Author Archive
Climate Scientists Open Up
Written By: - Date published: 2:24 pm, October 1st, 2017 - 17 comments
Four climate scientists offer a little bit of their personal stories, and their plans in relation to global warming.
When the Bubble Pops.
Written By: - Date published: 1:57 pm, September 22nd, 2017 - 95 comments
Let’s talk about NZ Labour – hopefully the party that heads up the next government of New Zealand.
I’d say it’s undeniable that there’s a general mood for change in NZ society and that NZ Labour have somewhat ridden on the back of that sentiment.
But does it end well?
Why I voted two ticks Green
Written By: - Date published: 11:42 am, September 20th, 2017 - 83 comments
Because we need to knock Liberalism on the head.
A Tale of Two Privileges.
Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, September 16th, 2017 - 72 comments
Bad title. Whatever.
Yesterday there were two responses to Michelle’s guest post, that in conjunction deserve better exposure than “soon to be forgotten” comments buried in a post thread.
The Bullshit
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 pm, September 12th, 2017 - 84 comments
National up, NZ Labour down, Greens dead? Really!?
Scottish Labour. On the Cusp?
Written By: - Date published: 6:02 pm, August 30th, 2017 - 17 comments
Liberals depart and Liberals tank.
Vote for NZ Labour if…
Written By: - Date published: 1:00 pm, August 30th, 2017 - 53 comments
- You want a TPP Agreement.
Dear Winston.
Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, August 30th, 2017 - 136 comments
How many of these did you receive over your 7 years of over-payments?
WINZ and Super Scandals
Written By: - Date published: 11:40 am, August 28th, 2017 - 138 comments
Here’s the scandal.
Do you?
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, August 11th, 2017 - 69 comments
In the interests of keeping it simple, an obvious fact or two and a basic proposition.
No Way Back.
Written By: - Date published: 6:58 pm, August 9th, 2017 - 79 comments
There comes a point…
Corbyn-esque NZ
Written By: - Date published: 6:17 pm, August 9th, 2017 - 13 comments
This post was written and ready to go and then news of Metiria Turei stepping down hit. Some of it might read a little strangely because of that. I’ve changed some of the tenses used.
Metiria for PM
Written By: - Date published: 6:52 am, August 8th, 2017 - 45 comments
Yes. Quite seriously.
So NZ Labour wanted the Headlines.
Written By: - Date published: 3:29 pm, August 1st, 2017 - 50 comments
Well, now they have them. But…
US Leaves Kansas.
Written By: - Date published: 4:28 pm, July 31st, 2017 - 18 comments
I guess it’s kind of hard to anchor something that’s all up in the air…
Lies. Damned Lies. And Diesel.
Written By: - Date published: 2:12 pm, July 26th, 2017 - 48 comments
Britain follows France in banning the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles from 2040. Good news?
Break Left!
Written By: - Date published: 1:01 pm, July 20th, 2017 - 109 comments
A simple and obvious message to the Green Party that others have ignored to their cost. Please don’t join that list.
#IamMetiria
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, July 20th, 2017 - 35 comments
If you know that feeling of dread when you get a WINZ letter, or if you’ve had roiling anxiety from being ‘called in’ for a WINZ interview, or sighed with relief when the letter from WINZ turns out to be a replacement community services card, then follow #IamMetiria. And if you just don’t recognise those, then you might want to follow #IamMetiria to find out why others do…
This is not an image of a Low Flying Penguin.
Written By: - Date published: 1:40 pm, July 16th, 2017 - 62 comments
It’s also is not a picture of a person claiming entitlements who has not felt compelled to bend the truth when dealing with WINZ. Both images would be equally difficult to find.
Incrementalists ‘Brick It’
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, July 16th, 2017 - 11 comments
Meet Christiana Figueres, former executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and original negotiator behind the Paris Agreement. She’s co-signed an article, published in Nature and signed by over 60 scientists as well as business leaders and other ‘pillars of the global community’ that headlines – “Three years to safeguard our climate”
Non-news News and News Non-news
Written By: - Date published: 12:22 pm, July 13th, 2017 - 100 comments
A politician said their party would insist on being a part of government depending on the vote falls in September, while another gets called out for his habitual stirring at the pot of ethnic division. In a place like the South Africa of old, we all know which one would be the story. But this is New Zealand and this is now.
This Bloody Vote.
Written By: - Date published: 11:53 am, July 7th, 2017 - 212 comments
Disentangling the veritable plate of spaghetti that’s been set before us this election.
Same Old, Same Old.
Written By: - Date published: 1:03 pm, July 2nd, 2017 - 148 comments
This time last year, there was a smattering of posts put up about average global ocean and land surface temperatures. They didn’t make for comfortable reading.
Oil and Water Mix.
Written By: - Date published: 11:17 am, June 20th, 2017 - 23 comments
Our economic paradigm (market capitalism) and oil don’t mix. False hope (BECCS) and survival doesn’t mix. Current political settings (Paris pledges produce 3- 4 degrees C warming with the US on board) and intelligent action don’t mix. Incrementalism (time is not on our side) and AGW doesn’t mix. Whatever can’t be mixed into some AGW solution needs to be flushed.
Scary, huh? Well, yes and no…
Homeless Housing.
Written By: - Date published: 3:19 pm, June 16th, 2017 - 24 comments
Did Jeremy Corbyn just cut through a whole pile of smash?
Andrew Little – Last Labour PM of NZ?
Written By: - Date published: 4:48 pm, June 3rd, 2017 - 136 comments
A wee bit of speculation for a long week-end.
UK Defense Secretary on Corbyn
Written By: - Date published: 12:22 pm, May 28th, 2017 - 49 comments
A quite remarkable interview of Michael Fallon by Channel 4 News in the UK.
Corbyn on terrorism and UK settings.
Written By: - Date published: 11:44 am, May 27th, 2017 - 26 comments
Full speech given by Jeremy Corbyn yesterday.
Why Islam is incidental.
Written By: - Date published: 12:21 pm, May 26th, 2017 - 133 comments
How (According to The Guardian) a neo-nazi turned Islamist flipped terror narratives upside down.
Labour’s Manifesto
Written By: - Date published: 11:50 am, May 11th, 2017 - 293 comments
Old school Social Democracy. (Remember that?)
- New to streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you love a good cry: All of Us Strangers (Disney+) It’s the dreamlike, emotional film that had viewers running from the cinema in floods of tears, and ...2 weeks ago - Global Military Spending Increase Threatens Humanity And The Planet
SIPRI has estimated global military expenditure last year was at least $2,443 billion (USD, ±$4,150 billion NZD), an increase of 6.8% in real terms from 2022 and the steepest year-on-year increase since 2009. ...2 weeks ago - Why the Waitangi Tribunal has summonsed a minister – and why the Crown is fighting itToday in the High Court, Crown lawyers will argue that the minister for children shouldn’t have to appear in front of the Waitangi Tribunal to answer questions about proposed changes to the Oranga Tamariki Act. Carwyn Jones explains. The past week has seen two cabinet ministers publicly criticise the actions ...2 weeks ago
- What do we make of The Tortured Poets Department?Our tortured critics department reviews the new Taylor Swift album. On Friday, Taylor Swift smashed records held by the likes of Taylor Swift and Taylor Swift, when her new album The Tortured Poets Department became the most streamed album on Spotify in a single day. Her 11th album had only ...2 weeks ago
- How Popstars and TrueBliss changed reality television foreverThis week we’re celebrating 25 years since the first episode of Popstars, a series that cemented TrueBliss in our pop culture history and created a new genre of reality television. Today, Alex Casey looks back at the origin story of Popstars and its impact. It could have been our own ...2 weeks ago
- Government risks own goal in cutting funding for Growing up in New ZealandA study that tracks the life course of 6,000 kids provides crucial data for government decision making and spending, say those involved. Yet the axe hovers over Growing up in New Zealand, writes Max Rashbrooke. The government risks sabotaging its own targets – on school attendance, for instance – if ...2 weeks ago
- Lending rule changes a prelude to bigger overhaul of CCCFAThe government has announced tweaks to the much-maligned law, but isn’t scrapping the lending affordability regulations – at least, not yet, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The first stage of ...2 weeks ago
- There’s no need to make emergency housing harder. It’s hard enough alreadyTrust me, I know: I’ve been living in a damp, violent hotel in central Auckland for six months and counting. I get it, Minister. I really do. You want us out of emergency housing. And believe me, so do we. I have been living in emergency accommodation in a hotel ...2 weeks ago
- A list of transport projects Wellington could actually deliver in the next 10-15 yearsMetlink is warning Wellington commuters to expect buses to replace trains on weekends for the next 10-15 years. But there are a few things to look forward to while we wait. Thomas Nash is a Greater Wellington Regional Councillor. Ten to fifteen years. Four little words that sparked a mini ...2 weeks ago
- EDS Highlights Reputational Risks Of Fast-track Inclusion“Make no mistake: this proposed legislation, with its Ministerial overreach and capacity for environmental harm, is extremely radical and controversial,” said EDS CEO Gary Taylor. ...2 weeks ago
- Fast-track Bill A Fraud Being Perpetrated On All Future GenerationsThe Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...2 weeks ago
- Embracing Māori Representation Enriches Democracy, Not Divides ItMāori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...2 weeks ago
- Communities Against The Fast-track Heartened By ‘Overwhelming’ Public Response; Disgusted By ‘...With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...2 weeks ago
- Renters Rights To Drastically Reduce Under Landlord GovernmentThe Government’s announced changes around tenancy rules set renters’ rights back by nearly a decade. ...2 weeks ago
- NZPI Submission on Fast Track Approvals BillOur response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...2 weeks ago
- Fast Track Invite List Includes Most Destructive Industries In New ZealandThe new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...2 weeks ago
- Mental Health Foundation Facing Staff Cuts From Govt Funding SqueezeThe Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...2 weeks ago
- Unions Collaborate With Thousands Of Job CutsWith New Zealand officially in recession, a swathe of mass sackings is currently sending shockwaves through the entire working class. ...2 weeks ago
- “Fast-track Law To Kill Kiwi”: Students Say Fight Against Anti-democracy Legislation Is Only Jus...Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...2 weeks ago
- Rip It Up And Start Over – Fast-Track Approvals Bill Needs To Be Scrapped“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...2 weeks ago
- Maori Authority Warns Government On Fast Track LegislationThe Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...2 weeks ago
- ‘Character’ And Its Impact On Immigration StatusThe Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...2 weeks ago
- Abortions Increase 25% Since Law ChangeFamily First says that the latest abortion statistics make grim and upsetting reading, with a 25% increase in abortions since the decriminalisation of abortion in March 2020. According to an Official Information Act request received by Right to Life ...2 weeks ago
- Over Half Of New Zealanders Feel That The Country Is In Decline And That Our Society Is BrokenIpsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study on populism reveals a pervasive sense of societal and economic decline among New Zealanders. MORE DETAILS AND FULL REPORT HERE Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study ...2 weeks ago
- Minister Concedes Contractors Will Be Hired To Do Work Of Axed Ministry Of Education StaffThe PSA can’t believe that the Minister of Education is happy for her ministry to hire contractors at the same time it is dismissing 565 workers. ...2 weeks ago
- LGNZ Welcomes Govt Earthquake-prone Buildings DecisionLGNZ has advocated for this decision as part of a remit led by Manawatū District Council. ...2 weeks ago
- Enforceable undertaking issued to abc accounting services limited after continued non-compliance.The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has accepted an enforceable undertaking agreement from ABC Accounting Services Limited (ABC) under section 81 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (AML/CFT Act). ...2 weeks ago
- How the coalition plans to replace the quickly scrapped Māori Health Authority
The coalition government got rid of the Māori Health Authority in a hurry. What is it doing now instead? ...2 weeks ago - REVEALED: RNZ’s Hypocrisy Over Fair Digital News Bargaining BillThe Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Radio New Zealand (RNZ) spent $71,842.53 on Facebook advertising over the past 12 months, despite earlier this year coming out in support of the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill , which would force the likes ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand’s Annual Emissions Fell In 2022, For Third Successive YearThis is the third successive decrease year-on-year. New Zealand’s gross emissions for 2022 were 78.4 Mt CO2-e. ...2 weeks ago
- Care Workers Call For Fairness On Pay Equity Anniversary“The Government has an opportunity here to really correct the course for the care and support workforce, and the people they look after. This cannot be just another area left in the cold, we need real leadership to ensure the proper quality of care ...2 weeks ago
- Corrections Accepts Recommendations Following Auckland Prison InspectionThe Inspectorate made three overarching recommendations following the inspection, all of which have been accepted in full by Corrections. ...2 weeks ago
- How Fast-track Consenting Might Impact The Environment – Expert ReactionSubmissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill close at the end of Friday. The law would allow major infrastructure projects to bypass lengthy resource consenting processes – being assessed instead by an expert panel , with Ministers ultimately having ...2 weeks ago
- Changes To ECE RegulationsIn QPEC's view, the Coalition changes to ECE announced mid-April are exactly the opposite of what is needed The Issue David Seymour is loosening regulations and qualifications for Early Childhood Centres, removing government signoff for new ...2 weeks ago
- NZDSN Opinion: Organisations Must Do Better For Disabled New ZealandersWe at New Zealand Disability Support Network applaud the Commerce Commission for filing proceedings against One NZ for their latest failure on 111 Contact Code. It doesn’t take much to think of harmful or fatal scenarios for people with disabilities ...2 weeks ago
- Caviar Before Children"Caviar before children is what has happened today!” says Pat Newman spokesperson for Te Tai Tokerau Principals Association "The cuts to day to both the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki, point to a government hell bent on delivering tax ...2 weeks ago
- Inspectorate Report Shows Prisoners Denied Entitlement To Daily Time Out Of CellsA report from the Office of the Inspectorate shows that prisoners in three units at Auckland Prison were not able to leave their cells every day for many months. For up to nine months (until mid-July 2023), prisoners in three units were denied ...2 weeks ago
- 'I thought we were friends': Dave Letele reveals falling out with PM Christopher LuxonCommunity leader Dave Letele considered Christopher Luxon a friend - until the PM reacted badly to an open letter he signed decrying racism. ...2 weeks ago
- Brutal Day Of Govt Cuts, Axing Support For Children And Young PeopleOranga Tamariki and Ministry of Education propose scrapping 1012 jobs ...2 weeks ago
- Large Scale Cuts At Education Ministry Will Have Negative Impacts On Schools And ChildrenThe cuts will affect both the daily running of schools and early childhood education services, and will make support for students even more difficult to access. ...2 weeks ago
- NEW POLL: Strong Support For Inflation Adjustment Of Tax Brackets To End The Stealth TaxA new Taxpayers’ Union — Curia poll has revealed that New Zealanders – at a ratio of five to one – support inflation adjustment of income tax brackets. 67% of respondents supported inflation adjustments while just 13% were opposed. ...2 weeks ago
- Time For Associate Minister Of Education To Reveal His School Lunches Magic TrickIt’s time for him to explain how he will do this, what the consequences will be and what evidence he has that these changes will achieve the same results. ...2 weeks ago
- Letter From Te Hunga Roia Maori O Aotearoa / NZ Maori Law Society Re Cabinet BreachTe Hunga Roia Māori o Aotearoa | the New Zealand Māori Law Society are concerned about recent comments made by Minister Shane Jones in respect of the Waitangi Tribunal. We consider that his comments breach the principle of the separation of powers ...2 weeks ago
- Tolerate Online Abuse Or Resign: How The Law Fails Women MPsAs women MPs face social media vitriol, where are the plans to combat it? Human rights law expert Dr Cassandra Mudgway explores the global issue in a free talk. ...2 weeks ago
- Inflation Data Shows Need For A Plan On Climate And PopulationData today shows headline CPI inflation at 4%, continuing the fall begun in March 2023. Rises are concentrated in particular sectors – especially services. This data also shows that that the minimum wage increase will be half the rate of inflation ...2 weeks ago
- Government Spending Still Driving Cost Of Living SkywardResponding to today’s release of the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: “Domestic inflation is still punishing Kiwis, with non-tradeable inflation – the aspect most ...2 weeks ago
- Annual Inflation At 4.0 PercentNew Zealand's consumers price index increased 4.0 percent in the 12 months to the March 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. The 4.0 percent increase follows a 4.7 percent increase in the 12 months to the December 2023 quarter. ...2 weeks ago
- Women MPs Acknowledge Report Highlighting Increased Harassment Of MPs“The research reflects the real experiences of women in politics, and I would like to acknowledge the mahi by the researchers in highlighting this,” Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel said. ...2 weeks ago
- Expanding Coal Mining In 21st Century An “absurd, Selfish Decision” Says WWFResources Minister Shane Jones announced today that the Government will ease the consenting process for setting up new coal mines or expanding existing ones. ...3 weeks ago
- Labour Productivity Falls 0.9 PercentLabour productivity fell 0.9 percent in the year ended March 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. The 0.9 percent fall in labour productivity was the largest fall since 2009. It follows a rise of 1.0 percent in the year ended March ...3 weeks ago
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