Project dropped on Wednesday morning, reminding diplomats at the COP29 climate summit in Baku exactly what they were there for.Contrary to some hopes that carbon dioxide emissions have now peaked, the report estimates 2024 will set a new record for fossil ...4 days ago
- West Papuan leader makes ‘raise our banned flag’ plea over new threat
Asia Pacific Report An exiled West Papuan leader has called on supporters globally to show their support by raising the Morning Star flag — banned by Indonesia — on December 1. “Whether in your house, your workplace, the beach, the mountains or anywhere else, please raise our flag and send ...4 days ago
- Government to impose ‘duty of care’ on digital platforms: Communiations Minister Rowland
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government will develop and legislate a “Digital Duty of Care” to place the onus on platforms to keep people safe and better prevent online harms, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has announced. In a ...4 days ago
- Senior NZ lawyers call for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned
By Lillian Hanly, RNZ political reporter Members of the King’s Counsel, some of New Zealand’s most senior legal minds, say the controversial Treaty Principles Bill “seeks to rewrite the Treaty itself” and are calling on the prime minister and the coalition government to “act responsibly now and abandon” it. More ...4 days ago
- COP29: Does NZ have the credibility to lead carbon trading talks?
By Eloise Gibson, RNZ climate change correspondent New Zealand’s Climate Change Minister Simon Watts is going to the global climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan next week, where he will be co-leading talks on international carbon trading. But the government has been unable to commit to using the trading mechanism he ...4 days ago
- Abuse survivors petition Parliament to accept all Royal Commission recommendations
The day after the government apologised to abuse survivors, some presented a petition calling on it to implement all recommendations from the Royal Commission's report. ...4 days ago
- Jim Chalmers has provided an extra $900 million to boost productivity. But this ‘high priority’ ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roy Green, Emeritus Professor of Innovation, University of Technology Sydney Productivity is the greatest structural problem in our economy, according to Treasurer Jim Chalmers. He says there is “no higher priority for reform”. Announcing a A$900 million productivity fund to be shared ...4 days ago
- Shortsightedness is on the rise in children. There’s more we can do than limit screen time
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Honorary Fellow, Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne Asada Nami/Shutterstock Myopia in children is on the rise. The condition – also known as shortsightedness – already affects up to 35% ...4 days ago
- The House: This week in Parliament
The House - All eyes are on the government as it issues an official Crown apology and navigates the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill, but what else is going on at Parliament this week? ...4 days ago
- ASB defends profit, warns of ‘big tech’ takeover of banking
ASB chairperson Dame Therese Walsh has told a parliamentary committee its $1.4 billion profit last year was not excessive. ...4 days ago
- Hīkoi protest: Thousands march through key Auckland sites on day three
Thousands of supporters crossed the Auckland Harbour Bridge on Wednesday, causing it to rock and sway under their feet. ...4 days ago
- Free Speech Union Endorses Carter’s Copyright (Parody And Satire) Amendment Bill, But It Raises Qu...
We commend the Green Party’s Bill to protect the speech rights of creators, artists, and commentators who are regularly targets of censorship. We hope this represents the turning of a new leaf in their defence of all speech rights. ...4 days ago - Unlicensed online casinos face $5m fines in gambling crackdown
Online casino operators could be fined up to $5 million if they set up an unlicensed website under new rules being introduced. ...4 days ago
- Donald Trump fancies himself a skilled dealmaker, but Middle East peace might be beyond him
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University Donald Trump’s re-election as the US president last week comes at a time of extreme volatility in the Middle East. The president-elect has promised to end all wars. ...4 days ago
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